Baptism That Saves
Holy Spirit Baptism
The word baptism means to become identified with or to be made one with. It refers to the act of identifying one thing with another thing in such a way that its nature or character is changed. Baptism can mean to place a person into union with someone else.
When a person accepts Jesus Christ as Savior, believes in Jesus Christ, he is baptized into Christ; that is, he is placed into the body of Christ, by the Holy Spirit. All believers were baptized into one body by one Spirit. We are one body in Christ, we all have the same Spirit, the Spirit of Christ.
Gal 3:26-27 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
All believers in Jesus Christ were baptized into Christ. All believers have been identified with Jesus Christ. When we believe in Jesus Christ, we are made true children of God, by the Holy Spirit; we are placed into Christ, by the Holy Spirit. When God sees the believer He sees the righteousness of Christ. The baptism that saves us is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the work of the Holy Spirit whereby we become identified with Christ and His righteousness.
Rom 6:3-4 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
We were placed into Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit. As a result, when He died, we died; when He was raised from the dead, we were raised; and because He has life, we have life. Therefore, we can say, it is the baptism of the Holy Spirit that saves us.
Col 2:9-12 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Salvation is a work of the Holy Spirit; whereby, He baptized us into Christ. As far as God is concerned when Christ died we died, when He was buried we were buried, when He was raised we were raised. Our salvation is complete in Christ. We now receive all the benefits, of true sinless children of God, because of our union with Christ. Jesus Christ now lives in us as the result of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Titus 3:5-6 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Salvation is entirely the work of God, from beginning to end. God the Father gave His Son; Jesus Christ died for us; and the Holy Spirit made us new creatures in Christ. Because of His great mercy, God saved us, by giving His Son to die in our place, for our sins. The Holy Spirit placed us into Christ; so that, we now have new life, the life of Christ.
1 Pet 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1 Pet 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins in order that He might bring us to God. Our identification with Christ is the baptism that saves us from the penalty of sin, separation from God forever. Because we were baptized into Christ, identified with Jesus Christ in all that He suffered, we also receive all the fulness of His life for all eternity.
John 3:4-8 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
A person cannot be saved unless he is born again, unless he becomes a new creation. The Holy Spirit of God gives us new life, by making us a new creation in Christ, when we believe in Christ. We are born again, we become true children of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit when we believe in Jesus Christ.
John 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Our new birth is the result of the will of God and the working of God. When we believe in Jesus Christ, we are born again, we receive the birth right be become true children of God. We are not born again because of who we are, or because we will to be born again, or because another person wills for us to be born again. It is God’s will that we be born again, when we believe in Jesus Christ. We are born again only by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, by His power to place us into Christ and to make us new creatures in Christ. It is the baptism of the Holy Spirit that saves.
2 Cor 5:17-21 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
God has made it possible for all people to be saved, but only those who believe in Jesus Christ will be saved. The invitation to believe in Jesus Christ isgiven to everyone, but not everyone accepts the invitation to believe.
If you will only believe in Jesus Christ, you will be saved. You will be baptized into Christ, by the Holy Spirit. You will have complete and full forgiveness of all your sins. The righteousness of Christ will become your righteousness. You will be born again; you will become true children of God. You will have eternal life; you will live forever, in the presence of God.
All Scripture taken from King James Bible
* Bible Studies by Max Swan
Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD. (NAS) Jer 9:23-24