BIBLE STUDY AUDIO
TEACHIINGS FOR YOUR EDIFICATION AND BRINGING YOU TO THE FULLNESS OF THE STATURE OF CHRIST
Our Bible Study audio messages can be accessed from here. These are teachings recorded in the course of our weekly serialised Bible Study meetings for your spiritual edification and development.
Besides the audio, the conclusion/summary of the message is also displayed. This notwithstanding, the full Bible Study outline can also be accessed from the link indicated at the end of the conclusion/summary.
We pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to you as you listen.
Before the Acts (2.3)_2Principles
Many believers in Christ, are today bringing reproach to the name of God among unbelievers, because of the way they are living among them (Romans 2:24; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 7:1). While they profess to be Christ’s, they live and exhibit non-Christ-like traits, yet God’s main goal is that all who believe in Christ, should live as Christ lived while He was here on earth, else, they will be cast forth as reprobates and undesirables before God!
It is thus crucial that believers in Christ, FIRST BECOME LIKE CHRIST, BEFORE THEY CAN ACT LIKE CHRIST. Becoming like Christ means that the nature of Christ is in the believer in Christ, otherwise he or she will be unable to act like Christ. The practice of living as Christ lived, is to be based on the prophecies and principles, stated in the bible concerning the Christ-like life of the New Testament believer! Thus, the operation required for the new believer to be able to act like Christ, is scripturally, one that requires a complete change of his or her nature—from the sinful human nature (the old man), to the divine nature (the new man)!
Indeed, only by crucifying the ‘flesh’ (the sinful human nature acquired at birth because of Adam’s sin) and its passions/desires/lusts, can the believer in Christ truly live like Christ lived! No matter how much a believer in Christ may try, he will fail to live like Christ, so long as the nature of Christ is not formed in him or her. Hence, he or she must be open and yielded to God’s spiritual operation through the Holy Spirit’s application of the cross of Christ (death to one’s own will and desires) to him or her. Thus, a believer in Christ is made to conform to the image of Christ, as he or she yields to the Holy Spirit, Who is in him or her, and he or she is able to receive (“put onâ€) the very life of Christ, to replace (after he or she has “put offâ€) the old life of sin!
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Before the Acts (2.3)_3The Practice (1)
Many believers in Christ, are today bringing reproach to the name of God among unbelievers, because of the way they are living among them (Romans 2:24; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 7:1). While they profess to be Christ’s, they live and exhibit non-Christ-like traits, yet God’s main goal is that all who believe in Christ, should live as Christ lived while He was here on earth, else, they will be cast forth as reprobates and undesirables before God!
It is thus crucial that believers in Christ, first become like Christ, before they can act like Christ. Becoming like Christ means that the nature of Christ is in the believer in Christ, otherwise he or she will be unable to act like Christ. The practice of living as Christ lived, is to be based on the prophecies and principles, stated in the bible concerning the Christ-like life of the New Testament believer! Thus, the operation required for the new believer to be able to act like Christ, is scripturally, one that requires a complete change of his or her nature—from the sinful human nature (the old man), to the divine nature (the new man)!
Indeed, only by crucifying the ‘flesh’ (the sinful human nature acquired at birth because of Adam’s sin) and its passions/desires/lusts, can the believer in Christ truly live like Christ lived! No matter how much a believer in Christ may try, he will fail to live like Christ, so long as the nature of Christ is not formed in him or her. Hence, he or she must be open and yielded to God’s spiritual operation through the Holy Spirit’s application of the cross of Christ (death to one’s own will and desires) to him or her. Thus, a believer in Christ is made to conform to the image of Christ, as he or she yields to the Holy Spirit, Who is in him or her, and he or she is able to receive (“put onâ€) the very life of Christ, to replace (after he or she has “put offâ€) the old life of sin!
