Thread by @iAmJeshurun

1. Hello there! I hope all is well with you and all yours. I am excited to welcome you to Episode 52 of #AskPastorYinka, where we seek to provide practical biblical answers to some of life's vexing questions. THANK YOU for joining us again today!
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2. On the last episode of #AskPastorYinka, we dealt with a question on how Believers can learn to hear from God by themselves. It is a very instructive teaching for every Christian that you will do well to read up:

https://twitter.com/iAmJeshurun/status/1441101425988096004?s=20

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3. We also clarified the roles of prophets in the New Testament dispensation and why we should not seek guidance from them. Interesting, right? Read it up here:

https://twitter.com/iAmJeshurun/status/1441110017843744779?s=20

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4. Has this series been a blessing to you?
Drop a comment on the timeline or via DM, and share as widely as you can. Be a blessing to someone on your timeline.
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5. Remember that if you have a question on any subject to which you would like to get a rigorously researched, exegetically sound, and doctrinally balanced biblical answer, just send a DM to
@iAmJeshurun or post it through the top link at linktr.ee/adeyinkaadeleke
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6. Joh 1:4-5 (TPT) For his life is light for all humanity. And this Light never fails to shine through darkness— Light that darkness could not overcome!
May the light of God's Word pierce every darkness and illuminate our hearts today, in Jesus' name.
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7. Here is our first question today: AM I TRULY A BELIEVER IF I HAVE NOT BEEN BAPTIZED IN WATER? MUST EVERY BELIEVER BE BAPTIZED? DOES INFANT BAPTISM COUNT?
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8. This is actually three questions in one, and per our custom here, we need to go back to where baptism was first mentioned in the Bible to have a clear scriptural view of this issue.
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9. The concept of baptism is entirely a New Testament idea, although Paul did say in his Epistle to the Corinthian Church that the Israelites went through a "type" of baptism in the wilderness - but let's not get ahead of ourselves.
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10. John the Baptist (quite aptly named I must say) was the first proponent of baptism. Matthew 3 introduces us to this strange man who "was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey." (v.4)
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11. His message was simple: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (Mat 3:2). And the result was that "Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. (Mat 3:5-6)
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12. So, we can see a progression - John FIRST preached the repentance of sin, then AFTER they heard him, and repented, they were baptized in water. This was the first recorded instance of baptism in the Bible, but certainly not the last.
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13. In Matthew 3:13, we see Jesus the Son of God coming to John to be baptized by him. And although John was uncomfortable baptizing his Lord and Creator, Jesus told him it was necessary to fulfil all righteousness, and John acquiesced.
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14. According to the 4th chapter of John's Gospel, the disciples of Jesus subsequently started baptizing people under Jesus' direct supervision (and the people actually attributed those baptisms to Jesus).
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15. Joh 4:1-2 (MSG) Jesus realized that the Pharisees were keeping count of the baptisms that he and John performed (although his disciples, not Jesus, did the actual baptizing). They had posted the score that Jesus was ahead (He baptized more folks).
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16. Furthermore, when giving us the Great Commission, Jesus specifically instructed us to continue baptizing people...
Mat 28:19 (NLT) Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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17. And looking through the Acts of the Apostles and Paul's writings, we can see that the apostles took this instruction to heart and made baptism a key element of their ministry.
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18. On the day of Pentecost, Peter's inaugural message was "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Act 2:38)
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19. As people believed and joined the nascent church, baptism was a rite they all passed through:
Act 2:41 Then those who gladly received his word were BAPTIZED; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
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20. Evangelist Phillip baptized those who heard his preaching and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ (Act 8:12), including Simon the Sorcerer (Act 8:13) and the Ethiopian Eunuch (Act 8:38)
Ananias also baptized Paul after his Damascus Road experience (Act 9:18).
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21. Peter baptized the household of Cornelius (Act 10:47-48).
Lydia of Thyatira and her household were baptized by Paul and his companions after they heard the gospel (Act 16:14-15), as well as numerous other examples.
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22. In all these cases, we see that it was a matter of routine in the Early Church for new Believers to get baptized in water. It was almost unheard of for a person to get saved without being baptized.
So, does this make baptism equal to salvation?
NOT AT ALL!
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23. In Acts 19:1, Paul "came down to Ephesus. There he found some disciples." These guys had been baptized into John's baptism (founded upon repentance from sins) but had not yet had the saving experience of coming to know Jesus and believing in His name.
