Baptism
What is baptism?
Baptism means ...
The Greek word used for baptism is baptisma (G908).
It means
immersion, submersion, to identify with
(Warren Wiersbe) The Greek word has two basic meanings:
a literal meaning—to dip or immerse;
a figurative meaning—to be identified with.
An example of the latter would be 1 Corinthians 10:2 - "And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea." The nation of Israel was identified with Moses as their leader when they crossed the Red Sea.
(David Guzik) The idea behind the ancient Greek word for baptized is "to immerse or overwhelm something."
The Bible uses this idea of being baptized into something in several different ways.
When a person is baptized in water, they are immersed or covered over with water.
When they are baptized with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11, Acts 1:5), they are "immersed" or "covered over" with the Holy Spirit.
When they are baptized with suffering (Mark 10:39), they are "immersed" or "covered over" with suffering.
What are the two major baptisms referred in New Testament?
Jesus asked every new believer in Christ to baptize in water by any matured believer in Christ:
Matt 28:19-20 - 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Jesus baptize believers in Christ with Holy Spirit:
Matt 3:11 - I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
How to baptize in water?
The baptism is done by immersing believer in the water:
Acts 8:38,39 - 38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away[30 miles], so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus [i.e OT Ashdod] . And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.
When a believer baptized or immersed in water then it is identified with the death and burial of Jesus Christ, it means we died to our sins(old life) and when that believer comes out of water then it is identified with resurrection of Jesus Christ, it means new life in Christ.
Romans 6:3-5 - 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.
(Warren Wiersbe) Paul is not saying that their immersion in water put them "into Jesus Christ," for that was accomplished by the Spirit when they believed. Their immersion was a picture of what the Spirit did: the Holy Spirit identified them with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.
Do we need to baptize in water to be Saved?
No, baptism in water will not save a person but only belief in Jesus Christ will save the person.
Mark 16:16 - He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
The thief on the cross was saved when he believed on Jesus but without baptism:
Luke 23:42,43 - 39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said o Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Do we need to baptize in water to be baptized in the Holy Spirit?
No, Cornelius in Acts 10 and his household was baptized in the Holy Spirit and then they were baptized in the water.
Acts 10:44-48 - 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
Why then do we need to baptize in water?
Water baptism is an outward symbol of an inward experience (like circumcision in Old Testament, or like marriage ceremony).
Water baptism is the only ritual Jesus Christ asked believers to do (Matt 28:19-20).
Water baptism is just an obedience to Jesus command (Matt 28:19-20) once we become the Christian or believer in Christ.
Since water baptism does not save people so it seems optional but throughout the Bible whoever come to saving knowledge were baptized in water and declare their faith boldly to public.
(Bruce) "From this (Romans 6:3-5) and other references to baptism in Paul's writings, it is plain that he did not regard baptism as an 'optional extra' in the Christian life."
Just obey Jesus Christ because He is our Lord and we have also confessed with our mouth Lord Jesus (Romans 10:9)
What is Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God (Gen 1:2; Mat 3:16; Romans 8:9,11,14; 1 Cor 2:11,14; 3:16; 12:3). The Holy Spirit is God, the third person in Trinity.
What does the Holy Spirit do to believers? or What are the ways humans encounter with the Holy Spirit?
There are three stages human can encounter with the Holy Spirit (the God's Spirit):
The Holy Spirit is with us before accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
Gen 1:2 - The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
John 14:17 - the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
God is reaching out through His Holy Spirit:
God is keep on wooing in the non believers heart to believe in Jesus Christ. Not believing in Jesus Christ is the sin that keeps the people away from heaven but destined to hell.
John 16:7-9 - 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
The Holy Spirit is in us once we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
This is one time experience.
This happens when we born in again in His Holy Spirit or once we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
John 3:5 - 5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
1 Cor 3:16 - Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
NLT: Romans 8:9 - But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.)
Romans 8:16 - The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
1 Cor 12:3 - Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is upon us once Jesus baptize or fill us with His Holy Spirit.
This baptism of the Holy Spirit can be referred as filled with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, received the Holy Spirit or anointed by the Holy Spirit.
This happens when either we born again in His Holy Spirit or after we are accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
Acts 1:8 - But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Ehp 5:18 - And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
This is not one time experience. It needs to be continues experience by just going and asking God to fill or baptize us with His Holy Spirit.
Peter and others was baptized/filled in the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 again he was filled by the Holy Spirit:
Acts 4:8 - Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:
Luke 11:13 - If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
What does baptism of the Holy Spirit will do to the believers in Christ?
There are many these are the important works of the Holy Spirit. Whenever a believer filled with His Holy Spirit then
Experience the God's Love:
Romans 5:5 - Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Filled with power and testifying our Lord boldly to others.
Acts 4:31 - And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Filled with power and put to death our addictions, anger, envy, pride .. all kinds of sins:
Romans 8:13 - For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Leads or directs what to do. So that believers can live and walk in the Spirit and produce fruit of the Holy Spirit Love:
Gal 5:16-18 - 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Gal 5:22-25 - 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit will manifest or operate:
Acts 2:38 - Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:4 - And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance
1 Cor 12:7-10 - 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
1 Cor 12:11 - But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.