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Before the Acts (2.3)_4The Practice (2)
Many believers in Christ, are today bringing reproach to the name of God among unbelievers, because of the way they are living among them (Romans 2:24; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 7:1). While they profess to be Christ’s, they live and exhibit non-Christ-like traits, yet God’s main goal is that all who believe in Christ, should live as Christ lived while He was here on earth, else, they will be cast forth as reprobates and undesirables before God!
It is thus crucial that believers in Christ, first become like Christ, before they can act like Christ. Becoming like Christ means that the nature of Christ is in the believer in Christ, otherwise he or she will be unable to act like Christ. The practice of living as Christ lived, is to be based on the prophecies and principles, stated in the bible concerning the Christ-like life of the New Testament believer! Thus, the operation required for the new believer to be able to act like Christ, is scripturally, one that requires a complete change of his or her nature—from the sinful human nature (the old man), to the divine nature (the new man)!
Indeed, only by crucifying the ‘flesh’ (the sinful human nature acquired at birth because of Adam’s sin) and its passions/desires/lusts, can the believer in Christ truly live like Christ lived! No matter how much a believer in Christ may try, he will fail to live like Christ, so long as the nature of Christ is not formed in him or her. Hence, he or she must be open and yielded to God’s spiritual operation through the Holy Spirit’s application of the cross of Christ (death to one’s own will and desires) to him or her. Thus, a believer in Christ is made to conform to the image of Christ, as he or she yields to the Holy Spirit, Who is in him or her, and he or she is able to receive (“put onâ€) the very life of Christ, to replace (after he or she has “put offâ€) the old life of sin!
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Before the Acts (2.4)
True Christian discipleship must result in the disciple being able to live the life of Christ, or have the life of Christ, lived through him/her. The necessity of the life of Christ lived through us is thus accomplished when we have the divine nature, and through the word of God, and the deeds of the Holy Spirit, we can express that nature in our daily lives, as we interact with other people—God never intended that we will be isolated from the world (John 17:15-16).
It is God’s intention to ensure that the knowledge of Him spreads throughout the world. Thus, the believer in Christ, who has allowed the Holy Spirit to transform him/her into the image of Christ, can thus become the heart and hands of God in a dark, sinful world, manifesting the goodness, forgiveness, and love of God to countless numbers of people, all over the world! And this is where the Acts become significant!
Christian discipleship is thus not an academic discipline culminating and terminating in a certificate; rather, it is the channel or means through which the nature of Christ is worked in the disciple, which then allows God, through the Holy Spirit to manifest His grace upon all of mankind, as disciples interact with them—working miracles where necessary, preaching where it is needed, and teaching as is appropriate (Luke 4:16-21; Acts 10:38). Hence, the Lord Jesus asserted in John 9:4-5 AMP, “We must work the works of Him Who sent Me and be busy with His business while it is daylight; night is coming on, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the world’s Light.â€
Brethren, there is work to be done, but it can only be acceptably done, when we have been properly discipled, and can practically demonstrate the divine nature in our daily interaction with other people, without being enticed by the lure of sin and the world, or offended by the entrapment of Satan’s wiles. Indeed, before the Acts, there must first be a becoming like Christ; and before the manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, there must first be the producing of the fruit of the Spirit! May the Lord help us!
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Understanding the Acts of the Apostles_1: Continuity
To understand what the Lord Jesus expects us to do on the earth, as per the Acts of the Apostles—the deeds of those who have been sent by the Lord to be His ambassadors—we must appreciate what the Lord Jesus Christ began to do and teach in the era captured in the Gospels; which must be continued by us, even though He completed His own part of the work. Thus, the Acts of the Apostles is a continuity of the things that the Lord began both to do—only in the power of the Holy Spirit—and teach—of the word of God, the doctrine of Christ!
We must however, quickly note that there is an aspect of the work of God, that the Lord came to do on the earth, which He completed, and which we are not expected to do anything about other than to tell people about it. We may, from time to time, be involved in certain things which would be our own contribution to what the Lord would have us do on behalf of others, but that does not confer upon us, the title of ‘Saviour’ or ‘Deliverer’ or ‘Healer’, and so on (1 Corinthians 3:4-11).
