Baptism

                Regarding "baptize" (in Greek pronounced as baptizo: baptivzw : baptize; wash), it simply means “wash”. As matter of fact, Jesus did not baptize people in water but his disciples did (John 4:2). And, in all four Gospels John the Baptist preached “I baptize you with water….But after me will come one who is more powerful than I,…. He will baptize you with Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Mathew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33). At last, in Acts 1:5, Jesus himself proclaimed that “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit”. So according to the Bible, people (such as John the Baptist) baptized people in water (because he is not capable of baptizing other in Holy Spirit), but the Almighty one, our God, Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ is fully capable and willing to baptize people in Holy Spirit. The water baptism whether is dipping or immersing or submerging are all man-made ritual which has no value in front of God. Thus the Apostle Paul concluded in Galatians 5:6 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love”. In today’s language this teaching is equivalently saying: “For in Christ Jesus neither water-baptism nor non-water-baptism has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love”.

                 Dear Brothers and Sisters, when we “love one another as He loved us” (John 15:12), then we know we are truly baptized by His Holy Spirit and people will know that we are His disciples. (John 13:35). Thus go back to Mathew 28:19-20: the question to all of us would be: what would Jesus like us to do? Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in Water or in Love?