Greek Translation: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent! Have a true change of heart towards God understanding that your future is not dependent on your past! Be baptized! That is make a public identification with Jesus Christ through water immersion. Be baptized in the name and character of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your willful and intentional acts against God! Be baptized with the purpose of serving God by the free gifts of God’s character through the Holy Spirit!” Comment: Believe it or not this church doctrine has been controversial for the past two thousand years! You would think it would be a slam dunk but not the case! Some believe infant baptism is enough! However there is no conscious decision on the part of the infant to do this! Some believe there is no need of baptism because the thief on the Cross was not baptized yet he was saved! Baptism is connected to forgiveness but not dependent on it! Baptism is about power for ministry! It is about an effective work here on the earth! Jesus was baptized yet he did not need to be saved! Some say I am saved and therefore do not need to be baptized! If it is good enough for Jesus it is good enough for me! Remember the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus after baptism! The Holy Spirit will empower you for effective ministry here on the earth! Without His love you will be abusive in the ministry! Your human capacity will never be enough! We need the character of God to do the work of God! The thief on the Cross was headed for heaven! No earthly ministry time left for him except to say he was saved without baptism! The Holy Spirit saves us until the rapture or Christ’s return to earth! The Spirit is the down payment or escrow to hold us until his return! Remember Jesus said greater things will you do after I send the Holy Spirit! We have examples of baptism in the Old Testament! The evidence is strong for baptism unless you want to go it alone! Do not try to figure it out just do it! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tag: examples
Incarnation in You! John 3:5-8
Here is the definition of the word “Incarnation”, from the Merrian-Webster Dictionary: “The embodiment of a Deity or Spirit in some earthly form; the union of divinity with humanity in Jesus Christ.” Comment: Jesus told Nicodemus he must be born again! After you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior your sin is forgiven then you have a born again experience with God! Now His Spirit rules you rather than the flesh! The Holy Spirit becomes incarnated in you! You then follow Him as He leads you into righteousness! Those that reject Christ receive another Spirit that controls them and leads them away from God! Satan rules their life to destroy them! Jesus came to save us! No one can ignore or escape the incarnation! What Spirit incarnates you has everything to do with what you do with Jesus Christ! Life or death? Judas Iscariot would be one example of what happens when you reject Jesus Christ! The other disciples are good examples of the power that dwelled in them from the Holy Spirit to reach the lost world and transform lives! Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com