Few doctrines have been more contested in modern theology than the claim that believers may experience a definite work of grace subsequent to salvation. Critics often dismiss this doctrine as emotionalism, theological innovation, or a misreading of Acts. Yet such objections collapse under careful biblical examination. The New Testament plainly presents a second definite work of grace beyond conversion. Pentecostals would see it as a post-salvation baptism with the Holy Spirit for power, boldness, and spiritual empowerment. The Holiness Movement may see this “secondness” in terms of entire sanctification, freedom from inner sin, or heart cleansing. I will not attempt to deal with those concepts in this post. I will reserve those discussions for another post. I do, however, want to broach the topic of a second work of God’s grace by His design.
The New Testament reveals that salvation is not the endpoint of the believer’s spiritual experience but the doorway into a life of ongoing grace, sanctification, and supernatural empowerment. Among the most consistent patterns in Scripture is the reality that believers who have already been genuinely converted may yet receive a distinct, subsequent work of the Holy Spirit. This second definite work of grace is not for salvation, but for empowerment, boldness, purity, and ministry effectiveness. Far from being a theological novelty, this doctrine emerges naturally from the biblical witness.
The discussion begins with the Day of Pentecost. Is this event of outpouring in the upper room a salvation moment for the disciples -or- is it a subsequent moment of Christ’s final work to equip them for the commission wrought by the Holy Spirit? To begin answering those questions, one must first ask themselves, “When did these disciples who followed Jesus actually become what we would define as Christians or full believers?”
There are certain Christian circles which claim that Pentecost was the point these disciples were formally “saved” in the New Testament sense. Again, the historical uniqueness and transition of this era is pointed to in order to provide a caveat for these disciples personal salvation. This was an unusual group at an unusual time and this account by no means provides a template for today. Some of this discussion will be picked up when I write concerning the Baptism with the Holy Spirit and when that exactly happens. For the present, I am limiting this post to the concept of, “Is a SECOND moment of God’s work available after salvation?”
I would respond most emphatically, “YES”. I believe there are several indicators that point to this conclusion.
Before Pentecost:
- Jesus said the disciples names were written in heaven (Luke 10:20).
- Jesus called them “clean” (John 15:3).
- Peter had received divine revelation of Christ from the Father (Matt. 16:17).
- They rejoiced in the resurrected Christ (John 20:20).
- Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22).
To argue they were unsaved until Acts 2 requires redefining salvation in ways foreign to the text. Pentecost, therefore, cannot be their conversion, but rather it must be a subsequent empowering. To deny this requires dismissing multiple clear distinctions in Scripture and forcing later theological systems onto the biblical text.
John the Baptist distinguished these two distinct ministries of Christ:
“He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost…”
Matthew 3:11
If Spirit baptism were merely conversion, then John’s prophecy would be reduced to little more than a poetic description of salvation. Yet Christ’s language and the Book of Acts treat Spirit-baptism as a distinct experiential promise.
Jesus told already-believing disciples:
“Tarry… until ye be endued with power from on high.”
Luke 24:49
“Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you…”
Acts 1:8
If the disciples already possessed saving faith, why command them to wait for another divine experience? The answer is obvious: because salvation and Spirit-baptism are two distinct experiences.
In Acts 8, Phillip preaches the Gospel in Samaria and, “When they believed Philip… they were baptized…” (Acts 8:12).
Subsequently when the apostles heard of this revival, Peter and John took a trip to visit them and “pray that they might receive the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:15). In Acts 8:17, “Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” They believed first, were baptized, and existed as believers; then they received the Spirit in this distinct sense later.
Saul encounters Christ on the Damascus road and calls Him “Lord” (Acts 9:5). Yet three days later we read, “Brother Saul… be filled with the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 9:17). Paul’s infilling subsequently follows his conversion encounter.
One of the strongest examples is found when Paul is amongst the Ephesians. Paul asks, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?” (Acts 19:2) The question itself assumes saving faith can precede receiving the Spirit in this fuller sense. This single question destroys the anti-subsequence argument.
Paul, in his epistles, seems to leave us direction in this regard as well. He writes and strongly urges to the Church at Rome (remember, these are believers) that they should, “…present (their) bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is (their) reasonable service.” And to the Thessalonian Church he writes, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Thessalonians 5:23). The verb for “completely” is indicating an action with definitive and completed results. In other words, he is exhorting these believers to experience a sanctifying experience which brings them to completion.
And may I also suggest as I complete this post, if there is only a salvific experience available for the believer, then why don’t our churches better resemble the church in the book of Acts? I want to suggest that the Lord has provided believers an experience with the Holy Spirit which endues the Church with power from on High.
The reason this is important is because for many cessationists, they conflate the “baptism BY the Holy Spirit” (I Corinthians 12:13) with the “baptism WITH the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5), along with the Holy Spirit coming “IN” you (John 14:17, I Cor. 6:19) with the Holy Spirit coming “upon” you (Acts 1:8, 11:15). We will discuss in the next post how the preposition “with” is going to have massive repercussions in understanding the work of the Lord in these 2 distinct experiences.
So, for those of you who testify of being “saved” and yet subsequently you experienced a distinct, defined, second moment of divine empowerment and grace; you are in the center of orthodoxy. Don’t apologize for what God has wrought in your heart and life.
Next Time: The Baptism With the Holy Spirit.
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