MONDAY MORNING MESSAGE FOR The Eternal Body Of Christ 7-30-12 (Trust vs. betrayal, & integrity vs. corruption)

Goood Morninnnnnnnnnng,

Trust vs. betrayal, & integrity vs. corruption.

God is hearer and judge to all that we profess, confess and or mention.

Who hasn’t felt the sting of betrayal. Someone promises you this or that, or works an angle until you concede (lowering your guard). Just long enough for them to pull the rug out from underneath you.

It happens all the time, in friendships, in marriages, in business. The atrocities that are committed can be borderline criminal. Truthfully, these disloyalties are committed by those who have low self esteem, seek approval, recognition and or accolades. Occasionally the motivation is purely that of jealousy & without realizing, they can utterly destroy another’s life; their reputation, their sense of well being and ability to trust others.

The power of the tongue is spoken of in the Bible. It also says that we shall be judged for every idle word. Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Better is he that says nothing than He that makes a promise of oath and fails to honour it.

Where in your life have you failed to keep your word? Whom have you betrayed?
Have you started a course of action and then just retracted as if you were never a party to a particular interaction? To whom does your loyalty belong to, the God of Integrity or the Father of lies & deception?

The word of God expects us to mindful of what we allow others to believe or perceive! We, as representatives of the Word are required to be upright in our dealings. We are to be truthful and integrous in all we say, think and do. This is not a license to be cruel in truth BUT we are expected to keep our intentions and our agendas in alignment with Godly precepts and behaviors.

Begin at once to take a mental inventory of what you say. Make sure that you follow through to the best of your ability to keep your word. If you are a victim of betrayal, the best protection against it is to maintain the integrity that you wish to receive. Those who deal treacherously will dig their own ditch and rightfully, fall straight way into it! You’ll be privy to it, God will see to that but just don’t gloat!

Numbers 30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.


God doesn't accept the altering promises!

Lev 27:9-10 And if it be a beast, whereof men bring an offering unto the LORD, all that any man giveth of such unto the LORD shall be holy. He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good


Psalms 25:20-21 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.

Leviticus 5:4-5 Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these. And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing:

Proverbs 19:1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

Titus 2:7-8 In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

God’s word is never broken

2 Chr. 21:7 Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.

Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.

Proverbs 12:25 Heaviness in the heart maketh it stoop: (heavy and hurting) but a word maketh it glad.

Eph. 4:24-25 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.


Matthew 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.



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MONDAY MORNING MESSAGE FOR The Eternal Body Of Christ 7-23-12

Please be advised the Monday Morning Message is temp postponed due to a family emergency,

Please keep us in your prayers!

Thank you and God bless you!

MONDAY MORNING MESSAGE FOR The Eternal Body Of Christ 7-16-12

Gooooood Morninnnnnnnng,

Today we are going to look at the 2nd Chapter of Hebrews in the New Testament. Here we have the accounting and witness of one of the apostles, whom lived and walked side by side with Christ. Christ's pre-eminence is established as well as his Deity, his ordained positioning and his merciful election.

Hebrews 2

King James Version (KJV)

2 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

² For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

³ How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and wasconfirmed unto us by them that heard him;

⁴ God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

⁵ For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

⁶ But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?

⁷ Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

⁸ Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

⁹ But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

¹⁰ For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

¹¹ For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

¹² Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

¹³ And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

¹⁴ Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

¹⁵ And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

¹⁶ For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

¹⁷ Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

¹⁸ For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

There are simply techniques in parenthood or child rearing, where the care giver or the parent will come down to the child's level, in eye sight and stature, to bond with them, in an effort to gain their cooperation and to empathise with them. Is it any wonder, that God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy would seek to do the same with us and do so in a manner which is fitting and not frightening.

Jesus is every bit a man and never ceased to be God. In Verse 9 of Hebrews, Chapter 2, we see that Jesus, who was above the Angels, above all created things, elected to come to us in this humble capacity. The irony of it all, was a secret plot, so genius, so loving, that it totally escaped the perceptions and undermining of satan.

Satan thought he had won in corrupting the Human race, knowing fully Gods laws and having perverted the word beyond all correction. The human race was for all intents and purposes so riddled with sin, that no offering or sacrifice of a human nature could suffice to cover the wretchedness. From the first sin in the garden and from that bloodline down, the compounded transgressions had Satan thinking we were as good as dead. He thought that he had proved to God that we would chose him, turn from the lord and forever be unrecoverable because of the stain and shame of those sins. God knew better!