The Acts—actions, activities, deeds, ministry—of the Apostles—those called, chosen, sanctified, and sent—are not carnal acts, neither are they the fulfillment of fleshly desires, nor the meeting of the needs of the world apart from the need to be delivered from sin and its consequences. Rather, the Acts of the Apostles is all about the Acts of the Holy Spirit through those who have been called, chosen, sanctified, and sent by the Lord to accomplish the Will of the Father, meeting the Father’s desire to make known to a dying world, His free offer of salvation through Christ, so “that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting lifeâ€, and, His longing for fellowship with man.
Our role as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ in this present age is, therefore, to faithfully continue from where the Early Church, and the Church since then, have left off. Like a link in a chain, this generation must link up with the appropriate chain of God’s work through the ages, and maintain the integrity of that ‘chain’—the work of God for all ages. To this end, we cannot claim to be continuing in the work of God, if we are not continuing in the steps of the Apostles of old, as is written in the word of God, particularly, the Book of the Acts of the Apostles! Hence, our study of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, will enable us to see what the Apostles of old did, and how they went about it, and, to continue from there.
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Understanding the Acts of the Apostles_2.1: Connectivity
We have used the word ‘connectivity’ to depict not only a medium, as in the means of communication, but more importantly, the Medium, as in the Person Who does the communicating, to the Lord’s disciples/apostles, after His resurrection; and, also, the Helper who is actively involved and engaged in the performance of the work of God. Our connectivity to Christ, the Early Apostles, and the original work of God, is thus, the Holy Spirit. Any other connectivity is no connectivity at all and will lead us to engaging in anything but the Acts of the Apostles—dead works. The Holy Spirit has always been involved and engaged in the work of God, even from the very beginning, and particularly in the work of the Lord Jesus here on the earth—from start to finish!
The Holy Spirit was presented to the apostles by the Lord during the discourse that took place just after the Last Supper. The Lord told the apostles that He would come to them through the Holy Spirit, Whom He referred to as “another Helperâ€. The Holy Spirit is thus the link or connection or the Connector between Christ and the Church, especially, those the Lord has sent to do the work of God, pretty much the same way a head is linked to the body through the spinal cord. Hence, if we claim to be doing the work of God, which is what the Acts of the Apostles is all about, it must not only be a continuity of the work the Lord Jesus initiated; but, it must also come by the Holy Spirit!
Indeed, there is nothing worthy of note that we can do without the Holy Spirit. We would all be on our own, without the Holy Spirit, and nothing we offer (by way of service and worship) would be accepted by the Father; and, we will not get anything right—what we would have will be a mess, even though some may believe that we are doing okay. Let us note that even though the disciples all gathered in one place, and with one mind/purpose; it was not until the Holy Spirit came that that gathering was known as the Church. Thus, in the absence of the Holy Spirit, we have anything but the Church of God gathered! Besides, the Holy Spirit is the One who helps us to pray as we ought to; He it is Who appoints us to our field of service, as He did, Barnabas and Saul; and, He is the One who directs us as to where to go, and who to go to, as He did Philip, and, Paul and his companions.
Indeed, all our communication with the Lord Jesus is through the Holy Spirit! But more importantly, because the Holy Spirit is the connectivity between us and heaven, and is actively involved and engaged in doing the work of God here on earth, we commonly refer to the Acts of the Apostles, as the Acts of the Holy Spirit, by the hands of the Apostles; and that is exactly what the work of God ought to be in our hands—the Acts of the Holy Spirit, done by our hands!
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Understanding the Acts of the Apostles_2.2: False Claims of Connectivity
The Early apostles were concerned and very clear about the threat that false ministers and their false doctrines portend for the Body of Christ, since what they claim to be their connectivity is really Satan, and therefore, a false claim to the right connectivity—the Holy Spirit! The bible is replete with warnings about these false ministers and their master, Satan. We would do well to heed these warnings. Therefore, we must very quickly, and unequivocally, disapprove of anyone whose character does not consistently align with the divine nature claiming to do the work of God; disavow messages ostensibly from the Holy Spirit, if the messenger does not exhibit the divine nature; and, disengage from people who claim to have heard a word from God, if they or their source do not confess the Deity/humanity, the First Advent, and, the impending Second Coming of Jesus Christ; for any claim by such individuals to connectivity to heaven is false!
