Not only is the teaching of the ‘first principles’ one of the best follow-up courses for new converts, but it is also a good check-list for all to ensure that these principles are still affecting our lives. Teaching is progressive as Isaiah well understood and expressed:

Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept. Line upon line, line upon line. Here a little, there a little… (Is 28:9-10, NKJV)

So, let us take another ‘line’. Having been born again and brought into God’s family, to turn from dead works, and to look to and trust God for everything, the next instruction that is required is the ‘doctrine of baptisms’. The word is in the plural, and is taught in five particular ways. Three we shall consider this week, and the others, next week.

1. Baptised by One Spirit into One Body

Here is one of the great blessings of being a Christian. Paul wrote, “For we were all baptised by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Cor 12:13-14). The glorious truth is that when we were saved, irrespective of nationality, background or situation, we all became part of the Body of Christ.

Why should a Christian go to Church? Because we are now part of it, and the Church is incomplete without us, and we are incomplete without the Church. Now we have millions of brothers and sisters around the world. The Church universal includes all born-again Christians, and local churches are important parts of the whole. There is nothing safer on earth to belong to than the Church. Jesus said, “I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” In spite of all the opposition against it for 2,000 years, the Church still stands, and is increasing daily.

What security there is in Christ, and the Church over which he is the glorious Head.

What security there is in Christ, and the Church over which he is the glorious Head. That security is expressed by the names given to the Church. They are:

(a) The Church of God. Apart from the single word ‘Church’, the name most given in Scripture is ‘the Church of God’. We are secure in that which God initiated and which was made possible by his beloved Son, Jesus, so aptly expressed by SJ Stone’s wonderful hymn:

The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord;

She is His new creation by water and the word;

From heaven He came and sought her, to be His Holy Bride,

With His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died.

(b) God’s building: Paul, writing to the church at Corinth, told them “You are God’s building.” He was not referring to some man-made structure, but to a divinely appointed one, composed of individuals whom Peter referred to as ‘living stones’.

When I was a boy our home was quite a distance from any other house. The last street lamp was also a distance from home and in winter when I came to that last lamp I started to run and did not stop until I was safely in the building, my home. I felt safe and secure. We are secure in God’s building.

(c) The Body of Christ: The body is the means of expression of the life within. The Church is the means by which the life of the Lord Jesus is expressed. Just as every member of the human body is important for its functioning, whether seen or unseen, so every individual Christian is important for the expression of the life of the indwelling Christ. Paul puts it this way, “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body and each member belongs to all the others” (Rom 12:4-5).

(d) The Bride of Christ: What a lovely description. A bride is the object of the love, care, and commitment of her bridegroom. There is a wonderful security in knowing that we are loved by Jesus. He is worthy of our love and devotion, and total commitment: our heavenly Bridegroom.

One day there is going to be a great marriage supper. Paul wrote: “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him” (2 Cor 11:2). He is reminding the saints at Corinth that they are ‘engaged’ to Jesus and urges them to keep themselves pure for him.

Just as every member of the human body is important for its functioning, whether seen or unseen, so every individual Christian is important for the expression of the life of the indwelling Christ.

(e) The family: The Church is also a family. Paul tells the Ephesians, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name” (Eph 3:14-15). When you think of a family, you think of relationships; sharing, serving, living together, order, discipline, caring. There is security in ‘feeling at home’.

(f) The flock: Here is another description of the Church to give us an appreciation of who we are. Jesus is our Good Shepherd and in the Church there are under-shepherds to care for us, protect us and feed us. In his farewell address to the elders of the church in Ephesus, Paul said, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers” (Acts 20:28).

Thank God we have been ‘baptised into one body’. This is the position into which we have been brought and this knowledge should encourage us to be loyal and committed members of the local church where God has placed us.

2. Baptism in Water

The baptism we have just studied is a spiritual work. The second, baptism in water, is a physical act. The word ‘baptism’ means ‘immersion’, from a Greek word baptzein, which was used to describe the sinking of a ship, or the dipping of a cup into a jar of wine. Baptism in water is a public confession of our belonging to Christ. The Lord Jesus commissioned his disciples to, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19).

When Peter went to preach the Gospel in Caesarea, in the house of a man called Cornelius, he and his household responded to the message and were wonderfully saved. Then “he ordered that they be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 10:48). He did not suggest, but commanded. When Jesus sent the disciples forth he didn’t suggest they baptise believers, but commanded them. In the Acts of the Apostles we read of new converts being baptised as soon as possible after it was evident they had repented of their sins and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why should a person be baptised in water? It is obedience to a clear command. Maturing in the Christian life is going to be dependent on obedience, and for many new converts this is their first privilege and opportunity to express their allegiance to the Lord Jesus.

