In our last post we talked about the first of three baptisms a believer should go through. Today we are going to talk about the second baptism, which is what you likely think of when someone mentions getting baptized. 

If you recall, Robert Morris from Gateway Church in Dallas taught us there are three baptisms. Remember he said:

1. The Holy Spirit baptizes us in Jesus.
2. The disciple baptizes us in water.
3. Jesus baptizes us in the Holy Spirit.

What Does Baptize Mean

We are going to explore what it means to have a disciple baptize someone in water. Recall, to be baptized means to be completely immersed. Why is this important? I believe being completely immersed is a representation of what it means to be a Christian. We want to be completely immersed in the body of Christ. We don’t want to just be partially a part of the family of God. No, it should be our desire to be 100% a part of the family of God. 

Being completely immersed in the water is a picture of us being fully and completely a child of God. We aren’t 50% or even 90% a child of God. No, you are either 100% or 0% a child of God. Therefore, when you are baptized with water, you should be 100% in the water as a symbol that you are in fact 100% a child of God. 

Our Command

One of the last commands Jesus gave to his disciples is found in ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭19‬ ‭(ESV),‬‬ “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” Our job is to make disciples and baptize them into the body of Christ in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This means that you don’t need a degree that says you are able to baptize others. After all, there was no such thing as college and university for hundreds of years after Jesus ascended to Heaven. The only qualification you need is that you too are part of the body of Christ. Have you surrendered your life to Jesus? Then you are qualified to baptize other believers. 

Why It’s Important

Why is getting water baptized so important? This is something I never understood until recently. Like I said in the previous post, I really got baptized simply because Jesus did, and I thought it was good to follow his example. 

Recently, I was at a baptism of a friend of my youngest daughter. As I was watching people get baptized, the Lord started speaking to me. He was showing me what happens to people when they are water baptized. He showed me that as they went under the water, their old man died. As they came up, that old man was cut off and Jesus wrapped them in their new man. It was incredible to learn that!

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭14‬ ‭(ESV) shows us this concept, “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” This circumcision is the cutting away of our old, sinful man. 

What Does Jesus See

Again, we see in ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬ (‭ESV), “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” The old man passes away and the new man comes when we are baptized. This means you no longer have to be identified by your sin. You were once a liar; now you have been clothed with truthfulness. The old you was a fornicator and cheater; now you are faithful and pure. You were full of pride or anxiety; now you are humble and peaceful. It’s up to you to ask Jesus to help you see yourself the way he does. Ask him to show you who your new man is. After he shows you who you really are, ask him to help you to come into agreement with what he has shown you. 

When you come into agreement with what Jesus says about you, life will forever change. I say this from experience. My old man was insecure, prideful, and felt unworthy of good things. My new man knows her confidence comes from Jesus which makes her humble, and she has realized she deserves all that Jesus says she deserves. Who is she to say Jesus is wrong about who she is or what gifts he wants to give her? 

It’s Time

Have you taken the next step to being water baptized? Maybe you were baptized as a child but didn’t really understand why. You could be like me and were baptized as an adult and didn’t really understand the importance of being baptized. Is the Holy Spirit nudging you to go be baptized again, or maybe for the first time? If so, I encourage you to find someone who you look up to as a fellow follower of Jesus and ask them to baptize you. It doesn’t have to be anything formal or fancy. You can go to your pool and be baptized there. Gather those whom you feel comfortable being there with and who will and has encouraged you on your walk with Jesus. Just do it! ‬‬It will be amazing!

Part 1