(Acts 2:38) (John 11: 25-27) (Matthew 12: 46-47) (Matthew 3: 13-17) - WHAT DOES HE SAY BAPTISM?
And 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;
For the promise is concerning you, and your children, and all that are afar off, as many as the Lord our God shall call.
(Acts 2:38)
Jesus saith unto him, I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live;
And whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never die. Do you believe this?
And she said unto him, Yea, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which shall come into the world.
(John 11: 25-27)
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me;
And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
(John 10: 27,28)
I am the light that I have come into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in the darkness.
And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I do not judge him; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
(John 12: 46,47)
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
But John opposed him, saying: I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?
But Jesus answered and said unto him, Permit it to be so now, because thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he allowed it.
And when Jesus was baptized, he went forth out of the water, and, behold, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and coming upon him.
And, behold, a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
(Matthew 3: 13-17)
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes like scales, and he recovered his sight; and he arose and was baptized.
(Acts 9:18)
Dear brothers in Christ, it is with great joy that we are studying the word of God together with you, in the presence of the CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, in the presence of the LORD JESUS, and in the presence of the HOLY SPIRIT.
Since when we began to preach the Gospel, we are teaching about the PLAN OF SALVATION, and all the plans have their guidelines, their stages, their transformations, and all the changes have to be attitude, so that through an attitude is taken decisions that change situations, change intentions, change desires, end certain practices, and begin new practices, all through an attitude. And in the Gospel it is no different.
In order to be part of the BODY OF CHRIST, IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND OF ETERNAL LIFE, WE HAVE TO TAKE ATTITUDES THAT ENCLOSE THE ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE KINGDOM OF THIS WORLD, AND BEGIN TO EXERCISE NEW ACTIVITIES, NEW CONCEPTS, NEW DESIRES, NEW WAY OF LIVING.
To be part of the KINGDOM OF GOD, means no longer belong to the kingdom of this world, it means to be connected to the LIVE GOD, and to cease having any connection with the kingdom of the evil one. Among these attitudes we must take, which transfers us from the kingdom of this world, to the KINGDOM OF GOD, THE BIBLE TEACHES US THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE AN ATTITUDE OF BEING BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
BUT WHAT DOES IT SAY BAPTISM?
FIRST STEP TO BE PART OF, AND LEAVE TO BE PART OF.
In the case of religious baptism, we cease to be part of the kingdom of this world, and we become part of the KINGDOM OF GOD. Baptism becomes the TRANSFER OF THE KINGDOM OF THIS WORLD TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
In order for this transference to be well characterized, and there is no doubt about such an attitude, it is necessary to be baptized to characterize the transference from the evil realm to the KINGDOM OF GOD. To leave a state of eternal death, to enter into ETERNAL LIFE together with GOD. The act of baptism requires conviction as to why you are baptizing. We must be aware that this attitude separates us from the kingdom of the evil one, and transfers us to the KINGDOM OF GOD, and to ETERNAL LIFE.
So to be baptized means to be an integral part of the KINGDOM OF GOD. And it means the kingdom of this world, and its prince, Lucifer. There is no more dominion over the soul of the one who is being baptized, for from the moment the person is emerged in the water, and out of the water, it means that he abandons the world, dies for the world, resuscitates for GOD, to be part of the BODY OF CHRIST and the KINGDOM OF GOD.
Let's study some passages in the BIBLE which reinforce our knowledge about baptism, and why we make the decision to be baptized.
In the Book of Acts of the Apostle, in chapter 2, in verse 38, the Apostle Peter speaking to the first brethren who were converted, he says thus: "REPENT, AND EACH OF YOU BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST , FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE THE SUN OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. "
The Apostle Peter is saying that one of the first attitudes to be taken is repentance.