For Those Who Are Skeptical of Baptism

Good Evening to All!
I saw this "mini-devotion" and I felt the strong urge to share it with y'all. I was disturbed a few years ago, when someone who I looked up to and love dearly told me that they decided that baptism is merely a symbol and not needed to get to heaven. I was floored. They are very devoted Christians and when they told me this it made my heart drop to my knees. Here is the reason why.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus. a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. for no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."

In reply, Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. John 3:1-3

"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he
is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ' You must be born again.'". John 3:4-7

KJV

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:1-3

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. John 3:4-7

Being born of the water is baptism by immersion in water. Think about it. If you want to get cleansed when you're dirty, you wouldn't sprinkle yourself with water, would you? To get clean, you need to be completely in water. The same with baptism. To cleanse a person of their sins we need to be immersed in water completely and come up cleansed "white as snow' from our sins. (In the Name of Jesus).

Being born of the Spirit, is receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost or as the Bible words it the "infilling of the Holy Spirit.

More scriptures about that is Acts 2:38, acts 10:48, Galatians 3:27, Colossians 2:12 and Matthew 28:19. The reason I mentioned Matthew last is because baptism in the "name of " the Father , Son, and Holy Ghost is only mentioned once. Any other time baptism is mentioned it is "in the Name of Jesus Christ".

I am hoping I will have time to type my post tomorrow morning or afternoon, as I will be "out of pocket" tomorrow night. I am going to Austin to attend a Conference of "The End Times and Prophecy" with Ervin Baxter who is an "authority' on the subject. I have heard from many people that it is a really neat conference, so I'm really excited! I hope to be able to share a lot with you Monday about it. (Sunday is Bible Challenge day, and I learned my lesson about trying to do that and write a post. By the way, just to clarify, I have heard some people say that the Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit are 2 different things. They are the same. The Bible said that when Jesus' died, (God's fleshly body- 1 Tim. 3:16) "He gave up the Ghost". In another spot it said that He would send the Holy Spirit back to earth as a comforter. They are one and the same. That is how we have Jesus (God) in us. I know most of you probably know and realize all that I say, but there may be some that don't. I feel like we all need refreshing at one time or another, and then I hope that I may be reaching some who haven't heard of or really studied the Word.

Good Night to All and May God Bless!