~ An act by which a person is initiated,
purified, named or sanctified by submergence in water ~
The Apostle Peter in 1st Peter 3:15-22 wrote, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a
reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: *Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. *For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. *For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: *By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; *Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while
the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. **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: *Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him."
Jesus in, through and by His Precious Shed Blood has Sanctified or set aside to Himself those that are willing to accept Him as their Personal Saviour.
Being Baptized in Water is an Open Declaration to everyone that you as a Believer in Jesus have been washed in the His Precious Blood and that you
consummate if you will your commitment to Him.
On a side note, let me say here, that it is the Spirit of God that preaches to every soul from the beginning of Creation, to the present time and even to the end of
time, the need for Him (Salvation) of every lost soul.
When a person accepts Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and are Baptized in His Holy Name they are Saved even as everyone that entered into the Ark that Noah build were saved from the waters of the flood that covered the earth.
Baptism is kind of like wearing a badge of honor so that all can see and recognize you for who you are, a Saint in Jesus ~
We read in St. John 3:5, 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."
There have been those that say that Water Baptism is no longer necessary. I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t want to take a chance of not complying with
that which Jesus has declared by His Holy Word through the Prophets of old that the Saints are to do.
Even as one plus one makes two, being Baptized in the water and by the Holy Spirit completes this process that Jesus has said that the Saints should do.
In Acts 10:47 we read, “Peter speaking,” "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?"
If Water Baptism is no longer important why after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus would Peter say that Water Baptism is still important; Isn’t God “YHWH” the same yesterday, today and forever; isn’t He of no respecter of persons?
The answer to these questions respectively is: he wouldn’t, yes and yes. Peter would not tell people to do something that wasn’t important, God is always the
same and He treats everyone equally; everyone has that same choices to make and everyone receives accordingly of their choices.
We read in Acts 9:18, "And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized."
The Apostle Paul who once was Saul is reported to be the greatest of all the Ministers of the Gentiles; he has written most of what is called the New Testament of the Bible and he too was not Converted until after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
Therefore, the Apostle Paul is a good example of what is expected of the Saints of today ~
In St. Matthew 28:19 we read, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Jesus, Himself, instructed His followers (which includes us today) to go forth and Baptize such as accept Him, Jesus as their Lord and Saviour."
We read in Acts 8:12, "But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women."
Here again is the Apostle Philip, a Great Man of God (It would appear to me that he would have to be a Great Man of God for God to Translate him from one place to another) (Celestial Travel) that has shown himself as an example to the Saints, the manner in which things ought to be done.
In Acts 8:36-39 we read, "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. *And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing."
The Apostle Philip preached or expounded the Word of the Lord to the eunuch and when the eunuch confessed his belief in Jesus, Philip straight way Baptized him.
In other words, he didn’t waste any time doing what was pre-ordained by Jesus to be done ~
We read in Acts 2:38, Then Peter said unto them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
When the crowd asked the Apostle Peter what they needed to do to be Saved; he, Peter did not beat around the bush or him-haw around; he plainly told them that they needed to do.
He told them to Repent, that is to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, to change their way of living and to be Baptized in water in the Precious Name of
Jesus in order to be Saved and in is so doing, they would also be able to receive the Precious Gift of the Holy Ghost which Jesus promised that the Heavenly Father “YHWH” would send in His, Jesus name.
Praise His Holy and Righteous Name!
Derwood A. Stewart, Minister
House of Prayer Sabbath Ministries
Comments? Email Us: hope@preachersteacher.org
