Jesus Christ is my God!
Issued 29.04.2001
Baptism into Jesus
Through the baptism the body of a saved person is given to Jesus. Who wants to be baptised must have the personal faith in the resurrection, because in the baptism one wants to be united with Jesus in His death. The baptism doesn't belong to the person who wants to live in sin, because through the baptism one dies to sin. Through the baptism I dedicate myself to the attitude towards life where I put all my hope in the Holy Spirit who lives in me and can give me a victory over sin and the power to live life according to God's will.
Redemption
Jesus has not only atoned our sins but He also redeems us from the slavery of sin. Therefore we need not obey sin anymore. "Jesus Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good." Titus 2:14
The redemption means that a slave is released. Jesus has come to set us free from the power of sin. The forgiveness of sins is a great mercy from God but it is not the end of His grace. "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No " to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." Titus 2:11-12
So God's grace gives us the power to say "No" to sin and therefore it doesn't control our body anymore. The baptism describes our redemption from the power of sin. Our sinful nature is drowned in the water of the judgement and a new creation rises up in the fire of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus has not only atoned our sins but He also redeems us from the slavery of sin. Therefore we need not obey sin anymore. "Jesus Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good." Titus 2:14
The redemption means that a slave is released. Jesus has come to set us free from the power of sin. The forgiveness of sins is a great mercy from God but it is not the end of His grace. "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No " to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." Titus 2:11-12
So God's grace gives us the power to say "No" to sin and therefore it doesn't control our body anymore. The baptism describes our redemption from the power of sin. Our sinful nature is drowned in the water of the judgement and a new creation rises up in the fire of the Holy Spirit.
Fruit of God's grace
His grace teaches us so that we grow apart from sin. How does this grace act? The Holy Spirit does the work in us. First He connects us to Jesus and after that He teaches us to obey everything Jesus has commanded us.
Jesus describes good life of a believer as fruit which grows in the vine. Jesus Himself is the vine and the Holy Spirit has grafted us on Him. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." Joh.15:5
God's upbringing grace affects in us when we grow together with Jesus. The baptism describes the method which the Holy Spirit uses when He dedicates a believer to God.
His grace teaches us so that we grow apart from sin. How does this grace act? The Holy Spirit does the work in us. First He connects us to Jesus and after that He teaches us to obey everything Jesus has commanded us.
Jesus describes good life of a believer as fruit which grows in the vine. Jesus Himself is the vine and the Holy Spirit has grafted us on Him. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." Joh.15:5
God's upbringing grace affects in us when we grow together with Jesus. The baptism describes the method which the Holy Spirit uses when He dedicates a believer to God.
Bought to be Jesus' own
The gospel offers us the perfect forgiveness of sins, but it doesn't give any permission to continue in sin. Instead, the love of God that has appeared for us in the sacrifice of Jesus appeals to us to give ourselves totally to God. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body." 1Cor.6:19-20
The baptism in water is for the body. A person saved by Jesus wants to be baptised, because he wants to give his body to Jesus.
The gospel offers us the perfect forgiveness of sins, but it doesn't give any permission to continue in sin. Instead, the love of God that has appeared for us in the sacrifice of Jesus appeals to us to give ourselves totally to God. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body." 1Cor.6:19-20
The baptism in water is for the body. A person saved by Jesus wants to be baptised, because he wants to give his body to Jesus.
The baptism of the saved people
Many have tried to take from Jesus only the forgiveness of their sins without binding themselves to Him. They would like to own Jesus, but they do not allow Jesus to own them. The baptism in water is dedicating to be His own. In that event I give myself to Him.
The biblical baptism is the baptism of the saved people, because nobody can give oneself to Jesus, if one has not first received the salvation in Him. If you have peace with God through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, you can be baptised. First the salvation through the faith and then growing in the faith through the baptism.
If someone thinks that the order of these two things is not important, he doesn't understand that God is always the initiator. He proposes us, not vice versa. We can only answer to His proposals.
Many have tried to take from Jesus only the forgiveness of their sins without binding themselves to Him. They would like to own Jesus, but they do not allow Jesus to own them. The baptism in water is dedicating to be His own. In that event I give myself to Him.
The biblical baptism is the baptism of the saved people, because nobody can give oneself to Jesus, if one has not first received the salvation in Him. If you have peace with God through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, you can be baptised. First the salvation through the faith and then growing in the faith through the baptism.
If someone thinks that the order of these two things is not important, he doesn't understand that God is always the initiator. He proposes us, not vice versa. We can only answer to His proposals.
Misleading grace
The grace of the perfect forgiveness has misled people through the ages. Many have believed that it would be according to God's grace to go on sinning after they became believers. They think that the only thing they can do is to fall in sin and to confess it for forgiveness over and over again. Some people even think so wrong that they consider it good to do much sin so that they could experience greater mercy. "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning, so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" Rom.6:1-2
Those, who don't want to die together with Jesus, cannot bear fruit of God's grace. They want to take God's grace only for the forgiveness of their sins, but they go without the grace which would give them the victory over their sinful life. It is impossible for him, who has gone astray in this way, to understand the biblical baptism.
