When people claim to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, I help them pray in a very simple way for them and they repeat it after me. Because they don't know how to pray to Jesus for the very first time.
After that I teach them about water baptism. Many have a desire to be baptized in the name God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The foundational verses of Scripture that I always use are;
1. It is the command of God : Matt 28: 18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
2. Romans 6:3-4 " Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life".
3. Colossians 2:12 "... having been buried with Him baptism and raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead."
4. 1Peter 3:21 " ...water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
5. The early believers also obeyed the command of Christ....About three thousands were baptized in Acts 2; The people in Samaria and Simon the Sorcerer were baptized by Philip in Acts 8:12 . In verse 36-38 the Eunuch received water baptism by Philip. Paul whose former name was Saul received water baptism by Ananias Acts 9:18. Cornelius and his family received water baptism by Peter Acts10:47. The jailer and all his family members were baptized by Paul and Silas Acts 16:31-33.
If we really receive Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, we have to follow and obey His command fully, not just part of it. It is true that we already have become the children of God by the very time we have decided to believe Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord in our heart and confess it with our mouth. But it is the inner change of our heart that is invisible by God's people. Receiving water baptism is the sign or symbol of our inner change.
I have had some experiences when some people are afraid to receive water baptism.
A person used to told me that Christian believers baptized people in the water, keeping them inside the water until they see Jesus Christ in their eye or vision. It is like killing people.So it is very hard for this person to receive water baptism even though she received Jesus Christ as her Savior for the first time. Then, I replied "No! It's totally wrong. The Bible does not teach us to do that." I explained the above mentioned Scriptures and the meaning of water baptism. Now, she found real joy and peace in her life and became a very good woman for Christ and His church.
I will share with you, what I taught to my new disciples after this step and what they are doing some time later!
All these works are done by God Himself, I am just the tool of the Holy Spirit. The hammer can never boast to the carpenter that it does very well.
God said that the glory and honor is His.
Dear men of God, As we are human being, it is very easy to steal glory and honor from God by boasting ourselves when the sick people are healed and miracles happen through our prayer and lives. But it is very dangerous to boast instead of giving honor and praise to God. The apostles and the fathers of faith in the Bible never did that.
Wherever the Gospel is preached, the power of the Holy Spirit is there.
Let's give praise and glory to Christ Jesus. He alone is worthy to be praised.
The glory is yours!
William,
The Scripture is the map of my life!
After that I teach them about water baptism. Many have a desire to be baptized in the name God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
1. It is the command of God : Matt 28: 18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
2. Romans 6:3-4 " Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life".
3. Colossians 2:12 "... having been buried with Him baptism and raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead."
4. 1Peter 3:21 " ...water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
5. The early believers also obeyed the command of Christ....About three thousands were baptized in Acts 2; The people in Samaria and Simon the Sorcerer were baptized by Philip in Acts 8:12 . In verse 36-38 the Eunuch received water baptism by Philip. Paul whose former name was Saul received water baptism by Ananias Acts 9:18. Cornelius and his family received water baptism by Peter Acts10:47. The jailer and all his family members were baptized by Paul and Silas Acts 16:31-33.
I have had some experiences when some people are afraid to receive water baptism.
A person used to told me that Christian believers baptized people in the water, keeping them inside the water until they see Jesus Christ in their eye or vision. It is like killing people.So it is very hard for this person to receive water baptism even though she received Jesus Christ as her Savior for the first time. Then, I replied "No! It's totally wrong. The Bible does not teach us to do that." I explained the above mentioned Scriptures and the meaning of water baptism. Now, she found real joy and peace in her life and became a very good woman for Christ and His church.
All these works are done by God Himself, I am just the tool of the Holy Spirit. The hammer can never boast to the carpenter that it does very well.
God said that the glory and honor is His.
Dear men of God, As we are human being, it is very easy to steal glory and honor from God by boasting ourselves when the sick people are healed and miracles happen through our prayer and lives. But it is very dangerous to boast instead of giving honor and praise to God. The apostles and the fathers of faith in the Bible never did that.
Wherever the Gospel is preached, the power of the Holy Spirit is there.
Let's give praise and glory to Christ Jesus. He alone is worthy to be praised.
Dear LORD and Heavenly Father, I humble myself and bow down at your feet by giving all my praise, honor and glory for what You've done and will continue to do for me and through me.
William,
The Scripture is the map of my life!
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