When Jesus, who set the heavens in motions and named every single star realized what we needed, He kept it His own little secret. Until one fine day, An Angel appeared to Mary and as well to Joseph, explaining that they would become parents, that God chose them to bring our Saviour into the world. Mary was a sinless woman, and Joseph was a simple but a decent man. When Jesus stepped down from His throne, he not only bent down on one knee to see us at eye level, He entered our world in the flesh as a helpless baby. He came to us by the simplest of upbringings to a family that was not high in status, influence or wealth. More importantly, when His Holy blood mixed with our human blood, it infused our DNA with redemption. He lived a sinless life full of every struggle and temptation that we have ever faced. Then when He became our sacrificial lamb, when that blood of His was shed on that cross, it INDEED was sufficient to cover the penalties of death. When Jesus arose from the dead in His glorified body, He made it possible for all of mankind to follow suit. As the Bible says, so below, same as above; as in Heaven so it is on Earth!

Jesus was more than just a good man, He was more than just someone who chose to help mankind, He was God in the flesh. He was God before He became flesh! Praise His Holy name, we know our Saviour and He LIVES!

Colossians 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,

“I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30)

“…that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father." (John 10:38)

“You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.” (John 13:13)

“…He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham as born, I am.” (John 8:58)

Philippians 2:6-8

King James Version (KJV)

⁶ Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

⁷ But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

⁸ And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

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MONDAY MORNING MESSAGE FOR The Eternal Body Of Christ 7-9-12

As in Heaven so in Earth, as above so below!

A professor decided to teach his class a lesson by example, so he pulled out a jar and a bag of golf balls. He set them down & asked the class, as he held up the jar, “what is THIS”? They all exclaimed, “it’s a jar”! Next he asked, “is it full or empty”? They all shouted, “It’s empty”. Next, he began adding the golf balls to the jar until no more could fit. He then asked, “what about now”, they all said, “it’s full”! The professor, grinned and shook his head. He then opened his desk drawer and pulled out a bag of dried beans and began to pour them in, until no more could fit. Once again, he asked the class, “and what about now”? They all said, “Now it’s full”...The professor let out a great laugh and walked to the back of the room, opened the cabinet & pulled out a bag of sand. He walked to the front & began pouring it into the jar, the sand fell, consuming the areas between the golf balls & the beans. He asked the class, yet again, “how about now”? They all emphasized the word now as they exclaimed, “Nowwwwwwww it’s full”! The professor stopped, shook his head right to left and stood still, as if he was disappointed with their oversight. Finally, one of the students said, nothing else can fit, it has to be full! The professor reached down & grabbed the pitcher of ice cold water placed on his desk, he began to pour it into the jar, nearly half of the water fit, filling the space around the golf balls, the beans & the sand! The students mouths dropped, they didn’t dare say anything more in regard to whether it was full or not, they feared the professor might still have some other thing up his sleeve. One student, boldly asked, “Professor, what is the point”? The professor said, the jar represents your life and all that is in it is yours for a time. The golf balls represent your family, your friends and those important relationships that enrich your life and make it worth living. The beans represent your job(s), your challenges, your life lessons, opportunities to change and to grow. The sand represents all the minor details of life; challenges, delays, stresses, things that will always surround your meaningful things but that you shouldn’t focus on. Lastly, the water represents God, you see, No matter how full your life is or may get, there is always room for God, He fits in no matter what. Bring enough of God into your life and it can flush out most of the sand! The students reflected for a moment and began to clap, one at a time, until the thunder of the their excitement proved to the professor that their lesson truly did sink in!

Lastly, we must all realize that in order to receive what God’s faithful word has in store for us, we must FIRST and foremost become acquainted with His inability to fall short. A proper respect and understanding of where the power and ability rests, allows us a great freedom and opportunity to take advantage of. If you had a 50% off coupon for a major retailer, you would go, pick out your merchandise and boldly present that voucher for redemption off your purchase, would you not? The same, to some degree applies here, God is the issuing authority, His word is good for it! We must acknowledge and participate in the regulations set forth by His word and if properly applied, we stand to benefit from the promises & calls to action that he has left for us! He requires that we obey, that we trust and that we seek him!

Hebrews 11:6 "Without faith it is impossible to please God: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is (that God exists), and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

John 8:24, "For if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."
John 6:29, "Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."

John 14:21, "He that has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved of My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

Ecclesiastes 3
1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

Psalm 33:10 The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

Psalm 135:6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

Isaiah 40:28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

Psalm 91
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.


