Water Baptism
What is Water Baptism?
Baptism is an act whereby a person is immersed or submerged in water. This is done to closely associate a believer with the death, burial, and resurrection of our saviour, Jesus Christ. John preached repentance-baptism.…baptism following or accompanying repentance. Mark 1:4
Why would I want to be baptized?
1. Jesus did it. Matt. 3:13-15; Mark 1:9
2. Jesus commanded it. Mark 16:15,16; Matt. 28:19
3. We don't want to be like the Pharisees and Torah-teachers, who rejected God's
purpose for them because they refused to allow John to baptize them. Lk 7:30
4. Paul was baptized and washed his sins away. Acts 9:18; Acts 22:16
5. Upon hearing the Good News and accepting it, the believers in Jerusalem followed
Peter's command to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. Acts 2:38-41
Should I be water baptized if I have already received Holy Spirit Baptism?
There is an example for us in Acts where Peter was witnessing to gentiles at Cornelius' house and the Holy Spirit was poured out on all who heard the message. Peter and the Jewish believers with him heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." Peter ordered that they be baptized with water in the name of Jesus Christ in Acts 10:47,48. Yes, you should still be baptized in water even if you have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
What will Water Baptism do for ME?
It will help me to show and exercise my faith in the power of God, who gives me new life in Christ Jesus……"In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead." Col. 2: 11,12 NIV
It will help me to understand my new birth. "This also prefigures what delivers us now, the water of immersion, which is not the removal of dirt from the body, but one's pledge to keep a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. He has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities and powers subject to him."
1 Peter 3: 21,22
It will help me to associate that I, too, have died to sin, was buried with Christ, and was raised again to a new life in and through him. "Don't you know that those of us who have been immersed (baptized) in the Messiah Jesus have been immersed into his death? Through immersion into his death we were buried with him, so that just as, through the glory of the Father, the Messiah was raised from the dead, likewise we too might live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will also be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was put to death on the execution-stake with him, so that the entire body of our sinful propensities (inherent inclinations) might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For someone who has died has been cleared from sin. Now since we died with the Messiah, we trust that we will also live with him. We know that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, never to die again; death has no authority over him. For his death was a unique event that need not be repeated; but his life, he keeps on living for God. In the same way, consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God, by your union with the Messiah Jesus. Romans 6:3-11
It will help me to fulfill all righteousness. "Let it be this way now, because we should do everything righteousness requires." Matthew 3:15