Welcome to----Spirit Food.
Dr. Mark Krom, Psy.D.
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Welcome
to---September
2019
Session Ninety-Seven
Hello!
We at UACCMI have been directed by the Holy Spirit to provide a
monthly series; we’ll call “Spirit Food”. Our purpose in doing
this is to assist you in your spiritual growth within the body of
Jesus Christ (the anointed one and His anointing). As the human body
requires food for the nourishment of the physical body, so the spirit
also requires feeding, for spiritual growth. Hosea 4:6 says –
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge …”. Brothers
and sisters in Christ, we truly desire you to live blessed lives in
accordance with Deuteronomy 28:1-14. To live this type of life
however, you need to make the quality decision to make God’s Word
the final authority in your life. These monthly sessions will aid in
your spiritual growth process. Once you are presented with what the
Word of God has to say about an issue, you are responsible for
receiving His love, grace, & favor; and the gift of His
righteousness. Remember, you are greatly blessed, highly favored, and
deeply loved by your Heavenly Father.
This
month, let's focus on Water Baptism.
What
does the Word of God teach about water baptism? Water Baptism is a
public declaration that occurs after a person is saved. People
getting baptized have accepted Jesus Christ’s death at Calvary as
payment for their sins, and have asked Him to come into their hearts
and be their Lord and Savior (salvation). It is an outward sign of
an inward spiritual change that has taken place in their lives.
Scriptures
indicate that baptism is for believers only.
In
Mark 16:16 it says, “The one who believes and is baptized will be
saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned.” Someone
might say, “When I was an infant, I was baptized and I became a
Christian then.”
·
Nowhere
in the Bible does it refer to anyone being saved by baptism before
they accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. When a baby is sprinkled,
it is more of a ceremony dedicating the family and church family, to
ensure the child will be raised in the knowledge of Christ. It is a
blessing of the child, not a proper form of baptism according to
Jesus’ example.
·
Think
about it – how much does an infant or small child (in the natural)
really know regarding what is taking place in its life? Baptism is a
commitment that a person makes for himself on the basis that he has
been redeemed by the grace of God.
·
This
person has been transformed inwardly by accepting Jesus as their Lord
and their spirit being reborn by the grace of God! As a result of
this quality decision, the Holy Spirit has come to live on the inside
of the believer within their reborn Spirit. Then, as an outward sign
to the world the one who believes and is baptized will be saved, and
they follow Jesus in believer’s baptism.
·
He
has dedicated himself to allowing the Holy Spirit within him to start
producing fruit; i.e., love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control
(Galatians
5:22-23)
Why
be baptized?
Because
in Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus commanded us to be baptized.
And
Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to me.
Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and
teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And
remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Jesus said
this while He was still walking on the earth, after the resurrection,
but before He ascended up into heaven.
So
if you refuse baptism, regardless of excuse, is it is an act of
rebellion and disobedience. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as
your Savior and you refuse to be baptized, then you’re living in
open rebellion against God.
There
are three forms that people use for baptism.
1.
There is pouring.
2.
There is sprinkling.
3.
There is Immersion. This is the form of baptism we find in the New
Testament.
There
is no doubt that during the biblical days, if people were too sick to
physically be able to go to church, they would pour water on them,
which is called clinical baptism.
Sprinkling
came along later as a matter of convenience. In the early church when
it was too cold out to baptize, they would sprinkle to hold the
people over until warm weather, when they would be baptized by
immersion.
The
word for pouring or sprinkling is not used in the New Testament to
refer to baptism.
Why
do we baptize by immersion?
·
Immersion
means we rise from being in water that represents an inferior or
unfortunate state or condition (death of the carnal nature, and being
raised out of the watery grave to be alive in Christ).
·
It’s
important and scriptural that the method and the purpose go hand in
hand.
·
Immersion
most closely matches the Greek word used for baptism in the Bible,
which is “baptizo” (bap-tid’-zo; to immerse, submerge; to make
overwhelmed, i.e. fully wet).
Any
believer can perform a baptism, but most are more comfortable with an
ordained minister performing the baptism. Such an event should be
documented (a nice certificate) for the person being baptized,
enabling them to have a “keepsake” of the baptism as a
remembrance. An additional entry into the church log of events (or
pastor’s log) is also recommended, if possible.
We
must make a public confession of our faith in Jesus Christ. It is a
testimony that you have accepted Jesus as Lord. The gospel is all
about Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Water Baptism by
immersion signifies the believer’s death, burial, and resurrection
with the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the most accurate picture of what
is happening to us on the inside.
Baptism
is an action that signifies a person has died to their old lifestyle,
they have taken on the mindset (way of thinking, that) I’m burying
my old way of living, and being born again I’m being raised out of
the water (resurrecting) to a new way of living. It is portraying to
the world that we are not the same person that we were before
salvation.
God
rewards every single act of obedience. Our Heavenly Father is just;
He does not forget our acts of obedience to Him. One of the blessings
of being baptized is knowing you’re being obedient to the Word of
God; having a joy and confidence that you’re fulfilling God’s
will for your life.
Our
body is a temple where the Holy Spirit dwells. In 1 Corinthians 6:19
it says, “Or do you not know
that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you
have from God, …” Well, Matthew 6: 22-23 says, “The eye is the
lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be
full of light; but
if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.
If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
Consider
this analogy on obedience and growing your relationship with our
Heavenly Father: If you have a house with very small windows, not a
lot of natural sunlight can come in; but as you increase the size of
your windows, more light comes in enabling you to see better. As you
develop your relationship with the Holy Spirit, he provides more and
more light to you regarding our Heavenly Father’s plan for your
life, and empowers you to be provided the resources to carry out that
plan.
In
being water baptized, there is also a blessing for the people who are
in attendance or hear of your actions – your family, friends, and
the church also experience the joy of your obedience.
Have
you made Jesus the Lord of your life? Have you been baptized? The
significance of baptism is that it exhibits a deeper union or
relationship with Christ, pledging commitment and allegiance to
Christ. Amen.
If you’re reading this, but you have not made Jesus the Lord of your life, and would like to, pray this prayer out loud in an audible voice: Heavenly Father, your Word says in Romans 10:9-10- “that if I confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in my heart that and believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead, that I would be saved. For with the heart one believes unto salvation.” I believe your Word Heavenly Father and confess Jesus Christ (the anointed one and His anointing) as Lord of my life now. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess that I was a sinner, but now I’ve been saved by Your grace, and in Your thoughts, I am now in right standing with You. I denounce Satan and all he stands for. Write my name in the Lamb’s book of Life. In Jesus Name. Amen (so be it). Congratulations!
If this is your first time praying this prayer, please write and let us know! Should you decide to give and financially support this ministry with gifts given in faith, I join my faith with yours to see the devour rebuked (Malachi 3:11) and for you to receive a harvest; pressed down, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38).
Dr.
Mark Krom, Ph.D., D.PsySr.
Vice-President/Counselors
and Counseling Ministries, UACCMI
