UNDERSTANDING WATER BAPTISM

Story BY: ABEL DAMINA MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL

Edited by: Noah Olamilekan Abraham 

Photo credit: Abel Damina 

THE PRACTICE OF WATER BAPTISM SHOULD BE DISCARDED BECAUSE IT DOES NOT HOLD ANY SIGNIFICANCE. 

THE sole purpose of water Baptism was when Jesus was about to begin his ministry and he needed John to ANNOUNCE him to the world through baptism. 

"We are making reference to John the Baptist because he is the FOUNDER and ORIGINATOR of water Baptism".

John the Baptist's purpose of baptism is to announce Jesus. John himself said i INDEED BAPTIZE YOU WITH WATER BUT THE MIGHTIER THAN I WILL BAPTISE YOU WITH THE HOLY GHOST. " However, the basic significance of water and holy ghost in baptism is that Jesus Christ has come to REPLACE WATER WITH HOLY GHOST. 

TODAY who is baptizing you?. Is it JOHN or JESUS? If it is Jesus, He doesn't use WATER, JESUS USE HOLY GHOST. And if it is JOHN, HE USES WATER. Water is symbolic of the spirit. 

JOHN chapter seven verse 38 where the concept of the holy spirit is explained.

"When there was no holy Ghost they USED WATER but THE MOMENT THE HOLY GHOST CAME WATER EXPIRED."

PEOPLE SHOULD STOP BELIEVING THAT ONCE THEY ARE BAPTIZED THEY ARE AUTOMATICALLY BORN AGAIN. 

"There are many people in church today that are not born again. What they understand born again is water Baptism. They believe since they have been baptize they are born again and that is why we have a lot of FALSE BRETHREN."

WATER BAPTISM

MARK 1: 8

I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. (KJV)

Salvation is by believing the gospel of Christ. The facts of the gospel are specific. It is not any message from the bible when believed can give you salvation or eternal life. The gospel that saves from sin is the message of God’s love demonstrated through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ from death. When a person hears and believes or express confidence in this message, he gets saved and received eternal life immediately. He instantly becomes a child of God. His name becomes eternally written in the book of life. 

However, there is this practice of water baptism where some believers are taught that unless they get you baptized in water; your salvation is not complete. Water baptism then becomes a requirement for salvation. It is important to note that water baptism was not started by Jesus Christ. John the Baptist was the one who was baptizing people unto repentance as a symbolism of the true baptism of the Holy Spirit by Christ. John emphatically said that he baptizes with water but Christ will baptize with the Holy Spirit. Water baptism is therefore never a requirement for salvation. The only requirement for salvation is to believe the gospel of Christ.

To believe is to get baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit. Jesus said whosoever believes and is baptized shall be saved. This is the baptism done by the Spirit as prophesied by John the Baptist. When you believe, you are identified or incorporated into Christ by the Holy Spirit. John baptized with water as typology, Christ baptizes with the Holy Spirit as reality. A person does not need baptism by water immersion or baptism by water sprinkling to complete his salvation. Salvation is by faith in Christ alone. Therefore, water baptism cannot add or subtract anything from one's salvation. 

I am saved by grace through faith in Christ. I don’t need water baptism to complete my salvation.

Matthew 3: 11,  1Corinthians 15: 1- 4, Ephesians 2: 8- 9