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, KJV).
Not only are we to believe and repent, but we also need to be baptized. Baptism is the normal and scriptural thing to do once a person has decided to follow Jesus. It is the Lord's command, and in the early church it was always done immediately upon conversion to Christ.
If Jesus is your Lord and Savior, you need to be baptized. He said, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you. . ." Not some of you. . .not those of you who don't have relatives who would object. No, "everyone of you!"
Baptism in the Bible was always done AFTER a person received Christ. It is a physical act that represents the washing away of sins, the death to the old nature and rising up in newness of life. Any "baptism" that is done as a infant or before a person has made a personal choice to follow Christ is not scriptural water baptism.
Baptism is a powerful event at the starting gate of the believers life in Christ, which enables him or her to separate from the old mode of living and begin to walk in the empowered Christlike life. It is very significant, powerful and necessary in the life of the believer. "Be baptized, every one of you. . ."
The Greek word for baptism is "baptisma" consisting of the process of immersion, submersion and emergence. To dip. Or commonly speaking, to dunk. The dipping in the water represents our burial with Christ, because we have died to the old way of life.The Worrel Bible translates the word simply "immersed." The scriptures define several different types of baptisms which are relevant to the Christian's life. One of the foundational truths mentioned is Hebrews 6 is the doctrine of baptisms (plural). There is not just one type of baptism, but several mentioned in the scriptures.
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. (Hebrews 6:1-3, KJV).
Three baptisms
For the purpose of our teaching here we will discuss three distinct
baptisms: the baptism into Christ, water baptism, and the baptism
of the Holy Spirit. In each case pay careful attention to who
is doing the baptizing and what the person is being baptized into.
1. First, baptism into Christ:
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13, KJV).
In this case the person is being immersed into the body of Christ by the Spirit of God. The individual doing this baptism is the Holy Spirit. This baptism is the new birth experience, by which we are brought into the fellowship of the saints and the family of God.
2. Second, baptism in Water:
And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. (John 1:31, KJV).
In water baptism the person is baptized or immersed "into" water. The person doing the immersing is the minister of the Gospel. Water baptism is a picture of the new birth experience, but it is not the same.
3. Third, baptism in the Holy Ghost:
And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. (John 1:32-33, KJV).
In the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we are baptized or immersed "into" the Holy Spirit. The person doing the baptizing is the head of the church, Jesus Christ. Some people try to lump all three baptisms together. For example, infant baptism and the idea that it represents all three of these baptisms is unscriptural. Baptism is for believers.
Type of Baptism Object Baptized Into Baptizer
1. Into Christ Body of Christ Holy Spirit
2. Water Water Minister
3. Holy Spirit Holy Spirit Jesus Christ
Baptism is the Lord's Command
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given
unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20, KJV).
And he said unto them, 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. (Mark
16:15-16, KJV).
The greatest reason for baptism is the simple fact that it
is a command of the Lord. The thief on the cross did not have
time to be baptized, but he was saved. We are, however, accountable
for what we know and should obey the Lord's command.
Peter also commanded baptism:
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, KJV).
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. (Acts 10:48, KJV).
And Paul preached it:
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 19:4-5, KJV).
Jesus was Baptized
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be
baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be
baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said
unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil
all righteousness. Then he suffered him. (Matthew 3:13-15, KJV).
Jesus did not consider himself to have fulfilled all righteousness until He had been baptized. As our forerunner, He went before us and fulfilled the pattern of righteousness, which included water baptism. After His baptism, the Holy Spirit came upon Him and He began His ministry.
The Common Practice of the Early Church
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and
said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren,
what shall we do? 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
2:37-38, KJV).
God wants you to receive the gift of salvation, be baptized and received the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is the Bible pattern and His will for your life.
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:41, KJV).
A man named Lester Sumrall was holding a crusade in the Philippines where the Lord had told him to start a church. People were getting saved, healed and set free, but the church was not forming. He said, "Lord, where is my church?" The Holy Spirit then instructed him to hold a water baptism service. During the last night of the crusade he announced a water baptism service for the next day. He said, "Everyone that is willing to die for Jesus, come and be baptized." A total of 350 people came for baptism and this was the beginning of Sumrall's church in the Philippines. Many of those people went on to become ministers of the Gospel.
