The word BAPTISM is [Greek: baptizo”-Strong’s #907 = to make fully wet, ceremony of washing, Christian Baptism]. BAPTISM is used only in the New Testament. It is a sign of the New Covenant, spiritual, gospel kingdom that is within believers in Christ. Therefore, BAPTISM is only for believers in Christ.

All born-again Christians in the New Covenant spiritual kingdom should continue to encourage new believers to be BAPTIZED once they testify of their own new life in Christ. It is not a requirement for salvation. It is not a requirement for our Christian life. However, it is a physical act that God established as an outward sign or testimony to show that His believers are set apart from others through faith.

As humans we need something to remind us of the reason for and the beginning of our faith in Jesus Christ. Much more important than the graduation diploma from school is the graduation from being spiritually dead to being made spiritually alive through our new spiritual birth.

BAPTISM is our “diploma”. It is a lasting reminder of the new life that God has provided for us. It is generally done near the beginning of the time we believed in Christ as our Lord and Savior. However, there is no restriction to prevent a genuine “unbaptized” believer from being BAPTIZED later in her Christian life.

BAPTISM began with John the Baptist. His ministry was to call the Old Covenant Jews, and only the Jews, to repent and be BAPTIZED. His BAPTISM of “repentance” to set the believing Jews apart from the unbelieving Jews, who were destined for God’s wrath that was to come in their first century generation. – Matt 3:7; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3; 7:29; Acts 10:37; 13:24.

During the beginning of the New Covenant spiritual, gospel kingdom. John the Baptist was declaring that the Jewish people should repent and believe in the coming Messiah, who would come after John. When those Jews in the first century believed in the risen Lord as their personal Messiah, they were BAPTIZED as Christians, and the Holy Spirit came upon them. This is the situation only during the beginning of the New Covenant kingdom in the first century AD.

And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you BAPTIZED?’ so they said, ‘Into John’s BAPTISM.’ Then Paul said, ‘John indeed BAPTIZED with the BAPTSIM OF REPENTANCE, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come AFTER him, that is on Christ Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were BAPTIZED in the NAME OF THE LORD JESUS. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.” – Acts 19:3-6

The Holy Spirit came upon those foundational believers in the first century AFTER they believed in Christ – Acts 1:5; 2:38; 11:15-18 Under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit calls God’s elect and then they believe. Each believer is able to simultaneously respond with saving faith in Christ. This is the spiritual BAPTISM in which the new believers are made alive spirtually; placed into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit; and He indwells each of them forever more. – Mark 1:8; John 1:12-13; 3:3-8; Eph 2:8-9; 2 Pet 3:13.

Christians water BAPTISM is for believers only. It openly declares to all, that he or she believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It was done then and is still done now after 70ad to declare one’s new faith in Christ. In the first century, BAPTISM was an act of bravery by the Jewish believers. They were under extreme persecution from the non-believing Jews for their faith in Christ.

The New Testament speaks of different BAPTISMS. John’s BAPTISM was for the O.T Jews in Israel to show their repentance and belief in the Messiah. -Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3; Acts12:23-24. Jesus was BAPTIZED by John, not for repentance, but to fulfill all righteousness – Matt 3:13-17; Jesus told His disciples of His pending BAPTISM through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. – 1 Pet 3:20-21.

The doctrine of the BAPTISMS is considered one of the elementary principles of Christ. It is listed along with repentance from dead works; faith toward God; laying of hands; resurrection of the dead; and eternal judgement. We believers are to certainly understand these things, but we should go on to maturity in Christ. Our focus should be to continually study the word of God and grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles in Christ, let us go unto to perfection, NOT laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God, of the DOCTRINCE OF BAPTISMS, of laying of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgement.” – Heb 6:1-2

All my BAPTIZED Love, ❤ Diana X,O, 🙂

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