There are three separate baptisms mentioned in the New Testament.
- Baptism into Death: “Know you 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.” Romans 6:3-4
- Water Baptism that witnesses to all that the Believer has accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and dedicated his or her heart and life to Him as seen in Matthew 28:19, “Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:“
- Baptism in the Holy Spirit: “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the Promise of the Father, which, said He, you have heard of Me. For John truly baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Acts 1:4-5
There is a difference in being born of the Spirit (John 3:5) and being Baptized with the Spirit. At Salvation, the Holy Spirit comes into our heart and Baptizes us into the death of Jesus, into the Body of Christ, and we are “born of the Spirit”.
After our Salvation…and ONLY after our Salvation, can one be Baptized in water or Baptized in the Holy Spirit.
“4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
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;
6 Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7 That being justified by His Grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7
The washing and regeneration of our heart begins at Salvation, when we are born again…born of the Spirit, baptized into Jesus’ death. This is the ONLY baptism required for Salvation, the Baptism into the Body of Christ when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
The human heart is made up of the soul and the spirit. Our soul feels and our spirit knows. When the Holy Spirit enters our heart and begins His mighty work and we are “born of the Spirit” through our faith in Jesus Christ, He isolates our sin nature and places in our soul the desire to know God and bears witness with our spirit that we are a Child of God (Romans 8:16).
“11 In Whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, Who has raised Him from the dead.” Colossians 2:11-12.
We are justified by faith through Grace, not works. The Baptism into the Body of Christ is the only baptism necessary to be born again. That is not a matter of interpretation…that is a matter of fact. The minute we add to what Jesus Christ did on Calvary’s Cross to justify fallen man, we are adding to His finished work and have fallen from Grace.
“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from Grace.” Galatians 5:4
-Donna Clark Warren
Living in The Spirit 