We, therefore, need the gift of the discerning of spirits, so that we can know for a certainty, false claims to the connectivity of the Holy Spirit. The gift of the discerning of spirits, is given by the Holy Spirit, and requires that we are aligned with God and His word. If we are open to the Holy Spirit, He will reveal every false claim of connectivity through Him to heaven. He has given this gift of discerning of spirits to countless numbers over the centuries, as exemplified in the bible—the cases of Micaiah v. 400 prophets of Ahab; Peter v. Ananias and Sapphira; the Lord v. the Zebedee brothers; the Lord v. Peter; the Lord v. the man possessed by an evil spirit in the synagogue; and, Paul v. the girl possessed with the spirit of divination; to mention just a few, and He has given this gift to us also. May the Holy Spirit help us to receive from Him, as the days are evil and the times very deceiving, so much so that if it were possible, even the very elect of God will be deceived—but thank God, we cannot, and, will not, be deceived, if we are in a right and tight relationship with Him!
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Understanding the Acts of the Apostles_3: Conviction
The Acts of the Apostles is not just about the preaching of the word of God, the praising of God, and the performance of miracles, signs, and wonders; but, it also includes, the preaching about the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, as well as, the persecution, pauperization, and pulverization of the apostles. Despite all the negatives that attended their doing the work of God, the apostles of old did not lose heart; they did not give up, neither did they ‘abandon ship’, nor did they desert their post or their Lord!
What was responsible for such commitment despite the many difficulties, challenges, and over-exposure to death? It was their conviction, not just in the message of Christ, but most especially, in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, surmising that as the Lord was resurrected, so would they also be resurrected if they died at their post! They did the work of God through suffering, chains, and execution, committing their souls to the safe-keeping of God, who alone can take very good care of it unto eternity.
If we are to account for much, vis-à -vis, the work of God, we must likewise, be totally and completely convinced about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that it is a token of our own resurrection when we die; otherwise, we will be dominated by the fear of death, and desire for pleasures and material things; resulting in a ‘gospel’ which is no gospel at all, but which has become the pursuit of many so-called believers in Christ, as is the case in many so-called churches today. If we are not fully persuaded or convinced in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, our witness of Jesus Christ will be weak and ineffective; we will not be fully committed to the Lord; and, we would be unable and unwilling to endure persecution, pauperization, and pulverization, till the end. Such was the case of Demas.
To be fully persuaded about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and by extension, ours also, we must have confidence in God, and in His word—that what He has said He will do, He is not only just able to do; but He will do it! May the Lord help us, Amen!
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Understanding the Acts of the Apostles_4: Concernment
The Lord’s message to the apostles of old, and to those of us who have, and will, come after them, is that whatever we do, we must propagate the kingdom of God. Our preaching of Christ, and Him crucified and glorified, are things pertaining to the kingdom of God; for, without Christ, we cannot be in the kingdom. There are also the things that we must do and not do—the result of being like Christ—so as to inherit the kingdom of God.
Indeed, it was the concern of the Lord; it was the concern of the apostles of old; and it must likewise, be our own concern. The Lord did not speak of a kingdom ruled by men; neither did He speak of a kingdom of empire-building; nor one dominated by the building of cathedrals, and superstructures. The Lord did not speak of a kingdom of cares, pleasures, crass materialism, or of dependence on and the pursuit of money; but of the rule and reign of God in the affairs of men.
The apostles of old did not lose focus on the matter, as they saw it as what mattered. We must likewise resist every attempt to dissuade us to take our focus off the matter of the kingdom of God, lest we fall prey to the devices of the reign of Satan and of the rule of self. May God help us, Amen!
