Baptism

BAPTISM EXPERIENCING NEW BIRTH. Many people are still confused when it comes to baptism. The greatest question is; what is baptism? Some who are genuine and God loving are being trapped by Satan on the issue of baptism. Others have concluded that whatever would happen to them in the name of baptism is okay as long as it is claimed to be baptism. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to clear all unnecessary mythical issues around baptism. Allegorically, two things are used by the bible to liken baptism, namely birth and death. Why birth, because one is moving from a certain kingdom to another i.e. from worldly kingdom to heavenly kingdom. Why death, because one is starting to walk with Jesus and as such the life of sin dies while starting a new life of righteousness. Consider the following texts below. Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2Corinthians 5:17. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. John 3:16. Having considered the above texts, it’s very clear that in order for one to get salvation s/he must be born again (baptised). Let’s unpack the statement by Jesus,’ Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Remember the word kingdom speaks more on subjects and not territorial boundaries. So we are living in a dual kingdom world. We have the kingdom of sin which we are born in from our mother’s womb then the kingdom of God which we are born into the second time through water and the Holy Spirit by choice. Our patriarch, David, in the book of Psalms has the following to say; Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Psalms 51:5. Now when a baby is born, its born a sinner by default. This is the reason why you don’t have to teach your child to do evil but find him/her doing it. You don’t teach your child to be selfish, it is something engraved in him/her during conception in the womb. For more info on Sin find the article entitled ‘What is Sin’ by the same author At birth, we are all candidates of Hell due to sin but we can only change this state or condition by being born again or baptised. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; Romans 3:23-24. So when Jesus says except a man be born again, He is also provoking us to think of how we come into this worldly kingdom. No one has come in the world except by being born of a woman! Even Jesus Himself when He came to live among men He had to be born of a woman. Therefore, in order us to transfer from the sin kingdom to a righteous kingdom we must be born again hence baptism. Jesus Himself was made a sinner through Mary’s womb. We don’t become sinners because we commit sin but we became sinners when we were in the womb of our mothers. You don’t become a sinner when you steal, kill or hate rather you do such because you are a sinner. Now the only power which can emancipate us from this is God’s grace through Jesus our Saviour. So we have a sinful nature by birth. When Jesus compels us to be perfect and holy he is not talking about removing the sinful nature but to supress it to an extent of not committing sin. Thus the secret of salvation. Jesus Himself managed to supress it. Therefore, He encourages us to receive Him so that He can assist us to conquer sin. I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5. A crucial question at this juncture is; what is it that I am required to do in order to get baptised? Here is the answer; And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:1516. We therefore need to believe the gospel in order to be baptised. Some people get baptised because of the miracles they have been exposed to. That’s not the criteria for baptism. Baptism must be out of believing the Word of God which is the gospel. Mark gives us a certain concept which is very important when it comes to baptism. It says he that believe, meaning anyone who is baptised should be able to make a decision or choice. Many churches are going against the word of God here through infant baptism. We don’t baptise a baby or a child who cannot make a decision, God want that child’s decision and choice not ours on behalf of him/her. So we need to let the child grow to the age of making a decision on his/her own. We ought to acknowledge that dedication is different from baptism. Children are dedicated not baptised. Jesus was also dedicated, And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name [was] Simeon; and the same man [was] just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Luke 2:25-28. The purpose of dedication is for God to preserve and keep the child’s life till the age of making a decision to be baptised. Jesus was baptised when He was around 30years of age. Luke 3:21-23. Also Matthew supports this view through a conversation between John and Jesus. John wanted Jesus to baptise him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it to be so] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. Matthew 3:14-15. John would not ask a baby to baptise him. It means Jesus was now a man. So Jesus Himself was baptised. If Jesus was baptised it means we also need to be baptised because of our sinful nature. I am very much aware that we may have questions on the exceptions to baptism. Here is one exception; the death of a child before the age of making a choice or the thief on the cross who was promised paradise without baptism. The answer is very simple, we do what we were instructed to do not to waste our precious time asking answers to exceptions. This is what the bible say in relation to exceptions; The secret [things belong] unto the LORD our God: but those [things which are] revealed [belong] unto us and to our children for ever, that [we] may do all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29. The greatest mayhem to be addressed is, however, how much is much water and how many times should someone be dipped in water. Let’s have the following texts in relation to how much is much water. And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. John 3:23. And as they went on [their] way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. Acts 8:36-38. Both the one to be baptised and the baptiser should be able to get into the water. The reason for them getting into water is because water should be the womb from which one is to be born from. Remember in their conversation with Jesus, Nicodemus asked how a man can enter into his mother’s womb when he is old. Jesus’ response indicated that the womb is no longer the mother’s but that of water. So the water should cover the whole body of the one to be baptised. As in death the whole body is buried or covered. We don’t have a scenario whereby a dead person’s arm, leg or head is left out when s/he is buried. As such when one is baptised, the whole body must be buried or covered. Now that we have dealt with the how much is much water, let’s answer the question on how many times should one be dipped in water. The allegory of a woman giving birth can help us here. On baptism we are to witness the giving birth to an old person as a child of God. The question of how many times should one be dipped in water emanates from the following text; Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Matthew 28:19. The text above from the book of Matthew seems to suggest that someone is dipped three times. That is not the case, here is what it means. The first birth I was born in the Chipunza family, since my name is Godwin Chipunza. Now if I decide to be baptised today, I will be baptised or born again in the God family. My first family had two who made it i.e. Mr and Mrs Chipunza. The second then has three that constitutes it i.e. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In the former (Chipunza family) the mother had a role of giving birth. It is the mother who went into the labour room alone as if the father is not part and parcel of the family. In the later (God family) the Holy Spirit has got the role of giving birth to new born people. The mother did not enter the labour room twice for me. She only entered once though there are two herself and the father that make up the family. Dipping someone thrice when baptising wrong, that’s a wrong representation of giving birth. [There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, Ephesians 4:4-5. Around the world all churches should have one baptism as the bible stipulates. A baptism which is through belief in the word of God and being dipped once in water. Another allegory that has been given in the bible for baptism is the death of Jesus. Jesus died once, buried once and resurrected once, therefore, there is no one to be dipped more than once that is not baptism at all. All that we need to do is to understand what baptism is in order for us to be accepted before God. Let’s closely analyse the following text as we conclude our article. The like figure whereunto [even] baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ; 1Peter 3:21. According to the verse above, the very reason why we get baptised is for us to have a good relationship with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. A good conscience toward God entails a good and sound relationship with Him. Therefore, let’s sigh and cry for the baptism of the Holy Spirit more than just its figure i.e. the immersion in water. Glory to God for the opportunity we still have of being baptised, if we were not baptised with true baptism. For any other questions you may have in relation to baptism and any other spiritually related issues, feel free to get in touch with me on the mobile numbers below. Stay blessed. Written and Compiled by Chipunza Godwin~0775390551/0775125751