3 Essential Baptisms for Christ Believers
By Capazin Thornton
There are three baptisms essential for Christ believers: (1) baptism into Christ’s Body; (2) baptism in water; (3) baptism in the Holy Spirit.
3 Essential Baptisms for Christ Believers
Baptism into Christ’s Body
When one believes in and receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit baptizes (immerses) him or her into the Body of Christ. (1 Cor 12:13) This baptism is essential for salvation.
Baptism in Water
Throughout the book of Acts, believers were baptized in water after they confessed their belief in Christ. Water baptism symbolizes that (i) one has received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and (ii) identifies with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.
When one is taken down into water, it signifies that one’s sins and former sinful nature is dead and buried. When one is brought up out of the water, it symbolizes that one is resurrected into newness of life in Christ. Acts 8:36-38
If you are born again, you should be water baptized. Power will be released in your life when you make a public declaration that you identify with Christ.
I was water baptized twice. I was 12 years old the first time. The second time was in 1982 when I went to Israel as part of a TBN tour. Both these experiences were important milestones in my spiritual growth and life as a Christian.
“Therefore, we are buried with Him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”—Rom 6:14
Baptism in the Holy Spirit
The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a supernatural outpouring of God’s Spirit upon a believer that enables him or her to be a powerfully effective witness for Christ. Acts 1:8
The Scriptures show that being born of the Spirit and being baptized in or with the Spirit are two distinct events. See Acts 19:1-7. Here is the difference:
| Born of the Spirit | Baptized in the Spirit |
| When one receives Christ, one is born of the Spirit for Salvation. |
To be baptized in or with the Spirit is for Power. |
| The Holy Spirit baptizes believers into the Body of Christ. |
Jesus Christ baptizes believers with the Holy Spirit. |
| The Holy Spirit is in you to help you grow spiritually and become like Jesus. |
The Holy Spirit comes upon you for power (dunamis—miracle working, producing power) to help others. |
Jesus commanded his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received power from on high before starting ministry. Today we do not have to wait for the Holy Spirit to come down from Heaven. He is already here. We simply ask the Lord to baptize us with the Holy Spirit and receive this baptism by faith.
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[Scripture References: Heb 6:1-2; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 2:38-39]
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Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? Please feel free to post questions or comments.
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Capazin Thornton is a Christian Speaker, Bible Teacher, and Author in Orange County, California.
