An attentive reader of the New Testament may notice several instances in the Acts of the Apostles where people received the gift of the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit is God, a divine person in the Trinity of God; in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit works, for example, in creation or on individuals. The Holy... More under varying circumstances. Besides chapters 2:1-4, which detail the baptism with the Holy SpiritThe baptism with the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 12:13) is a unique event that took place on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). The Lord Jesus had announced it... More, there are four significant events in which the Spirit took possession of individuals. Let's take a closer look at these four occurrences:

1. Chapter 2:37-41: This passage discusses native Jews who, after Peter's powerful speech, asked, "What shall we do, brethren?" Peter emphasized the necessity of repentance and baptism, stating that only after these steps could they receive the Holy Spirit (v. 38). Repentance and baptism are particularly highlighted here because God wanted these proud Jews to humble themselves. They were the ones who had rejected their Messiah, crying out, "We do not want this one to reign over us!" Thus, they needed to be baptized in the name of the one they had brought to the cross, publicly confessing Him. Without this confession, the Spirit could not come upon them.
2. Chapter 8:14-17: This passage refers to the believers in Samaria. Through Philip's preaching, these individuals accepted the word of God, believed, and were baptized but did not initially receive the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit is God, a divine person in the Trinity of God; in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit works, for example, in creation or on individuals. The Holy... More. It was only after Peter and John came from Jerusalem that they received the gift of the Spirit. In addition to faith and baptismRefers to the immersion of a person (in a body of water) and has a symbolic meaning: someone who is baptized acknowledges that they deserve to die. By being baptized,... More, the apostles prayed for them and laid hands on them. This intentional sequence was significant because of the historical rivalry between Samaria and Jerusalem (see John 4). The old rivalry could have persisted had the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit is God, a divine person in the Trinity of God; in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit works, for example, in creation or on individuals. The Holy... More come upon these believers immediately. By praying and laying hands on the Samaritans, the apostles demonstrated their unity with them, emphasizing that there could be no division within the assemblyThe literal meaning is “called out”: • called out of "the darkness" (1. Pet 2:9)—this refers to the area where there is a lack of light about God Himself, His... More. Through the Spirit, all believers become one body, reflecting God's intention for unity.
3. Chapter 10:34-48: This account illustrates how Gentiles who came to faith received the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit is God, a divine person in the Trinity of God; in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit works, for example, in creation or on individuals. The Holy... More. Here, we find no mention of apostolic prayer or the laying on of hands—only the faith of those who heard the word (v. 43). As a result of their faith, they received the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit is God, a divine person in the Trinity of God; in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit works, for example, in creation or on individuals. The Holy... More before being baptized. This event showcases the fullness of God's graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More, indicating that salvationSalvation is part of God's plan of saving people. Those who are in danger and cannot help themselves need salvation. We owe our salvation to our Savior, who went to... More is not confined to the Jewish people but extends to all humanity. While the faith of those in Cornelius' house likely included elements of repentanceWhile remorse (Greek metamellomai) means to regret a previous act or behavior and to have a different way of thinking about it, Repentance (Greek metanoia) goes further than that: It... More, no other prerequisites are specified. They received the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit is God, a divine person in the Trinity of God; in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit works, for example, in creation or on individuals. The Holy... More directly.
4. Chapter 19:1-6: This final case concerns disciples on Jewish soil, unaware that the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit is God, a divine person in the Trinity of God; in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit works, for example, in creation or on individuals. The Holy... More had come. Similar to the believers in Samaria, these individuals received the Spirit only after demonstrating faith, being baptized, and experiencing the apostolic laying on of hands (in this case, by Paul). This order is significant because these were Jews who first had to confess the crucified ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More through Christian baptismRefers to the immersion of a person (in a body of water) and has a symbolic meaning: someone who is baptized acknowledges that they deserve to die. By being baptized,... More. Additionally, God wanted to confirm and recognize Paul's apostleship by laying on hands, much like Peter's apostleship was acknowledged.

So, which order should we follow? A comparison with Ephesians 1 reveals that the order presented in Acts 10 aligns with the teachings in the letters, making it applicable to us today. The other three cases are unique exceptions and special circumstances. Chapter 2 speaks to the Jews partly responsible for the Lord's death, stressing baptismRefers to the immersion of a person (in a body of water) and has a symbolic meaning: someone who is baptized acknowledges that they deserve to die. By being baptized,... More. Chapter 8 addresses the special relationship between Samaria and Jerusalem, and Chapter 19 highlights Paul's apostleship. However, the case in chapter 10 describes the gift of the Spirit given to former Gentiles, establishing an order binding for us today.

We maintain that the gift of the Spirit results from hearing and faith. Scripture does not recognize any other prerequisites. This is further confirmed in Galatians 3:5, where Paul asks the Galatians: “Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you… does He do it by the worksAnother word for deeds or actions. God's works are perfect (Gen 1:31), men's can be good works (Matt 5:16) or dead (Heb 6:1). On the basis of his works, unbelieving... More of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” The gift of the Spirit is not a result of our worksAnother word for deeds or actions. God's works are perfect (Gen 1:31), men's can be good works (Matt 5:16) or dead (Heb 6:1). On the basis of his works, unbelieving... More, prayers, or the laying on of hands by others but rather stems from simply accepting the message of the gospel as God reveals it. We hold firmly to this clear truth of the Word of God and choose not to be swayed by other voices.