“Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized? Then Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God”. (vs36-37)
Heart belief, not just of a part, but of the whole counsel of God, is REQUIRED for baptism. He said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may”. It isn't something you get into lightly. Baptism can't save you, but it is the expression of faith,the obedience that we give God, when we know that Jesus is His Son, and we're intent upon honoring Him as such, believing that His saving power has rescued us. Don't deceive yourself here. Baptism is an important teaching, because OBEDIENCE is the response commanded from God.
Do you believe partly? Are you only willing to take forgiveness but not cleansing? Do you doubt that He has authority and power? Do you distrust His word? Then do not be baptized. Come to Christ first by faith, and yield to His teachings. Believe that He's God's Son, and you plan to serve Him forever? Believe His word is truth and what He says is to be lived? Then, confess Him publicly in baptism, as He commands.
Baptism cannot save you, put away sins, or give you spiritual life and power. This comes FROM God by faith. Acts 13:38-39 says, “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through is Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses”. However, baptism is often used to describe the whole counsel of God, that we go from BELIEVING inwardly and invisibly to confessing publicly and outwardly. Romans 6:3-4 says, “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life”.
Some say, “But, if I'm a believer and justified by faith, then why go through the motions?” The same reason that you pray, give, and love people. The gospel isn't, “Do what you think is right or wrong”; it is “Follow Me”. We read, “Then He said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. They immediately left their nets and followed Him” (Matt 4:19-20). The Lord of glory isn't to be ignored, because it doesn't make sense to us. He is to be obeyed, because you believe Him, and baptism is the first thing the believer is to do, which is to make it known, God's way, in the waters.
Faith comes first. Many think that going through the motions, without understanding, is enough to get a leg up in the kingdom. But, we understand first, trust second, and confess third. We read, “So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, Do you understand what you are reading? And he said, How can I, unless someone guides me? And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him” (Acts 8:30-31). The preacher unfolds the gospel of Christ, and we see Him humiliated for us, accursed of God, and victoriously risen at the Father's right hand. We see Him saving all the Father gave Him, all that come to Him, even us, sinners who now believe. And, we TRUST all that He says, never pointing to scripture and saying, “No”. We BELIEVE how we're to live, pray, give to the cause of Christ, and because we believe Him, we obey and follow Him the rest of our life. We are wholehearted in this matter.
When Phillip came, the Eunuch was confused, not knowing what he read. But now, the Key is given, life is given, and joy is the result. We read, “Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39). Phillip baptized the Eunuch, left him with God, and he went back to Ethiopia with a message that's preached still, which is how Christ died, how the scriptures speak of Him, and how He is to be obeyed, honored, and followed our whole life long. Do you believe? Then you may be baptized, if it's with all your heart. Joy will result, even when human helpers are gone, for you have Christ.
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