HANDLING YOUNG CONVERTS IN BAPTISM “I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake.” (1 John 2:12) Forgiveness and remission of sins by the blood of Jesus is the first step of initiation into true Christianity. This is usually demonstrated with Baptism: Baptism is a show that one’s sins are remitted and forgiven as he or she illustrates the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead through immersion in water. Forgiveness and remission of past sins by the blood of Jesus is the way by which God declares his own righteousness to every man. It is his privilege to show you his own righteousness, which is why he forgives all your sins in the day you come to Christ for salvation. As it is written, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him who believes in Jesus.” (Romans 3:24-26). It is because of remission of sins, that we have baptism: Both the baptism of John the Baptist and the Baptism of the early church, were dealing with the remission of sins. 1. Baptism of John was for the remission of sins: As it is written, “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:4). However, what makes the baptism of John different from the baptism of the church was this: In the baptism of John, people were baptized while they only confessed their sins (Matthews 3:6). 2. Baptism of the Church is also for the remission of sins: As it is written, “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). So what makes the baptism of the church different from the baptism of John is this: In the baptism of the Church, people confess the name of Jesus Christ or believe in that name being mentioned, while they are baptized; and after or during the baptism, hands are laid on people to receive the Holy Spirit. It is because of this difference between John’s baptism and the Church’s baptism, that those disciples, who were baptized under John the Baptist, were also re-baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ and hands were laid on them to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:2-7). So, the baptism of the church is different from that of John the Baptist because of two things: One ‘The name of Jesus’ and Two ‘The Baptism of the Holy Spirit called Laying of Hands’. Therefore, being initiated into Christ as little Children requires: 1. First you must receive forgiveness and Remission of sins in the Name of Jesus. 2. Remission of sins in the name of Jesus has another name called Baptism in the name of Jesus: Baptism in the name of Jesus is for the remission of sins. Matthew and Mark spoke of baptism when Jesus spoke of the great commission for his people to go into the world and preach to all creature just before his ascension to the Father, but Luke gospel did not mention baptism because it mentioned remission of sins: Remission of sins stood in for baptism in the great commission according to Luke gospel. (Luke 24:47) 3. In the baptism of Jesus, we have the water baptism (simple called “Baptism”) and we have the baptism of the Holy Spirit (simple called “Laying of hands”). The two goes together, because when Jesus was baptized by John, the Holy Spirit also descended on him; moreover, Jesus is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit whenever he baptizes: for by baptizing with the Holy Spirit, He proves to be mightier than John the Baptist because John can only baptize with water, but cannot give Holy Spirit (John 1:26-34). So if Jesus Christ could not give the Holy Spirit nor baptize with the Holy Spirit, then he would not have being greater than John. Any man who is greater than John the Baptist is already the Christ – Christ also means a man born of a woman who is greater than John the Baptist. Therefore John Baptist is the Standard to measure any man born of a woman, and to test if any man is the Christ: For among all that is born of a woman, there is none greater than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11); until Jesus arrived, who happened to be greater than John the Baptist because he alone can baptize with the Holy Spirit when he baptizes. And anyone who is greater than John the Baptist or who can baptize with the Holy Spirit and Power is the true Christ the Son of God (John 1:33-34): As it is written, “John preached, saying, “There comes one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.” And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:7-11) Remember, I want you to realize that water baptism goes with Holy Spirit baptism together. It was because of this that when Paul asked the people (as I now ask you), ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit since you believed?’ And the people replied, ‘NO’; then Paul started wondering and asked, what kind of water baptism did you receive then without receiving the Holy Spirit baptism together? And they said ‘John’s baptism’. Then he taught them about the Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ by immersion, and baptized them and immediately laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit all according to Acts 19:2-7. So if you were baptized while you were a baby or infant, but did not receive the Holy Spirit then, you just experienced pouring of water on the head or anointing with water instead of with oil, and you received the name of one of the saints as your baptismal name – That so-called baptism is not what I teach you this day. Be re-baptized in the name of Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit instantly. Or if you attend one of those churches that teach that there are three steps – Salvation, Sanctification and Holy Ghost Baptism. That is also not the reality either. I tell you, the day you became born again and baptized is the same day you were supposed to receive the Holy Ghost Baptism. It is understandable if you were already baptized with the Holy Spirit and then later baptized with water. This was what happened when Peter preached in the house of Cornelius, for while he spoke the Holy came upon them they all received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. The Peter said, “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord…” (Acts 10:47-48). However, if you were baptized with water by a minister of God, but he did not lay hands on you to receive the Holy Spirit, do not worry for that Baptism of Water in the name of Jesus is recognized by God and effective. Later God will send another minister who will lay hands on you and you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Philip was a great Evangelist and he baptized with water, but Philip did not have the grace of laying hands on people to receive the Holy Spirit instantly. So Philip who converted the city of Samaria from the power of witchcraft into the kingdom of God and baptized them with water, could not lay hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit: therefore the twelve Apostles in Jerusalem, sent Peter and John to go to Samaria, who laid hands on the people to receive the Holy Ghost because they Apostles could. It was that ability to lay hands on people to receive the Holy Ghost that Simon the Sorcerer offered money to Peter to buy, and Peter rebuked sternly and the man requested for prayer instead (Acts 8:12-24) It does not mean Philip the minister and evangelist did not have the Holy Spirit himself, for he had the Holy Spirit because he was among the seven deacons of the church who were full of the Holy Spirit and Wisdom including Stephen (Acts 6:3-6). Infact, Philip, the evangelist, performed so many signs and wonders and demonstrations of the Holy Spirit in miracles, which helped him in conversion of the city of Samaria including the conversion Simon the great sorcerer who himself held the city of samaria in bondage under his own sorcery (Acts 8:5-13). So Philip could perform miracles, signs and wonders including casting out demons and deliverances; but Philip could not lay hands on people to receive the Holy Spirit until the Apostles came to that special one. Even the Apostles themselves once baptized people but did not lay hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit then even with the presence of Jesus (John 4:1-2); for the Holy Spirit was not given because Jesus was not yet glorified (John 7:39). And the Apostles too were able to do miracles, signs and wonders because Jesus gave them power and sent them out in twos, but then they did not lay hands on anyone to receive the Holy Spirit: Infact, Jesus himself breathed on the church after his resurrection and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit and whatever sin they remit is remitted (John 20:22-23). But they had to wait until the Holy Spirit came to them in the day of Pentecost. And it is not a must that a man must be an apostle before he could lay hands on others to receive the Holy Spirit; neither does laying hands on men to receive the Holy Spirit makes one an apostle. Paul was an Apostle who laid hands on men and they received the Holy Spirit, but the man who laid hands on Paul to receive the Holy Spirit and his sight from blindness was not even an Apostle – That was Ananias (Acts 9:17-18). Jesus is the only one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, but Jesus is not the only one who can lay hands on people to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Every person who could lay hands on people to receive the Holy Spirit is not the Baptizer in the Holy Ghost, which is why they must do so in the name of the Baptizer called Jesus Christ. We baptize in the Name of Jesus and Hands are laid in the name of Jesus, because Jesus is the Baptizer and we all are his servants who come in his name.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 08:12:08 +0000
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