~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bible Verses ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, Repent and each one of you
be baptized upon the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness
of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Matt 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,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Words of Ministry ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Part 1 of 3]
Peter also instructed the Spirit-moved ones to be baptized
upon the name of Jesus Christ. To baptize people is to immerse
them, to bury them in water, signifying death. The command
that a repentant one be baptized indicates that such a one is
good only for burial. Baptism, therefore, signifies the
termination of the old person so that a new beginning may be
realized in resurrection by Christ as the Life-giver. Baptism
in the Bible implies death and resurrection. To be baptized
into the water is to be put into death and buried. To be
raised up from the water means to be resurrected from death.
In Matthew 28:19 the resurrected Christ charged the disciples
to go and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The
purpose of baptism is to bring repentant people out of their
old state into a new one by terminating their old life and
germinating them with the new life of Christ. After the Lord
Jesus accomplished His ministry on earth, passed through the
process of death and resurrection, and became the life-giving
Spirit, He charged His disciples to baptize the discipled
people into the Triune God.
[continued tomorrow]
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Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible
and Words of Ministry, from Witness Lee, Life- study of
Thessalonians, p. 85. Both are published by Living
Stream Ministry, Anaheim. (Repeat 12/6/00)
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