June 15, 2022

Bob Maas
"On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: 'Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'"
Acts 1:4-5

The word baptism is an important word for followers of Jesus Christ. Every baptism has three primary elements that comprise the action. The one doing the baptizing, the one being baptized, and the substance into which the person is baptized.

The Holy Spirit (the one doing the baptizing); the believer (the person being baptized); the body of Christ (the substance into which the person is baptized).

The baptizer (the one doing the baptizing); the believer (the person being baptized); water (the substance into which the person is baptized).

Jesus (the one doing the baptizing); the believer (the person being baptized); the Holy Spirit (the substance into which the person is baptized).

Jesus (the one doing the baptizing); the believer (the person being baptized); fire (the substance into which the person is baptized).

When we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, the Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ. Our first act of obedience as a believer should be to get baptized in water as an outward expression of what happened to us spiritually.