Water baptism is not only a confession but a multi-confession. It is a confession to Heaven that we believe that Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and rose again the third day.

It is also a confession that we are dead to our own plans and ambitions, desiring only to do his will. Paul stated it this way, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20). The confession includes the desire to be free from dead works and live with faith toward God.

For many new converts water baptism is their first privilege and opportunity to express their allegiance to the Lord Jesus.

I remember reading about a missionary who went to a tribe who had never heard the Gospel. After some time quite a few became Christians and the missionary taught them that they should be baptised. After explaining the meaning and the method of baptism he was told that their tribe had a similar rite. When their chiefs died they took his wives down to the river, submerged them in the water and pulled them out again. This signified that all their connections with the old chief were finished and now they were free to marry someone else. He took advantage of this ceremony to show them that water baptism signified a confession that their allegiance to the old chief, the devil, was finished, and now they were united with another, Jesus Christ.

Water baptism is also a confession to the unsaved that you are a Christian. It is a confession to the world that you are finished with it, and can borrow the words of Paul: “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal 6:14).

3. Baptism with the Holy Spirit

We have seen that the truth of our being baptised by one Spirit into one Body tells us of our position. Water baptism gives us the privilege of publicly confessing our position.

Now, when we come to this truth of baptism with the Holy Spirit, we learn there is power available to us to live the Christian life. Before Jesus went back to Heaven he promised his disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Before Jesus went to the Cross he told his disciples that after he had died and risen he would return to Heaven. No doubt they could not imagine what life would be like without him to teach them, lead them, guide them and comfort them. He told them he would send them another ‘Comforter’, the Holy Spirit, who would be with them always to help, empower and to lead them into all truth. How kind of him! On the day of Pentecost his promise was fulfilled and they were “all filled with the Holy Ghost”, and went forth to turn the world upside-down.

The Holy Spirit is a wonderful person. There are certain biblical descriptions and expressions which give us some understanding of his work and purpose, such as:

(a) Born of the Spirit: Jesus said, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (John 3:6). When we became a Christian, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit were all working to bring into being this great miracle. Jesus said, “No-one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44). So God drew us to Jesus.

Jesus said to the Father, “You granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him” (John 17:2). God drew us to Jesus and Jesus gave us eternal life.

The Holy Spirit convicted us of our sins, showed us our need, and with the Father and Son made us ‘new creatures in Christ Jesus'. The moment we were born again, we were immediately:

(b) Indwelt by the Spirit: Just as the human body without the human spirit is dead, so a person without the Holy Spirit is spiritually dead. Many have come to the Lord in faith and simplicity, and prayed ‘Lord Jesus, come into my life’. That is exactly what happens as Jesus by his Spirit takes up abode within our human body.

One of the first things the indwelling Spirit does is to give us assurance of salvation, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Rom 8:16). “Don't you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God's spirit lives in you?” (1 Cor 3:16). John Wesley, the great preacher, used to say, “make sure you have the witness”.

When we come to the truth of baptism with the Holy Spirit, we learn there is power available to us to live the Christian life.

(c) The seal of the Spirit: A seal is that which marks ownership. Paul wrote “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Cor 1:21). God knows who are his. They have the mark; they have the seal.

It is like a farmer going to market to buy some sheep. He takes them back to the farm and the first thing he does is to put his mark on them. If his name is Smith, he paints an ‘S’ on each of them. Now what made the sheep belong to Farmer Smith? Is it the seal? No, it is the price he paid at market. What has made us belong to Christ? The price he paid at Calvary.

Now supposing one of Farmer Smith’s sheep breaks through the hedge and wanders into Farmer Jones’ farm next door and mixes with his sheep. When Farmer Smith discovers one of his sheep is missing he goes to Farmer Jones and tells him he believes that one of his sheep is among his flock. Farmer Jones laughs and says, ‘how can you tell your sheep from my sheep?’ Farmer Smith replies. ‘I can tell because it has my seal on it.’ Sure enough, as they go into the field together where there are hundreds of sheep, Farmer Smith says, ‘there it is - it’s mine, it has my mark’.

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (John 10:14).

Questions

1. As a member of the Body of Christ, how do you feel his life in you is being expressed in your local fellowship?

2. What is the significance of water baptism, and why do you think it is important?

Next week: More on baptism with the Spirit, also baptism with fire and suffering.

This article is part of a series, re-publishing a booklet entitled 'The Biblical Basis of First Principles'. Click here for previous instalments.