Baptism

 

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Mark 16:16 ESV


Baptism is popularly described as 'an outward sign of an inward act'. But we need to clarify what we mean by baptism. Do we mean water baptism, or baptism in the Holy Spirit? And once we've established that, what do we mean by those two respective things? 


Water baptism isn't having a drop of 'holy water' sprinkled on our foreheads. It is being dunked in water: symbolizing being washed in Jesus' blood and dying and rising again with Him. Water baptism doesn't save our souls. 


Being baptised in the Holy Spirit isn't simply being able to speak gobbledegook. Biblically, being baptised in the Holy Spirit is synonymous with being born again. There's no 'second blessing' for the true believer, although we are leaky vessels and do need continual refilling of the Holy Spirit. 


Mark is talking about baptism in the Holy Spirit here: being converted to Christ. He isn't saying that taking a bath saves our souls. Even if you're not convinced by my argument, note that the only thing that condemns us is unbelief, not not being baptised. 


'Lord, we believe You. We ask that You would baptise us in Your Holy Spirit. Please don't allow us to fall into unbelief and condemnation. For Your glory's sake, amen'

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