Saturday, September 16, 2006

 BAPTISM - DEFINITION

The immersion in water of ONE who truts JESUS CHRIST as his LORD and SAVIOUR. This imersion in the name of JESUS CHRIST (Acts 2:38) or of the TRINITY (Matt 28:19) neither saves nor contributes to SALVATION in any way. Whereas only FAITH is essential for SALVATION (John 3:36).
Christ Jesus commanded that those who become His disciples should be babtized (Matt 28:19), making baptism essential to obedience. This witness to Salvation is testimony of the believer's obedience to the command of Jesus Christ.This witness to Salvation is testimony of the believer's obedience to the command of Jesus Christ.
ONLY IMMERSION FULFILLS THE SYMBOLISM:
1) Pointing back in history to the death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus;
2) Emphasizing the present in showing the believer's death to sin and resurrection to union with and new life in Christ Jesus; and
3) Looking to the resurrection of the body when Jesus Christ comes again (cf. Rom. 6:3-5) - don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection

The term is also used in reference to the coming of the HOLY SPIRIT into the life of a believer at the point of Regeneration (1Cor. 12:13) - For by [means of the personal agency of] one [Holy] Spirit we were all, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, baptized [and by baptism united together] into one body, and all made to drink of one [Holy] Spirit.
Baptism is not a direct command. It is an idirect command.

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SIMPLE TESTIMONY OF PAST AND PRESENT STATE

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BORN FOR CHRISTIAN PARENTS YET CHRIST-LESS; A SINNER BY BIRTH, YET GOD'S CHOICE, UNAWARE UNTIL GOD TOUCHED ME ONE DAY THROUGH HIS WORD [BIBLE] AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. I WAS CONVICTED AS TO WHO AND WHAT I WAS. HE CAUSED ME TO REPENT, MADE ME TO CONFESS AND CRY UNTO HIM. HE GAVE ME THE "ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS OF MY SIN AND SINS" AND "ACCEPTENCE AS A CHILD OF GOD". THE COURT OF HEAVEN DECLARED ME RIGHTEOUS AND INNOCENT. NOW I HAVE RIGHT STANDING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD COUNTING ON THE ENTIRE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS CHRIST; AND IN HIS GRACE AND MERCY I CONTINUE TO STAND TRUSTING IN, TILL I REACH THE GLORIOUS AND AWESOME END AHEAD OF ME OR UNTIL HIS TIME IN MY LIFE. Studied: Margoschis-NZT|CMC-VLR|MMC-MADURAI; Worked:LM HOSP-Vadathorasalur|CMCH-VLR|Metz-Salem|Pfizer/Dumex-BOMBAY|DHA-DXB...