Practical Approach To Christianity Volume 1 "To Beginner Christians" - Lesson 6: Baptism of Water and Spirit

Chapter 6 – Baptism of Water and Spirit

13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” –Matthew 3:13-17

20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. –Galatians 2:20

26So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. –Galatians 3:26-28

6Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, my Father.” 7So you are no longer slaves, but God’s children; and since you are his children, he has made you also heirs. –Galatians 4:6-7

1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. –Acts 2:1-4

What is Baptism of Water?

Many of us is being taught that baptism is a sacrament where we are being submerged in the water as an act of initiation to Christian faith. However, there is more to baptism than just initiation. In the new testament, baptism of John the Baptist symbolizes cleansing or purification. It is baptism of repentance.

Old testament foreshadowed this purification process in the time of Moses when they referred for “a water of separation: it is a purification for sin (Numbers 19:9),” as a way of cleansing of Israelites that were declared to be unclean.

What is the significance of Water Baptism?

1.       Water Baptism is our Baptism of Repentance.

                Baptism of water serves as our cleansing or purification from sin. Remember, sin is the one that separates us from the Father. Only a life that is spotless and wrinkle free can connect to Him and Jesus made a perfect demonstration of a sinless life that can only please God. To serve as an example to men, even He is without sin, Jesus also undergo the Baptism of John the Baptist, and as a result, heaven open and the Spirit of God descend to Him like a dove. (Matthew 3:13-17)

2.       Water Baptism is our Separation to the Body

Baptism of water is not just a public declaration of faith, but it also serves as our separation from our flesh which is dead because of sin. Galatians 2: 20 says that for I am crucified with Christ; it is not I who lives, but Christ lives in me. The Life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loves me and gave Himself for me. To be absent in the body is to be present with Christ. To be separate means complete surrender of our life that is destined to hell , to attain a new life in Christ. Meaning to say, our life that we will now living is a life that is and only for God. No more self life.

3.       Water Baptism is our Justification of Faith

To be baptized in water means we are being baptized in the blood of Jesus Christ and on what He has done on the cross. The blood of Jesus Christ purge our heart that is sprinkled from evil conscience and translated it into a heart of servanthood to God. Being so, as a full assurance of our faith, we let our bodies be washed with pure water (Hebrews 9:14,10:22) and let our minds and hearts be sanctified and cleanse with the washing of water by the Word, so that we might be the glorious church of God, holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:26-27). To be baptized in Christ means we clothe ourselves in Christ and there’s no longer I. (Galatians 3:26) To be positioned in Christ, means we are surrounded by Him and we belong to Him. This also means, that Satan nor death nor sin nor flesh have no longer power in us.

What is Baptism of Holy Spirit?

Baptism of Holy Spirit is basically the coming of the Holy Spirit of God in us to be His dwelling place. It is the same Spirit of God that is once with us, when Jesus is still here, but now in us. (Pentecost Era)

What is the significance of being baptized in the Holy Spirit?

1.       HOLY SPIRIT: The Seal of God's Promise

13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. ~Ephesians 1:13-14

Holy Spirit is a person of God and one of the Godhead in the trinity of God. He is the seal of our inheritance as  an heir to His covenant to Abraham (this is applicable to those who put their faith in Him).

2.       HOLY SPIRIT: The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation

17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his people, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that can be invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. ~Ephesians 1:17-23

The start of the Pentecost era mark the outpouring of the Holy Ghost to all believers. It is the same Spirit of Truth that gave power to Jesus to be raised from the dead. The Holy Spirit is the greatest teacher that reveals the character of God in us and shows us how to live like Christ each day.

Apart from the ministration of the Holy Spirit, it is impossible for us to live like Jesus, and without the life of Christ in us, it is impossible for us to please God.

When Does Baptism of Holy Spirit Happens?

                The resurrection and ascension of Christ marks the start of the Pentecost era or the outpouring of the Holy Spirit freely to those who put their faith in Jesus. Most of the significant events in the Bible where the Spirit pours among the people happens right after baptism of water. The gospel books declares that heaven opens and the Spirit of God descend to Jesus like a dove after His baptism by John. The apostles and all the 120 receives the Holy Spirit after Jesus ascend. Paul was baptized first by Ananias before he finally received the Spirit of God after praying and fasting for several days.

