When people ask you if you are a baptist, what do you tell them? You should tell them that you are very baptist!
In fact there are four baptisms that the Bible talks about.
1. Baptism of the Holy Spirit. – At the moment we enter into God’s Kingdom, we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit.
“For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” 1Cor 12:13 NIV.
The Holy Spirit integrates the newly born again person into the body of Christ as a unique part of the body. Being fit into the body changes the person’s identity from one defined by talents, occupation, or accomplishments to one God defined uniquely for that person before he or she was born, and an identity that, when revealed fully, will perfectly display an aspect of God’s character.
2. Baptism in Water. – When we declare that we no longer belong to Satan.
A) Adam no longer rules in your life!
B) Your identity is no longer that of a sinner!
C) That person will die, and Give way to a new person who is raised with Christ and indeed
D) who becomes a new creature, even a new creation in Christ.
3. Baptism by the Holy Spirit. – When we allow the Holy Spirit to control our spirit we are given His Power and He can continue to fill us.
4. Baptism of Fire. – When we are one with the Holy Spirit and are given authority to speak heavenly languages. Suffering is a critical part of a person’s experience and rise in maturity as a believer. Each person’s default culture (before the saving of one’s soul) is preoccupied with survival and incompatible with a culture of sonship. Christ frees the believer from this culture by destroying the soul’s perception of control, such that one must rely on God for all things. This process of refinement is called the Baptism of Fire.
Sam Solyen in his study of the elementary doctrines has some really fine teaching on all of these baptisms. Some of the above material is from there. For further study you can go to www.solyen.org and look up elementary doctrines. It will be studio sessions 32 – 36.