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The Promise and the Wait_1: General and Specific
Whenever God makes a promise, it is as good as done; but between the declaration (prophecy) and the manifestation (the coming to pass) of the promise, there is usually a time lag, thus, necessitating the wait! The inability of many to wait for the promise of God to come to pass, has always been a challenge in Christendom; hence, we have people not being able to wait for the promise of God, and going about seeking alternatives to resolve their situation; who end up making a mess of things, as did Sarai.
Therefore, we need to learn lessons that will help us wait for the promises of God, including “the Promise of the Fatherâ€. Scripturally, waiting is not to be done fretfully, anxiously, or, passively; rather, we are to wait expectantly, without complaints, grumbling, or, murmuring; always looking forward to the manifestation of the promise. Also, waiting is not an aimless, hopeless, and endless act; rather, we must keep our focus on the promise, in hope or anticipation, knowing that at the time set or appointed by God, the promise will surely come.
Hence, we need to write down the promise as revealed—not as we may perceive it—so that we can always keep it in view and not be blindsided; we need to be resolute in our faith in God and in His word; we need to patiently endure the challenges that may occur while waiting—public humiliation, loss of property, incarceration, threats to life, etc.; and, we must persevere in prayer and communion with God, regardless of what may be happening to the contrary of what has been promised. Also, God helps us to hold on to His promises, by rehashing and rehearsing the promise (His word) constantly in our hearts. And when this happens our strength to keep on waiting is renewed, and, like the eagle, we can soar above contradictions to the promise.
Specifically, as it applies to waiting for “the Promise of the Father†(the Holy Spirit baptism), we must keep on asking, holding on to God’s word, and be expectant, regardless of the feeling of ‘humiliation’ among other believers, and mockery by unbelievers, for, “the Promise of the Father†shall surely come upon you!
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The Promise and the Wait_2: The Second Coming of the Lord
As sure as two of the three Great promises in the bible have happened, so will the third and last of the Great promises, the Second Coming of the Lord, Jesus Christ, take place. Everyone who believers in the Lord Jesus Christ must wait for the Second Coming of the Lord, with great expectation, great anticipation, great faith, and, tremendous patience, perseverance, and prayer.
In addition, we must wait for the Second Coming of the Lord with more than these—we must watch, as no one knows when the Second Coming of the Lord will be. To watch means that you do not sleep like others would; you do not act wantonly like others would; you are alert, and looking forward to the return of the Lord. Also, we must wait by making ourselves ready for the Second Coming of the Lord. Making yourself ready is the preparation that must precede the granting of the privilege to adorn oneself in ones works of righteousness. To help us get ready, the Lord has given us apostles, prophets, evangelists, and, pastors and teachers, to ensure the growth and development of each believer, till we all come to the unity of the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must, therefore, stop seeing our assembling together as drudgery or as a gathering for personal carnal benefits; rather, our gathering together, must be for the edification of the church, strengthening one another in the faith, and encouraging each other to continue to persevere in the face of challenges and persecution.
We must have at the back of our minds the parable of the ten virgins, in which, though all ten virgins slept, yet there were those who were nonetheless ready—they had gotten everything ready, so that when the alarm was sounded, they did not need to be scampering for the things they ought to have had in readiness. We must also be mindful of the deception of this Age, which calls us away from God, unto something that has no bearing on eternity. Furthermore, we must particularly take evangelism and discipleship very seriously—it must be in our nature to seek the lost and reach them with the gospel of Christ where ever they may be; thus, hastening His return!
Finally, holiness must be our lifestyle, and the pursuit of peace with all men, must be our approach to dealing with all men. At the center of everything must be our love for God, our love for the brethren, and our love for all men. And if while waiting for the Second Coming as enumerated severally above, your time to leave the earth arrives, you can rest assured that you will be among the saints who will be resurrected at the Second Coming of the Lord!
