The vital importance of baptism
/By Pastor Paul, Director, Bibles for Mideast
Our Lord's birth, baptism, crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension—all happened for the salvation of the whole of humanity. When we accept Jesus, from that day forward we are partakers of His birth, baptism, crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension.
In accepting Jesus as our personal savior and Lord, we must totally reject the world, flesh and Satan. Our ‘old person’ is crucified and dead with Christ. Our dead self must then be buried with Christ, something a pastor or elder of His holy Church helps with.
Immersion in the baptismal waters by a Church leader represents our burial in Christ Jesus. When the pastor raises us out of the water, we are ‘resurrected with Christ’, new creations. From then onwards we clothe ourselves with Messiah Jesus by the Heavenly Father through the Holy Spirit. All is new. This is a Christian's birth in Jesus Christ (see: Rom. 6:3-5; Gal. 3:27; Col.2:12-13; Titus 3:6-7).
In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we read: "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! " This is not renovating, overpainting or whitewashing. We become absolutely new in Jesus Christ.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we read: "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! " This is not renovating, overpainting or whitewashing. We become absolutely new in Jesus Christ.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we read: "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! " This is not renovating, overpainting or whitewashing. We become absolutely new in Jesus Christ.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we read: "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! " This is not renovating, overpainting or whitewashing. We become absolutely new in Jesus Christ.
There is only one God with three personalities—the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. All these personalities ‘seal’ the baptized person together in baptism. They witness the baptism and accept the ‘new creation’ as a citizen of heaven.
When Jesus underwent his own baptism by John the Baptist, the gates of heaven opened and the Holy Spirit came down and rested on him (see Luke 3:21–22 and elsewhere).