                Now, what is the common factor among these people. Is it the water baptism in itself? I believe it’s no. Remember, water baptism is just a symbol of something that is much beautiful and significant- that is the shedding of the almighty blood of the Lord Jesus Christ  to bear the sins of many that we might appear to God without sin unto salvation (Hebrews 9:28). The blood and the Spirit is impossible to be separated for the Spirit of God will not come to a place that is dirty of Sin. The blood of the lamb that were put on the door post of Israelites during the Lord’s Passover in Egypt protect them from the wrath of the Spirit of God that strikes to death the Egyptians first born. That same Spirit will also be our seal as one of God’s people during the much awaiting second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ where the Church (the body of Christ) will be caught up and meet Him in the air.

                Without shedding of blood, there is no remission. I remember, April 23, 2019 is the very first time that I donated blood in Philippine Blood Center as part of the Yearly Blood Letting Project of the company I am working with. Part of their tag line is this “Dugong Bigay, Dugtong Buhay: Be There for someone else. Give blood. Share life.” Now where does those bloods will possibly go? It is for the people who needs it to continue living. That is exactly what Christ did. He gave up His life for us. Life is in the blood. Without the blood of Christ there is no remission of life in us. The Life here is the very Spirit of God that we lost after the fall.

                When will be baptize by the Spirit of God? Simply, we must repent truthfully first and died to our self, first and we must ask God for His Spirit to come into our lives.

All Mighty Men of Faith Undergo Baptism

                In fact, all great men of faith undergo baptism. Moses and the Israelites were baptized in the Red sea as a sign of their separation from Egypt. They are baptized in the cloud (which resembles the Holy Spirit of God) day and night . (1 Corinthians 10:2)

                Jesus undergo the baptism of John as His transition from private to public ministry. (Matthew 4, Luke 4)

                Acts 2 narrates the baptism by the Holy Spirit of the 120 people, apostles and fellow believers alike, on that upper room in Jerusalem, after several days of tarrying, before they speak in tongues, healed the sick and spread the gospel of the good news to which we subscribed our hope and faith today.

                Paul was baptized by Ananias then afterwards received his sight and the Holy Spirit of God after several days of praying and fasting before he start his ministry to the Gentiles. (Acts 9)

                The Ethiopian eunuch was baptized by Philip before he start a church in Ethiopia

                Peter preached to Cornelius household in Caesarea and as a result, they were baptized by the Holy Spirit of God. (Acts 10)

Is Baptism a Decision for us to Make?

                Logically wise, if we view baptism as a mere declaration of faith, we can freely say that it is just an initiation of faith. However, if we consider, as a Christian, the significance of baptism to our relationship with the Lord, then baptism is a must to us.

                John 3 declares during the conversation of Jesus with Nicodemus that it is only when a man be born again that he can see the kingdom of God. It is only when we were born of water and Spirit that we can enter it (John 3:3,5)

"PEACE of GOD is a CEASE FIRE Between Flesh and Spirit"

13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.

 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit

~Ephesians 2:13-22

The "Peace " here is the stopping of the battle between the flesh and spirit after the resurrection of the new man in Christ. The two (Flesh and Spirit) will now become one (only "Spirit" ) in-dwelling inside us after we undergo the way of  the cross and buried the old man. (As Galatians 2:20 says "We are crucified with Christ).

This is not possible without Christ living inside us because Christ alone is the Prince of Peace. He is the chief cornerstone. 17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. (Eph. 2:17-18) Without Christ being alive in our hearts, words and actions, it is impossible for the Spirit of God to live in us.

Practical Question?

1.       What is water baptism? Holy Spirit Baptism?

2.       What is the significance of Water Baptism? Of Holy Spirit Baptism?

3.       How can you apply baptism to your life?

Memory Verse

20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. –Galatians 2:20

Practical Application

What I learned?

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