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The Promise and the Wait_3: Fundamentals for Waiting for The Second Coming
The admonition, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fallâ€, is akin to the warning by the Lord—“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.†(Matthew 25:13). As qualification for being caught up at the Second Coming and entering into heaven, many people are trusting in their church attendance, preaching and serving in church, working of miracles and casting out of demons, relationship with their pastors and General Overseers, and so on; but nothing can be further from the truth, as the Lord told His disciples, “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.†(Luke 10:20).
If our waiting for the Second Coming of the Lord is to be productive, there are fundamentals that must be present in our lives. These are; love not yourself or your life; love not the world or the things of the world; and, beware of spiritual lethargy, and complacency! Peter, before the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord, loved his life so much that he denied the Lord, even with an oath, after vowing not forsake Him. Demas loved this world so much, he deserted his post and went to Thessalonica for personal carnal benefits. Aaron and Israel’s leaders/elders in the wilderness, were so lethargic in the spirit, and complacent that they engaged in, and led the whole nation to engage in, all sorts of despicable acts which can be summarized as, self-rule, idolatry, indulgence, Mammonism (the pursuit and love of money), revelries, wantonness—which include, corruption, debauchery, decadence, depravity, evil, immorality, lewdness, licentiousness, shamelessness, and the like. As spiritual Israel, we ought to learn from the mistakes of Israel in the wilderness, so that we wouldn’t be shut out at the return of the Lord.
It is time for us to wake up from our slumber, discard our fleshly and worldly affections which war against our souls, and, turn to God in faith, Who has reserved for us, an inheritance in heaven—incorruptible, undefiled, and that does not fade away. If we trust Him, He will keep us by His power here on earth, and ensure that we are partakers with His Son, Jesus Christ, when His kingdom is finally established! Many people will sadly be banging on heaven’s door, proclaiming their qualifications for entry into heaven, which will not count; when all they need is their trust in, and dependency on God, and the doing of His Will!
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The Doctrine of Baptisms_1: Is John’s Baptism Still Relevant Today?
The understanding of the Jews in the Early Church was that baptism could be likened to what they were doing in their ceremonial washings before eating, after a day’s work, and even before prayers. But far from just being a ceremonial practice of washings, baptism is much more. For one, it is not in all instances that baptism has water as a medium of baptism. Secondly, baptism is a matter of faith, for the medium of baptism is not usually water, or visible. Thirdly, even where water is the medium of baptism, the water is nothing more than a means, and does not bring about salvation!
In general, there are certain parameters that make a baptism, a baptism, and these are: the baptizer—the one who dips the person to be baptized into the medium of baptism—who is divinely chosen; the baptized—the person to be baptized—who must be prepared a priori; the medium of baptism—not necessarily water; the purpose of the baptism—generally, it has to do with Christ; the pre-condition of baptism—you must first be born again; and, the confession for the baptism—simply put, the declaration being made at the baptism. In following these parameters, John’s baptism, which was really a preparation for the baptized to receive Christ, and all that He brings, is not one of the baptisms that Christians engage in today; though its significance for Christianity is unchallengeable—the confession of sins, leading to repentance! John’s baptism also, served a major purpose—it was the means for John the Baptist to be able to identify and reveal to Israel, at the time, Who the coming Messiah is!
Today, we must understand that baptisms—for there are more than one—play a major role in bringing the believer in Christ to the place of confessing Christ, not just for the sake of making a confession or declaration, but rather for identifying oneself with Christ—in character, experience, and devotion and consecration to God! If the baptisms you have engaged in have not achieved these, and you are still living in sin, or living for yourself, or living for this world, then, you my friend, are still a sinner, and not of Christ—for, baptisms are about Christ and the Church!
