Put your faith in God, and forgive everyone

"Why is Baptism important"

Baptism kills the old man: and you come out of the water, a new creature in Christ, (2Corth:5-17) anointed by God with the Holy Ghost and power, with the tools to serve in ministry after being taught.

Gal:3,27-29

27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. You are now in covenant with God!!!

(Mk:16,15-18)  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

v-16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

v-17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name (The name of Jesus is our badge of authority) shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

v-18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Notice in v-16: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

How do you believe God?

Rom;10,8-10

8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Rom:3-25)

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Rom:12,1-2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Titus:3-5

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;

1Corth;1-18

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

When you heard the word and repented, it was the power of God that snatched you out of darkness into his marvelous light. For by grace are you saved through faith.

Ephe:2-8

For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourself: it is the gift of God. Not by works, lest any man should boast.

Col:1,12-13 
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

2Corth:5,17-18

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;

Rom:8-22-23

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

1Corth:9-27

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Ez:18,23-24

23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? 

All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

Prov:4-23

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Acts:2,36-38

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

These words came strait from Jesus, he gave two things you must have in place to be saved

1, You must believe in him and repent 

2 You must be baptized

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved

Then you fulfill all righteousness/ at the Baptism

Jesus was baptized

Mk:1-4

4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. A forerunner for Jesus.

Lk:3-16  

John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

Jn:1,29-34

29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water for repentance and forgiveness of sin.

32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

Matt:3,13-17

13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Acts1-8 
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

(Matt:28-19)....Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; whose name is Jesus. The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost are titles.

Let's break this down:

Jn:5-43 Jesus said I come in my Fathers name.........Jesus

Jn:14-26 

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name Jesus, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 

John 15:26 

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Revelation 22:16 

Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, [and] the bright and morning star

Angels are ministering spirits messengers and servants of the Lord, they take on many forms:

Heb;13-2 

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Lk:1,28-31

28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

 Lk:1,19-20
And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

 Dan:9,20-21

20 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;

21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

Gen:18,1-14 
And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

 We noticed that when an angel appeared to men they looked like men why? For the purpose of communicating. Remember when Moses came off the mountain from talking to God, the glory of God was shinning over his face and Israel feared and ran.

Ex:34,29-34 
9 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.

30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.

31 And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.

32 And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai.

33 And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.

34 But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.

Why do we baptize in Jesus name? 

He told us too; He is our God, intercessor and High Priest of whom the Father only hear and communicate with. When we get baptized in Jesus name we fulfill all righteousness as he did.

We pray to the Father in Jesus' name but he intercepts and interseed in our behalf, taking our prayers and petitions before the Father; making intercessions for us.

1Tim:6-16 (Jesus)  Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting Amen.

Moses was the intercessor for Israel when they marched out of Egypt, and all were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

1Corth:10,1-5

1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Yes, he was there; that same Christ you find in the new covenant was with Israel in the wilderness fighting for them under the old covenant. Jesus allowed Moses, Nadab, Abihu and 70 of the elders to look upon him and not die. Ex:24,9-11

What God did to those who were disobedient in the wilderness is an example for us today how we should Fear the Lord, live according to his word and keep his law: the Ten Commandments. Prov:1-7

The Lord have given many warnings to the inhabitants of the earth. Rev:18,3-5

3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

If any man says he is of Christ, and of Abraham's seed, (Gal:3-29) he must keep the covenant God made with Abraham, (Gen:17-10) every man must needs to be circumcised. This command of God was to continue through Abraham's seed for an everlasting covenant.

Gen:17:9-13

9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

 Gal:3-17

And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

Gen:26-5

Because that Abraham obeyed my voice and keep my charge, my commandments, my statues, and my laws. 

Ps:89-34
My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

Ex:12,42-49

43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: 

44 But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. 

48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.  

49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you

For you to be baptized in the name of Jesus is a show of your faith and obedience to him witnessing a manifestation of your heart and mind purged to serve the Living God.

When you come up out of the water, by the operation of God, the Holy Ghost will come upon you and manifest himself in your life. You are now in covenant with God under the blood of Jesus.

Jesus is our perfect example he got baptized and said to John for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.

After Jesus said that to John the Baptist we can say that believing in him and getting baptized in his name is the prerequisite to be saved.

Baptism is a confirmation of being in covenant with God.

Acts:8,27-38  read and we will skip
a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch

To be baptized, your whole body must be placed underwater signifying the death of the old man being buried, and when you come out of the water it's saying we are alive with a renewed mine to serve the living God in newness of life.

Romans:6,3-7,16

3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

4 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.

5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

When we went down in the water we were baptized into his death and when we got up we were purged from all of our sins past, and now we are under the Blood of Jesus to live unto God and not serve sin.

Colossians 2:12 - 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.

Acts:2,38-41

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

41 Then they, that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls

You must have faith in the operation of God that when you were baptized into his death, as the Father raised Jesus from the dead you must liken yourself to have been raised with Him in newness of life to serve the Living God.

Now let us live unto the Lord and be a light to this untoward generation and perhaps we can save someone from the fire by drawing them with loving-kindness ministering to them the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Bro James Stearns