"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name; which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13)
"Of His own will begat He us with the Word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures." (James 1:18)
"... being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which lives and abides for ever." (I Peter 1:23)
In John 3, Jesus meets Nicodemus, a man of the Pharisees, a man and master of Israel, and a ruler of the Jews. Jesus tells Nicodemus -- “Verily, verily, I say unto thee - Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)
Nicodemus then asks Jesus if this means re-entering again inside his mother's womb. Jesus repeats for the second time His initial message. That is, "Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God! Marvel not that I have said unto thee, ye must be born again. The wind blows where it lists, and thou hears the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it comes, and whither it goes, so is everyone that is born of the Spirit." (John 3:5-8)
Why is this? Because, as Jesus notes, "that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Jesus continues, saying, "If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?" (John 3:12)
At this point, Nicodemus should have known the numerous written Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming Jesus -- as the promised Messiah. Like Simeon in the temple, Nicodemus would have known the Lord God was going to do a brand new work. Like John the baptizer who was full of the Holy Ghost from before birth, Nicodemus would have known the call to be baptized in the Jordan River had already gone out to one and all. And yes, Nicodemus would have recognized a new day was on the horizon -- when the dayspring from on high would visit His people.
"... being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which lives and abides for ever." (I Peter 1:23)
In John 3, Jesus meets Nicodemus, a man of the Pharisees, a man and master of Israel, and a ruler of the Jews. Jesus tells Nicodemus -- “Verily, verily, I say unto thee - Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)
Nicodemus then asks Jesus if this means re-entering again inside his mother's womb. Jesus repeats for the second time His initial message. That is, "Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God! Marvel not that I have said unto thee, ye must be born again. The wind blows where it lists, and thou hears the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it comes, and whither it goes, so is everyone that is born of the Spirit." (John 3:5-8)
Why is this? Because, as Jesus notes, "that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Jesus continues, saying, "If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?" (John 3:12)
At this point, Nicodemus should have known the numerous written Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming Jesus -- as the promised Messiah. Like Simeon in the temple, Nicodemus would have known the Lord God was going to do a brand new work. Like John the baptizer who was full of the Holy Ghost from before birth, Nicodemus would have known the call to be baptized in the Jordan River had already gone out to one and all. And yes, Nicodemus would have recognized a new day was on the horizon -- when the dayspring from on high would visit His people.
"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:11)
To Nicodemus, Jesus was speaking the New Testament salvation message: repentance, water baptism and the receiving of the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts
From the Old Testament: "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them." (Ezekiel 36:25-27)
In the new Testament: "Behold, I send My messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” (Mark 1:2; Malachi 3:1) “Behold, I will send My messenger (Matthew 17:12-13), and "he shall prepare the way before Me!" (Isaiah 43:11-12; Zechariah 2:10-11, Zechariah 9:9)
From the Old Testament: "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them." (Ezekiel 36:25-27)
In the new Testament: "Behold, I send My messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” (Mark 1:2; Malachi 3:1) “Behold, I will send My messenger (Matthew 17:12-13), and "he shall prepare the way before Me!" (Isaiah 43:11-12; Zechariah 2:10-11, Zechariah 9:9)
“Prepare ye the way of the Lord make straight in the desert a highway for our God." (Isaiah 40:3; Isaiah 43:11-12, John 16:25, Isaiah 45:15, Psalm 50:22-23, Jude 1:25, Psalm 18:31)
When Jesus was eventually baptized of John, He said, "For thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:13-16) In so doing, Jesus was fulfilling the Old Testament prophecy. As we can see, water baptism was a part of the end of the Old Testament, and also a part of the beginning of the New Testament.
Herein, it is important to understand from I John 5: 6 that Jesus came by both water and blood: water was the baptism by John (repentance) which was at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry; and His shed blood which was at the ending of His ministry. In all occasions, water baptism is the answer of a good conscience toward God (I Peter 1:21)) But I digress.
In those days came John the baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, "Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3:1-3; Isaiah 13:9; Isaiah 40:10-11, Isaiah 66:14, Isaiah 26:11, 1 Peter 5:6) For this is He that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias [Isaiah], saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness." (John 1:23) "Prepare ye the way of the Lord!" (Isaiah 40:3, John 5:31-35; Mark 1:3), As it is written in the prophets, "Behold, I send My messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before Thee.” (Mark 1:2; Malachi 3:1) “Behold, I will send My messenger." (Matthew 17:12-13), and "... he shall prepare the way before Me!" (Isaiah 43:11-12; Zechariah 2:10-11, Zechariah 9:9)
John always pointed to Jesus --- the Lamb of God.
After the resurrection of Jesus, and more specifically, on the day of Pentecost, the people asked Peter (standing in one accord with the apostles) what they must do to be saved. Peter had just informed them that this same Jesus whom they had crucified is both Lord and Christ. Peter then commands both the Jews and the Gentiles to repent and be baptized.
"Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:36-41)
We must remember two points about the importance of water baptism. First, whatever Christ definitely ordained cannot be unimportant, whether we understand its significance or not. Second, Christ and the apostles showed the importance of this ordinance by observing and commanding everyone to be water baptized in His Name.
Please note that water itself does not contain any saving virtue, but God has chosen to include water – the cleansing/renewing of our mind in His plan of salvation. Peter explained, "Baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” It’s an act of faith and obedience. (II Peter 3:21; I Timothy 3:5-8; Colossians 2:11)
“In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with Him in baptism and risen with Him in the same manner that Jesus died and rose again. (Romans 6:3-4)
Notable also, is that according to Luke 7:30, "the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized." (emerged in water) Those who stood on the river banks watching John baptize the multitudes but would not get into the water themselves.
One Lord, one Faith, One Baptism. (Ephesians 4: 5)
The one baptism is two-fold, meaning as Jesus told Nicodemus, we must be born again (baptized) of both water and of the Spirit. Obedience to believing in and on Jesus includes water baptism in His precious, holy name and receiving the Holy Ghost equals one Baptism.
In other words, ye must have the experience of having both baptism of water and baptism of Spirit. And not to be confused with I John 1:7-9 - this is written to already saved people (the body of Christ church), not to sinners who are still trying to get saved. Conversely, those who say there is no need for water baptism are of their father the devil. (John 8:43: 45) Indeed, Jesus said, “Full well ye REJECT the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." (Mark 7:9)
In summarizing, baptism is by immersion in water. "And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water" (Matthew 3:16) "And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him" (Acts 8:38) "Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death" (Romans 6:4) A corpse is not buried by placing it on top of the ground and sprinkling a little soil on it, but by covering it completely.
I hope this helps offer clarity. Stand in the offering plate.
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