The short answer… no.
Should you? It’s up to you.
Many Christians today, especially in the charismatic movement, believe that in order to receive the Holy Spirit you have to be baptized. Of course, that’s because they can’t read their bibles right. They don’t use a King James Version bible, the only bible version that actually tells them to STUDY (2 Tim. 2:15) the bible.
If you’ve read the section on OSAS then you already know that you’ve been sealed by the Holy Ghost until the day of redemption.
So why do the charismatics get so confused thinking they need to DO more to get saved?
Well, frankly, it’s because they get stuck in the book of Acts and even the Apostles were confused in the book of Acts. Did you know there’s about FIVE different ways to get saved in the book of Acts? They were still figuring things out. It wasn’t really until around Ch. 11 that Peter figured it out (and later confirmed by Paul):
(16) Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John
indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Acts 11:16
So lets go over some of the baptisms in the book of acts and see what all the fuss is about.
In Acts ch.2 the Apostles are sitting together at the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit suddenly comes upon them (it’s interesting to note here that there is no scripture that explicitly states that any of the apostles were baptized by water). They start speaking in tongues (ACTUAL languages, not jibberish), a bunch of people hear them, and then Peter says:
(38) Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:38
Of course, this is the same baptism of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-2), a Jew baptizing Jews for the remission of sins (having nothing to do with Jesus).
At this point the Apostles were still dealing ONLY with the Jews. It’s not until chapter 10 that Peter gets the OK to start dealing with gentiles. We’ll get to that shortly).
In Acts ch.7 the Jews as a nation reject Jesus Christ with the stoning of Stephen and so in ch.8 the apostles go into Samaria where they heard that people had received the word of God and were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ but they didn’t receive the Holy Ghost until the Apostles laid hand on them.
Also in Ch.8 we see the first Christian who was saved like us. The Ethiopian eunuch which Philip comes across reading the scriptures of Isaiah:
(36) And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water:
and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be
baptized?
(37) And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.
And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
(38) And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down
both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
Acts 8:36-38
Now in Acts ch.9 Saul is baptized but it doesn’t say with water… In fact, the way it’s written it seems very unlikely that this was a water baptism as they were inside a house:
(17) And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his
hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto
thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive
thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
(18) And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he
received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
(19) And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul
certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
Acts 9:17-19
Now in ch.10 things get interesting because we see a man (a gentile) by the name or Cornelius receive the Holy Ghost WITHOUT being baptized! And not just him, but all that were with him:
(44) While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them
which heard the word.
(45) And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as
many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured
out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
(46) For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then
answered Peter,
(47) Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which
have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
(48) And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Acts 10:44-48
I encourage all of you to read the full chapter of Acts 10 because you can see a clear transition here, one that catches even Peter off guard. Earlier in the chapter he received a vision to go unto the nations of the gentiles and then is confused when these people receive the Holy Ghost BEFORE being baptized so he then orders them to be baptized AFTER they receive the Holy Ghost.
It becomes more clear in chapter 11 when Peter shares all this information with the rest of the Apostles.
(18) When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God,
saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Acts 11:18
In chapter 15 we see dispute among the Apostles on how Christians should get saved, which is settled in that same chapter:
(7) And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto
them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made
choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word
of the gospel, and believe.
(8) And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the
Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
(9) And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by
faith.
(10) Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the
disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
(11) But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall
be saved, even as they.
Acts 15:7-11
From here on out, the doctrine of faith alone is preached:
(30) And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
(31) And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,
and thy house.
(32) And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in
his house.
Acts 16:30-32
After the book of Acts the “Pauline epistles” start and there is no mention of water with anyone being saved.
The book of Acts is a TRANSITIONAL book. The Apostles are trying to figure out what’s going on. That’s why so many Christians stumble and get caught up in HAVING to get baptized. When people got baptized and started speaking in tongues it was for a sign for the Jews that God’s promise to them has now been extended to the gentiles (us).
Baptism is a WORK.
We are saved through GRACE.
Go, try and get baptized without working. It’s impossible. You have to set it up, you have to drive to the church, etc.
In the book of acts the Apostles (Jews) are discovering the doctrine of Grace, and this makes sense because works is what was preached to the Jews since the time of Moses and even Jesus!
So why get baptized if you don’t need to?
It’s true that you don’t need to be baptized or do good works for salvation (see the section on OSAS), but doing good works is still a good thing to do and Jesus rewards you for it:
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess
also before my Father which is in heaven.
Matt. 10:32
A lot of why the charismatics look for what they call the ‘Baptism of the Holy Ghost” is because they are also looking for apostolic signs, which disappeared with the Apposles (I will be making a video on this when time permits).
In the meantime, while not directly about baptism, I think the following sermon on speaking in tongues by Peter Ruckman will help re-enforce aspects of this lesson.
Thank you and God bless.