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24. Act 19:2-3 (AMP) And he asked them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed [on Jesus as the Christ]? And they said, No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. Into what [baptism] then were you baptized? They said, Into John's baptism.
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25. These guys had repented of their sins, and had been baptized, but had not yet met Christ, nor received His Spirit!
So, Paul had to preach the gospel to them, emphasizing knowing Jesus beyond the mere repentance that John preached.
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26. Act 19:4 (AMP) And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, continually telling the people that they should believe in the One Who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus...
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27. [having a conviction full of joyful trust that He is Christ, the Messiah, and being obedient to Him].
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This was Paul's invitation to them to have a personal relationship with Jesus - to put their lives in His hands.
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28. Act 19:5-6 (AMP) On hearing this they were baptized [again, this time] in the name of the Lord Jesus. And as Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke in [foreign, unknown] tongues (languages) and prophesied.
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29. What can we deduce from this story?
These guys were church members already (disciples). They had been baptized already. But they lacked a living relationship with Jesus. So, Paul had to get them saved and then baptized them AGAIN.
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30. It means that because they had not yet come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and committed their lives to Him, their initial baptism was a mere formality that did not make any difference to the condition of their soul or their eternal destination.
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31. To put it more clearly - baptism IS NOT salvation!
Baptism is NOT a ticket to heaven!
Baptism will NOT change you, nor make you a better person!
Baptism is NOT what will wash away your sins!
Baptism will NOT get you right with God!
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32. If a sinner (someone who has not met Christ) gets baptized, the only difference that will take place is that he enters the water as a dry sinner and comes out as a wet sinner. He will still be as eternally lost coming out as he was going in!
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33. What truly counts is coming to know Jesus personally as Lord and Saviour, and making a conscious decision to yield your life to Him and to live for His glory.
That's what matters most!
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34. So, are you truly a Believer if you have not been baptized?
Well, as long as you have met Christ and put your life in His hands, and have been redeemed and cleansed by His blood (1Pe 1:23, Joh 3:3-6), my Bible tells me you're a Christian, baptized or not!
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35. After all, the criminal on the cross (Luk 23:39-43) was never physically baptized, yet he got a first-class ticket to heaven directly from Jesus Himself!
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36. Are we saying that baptism does not matter?
NOT AT ALL!
Baptism IS important. After all, if it was not so, Jesus would not have commanded it, and He himself would not have done it.
But it must be done as an aftermath of salvation, not as a substitute for it!
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37. Baptism is mostly a symbol, a powerful and deeply spiritual one. According to Romans 6:2-4, it symbolizes the death of the old man, our burial into His death (hence the need for total body immersion) and our resurrection into a new life in Christ.
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38. Water baptism furthermore describes the spiritual cleansing we experience when we are saved; just as water cleanses the flesh, so the Holy Spirit cleanses our hearts when we come to Christ Jesus.
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39. So, SHOULD every Christian be baptized?
Absolutely Yes!
For the reasons listed above and out of obedience to and love for our Lord Jesus (Joh 14:15), and because He commanded it (Mat 28:19), and also called it "something completely right." (Mat 3:15 AMP)
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40. But MUST every Christian be baptized?
Will I be any less a Believer if I'm not baptized?
This stance is NOT supported by the Scriptures.
You can make baptism a requirement for joining YOUR church, but not for belonging to God's Kingdom.
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41. So, what about infant baptism?
Does this count?
NOT AT ALL!
There is no place in the Bible where infant baptism is either practiced or commanded.
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42. Before baptism, we must believe that we are sinners in need of salvation (Rom3:23), that Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins, that He was buried, and that He was resurrected to reconcile us to God (1Co 15:1–4).
A child can't do this!
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43. We are in no way calling infant baptism a sin, but it is nothing but a mere religious act concocted in the vain imaginations of man - it has no spiritual benefit of any kind to the child!
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44. Rather than seeking to get your child baptized as an infant, seek to get the child to know Christ as early as possible. And if you were baptized as an infant, that doesn't count - get to know Jesus for yourself as an adult and be baptized again.
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45. And this is all we will be able to take today.
If you require additional clarification on any of these points, just reply to the relevant tweet(s) or send me a DM and I will love to engage with you further.
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46. Until I come your way again on another episode of #AskPastorYinka, keep increasing in the knowledge and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Multiplied Blessings!
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