What Water Baptism Is And Isn’t

 

Thoughts on Acts 19

These next couple of blogs were difficult ones to write, and for some, I imagine will be hard to read. Written to be introspective, all I can say, I have already written in A Warning - Straight From My Heart. Link to this and it will tell you the reasons I write my Bible thoughts for others to read.

When we are water baptized, we are baptized with the, “Baptism of Repentance “... John’s Baptism. The, ‘Baptism of Repentance’ is not an new term, it has just fallen out of use. There were a number of stories about this in the New Testament. It happened to Paul, Philip, and Peter.

Acts 19:3-4

“And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”

Water Baptism did NOT bring remission of sin, or save them. It prepared the people for Jesus…  the One who actually took away the sin of the world. Repentance (demonstrated through water baptism) is a step that prepares people for the remission of sin in order that they might enter the Kingdom of God.

Mark 1:3-4

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” In a nutshell, John said water baptism was preparation for the remission of sins.

John 1:29

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Acts 4:12

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

For salvation, all it takes is belief in Jesus. Water baptism is a step after.

1 Peter 3:21 ARTB

“… by baptism… you-are declaring God with a clean conscience and in the raising-up of Jesus the Messiah.“

We show repentance through water baptism as the Lord asks. It is non-negotiable. If one cannot publicly stand for righteousness, then He wont stand for them.

Matthew 10:33

But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew3:14-15

But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.

There is a difference between salvation, water baptism, and entering the Kingdom of God.