Session 3 – Three Baptisms

In the bible there are three Types of Baptism:

1. Baptism in Christ at salvation

2. Baptism in water which is a command of Jesus and.

3. Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Baptism in Christ at salvation

In Galatians 3:23—4:7, the apostle Paul discusses what it means to be a child of God: “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (verses 26–29).

When we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we are “baptized into Christ” through faith in Him.

What are the implications of being baptized into Christ?

We are clothed in Christ.

Paul explains, “All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” In the original language, the phrase translated as “clothed yourselves with Christ” (NIV) or “put on Christ” (ESV) means to be “endowed with the quality of being wrapped in a covering” of Christ. “And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes,” says Galatians 3:27 in the New Living Translation. The same term appears in Romans 13:14: “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”

When we are baptized into Christ, we become wrapped up in Jesus Christ like a robe. Our filthy, old, sin-infested rags are cast off (Isaiah 64:6), and we put on the new righteous nature of Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24). Water baptism outwardly depicts this inner work of baptism into Christ by the Holy Spirit (see Acts 10:44–48).

This idea of changing clothes carried an additional implication for the Galatians. In ancient Roman society, when a young person reached the legal age of adult citizenship, he would stop wearing his childhood apparel and begin to don a toga, the customary outfit of an adult. This change of attire indicated a rite of passage into the responsibilities of adulthood. As believers baptized into Christ, we receive full, mature sonship status before God (see Romans 8:17).

Water Baptism

Baptism in the Bible expresses an identification with Christ's death and resurrection—the old self was crucified with Christ (through the waters of death), and now followers of Jesus have risen with him in “newness of life” (Romans 6:3-11)

Water Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change in the life of a new believer in Christ. Water baptism does not save, it does not given you entrance into Heaven, or is it needed to be born again.

Look at the thief on the cross, was he baptized? NO

What about the soldier on the battlefield; if he is dying, repents of his sins, yet is not baptized before he dies, does he go to heaven, or hell? The answer......HEAVEN!

Water baptism symbolizes the believer’s total trust in and total reliance on the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as a commitment to live obediently to Him. It also expresses unity with all the saints (Ephesians 2:19), that is, with every person in every nation on earth who is a member of the Body of Christ (Galatians 3:27–28).

Water baptism conveys this and more, but it is not what saves us. Instead, we are saved by grace through faith, apart from works (Ephesians 2:8–9). We are baptized because our Lord commanded it: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

Water baptism is for believers. Before we are baptized, we must come to believe that we are sinners in need of salvation (Romans 3:23). We must also believe that Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins, that He was buried, and that He was resurrected to assure our place in heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1–4). When we turn to Jesus, asking Him to forgive our sins and be our Savior, we are born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our eternal salvation is guaranteed, and we begin to die to ourselves and live for Christ (1 Peter 1:3–5). At that time we are scripturally qualified to be baptized.

Water baptism is a beautiful picture of what our Lord has done for us. As we are completely immersed in the water, we symbolize burial with our Lord; we are baptized into His death on the cross and are no longer slaves to self or sin (Romans 6:3–7). When we are raised out of the water, we are symbolically resurrected—raised to new life in Christ to be with Him forever, born into the family of our loving God (Romans 8:16).

Water baptism also illustrates the spiritual cleansing we experience when we are saved; just as water cleanses the flesh, so the Holy Spirit cleanses our hearts when we trust Christ.

The fact that water baptism is not a prerequisite for salvation is best seen in the example of a saved man who was not baptized in water—the criminal on the cross (Luke 23:39–43). This self-confessed sinner acknowledged Jesus as his Lord while dying on a cross next to Him.

The thief asked for salvation and was forgiven of his sins. Although he never experienced water baptism, at that moment he was spiritually baptized into Christ’s death, and he then was raised to eternal life by the power of Christ’s word (Hebrews 1:3).

Christians should be baptized out of obedience to and love for our Lord Jesus (John 14:15). Water baptism by immersion is the biblical method of baptism because of its symbolic representation of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

Memory verse - Acts 1:8 - “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you; and you shall be witnesses to Me.”