Abba Father, help us to recognize your power and presence in our lives. Help us to seek you, in obedience and to trust in you for all provision. Deposit into us that water of life, for the eashing and renewing of our souls, Quench our thirst and flush out the unnecessary things that seem to bind and confound us. Help us to rise above the limitations that our mind might try to trick us into believing, that we might see and now that with YOU all things are indeed possible! We ask this in the Mighty name of Jesus, Yehusha Hamashiach! AMEN!

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MONDAY MORNING MESSAGE FOR The Eternal Body Of Christ 7-2-12 Full Immersion Water Baptism

Good Morning,

Today’s message is All about Water Baptism

I am taking today to rest & worship the Lord, as I was baptised yesterday!

Please take a moment to reflect upon this information and decide if God is calling you to be baptised. It is by far, ABSOLUTELY, the most incredible experience!

The Lord is preparing me for the next phase of His work. I am so filled with joy to serve Him and to continue allowing Him to lead.

Thank you for your support and continued participation in the Monday Morning Message!

A special Note of thanks to Pastor Glen H. and all of the assistant Pastors, the dedicated team of elders & all of the many brothers and sisters volunteering their time and service to yesterdays outdoor service, Baptism and Picnic celebration! May the Lord’s blessings continue to invade your life daily in overabundant joy and great favour!

Baptism

Yesterday

Fulfilling Her Purpose in The Lord

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Jesus' instructions to us...

John 3:5–7 (NASB95)

5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7“Do not be amazed that I said to you,

Baptism

Yesterday

At the Harvest Time Church the outpouring received over 70 souls, we were all baptised in the largest single baptism they have ever performed thus far. It was INCREDIBLE!

These last few weeks so many things have come up against me: personal disappointments, betrayals, physical injuries, personal property damage, changes at every turn...IN ONE MOMENT, God met me in a special place, personally, where He assured me that ALL IS SEEN, all has worked together, the good and the bad, to bring me to this place and space in time! Truly, no weapon formed against me shall prosper! I had asked the Lord for a certain sign and behold I got two, a dragon fly and a moth (actually I had requested a butterfly) but the Moth was all white signifying purity. These are personal representations to me of my parents, being both deceased, they unfortunately could not be with me to celebrate this re-commitment of my life to the Lord, but they were there in spirit! I received the confirmations that I asked for and even though they are so simple, where we were,....the likelyhood of seeing a dragonfly swirl around overhead for over an hour was , well....for lack of a better word...a God thing, sent just for me...cause I asked! I just knew that I knew that I KNEW He heard me! My purpose and my peace became ONE!


I had been baptised when I was a baby and again, as an adult, but it was not a full water baptism. I have truly committed my entire life, surrendering all to the Lord, diligently and intentionally, 4 years ago. I felt deeply in my spirit that I was being called to do this. I know that the floodgates have been opened for the Lord to move and work in and through my life in amazing ways!

