Mark 16:15-16 is known as the Great Commission. Jesus said to His disciples, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” In Acts 8, verse 5 and 12, we see how this commission was worked out through the preaching of Philip in Samaria. “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them…But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”

The question is, did these people of Samaria become Christians according to Mark 16:15-16? Yes, they did. Philip went to the city of Samaria, preached Jesus Christ, and through faith in Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. According to the Great Commission, we could say these people were saved, but had they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

The Bible speaks about John baptizing in water, but only Jesus Christ could baptize with the Holy Spirit. According to the Scripture, people believed, were saved, and water baptized, but they had never received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:14-17 says, “Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.”

We can see from the scriptures that just because a person has believed, been baptized, and saved doesn’t mean they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has come into their lives—in John 20:22 we see that the Holy Spirit regenerated the disciples—but it was on the Day of Pentecost that they were baptized with the Holy Spirit and empowered by God. There is a difference between the quickening of the Holy Spirit in salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit when He comes upon an individual. There is an immersion in the Holy Spirit that comes upon individuals and empowers them. Even though a person has been saved, it doesn’t mean they have been baptized with the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 19:1-2 it states, “And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.” Paul said, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?” They said, “We don’t know anything about a Holy Spirit.” Paul said, “If you weren’t baptized with the Holy Spirit when you believed, what were you baptized with?” They said, “We were baptized with John’s baptism.” I believe Paul explained more perfectly about Jesus being the Christ, and these believers then identified with Jesus through water baptism. In verses 6-7 it says, “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came upon them; and they spake with tongues and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve.”

Even though these people were disciples who believed in the Messiah who was to come, they hadn’t been baptized with the Holy Spirit. A person can be born again and water baptized without having been baptized in the Holy Spirit. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate and distinct experience from conversion.

Although I can baptize a person in water, I can’t baptize them in the Holy Spirit; only Jesus can do that. If you have never asked Jesus to baptize you with the Holy Spirit, why don’t you ask Him now? Luke 11:13 says, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Why don’t you ask Him today?