BAPTISM

We have looked at consecration which is the giving of ourselves to the Lord for His will not ours. Now being led by the Spirit we want to take a step back and look at exactly how we become saved.

Luke 23
39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

The man did not ask to be saved. He asked Jesus to remember him when He comest into thy kingdom. This does not mean that if you are good you go to heaven. The man had a repentive spirit, and he asked Jesus to remember him, Jesus is the one that told him he would be with him in heaven that day.

Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Call on the Name of the Lord and thou shall be saved. And the Name of the Lord is Jesus. Oh, wait a minute there is more. Let’s read the rest of the story.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children

And another scripture.
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

So scripture does tell us that we can call on the Name of the Lord Jesus and be saved, then be baptized. What it really says is repent, be baptized and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Remember this is after Jesus has been crucified.

Shall we go deeper? John baptized for repentance. The disciples baptized for repentance.

John 4: 1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, 2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

Romans 6:3
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Baptized unto His death. We go under the water which represents His death, we come up out of the water, which represents Him rising from the dead. The water washes away the sins and we are recreated a new creature in Christ Jesus. Let us go even deeper.

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. In the Old Testament we are told God's Name is I AM. Jesus tells us that before Abraham was I AM.
John 8:58

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Why then, if Jesus is God and I AM is the Names used by both, are we not baptized in I AM? I want you to take some time here and really think about this.

Continued

God Bless Indeed
recj/LJG