Jesus’ earthly
ministry was eventful. Wherever Jesus
went He was doing good to people. With
the power of His Father upon Him, He did so many marvelous works that no book
if they were to be written would be big enough to contain them. The blind received their sights; the lame
walked; the lepers were healed of their leprosy; the demons possessed were
rescued; He raised the dead; He fed the hungry. Nothing is ever too difficult
for Him to do.
One thing is
noticeable about the New Testament and that is baptism of water. There was no
soul who gave his life to Christ Jesus that was not baptised. Baptism of water is so important that John
had to make it a pre-requisite for admission into the body of Christ. That Jesus too submitted Himself for water
baptism is a clear indication that no one who is converted to Christianity
should be exempted from baptism of water.
Under the
ministry of Jesus all the converts were baptised including believers among the thousands
of people that Jesus miraculously fed with bread and small fishes on two
occasions. How do I know? See evidence in John 4:1-2 as quoted as
follows:
WHEN THEREFORE the Lord knew how the Pharisees had
heard that Jesus made and baptised than John. (Though Jesus himself baptised
not, but his disciples).
Right, you have
agreed with this author that “Jesus made
and baptised” – which is to say every convert was baptised without further subjection to any
baptismal class or written or oral examination before such baptism was applied
to them as is erroneously done in churches today. That means once converted Jesus instructed
the chosen twelve and even other disciples to baptise them immediately. In other words no convert should go home
without water baptism administered to them.
Jesus is to
baptise with the Holy Spirit, while His disciples then and now should baptise
converts with water. Remember heavens
open whenever baptism takes place. When
baptism of water takes place it makes God to declare thus: “Well done my child,
you are now truly my chosen one; and I am well pleased with you”.
The only
requirement to be fulfilled for baptism to be administered is to decide to
follow Jesus Christ. For instance if a pagan or a Muslim comes to a Christian
and tells him that he is convinced that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he
wants to be converted to Christianity. Right there after preaching to him or
her, all that you are required to do is to fix a day he or she should come for
water baptism. If there is enough time
that day of surrendering his or her life to Christ and he or she is ready and
you are a mature Christian you can even take him or her to any nearest
available water and baptise him or her. If
you feel you are not yet qualified to baptise someone, you only need to inform
your pastor about your success in converting someone to the body of Christ and
the new convert should be invited for water baptism. Baptism in a way is an
initiation into the body of Christ.
The importance
of the water baptism can never be over-emphasized. That is why Jesus when He was about to go
back to His Father in Heaven commands us in the following words:
Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to
every creature. He that believeth and is
baptised shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:15-16.
Remember Jesus
says “he that believes”. That means he that believes that Jesus is the
Lord and Saviour when you preach to him.
That is to say you are placing an obstacle on the life of a convert if
you fail to baptise him as soon as he believes that Jesus is the Son of God. A convert who is baptised is likely to show
remorse for a sin committed by him than the one not baptised. This is because the spirit that dwells in him
will make him realise he has sinned against God even though that wrong was done
to a fellow human being. Because of the
importance of the water baptism, Jesus makes it as a major assignment for His followers
as it is also recorded in Matthew as follows:
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever
I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the
world. Matthew 28:19-20.
Salvation is for
those who believe and are baptised. Those that believe not shall not be
baptised, and such unbelievers shall receive everlasting punishment in Hell.
To be continued
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