Water Baptism is one of the most accepted ordinance in the Body of Christ. Pentecostals, Methodists, Roman Catholics, Baptists, Anglicans, and so on all practice the ordinance of water baptism.
Water Baptism is the dipping in water by complete immersion. The practice of water baptism as seen in scriptures is not of water sprinkling as some hold but of whole immersion in water.
Today, I'd be sharing with you some of the essence and the significance of water baptism. Why are we expected to carry out the ceremony of water baptism? Why must everyone be baptized in water? What are the requirements for water baptism? Of what significance is water baptism?
I would be answering this questions as we proceed in this piece.
Here's what to expect;
• Requirements for Water Baptism
• Essence of Water Baptism and
• Significance of Water Baptism
REQUIREMENTS FOR WATER BAPTISM
Before you can be baptized in water there is a requirement Jesus gave. In Mark 16:16, Jesus said;
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."
From the scripture above, we see that the basic requirement necessary for water baptism is believe in Jesus Christ. Until you truly and genuinely believe in Jesus then you are not a candidate for water baptism.
Believe in Jesus is not by a verbal proclamation. It is the forsaking of the old self and accepting the new life Jesus Christ is offering.
Such a decision cannot be made by a baby thus the baptism of children is an aberration as against the required expectation.
A person who must be baptized must first forsake sin and having believed in Jesus accept the life of Christ and begin to live in accordance to the parameters of the new life.
Believe in Jesus Christ is what entitles one for the performance of Water baptism.
ESSENCE OF WATER BAPTISM
Why must we be baptized in water? On what essence is the Church's stand on water baptism driven on?
Water baptism is one of the cardinal doctrines of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a part of the great commission.
As you know, the great commission is Jesus' mandate to His disciples which is hereunto passed to us. The great commission in full reads;
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." – Mark 16:15-16
Part of Jesus' mandate for the Church includes water baptism. In verse sixteen (16) of Mark sixteen (16) we see that for as many for believe the gospel we preach, they should be baptized.
So we can see the commision as having two sections.
Section A: Preach the gospel
Section B: Baptize all who believe.
It is to this end that water baptism is expected to be an integral part of the Church's function. No one who believes is exempted from carrying out the ceremony of water baptism.
SIGNIFICANCE OF WATER BAPTISM
There are so many reasons why we be baptized in water. Aside being a commission and a mandate from Jesus, water baptism is essential due to the following significances.
1. It is a Public Declaration or Attestation
Water baptism issues out a notice to the world that no longer are we of the world. It is a public declaration attesting to the fact that the one being dipped into water has turned his/her back to the world and its ways and has decided to follow Jesus the Christ.
2. It Shows We Conform To The Set Pattern Of Jesus Christ
Water baptism is of a great significance because it is indicative of the fact that we die (immersion in water) like Jesus and we are raised (bringing out from water) like Him unto a new life.
Since Jesus died and resurrected, we connect and conform to that pattern by performing the ordinance of water baptism.
Apostle Paul supports this claim;
"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." – Romans 6:4
Water baptism is indicative of the fact that we partake in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
3. It Establishes Our Existence as Spiritual Beings
The perfect standpoint of a man is to function in accordance to the Spirit of God. Baptism in water shows that we are dead to sin and our spirit man is activated to a livelihood dependent on the Spirit of God.
Water baptism establishes our spirit man on the plain on true existence. It turns on every spiritual sensor and perception gland that our spirit man.
Being dead to sin and alive to God by virtue of the complete immersion in water shows that we are spiritual beings no longer controlled by the power and nature of sin.
Once a person believes in Jesus Christ and repents of His sin, he/she becomes entitled for water baptism and like the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:36 nothing hinders such a one from being baptized.
Sadly, whatever may stop you from being baptized can stop you from making Heaven. I do hope that if you haven't being baptized by complete immersion in water you'd crave to do so.
It is only by complete immersion in water following believe in Jesus and the forsaking of sin that your baptism is valid. Water sprinkling is not the Bible's standard for baptism.
MARANATHA
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