The grace of the perfect forgiveness has misled people through the ages. Many have believed that it would be according to God's grace to go on sinning after they became believers. They think that the only thing they can do is to fall in sin and to confess it for forgiveness over and over again. Some people even think so wrong that they consider it good to do much sin so that they could experience greater mercy. "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning, so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" Rom.6:1-2
Those, who don't want to die together with Jesus, cannot bear fruit of God's grace. They want to take God's grace only for the forgiveness of their sins, but they go without the grace which would give them the victory over their sinful life. It is impossible for him, who has gone astray in this way, to understand the biblical baptism.
The baptism into the death of Jesus
When you have been grafted on Jesus, His life begins to flow from the trunk to you and it means the death of your own life. Do you allow this to happen to you? If you allow it the baptism is for you. Through that you dedicate yourself to the death of Jesus so that you would share also His life.
"Or don't you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Rom.6:3-4
The gospel says: "Jesus died for you so that you would get the forgiveness of your sins." Receiving this connects you with Jesus. The Holy Spirit begins His work for your changing by saying: "You died together with Jesus so that you would not sin anymore." Receiving this opens the flow of Jesus' life into you.
The ceremony of baptism doesn't change you as a wedding occasion doesn't bring about matrimonial happiness. However it is the beginning for growing into one. "If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection." Rom.6:5
The baptism is an indication of the obedience to the Holy Spirit, who has entered your life and wants to make also you holy as He is holy. "On hearing this, they were baptised into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied." Acts .19:5-6 The baptising with water is for the baptising with the Holy Spirit, because He wants to appear in His temple.
When you have been grafted on Jesus, His life begins to flow from the trunk to you and it means the death of your own life. Do you allow this to happen to you? If you allow it the baptism is for you. Through that you dedicate yourself to the death of Jesus so that you would share also His life.
"Or don't you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Rom.6:3-4
The gospel says: "Jesus died for you so that you would get the forgiveness of your sins." Receiving this connects you with Jesus. The Holy Spirit begins His work for your changing by saying: "You died together with Jesus so that you would not sin anymore." Receiving this opens the flow of Jesus' life into you.
The ceremony of baptism doesn't change you as a wedding occasion doesn't bring about matrimonial happiness. However it is the beginning for growing into one. "If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection." Rom.6:5
The baptism is an indication of the obedience to the Holy Spirit, who has entered your life and wants to make also you holy as He is holy. "On hearing this, they were baptised into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied." Acts .19:5-6 The baptising with water is for the baptising with the Holy Spirit, because He wants to appear in His temple.
Water saves
The Bible says about the saving effect of water as follows: "In the days of Noah only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolises baptism that now saves you also - not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience towards God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." 1Peter 3:20-21
Noah was not saved by water but the ark. In the same way we are not saved by the baptism but Jesus. However in such sense water saved Noah that it saved him from the godless world. In the same way the baptism saves a believer from the sinful world. The death of Jesus is like the flood and His resurrection gives us a clean world.
What has a good conscience got to do with the baptism? The Bible witnesses that it is possible to get a good conscience only through the faith which comes from the blood of Jesus. "Since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus ...let us draw near to God ... having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." Heb.10:19-22
In the baptism we ask for the power to maintain a good conscience which was given by the blood of Jesus. The baptising washes away our sin in the sense that it washes away our sinful nature, because sharing the death of Jesus gives us the power to avoid sinning.
The baptism also gives us a good conscience from the good deeds that we left undone, because a dead one does nothing, not good or bad. The baptism ends the life under the law. "For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." Gal.2:19-20
The Bible says about the saving effect of water as follows: "In the days of Noah only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolises baptism that now saves you also - not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience towards God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." 1Peter 3:20-21
Noah was not saved by water but the ark. In the same way we are not saved by the baptism but Jesus. However in such sense water saved Noah that it saved him from the godless world. In the same way the baptism saves a believer from the sinful world. The death of Jesus is like the flood and His resurrection gives us a clean world.
What has a good conscience got to do with the baptism? The Bible witnesses that it is possible to get a good conscience only through the faith which comes from the blood of Jesus. "Since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus ...let us draw near to God ... having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." Heb.10:19-22
In the baptism we ask for the power to maintain a good conscience which was given by the blood of Jesus. The baptising washes away our sin in the sense that it washes away our sinful nature, because sharing the death of Jesus gives us the power to avoid sinning.
The baptism also gives us a good conscience from the good deeds that we left undone, because a dead one does nothing, not good or bad. The baptism ends the life under the law. "For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." Gal.2:19-20
Continue be baptised
Many boast that they are baptised with the biblical baptism, but they don't carry out it in their practical life. In this way it is as though they would have never been baptised. If one who has not been baptised lives according to its real meaning, will one not be regarded as though one was baptised?
If you love Jesus, you don't want to be unbaptised, not internally nor outwardly. If you remain in Jesus it leads you to continue to be baptised. Loving human honour leads easily away from Jesus, because it causes you to live again for yourself. So what are you boasting about?
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation." Gal.6:14-15
Let your sinful nature remain dead and let the new creation live!
Many boast that they are baptised with the biblical baptism, but they don't carry out it in their practical life. In this way it is as though they would have never been baptised. If one who has not been baptised lives according to its real meaning, will one not be regarded as though one was baptised?
If you love Jesus, you don't want to be unbaptised, not internally nor outwardly. If you remain in Jesus it leads you to continue to be baptised. Loving human honour leads easily away from Jesus, because it causes you to live again for yourself. So what are you boasting about?
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation." Gal.6:14-15
Let your sinful nature remain dead and let the new creation live!
The Bible version used in references is NIV