A sister called me up and promised that she would bring a new one on thirty-first of last December, but she could not make it. She promised to come the previous two Lord's days, and still, she could not make it. And finally, she brought a new one last Wednesday. Though I was busy when they arrived, once I was ready I took no time to minister to him the word of God.
He seemed to have been prepared by the Lord in the past many years of his life. He heard and knew about Jesus Christ but something kept him away from being baptized. Though a young college student and a professional break dancer competing on an international championship with his own dancing institute, his heart was very open to the Lord Jesus Christ. I preached the gospel in detail concerning God and His creation of the universe and man, especially man with three parts-body, soul, and spirit. I elaborated on the sinfulness of man and his helplessness, the incarnation of God as a man in Jesus, the accomplishment of redemption, and the salvation man can receive by simply believing into Jesus Christ. After a short while of gospel preaching, he was all smile and very receptive. The next step, was to lead him to pray the sinner's prayer for salvation, which he did whole heartedly. Then, the Lord led me further to explain to him the need for baptsim with two very important spiritual significances; a confirmation of the inward believe and an identification with the death and resurrection of Christ. After ministering the truth using the Bible, he willing wanted to be baptised.
Mark 16:1616 He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned.
161 To believe (see note 153 in ch. 1) is to receive the Slave-Savior (John 1:12) not only for forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43) but also for regeneration (1 Pet. 1:21, 23). Those who thus believe become the children of God (John 1:12-13) and the members of Christ (Eph. 5:30) in an organic union with the Triune God (Matt. 28:19). To be baptized is to affirm this by being buried to terminate the old creation through the death of the Slave-Savior and by being raised up to be the new creation of God through the Slave-Savior's resurrection. Such a baptism is much more advanced than the baptism of repentance preached by John (1:4; Acts 19:3-5). To believe and to be so baptized are two parts of one complete step for receiving the full salvation of God. To be baptized without believing is merely an empty ritual; to believe without being baptized is to be saved only inwardly without an outward affirmation of the inward salvation. These two should go together. Moreover, water baptism should be accompanied by Spirit baptism, even as the children of Israel were baptized in the sea (water) and in the cloud (the Spirit) — 1 Cor. 10:2; 12:13.
To strengthen the truth presentation, we fellowshipped in detail on baptism presented in the book of Romans.
6:3 Or are you ignorant that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
6:4 We have been buried therefore with Him through baptism into His death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we might walk in newness of life.
6:5 For if we have grown together with Him in the likeness of His death, indeed we will also be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6:6 Knowing this, that our old man has been crucified with Him in order that the
body of sin might be annulled, that we should no longer serve sin as slaves;
Immediately, I asked the serving brothers to make ready the baptism tub, and meanwhile we read through Matthew 1 with an emphasis on verses 21 and 23, on Jesus-Jehovah the Saviour, God becoming our Saviour, and Emmanuel-God with us.
Matthew 1:2121 And she will bear a ason, and you shall call His name 1bJesus, for it is He who will csave His people from their sins.
211 Jesus is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name Joshua (Num. 13:16), which means Jehovah the Savior, or the salvation of Jehovah. Hence, Jesus is not only a man but Jehovah, and not only Jehovah but Jehovah becoming our salvation. Thus, He is our Savior. He is also our Joshua, the One who brings us into rest (Heb. 4:8; Matt. 11:28-29), which is Himself as the good land to us.
Matthew 1:2323 "Behold, the avirgin shall be with child and shall bear a 1son, and they shall call His name 2bEmmanuel'' (which is translated, cGod 3with us).
232 Jesus was the name given by God, whereas Emmanuel, meaning God with us, was the name by which man called Him. Jesus the Savior is God with us. He is God, and He is also God incarnated to dwell among us (John 1:14). He is not only God but God with us.
After a wonderful time of preaching the gospel, ministering the truth, a home meeting Bible study, the new one was baptized! Praise the Lord! There must have been a great joy in heaven over one sinner repenting and who also got baptized!
Luke 15:7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner repenting than over ninety-nine righteous persons who have no need of repentance.
This is the Lord's blessing; our first baptism for the year 2018. Later, I encourage all the saints in Gurugram to have more of gospel preaching and shepherding, in season and out of season, weekly, monthly, and on and on, to fulfill the great commission the Lord has given to all His disciples:
Mathew 28:19 Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
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