Accepting Christ is one thing, but water baptism is taking a strong step out of the world and into a new walk with Christ. It brings a separation from dead religion and worldly associations and brings a person into a new dimension in their walk with Christ toward the promised land.
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. (Acts 8:12, KJV).
They believed, were baptized and later received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 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. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? (Acts 10:44-47, KJV).
Here we have all three baptisms, with the baptism of the Holy Spirit coming before water baptism. This also proves that it is possible to be saved without being water baptized--because, would God fill an unsaved person with the Holy Spirit?
An Identification with the Death, Burial, and Resurrection
of Christ
Baptism involves the individual surrender to the death of Christ.
It is a willful choice of dying to the things of the world. Therefore
it is only appropriate for a person capable of making a choice
for Christ. One writer said: It is the divinely ordained way to
express one's faith in Christ. Let's do things the divinely ordained
way.
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:1-11, KJV).
If someone is dead, we bury then. Through Christ we are dead
to sin. Baptism is our burial service. To be buried, one must
first recognize that they are dead. This death opens up the true
(resurrection) life for the believer
.
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality
and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision
made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the
flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism,
wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation
of God, who hath raised him from the dead. (Colossians 2:10-12,
KJV).
Through faith in the operation of God, you are risen from the dead. Believe in the work of God through Water Baptism. Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. By faith we see ourselves dead to sin and alive unto God. We then confess our freedom and walk in that freedom by faith. Start seeing yourself the way that God sees you.
A man was struggling with an area of temptation in his life and asked for prayer. During a time of prayer the spirit of prophesy came and a word was spoken, "Remember your baptism!" We are to remember and recognize our baptism as a time of deliverance from the power of sin and claim its benefits to our lives.
And baptism, which is a figure [or their deliverance], does now also save you [from inward questionings and fears], not by the removing of outward body filth (bathing), but by [providing you with] the answer of a good and clear conscience [inward cleanness and peace] before God, [because you are demonstrating what you believe to be yours] through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. 3:21 (Amp)
Through baptism you are delivered from inward questionings and fears. You've made a clear choice for Christ when you are baptized and are set free from the old life. Rejoice!
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; (1 Corinthians 10:1-2, KJV).
The Bible says that Old Testament Israel was baptized unto Moses at the Red Sea. This is not Christian baptism, but it does serve as a picture or a shadow and a type of our baptism. Just as they were baptized unto Moses, we are baptized unto Jesus.
Through this picture we discover the difference between our salvation experience and water baptism. Israel received the benefits of the sacrificial lamb while they were in Egypt. The lamb was slain. The blood was placed on their doorposts and the Bible says that the death angel passed over their houses because of the blood. This is a picture of our salvation, in which Christ our Passover is slain for us and we are delivered from death and into the life of Christ.
However, the children of Israel were still in Egypt and under the bondage of Pharaoh. Egypt is a shadow and type of the world and Pharaoh is a type of Satan. After God judged Pharaoh, the people of God went out of Egypt. However, God did not lead them directly to the promised land but down to the Red Sea for a baptism service.
Pharaoh, who had just lost his free labor pool, decided to go after the children of Israel and bring them into bondage. Likewise, the devil would like to bring you back into bondage. Finally, Pharaoh and his armies were on one side of God's people and the Red Sea on the other, but God split the Red Sea and the children of Israel went across on dry ground. Pharaoh followed after, but was swallowed up in the Red Sea. Likewise, baptism brings for us a deliverance from the power of sin and Satan and gives us a new beginning in our journey to the promised land.
Requirements for Baptism
And Peter answered them, Repent--change your views, and purpose
to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting
it--and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 (Amp)
Is water enough to cleanse you from your sins? No, only the blood
of Jesus can. The water symbolizes the cleansing. The blood made
the way. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of
sins. If we are baptized without having repented and believing
in Christ, we go into the water as dry sinner and come out as
a wet sinner.
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture,
and preached unto him Jesus. 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? 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. 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 8:35-38,
KJV).
The requirements for receiving water baptism are two things: a willingness to repent of your sins and a belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. As you prepare your heart and follow through in obedience to the Lord's command, you will experience a release into a new way of life through Jesus Christ.