Acts 1:4-5 - “And beings assembled together with them, He commanded them no to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which”, He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Jesus did not want His disciples to immediately begin telling others about Him. He told them to wait for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, because He knew the POWER they were to receive was essential for the task ahead of them.

BAPTISM means to be immersed or dipped into something, but in this cases it is talking about spiritually.

So that you will not become confused, you need to know that there are several terms which refer to “The Baptism of the Holy Spirit,”

1. Acts 2:4 - “Filled with the Holy Spirit”

2. Acts 11:15 - “Holy Spirit fell (came) on them”

3. Acts 2:33 - “The Promise of the Holy Spirit”

4. Luke 24:49 - “The Promise of my Father”

5. Acts 2:38 - “The Gift of the Holy Spirit”

1. Who does the Bible say the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for?

Acts 2:38-39 Has God called you to salvation?

Is the promise for you?

In John 14:16-17, Jesus told His disciples that the Spirit had been WITH them and would soon be in them. The Spirit came inside them in John 20:22. After Jesus had been resurrected, He spoke to them and said” Receive the Holy Spirit.” Before we were saved, the Holy Spirit was calling us to change, repent, and receive Christ.

When we are born again, the Spirit comes INSIDE us to teach and guide us. All true believers have the Holy Spirit living inside them which is the same Holy Spirit Jesus had within Him. But Jesus went on to tell His disciples in Acts 1:8 that the Spirit would also be ON or UPON them.

2. What did Jesus tell His disciples they would receive when the Holy Spirit came down on them?

Acts 1:8 The Greek word for POWER is “dunamis,” where we get our words for “dynamite” and “dynamic.” It is also translated strength, ability, authority and might.

Jesus knows our weaknesses and that we do not have the strength we need to continually follow Him or do things for Him, so He supplies us with the POWER (dunamis) we need. We do not have to do it on our own!

3. The Father strengthens us through the power of His Spirit in our inner being for what purpose? Ephesians 3:16-17

4. After the disciples received this power, what would it give them the ability to be?

Acts 1:8 To be a WITNESS means to testify that something is true. The disciples went out testifying that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the world.

5. When Peter and John were released from jail, they gathered together and prayed. What did they pray for the Lord to enable them to do? Acts 4:29

6. The Lord answered Peter and John's prayer almost immediately. What did the Lord do to give

them the boldness they asked for? Acts 4:31

7. When Saul (later his name was changed to Paul) was filled with the Holy Spirit, what did he

begin doing right away? Acts 9:17,20.

Another aspect of Baptism of the Holy Spirit is that the Holy Spirit wants to give each of us “spiritual gifts” or supernatural abilities to edify ourselves and other believers. EDIFY means to build up or strengthen.

The Bible refers to believers as the “body of Christ.” Jesus is the head and each of us is given a gift (or gifts) that empower us to function as a part of that body.

8. Who decides which spiritual gifts each of us will have in the body of Christ? 1 Corinthians 12:18

9. What are some of the gifts that the Spirit gives to different parts of the body? 1 Corinthians 12:8-10

10. What should we desire to do with our spiritual gifts? 1 Corinthians 14:12

11. When all the spiritual gifts are working properly in the body of Christ, what will the body do for itself? Ephesians 4:16

If you want to know more about the body of Christ, read Romans 12:4-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:1-31.

12. How can we be filled with the Holy Spirit? Luke 11:11-13. In Ephesians 5:18 the Bible commands us to “be filled with the Holy Spirit.” It is better translated “be continually being filled with the Holy Spirit.” It is talking about REFILLS. It is not only a one time filling, but we are continually I n need of God's power.

We get refills in the same way we get the first filling, ASK!

If you have not already been filled with the Holy Spirit or if you need a refill, pray a simple prayer like this; “Father my power is not enough. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and give me the power I need. In Jesus' name, Amen.

From memory, write out your memory verse from the beginning of this session.