Water Baptism (2)

HAVE YOUR BELIEVED of DISBELIEVED the GOSPEL?

Mark 16:16 He who has believed and been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned!

Since BELIEVING the gospel is so important, let’s explore what it means to BELIEVE!

I. What is the PROCESS of BELIEVING?

Mark 16:15 He who has believed . . . shall be saved but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned!

Acts 10:43 Of Him (Jesus), all the prophets bear witness that through His Name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins!

There is more to “Believing” than acknowledging a set of facts!

James 2:19 You believe that God is One? You do well, the demons also believe, and shudder!

The Process of Believing Includes at least 5 dimensions:

A. CONVICTION of your SIN!

John 16:8 And He, when He comes will convict the world concerning sin . . . concerning sin because they do not believe in Me!

Conviction of your sin results in:

B. AWARENESS of your GUILT!

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God . . .6:23 the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord

Conviction of your sin and awareness of your guilt leads to:

C. REPENTANCE in your SOUL!

Acts 2:37 When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles . . . what shall we do? 38 Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for (because of), the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!

Conviction of your sin, awareness of your guilt and repentance in your soul leads you to:

D. BELIEVING in your HEART!

Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved! 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness!

What do you believe in your heart?

Conviction of your sin, awareness of your guilt, repentance in your soul and believing in your heart leads you to:

E. CONFESS with your MOUTH!

Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus as Lord 10 for with the heart man believes resulting in righteousness and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation!

II. What Is The RESPONSE to BELIEVING?

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also died once for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God

1 Peter 3:19 He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison!

1 Peter 3:20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah . . . eight persons were brought safely through the water!

1 Peter 3:21 And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

The Salvation Of A Sinner Is Before and Without Baptism But Baptism Is Extremely Important!

Water Baptism Is Designed By God To Be The Answer Of A Good Conscience That Has Been Cleansed Before God!

How Is The Conscience Cleansed Before God?

Titus 1:15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and conscience are defiled!

Hebrews 9:14 How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

The response of a good conscience through water baptism should include:

A. OBEDIENCE to GOD in water baptism!

Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins;

B. IDENTIFICATION with CHRIST in water baptism!

Romans 6:3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life

C. NOTIFICATION to your SOUL in water baptism!

Romans 6:6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, IN ORDER THAT our body of sin might be done away with, SO THAT we would no longer be slaves to sin

D. INVITATION to your PAST in water baptism!

Romans 6:3 We are buried with Christ in baptism and raised to walk in a new way of life

Romans 6:7 Knowing This . . . he who has died is freed from sin!

E. UNLOCKING your DESTINY in water baptism!

Mark 1:10 . . . Immediately coming up out of the water, Jesus saw the heavens opening 11 and the Spirit, like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased!”

Titus 1:15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and conscience are defiled!

Man is born with a sin nature, as a result both the mind and conscience are defiled in unbelief at birth and must be cleansed through the Blood of Christ by Grace through Faith!

So, salvation by water baptism is just as much a figure of speech as was the salvation of Noah’s family in the waters of the flood

1 Peter 3:21 And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ

Water Baptism Is The Response Of A Good Conscience Toward God!

If Baptism Is The Response Of A Good Conscience Toward God, One Must Have A Good Conscience Before Answering In Water Baptism!

So, the question is, Have You Believed OR Disbelieved The Gospel? If You Have NOT Believed The Gospel, Will You Believe The Gospel Right Now?

Holy God, I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner by nature and my choices in life have confirmed my sinful nature! You have said in Your Word that You love sinners just as they are, sin and all! So today, I bring my sin and guilt to You and ask You to forgive my sin and remove my guilt by grace through faith!

I CONFESS with my mouth JESUS as LORD, and I BELIEVE in my heart Jesus has been raised from the dead! TODAY, I surrender my SOUL to YOU and REPENT as I BELIEVE the GOSPEL!

From This Day Forward I Put You First In My Life!

If You Have Believed, Have You Been Water Baptized After You Believed? Will YOU Answer God With Your Good Conscience Right Now And Be Water Baptized TODAY? Or Will You Answer Him Later?

Lord, Today I will begin the rest of my new life in obedience to your Will and Word! Anoint me with Holy Spirit and Fill me with His Presence and Power as I grow in my confidence in Your Will and Word . . . In Jesus Name!

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