When Christ Works Through Baptism

Luke 3:8

This man wasn’t just “John”

He was known as a baptizer.

His was one of seven baptisms we find in Scripture:

1. The Baptism of Moses

The baptism of Moses was a double identification, the children of Israel are identified both with Moses and with the cloud (Jesus Christ) as they passed through the Red Sea.

There was no water involved (remember, they went through the sea on dry land when the waters were parted). 1 Cor. 10:1,2.

2. The Baptism of the Cross

When all the sins of the world were put into one cup and poured out on Christ while He was on the Cross. God the Father judged our sins while they were on Christ. Christ was identified with our sin and He bore our sins on the cross. He was made sin for us. 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24.

3. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the basis for Positional Truth. Believers are place "in Christ", and in this position have access to many kinds of privileges and blessings.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit was prophesied by John the Baptist, Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16. And it was prophesied by Jesus Christ, John 14:16-17; Acts 1:5.

The implications of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, for all believers in the family of God, are given in Gal. 3:26-28.

The principle of retroactive identification with Christ is brought out in Rom. 6:3,4 and Col. 2:12.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not an experience. It is not accompanied by speaking in tongues or any other kind of feeling or behavior. The things that happen to believers at the moment of salvation are accomplished by the Holy Spirit, not by us, and these things are not experiences.

4. The Baptism of John

Here the water is symbolic of the Kingdom of God which John was preaching. When a person was baptized by John, he was testifying to his faith in the Messiah and his identification with Christ's kingdom. The new believer was "identified" with the water, but the water represented a spiritual identification.

At the time of John the Baptist, all believers were pre-Church Age Christians, although many lived on into the Church Age (which began at the Day of Pentecost).

5. The Baptism of Jesus

When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist, the water was symbolic of God's will in salvation, namely that Jesus would go to the Cross.

This was a unique baptism. As He went into the water, he was saying, in effect, "I will die for the sins of the world." As he came out of the water He said, in effect, "I will rise again that believers might have resurrection bodies and victory over death and the grave."

This baptism was unique because Christ is unique and His work on the Cross is unique.

No one ever "follows the Lord in baptism" When a Christian is baptized, it for an entirely different purpose. See the discussion below on believer's baptism.

6. The Baptism of Believers

In believer's baptism the water represented the Lord Jesus Christ and symbolizes positional truth. The real baptism of the Holy Spirit places a believer into Christ. Water baptism is a ceremonial representation of that face, a picture of Spirit baptism.

Christians have a real identification with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection.

As he goes into the water, the believer says, in effect, "I am identified with Him in His death and burial."

As he comes up out of the water, the believer says, in effect, "I am identified with Christ in His resurrection and victory over death and sin, as He is seated at the right hand of the Father."

Water baptism comes after salvation. It does not precede salvation.

7. The Baptism of Fire

There is a judgment coming at the 2nd Coming of Christ when all nonbelievers are taken from the earth. They will join the rest of the unbelievers in Torments (Sheol-Hades-Hell) to wait for the Last Judgment (The Great White Throne Judgment of Rev. 20) at the end of the Millenium. This removal of unbelievers for judgment is the baptism of fire.

Fire is a symbol for judgment all throughout the Bible. Examples are the fire which burned the sacrifice on the Hebrew altar, and the fire from God which burned the watered down sacrifices of Elijah and the prophets of Baal.

The doctrine of the baptism of fire is stated in Matt. 3:11,12; Luke 3:16,17; and 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9