The Holy Spirit in Acts

Recently I did a word study on the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts. I found it fascinating on the different ways in which the Holy Spirit was actually given to believers in the early church as well as the order of events following belief in Christ. Let's look at each of them briefly.

• At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was given initially to believers without any water at all. (Acts 2:1-4) There is no mention of their water baptism either, but it can be implied that they were baptized based upon the advice given by Peter in response to the unbelieving Jews. (Acts 2:38)
  
• After the preaching of Peter, the Jews were pierced to the heart and then called to repentance and baptism and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:37-38)
  
• Steven is described as a man full of the Holy Spirit, but there is no mention of his baptism. (Acts 6:5, 7:55) However, his baptism probably occurred shortly after believing in Christ due to his association with the apostles.
  
• At the preaching of Philip, the Samaritans who believed were baptized. However, the believers did not receive the Holy Spirit until Peter and John prayed for them to receive it and laid their hands on them. (Acts 8:12-17)
  
• Peter condemns the actions of Simon the magician for wanting to buy the apostle's authority to lay hands on believers so they might receive the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:18-19) This implies a special authority given to the apostles that does not appear to carry forward to present day.
  
• At the preaching of Philip, the Ethiopian eunuch was water baptized after believing in Jesus. (Acts 8:35-39) There is no mention of the eunuch receiving the Holy Spirit though in the text.
  
• Ananias laid his hands on Saul (Paul) so he might regain his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit all of which preceded his water baptism. (Acts 9:17-18, 22:12-16)
  
• At the preaching of Peter, the Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius and other Gentiles while they were listening to the good news about Jesus. Peter had stated, "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins." (Acts 10:43) After the Spirit had fallen upon those who heard, Peter recommended them for water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 10:44-48, 11:15-16)
  
• Barnabas is described as a man full of the Holy Spirit, but there is no mention of his baptism. (Acts 11:24) However, his baptism probably occurred shortly after believing in Christ as he was associated with the apostles. (Acts 4:36-37)
  
• Peter discusses his ministry to the Gentiles with the apostles and elders in that they "should hear the word of the gospel and believe…giving them the Holy Spirit…cleansing their hearts by faith." (Acts 15:7-9) He also reminded them that "we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are." (Acts 15:11) Notice that there is no mention of baptism in this text.
  
• Paul questioned the disciples of Ephesus as to whether or not they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed in Christ. They had not heard of the Holy Spirit. They were water baptized in association with the ministry of John the Baptist, but not as a result of their association with Jesus, whom John was pointing them to. Paul told them the good news that, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus." (Acts 19:4) After hearing this, the twelve men were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. However, it was not until Paul laid his hands upon them that they received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 19:2-7)
  

As you can see, there is not a consistent method mentioned throughout Acts as to how believers received the Holy Spirit. In addition, there is not a consistent order for what happened after believing in Christ regarding such things as water baptism, receiving the Holy Spirit, laying of the apostles hands, etc. Most of the early church, primarily comprised of Jews, received the Holy Spirit after the apostles laid their hands of them and were baptized after believing in Christ and yet before actually receiving the Holy Spirit. However, in the first recorded prominent Gentiles conversion (Cornelius and his family in Acts 10:43-45), we find that they received the Holy Spirit after hearing and believing the gospel message of Jesus Christ, not by the laying on of the apostles hands. As such, they were baptized after believing in Christ and after having already received the Holy Spirit. Again, the Holy Spirit fell upon them as they heard the message and believed it. I believe this is the pattern for Gentile believers receiving the Holy Spirit in the present day. My reasoning is two fold: (1) there are no modern day apostles with the authority to lay their hands upon believers to receive the Holy Spirit like in the days of the early church; and (2) it would be nearly impossible for modern day apostles (if there were any) to visit every single new believer in Christ throughout the world. Paul also suggests that believers receive the Holy Spirit upon faith in Christ, "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14) As such, I am convinced that the Holy Spirit is given immediately to believers who have listened to the gospel message and believed in Christ for eternal life.