Question about Baptism, (Water Baptism, and Spiritual Baptism) Why do we practice Water Baptism, and which one is of more importance?
Answer:
Water baptism was a command--"What must I do to be saved? Accept the Lord Jesus Christ and be baptized."
Water baptism is a symbol of our consecration to the Lord, it pictures our death and resurrection in him. But Water baptism is only the beginning. Baptism is a process not a one time act.
Jesus says to James and John, can you be baptized with the baptism I AM baptized with. Notice he puts it in present tense. His water immersion took place over three years before this statement.
When Jesus was immersed at Jordan his baptism began--he laid down his life in sacrifice officially at that point (like we do) and the actual death he promised at that point happened at Calvary.
Spiritual baptism, is when we get the Holy Spirit and become a son of God--that is when the adoption takes place.
If one's heart is not right when they are immersed, that baptism is only a bath and they will not receive the holy Spirit.
So, which is more important--the receiving of the holy Spirit of course, but that doesn't make the first less important, to disregard it would show a wrong heart attitude and that is also a big deal.
Answer:
Water baptism was a command--"What must I do to be saved? Accept the Lord Jesus Christ and be baptized."
Water baptism is a symbol of our consecration to the Lord, it pictures our death and resurrection in him. But Water baptism is only the beginning. Baptism is a process not a one time act.
Jesus says to James and John, can you be baptized with the baptism I AM baptized with. Notice he puts it in present tense. His water immersion took place over three years before this statement.
When Jesus was immersed at Jordan his baptism began--he laid down his life in sacrifice officially at that point (like we do) and the actual death he promised at that point happened at Calvary.
Spiritual baptism, is when we get the Holy Spirit and become a son of God--that is when the adoption takes place.
If one's heart is not right when they are immersed, that baptism is only a bath and they will not receive the holy Spirit.
So, which is more important--the receiving of the holy Spirit of course, but that doesn't make the first less important, to disregard it would show a wrong heart attitude and that is also a big deal.