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The Doctrine of Baptisms_2: Rites of Passage
In baptisms, the believer in Christ is being made to realize and appreciate that he/she is no longer a part of a former life and lifestyle; but a part of a new life and lifestyle. Indeed, baptisms serve to give knowledge that a change has indeed taken place. It is like a wedding ceremony, in which a previously unmarried woman is joined to an unmarried man, and although it is the same woman, many things about her changes—her last name, her residence, her responsibilities, her head, her authority, etc. Baptisms are the transition of a Christian from a life of sin, self, and lived for the world, to a life of righteousness, selflessness, and lived for Christ. Such transition is usually in phases, but the goal is to bring the Christian to the fullness of Christ in everything; hence, the Christian is brought into the body of Christ, where he/she is separated from the world and Satan’s control, and then empowered to witness and live for Christ, and, enabled to overcome the challenges of life no matter how overwhelming they may seem to be.
Baptisms make the Christian realize that he/she is no longer a part of the world, but now a part of the body of Christ; that he/she is no longer a subject of Satan and his kingdom, but one who lives under the authority of God, and a citizen of heaven; that he/she no longer lives for himself/herself, but for Christ Jesus and God, the Father; that he/she is no longer to be subject to fear and its torment, but rather to recognize his/her power and authority in Christ. Such a transition must be understood to be permanent. Hence, another way of looking at the essence of baptisms is that they bring to the fore, the irreversible conversion of an erstwhile sin-laden, self-centred, evil, and worldly nature, to a nature that is sin-abhorrent, others-centered, righteous, and Christ-like. Both the transition and conversion of the believer in Christ culminate in a transformation, which enables the believer to be able to prove the Will of God in everything, and to do it!
Baptisms thus, bring believers in Christ to the place of recognizing that they can no longer live as they did before they met with Christ and were saved from the wrath of God upon sinners. Baptisms reinforce the truth about the new life which the believer must continue to live—a life that is intricately bound to other believers; a life of unity with other believers; a life of love toward all men; a life of humility before God and man; a life of absolute dependence on God for everything including, breathing, eating, working, raising a family, etc. Indeed, baptisms are more than a ceremony, they are a mark of the transformation or change that has taken place in the life of a believer in Christ. May the Holy Spirit help us to live accordingly, as we yield ourselves to Him!
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The Doctrine of Baptisms_3: Our Identification Mark
Through baptisms, we identify with, and become a part of the suffering, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and as such, we can be said to bear the identification mark of Christ, which can be both spiritual and physical (as in scars of wounds resulting from beatings/persecution for Christ’s sake). Unlike circumcision, which was physical, and the mark of the Old Covenant, baptisms are spiritual and the mark of the New Covenant. Indeed, through baptisms, we are united with Christ, and thus, identify ourselves as belonging to Him; not just as partners, or merely as partakers with Him, but as being part of Him! Thus, through baptisms, we are brought into union with Christ, Who thus becomes every Christian’s identity, manifesting in the believer's lifestyle of Christ-likeness!
Not only do we identify ourselves with, and in, Christ through baptisms; but Him being our identify, we are marked, sealed, or identified by God to be His very own special people (1 Peter 2:9), and are thus, preserved from the evil that is to befall the world and its inhabitants on the Day of Judgment. Incidentally, Satan also marks his own with a physical mark, and these can similarly be identified by their lifestyle, which is generally sin-laden, worldly, and tolerant of sin. Sadly, all those who bear the mark of Satan will perish in eternity, though they may have pleasures, albeit, temporarily, here on earth. The good news though, is that if anyone who is in Satan’s camp turns to God in genuine repentance, he/she is forgiven of his/her sins and marked as belonging to, and united with, Christ!
Furthermore, Satan recognizes the mark or seal of God upon God’s own people, and marks them out for special attacks, which will fail through Christ our Identity—what Satan is attacking is Christ in you, Who is your hope of glory (Colossians 1:27; John 15:19; 1 Peter 4:12-16)!
Therefore, through baptisms, God identifies us, as does Satan, as belonging to, and being united together with Christ. It is this identification that marks us out for divine protection and preservation, as well as, for the onslaughts of Satan’s persecution. It is expected that, regardless of the onslaught of Satan, all those who have Christ as their identity, will live as Christ lived!
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