BAPTISM.

There Are Two Types of Baptism.
1. Spiritual baptism is the act of the Holy Spirit where He makes us a part of Christ (1 Corinthiansl2:13). Every believer experiences this baptism. It takes place the very moment we believe and receive Jesus Christ as Savior (Ephesians 4:5; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21; Mark 1:4-8).

2. Water baptism is symbolic and only for those who have received the Lord Jesus as Savior (Acts 2:38-41; Acts 8:36-39).

Water Baptism is a symbol of the Christian's identification with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection. Baptism means to dip, to immerse.

Baptism with Water is not Baptism with the Holy Spirit. There is a great deal of confusion and misunderstanding concerning the baptism with the Holy Spirit and the baptism with water.

In Acts 8, we are given an example of the baptism with Water followed by the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Philip the Evangelist went down to the city a Samaria and proclaimed the Christ (the Messiah) to them:

And when they believed the good news about the Kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, as Philip preached it, they were baptized, both men and women, Acts 8:5,12. They were baptized with water, not the Holy Spirit.

Now when the Apostles of Jerusalem heard that the country of Samaria had accepted and welcomed the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. They came down and prayed for them that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit. For He had not yet fallen on any of them. But they had only been baptized in the name of Lord Jesus (with water), Acts .8:14-15.

The Baptism with Water.
John the Baptist was the forerunner before Jesus, preparing the way for Jesus' arrival. Isaiah prophesied about John's coming. (The Voice of one crying in the wilderness; prepare the way of the Lord; make His path straight. Isaiah 40:3).

In those days there appeared John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying repent for' the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Matthew 3:1-2.

John the Baptist said, I indeed baptize you in water, because of repentance (that is because of your changing your minds for the better, heartily, amending your ways and with abhorrence of your past sins) but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy' Spirit and with fire. Matthew 3:11.

The Amplified Bible explains repent as:
Think differently; Change your mind; Regretting your sins; Changing your conduct.

John had the authority to baptize with water, for the repentance of sins. The baptism of water was an outward sign of' an inward change, of repentance.

Salvation and the forgiveness of sins come freely as a gift through faith in Jesus Christ. In Acts 10:44-48, the Holy Ghost was given to the believers (confirming their salvation) before they were baptized.

Even though this is true, at other times it seems that the forgiveness of sins happened at the time of baptism (Acts 2:38). This is because baptism is an expression, or act, of faith that was carried out at the time that a person turned to Jesus in repentance and faith (Mark 16:16 says, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned"). It was also a way of calling on the Lord for a clear conscience (Acts 22:16 and 1 Pet. 3:21).

Baptism does have requirements. One requirement is repentance. Did you have a change of heart and a change of mind that resulted in turning from sin to Jesus and His forgiveness (Acts 2:38, 20:21, and 17:30)? Did you exercise faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior (Mark 16:16, John 3:16, and Romans 10:9-10)? If not, then turn to Jesus now, repent from your sins, turn to His grace to forgive you, and seal that decision to follow Him through water baptism.

Baptism is an act that expresses one's faith in Jesus. Without that faith, the act means nothing. People who turned to Jesus as Lord and Savior were willing to express that faith and openly confess Jesus in this public way. People who say "no" to Jesus' command are showing, to some extent, a dead faith. Faith is dead when people are unwilling to express it (James 2:18-19). Faith alone saves, but saving faith is never alone. It is always willing to express itself. Baptism was a way of expressing that faith. Baptism is not what saves; it is Jesus. Water doesn't wash away sins; it is the blood of Jesus. But faith applies His blood to you, and sometimes that faith was expressed at the time a person was baptized (Acts 22:16). The question is, have you repented? Do you believe in Him (Jesus)? If so, why do you delay, arise and be baptized!

Baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Then the Apostles Peter and John laid their hands on them, one by one, and they received the Holy Spirit, Acts 8:17. When the Apostles laid hands on the people, they were baptized with the Holy Spirit.

As you can see from these Scriptures, the baptism with water and the baptism with the Holy Spirit, were two separate events. They did not take place at the same time. The believers were converted, and baptized in water, but still needed to receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit. You Can Never Have Enough of the Holy Spirit.

Back in Acts 2:1-4, we saw how the Holy Spirit came upon the group in a powerful way as they waited in the upper room. Yet in Acts 4:24-31, we see that this group was meeting and praying together - and they received a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit!

When meeting together and when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled had shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they continued to speak the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage, Acts 4:31.

Jesus was the first person to receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit, Jesus came to be baptized by John the Baptist.

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him, Matthew 3:16.

The Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit. When Jesus came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit entered Him and He received power and began His ministry.

So we see that there is a baptism with water, and a baptism with the Holy Spirit, that is a fresh fillings,
or an additional anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Why Do We Baptize?
• In obedience to Christ (Matthew 28:19).
• Jesus in His baptism identified himself with sinners (baptism unto repentance) (Matthew 3:11, 13:16; Mark 1:4; Acts19:4).

It is needless to say, Jesus was perfectly sinless; therefore, He needed no repentance.
He said to John the Baptist, "Suffer it to be so. "[I must identify with sinners], (Matthew 3:13-15).
• To identify with Christ, (Acts 2:38-39; Romans 6:4-5).

• To express as a visual act what has taken place (naturally, spiritual, and
supernaturally) within 'being born again', (Colossians 2:10-14)

Which Way Do We Water Baptize?
• We at SCC understand the scriptures to teach baptism by immersion. Immersion means to plunge into, to dip under, (Matthew 3:13-16).
• We also see this as being the method of the New Testament Church.
• We only see this method used in the Book of Acts.

What Do We Believe?
• We believe that in. water baptism, we declare ourselves dead to the old life of flesh
(sin) and alive in the Spirit, (Romans 6-3..6).
• We believe that in water baptism, we declare new power to live the Christian life by virtue of Christ's resurrection (coming up out of the water), (Romans 6:6-7).
• We believe that every Christian should be water baptized in obedience to the command of Christ and therefore only baptized believers should partake of the Communion Service, (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38-41, 9:18, 8:12, 16:15, 33).

Sources:
• The scripture.
• Class notes.
• Disciple Evangelism: Andrew Wommack.
• Internet.