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Water Baptism
Water baptism is a symbolic burial, by which the new Christian publicly declares they have died, and are now beginning a new life, in Christ.
Baptize is the English form of a Greek word which means to immerse: to place something into something else.
In Christian water baptism, the believer is put completely under water, then immediately raised out of the water.
Water baptism is a statement of faith: my old life is behind me -- I am a new person, with a new life.
Water baptism is a sign of repentance -- repentance means change -- a change so drastic that the old person is "buried."
It does not make you acceptable to God. As a work of righteousness, trying to obtain a good standing with God, it is worthless.
Water baptism is a way of giving testimony to what has happened inwardly, and a clear commitment to turn from the old life.
For Your Benefit
Water baptism outwardly demonstrates what has happened inwardly. Water baptism helps you to grasp the reality of the spiritual truth that the old "you" has died.
Water baptism is only as important as the participant believes it to be. Water baptism is their confession, and a public commitment. Unless the person really believes they died, there is no need for a burial.
It is not something we must do to impress God, but something to impress on our mind what happened to us inwardly. Water baptism is for our benefit -- not God's.
Meaning Of The Word Baptize
T. J. Conant in his book, The Meaning And Use Of Baptizein,1 after an exhaustive examination of the Greek word baptizein in Greek literature, concludes that the English word immerse is the best word to translate it.
Conant tells us, "The word `baptize' is an Anglicized form of the Greek BAPTIZEIN."
He says immerse is the English word that "precisely" makes known to us the same meaning as BAPTIZEIN did "to those who first heard and read the Gospel in Greek."
In all the available Greek literature, both secular and religious, Conant found no example in which the word baptizein had any other meaning.
Conant reports that it was a common, secular word, used in the daily affairs of life, to express the most familiar acts and conditions.
Baptizein was a daily household word. Whenever the idea of total submergence was to be expressed, whether literally or metaphorically, baptizein was the word used.
As you read the Bible, mentally translating the word baptize to the word immerse will greatly help your understanding. Not every time the word baptize or baptism is used in the Bible refers to water baptism.
Burial After Death
Water baptism is about death -- your death. ("Death" is the end of something.) Water baptism is your public declaration of your death. It is a public confession of faith: I have died to my old life and my old ways.
By being baptized in water you are saying that you have died to sin, selfishness, and the world's ways. Water baptism is a public burial of the old life.
By asking for burial, you declare that you believe something has died. There is no need for a burial without a death.
Burial is not absolutely required, but is recommended as the best course of action. So, generally, those who receive Jesus Christ should normally be baptized in water.
In the book of Acts, water baptism always seemed to be done without delay. Although burial can take place at any time, the best time is immediately after death has been confirmed.
Clean Break With The Past
As we are baptized in water, we are in effect saying goodbye to our old life (self), and saying hello to a new creation who is IN Christ Jesus.
Because of death you are free from your old master the devil; now you have a new Master, the Lord Jesus Christ.
A major benefit to the believer is the clean break that water baptism makes with their past. When the devil brings temptations and accusations concerning their old life -- the believer can reply, "That person is dead and buried. I am a new person in Christ."
Water baptism is a point of separation, dividing the old from the new. It says the past is dead and gone -- drawing a clear line between the old life and the new, graphically imprinted on the mind of the believer.
Jesus' Baptism
Why was Jesus baptized in water? He was, and is, our pattern. And, in a sense, He was, at that point, dying to His past life.
From that point, His first allegiance would no longer be to earthly relatives. ("Who is My mother, or My brothers?" Mark 3:31-35.) Jesus would no longer be a carpenter. He was beginning His public ministry.
Jesus was declaring that He was dead to any selfishness and existed solely to do the will of the Father God.
A Picture Sermon
Because it illustrates the central message of the Gospel, water baptism should be a tool for teaching and evangelism. Water baptism should help people understand the spiritual truths being proclaimed.
Water baptism pictures the most fundamental truths of the Gospel: the burial and resurrection of Christ, and of the believer in union with Him.
By means of water baptism, we demonstrate to the world our identification with the crucified and risen Christ.
By water baptism we testify that our old life is gone, and we are now joined with Jesus. We are pledging ourselves to a new life, with Jesus Christ Who died for us and rose again.
Water baptism also acknowledges that the person being immersed is indeed a Christian believer.
So, all who baptize should question converts, just as Philip did in Acts 8:37, to be sure of their commitment to Christ, before immersing them in water. Only those who accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ should be baptized in water.
Which Formula Of Words?
MATTHEW 28:19 NKJ
19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
ACTS 2:38 NKJ
38 Then Peter said to them, "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.
Some people place great importance on certain words being spoken when a person is baptized in water. This is all religious tradition with no real meaning whatsoever.
"In the name of Jesus" can mean by the authority and command of Jesus. Colossians 3:17 tells us our every word and deed should be in the name of the Lord Jesus. Certainly, Colossians 3:17 does not mean we have to continually say, "I do this, or say this, in the name of Jesus."
Claiming that certain words must be said at the time of water baptism, or that only certain special people can truly baptize you in water, makes water baptism into a magical rite -- a work of man trying to be right with God.
The words spoken by the person baptizing you in water will not save you, or condemn you. Water baptism is not some magic ritual which makes you right with God. Water baptism is a testimony and picture-sermon of what God did in you.
Even if no words are spoken over you during your water baptism, it is still a picture of burial and resurrection. Specific words are not what is important, but the attitudes and faith of the people involved are what matters.
When baptizing new believers, saying something like, "In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I baptize you into the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit," is probably best. Then the devil cannot tempt them to think they were not baptized in the right name.
Must You Be Baptized To Be Saved?
In Luke 23:39-43, we have the record of one of the criminals crucified with Jesus acknowledging Him as Lord.
LUKE 23:43 NKJ
43 And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
Jesus told the criminal he would be with Him in Paradise, even though he was not baptized in water.
Also, in Acts 10:44-48, Cornelius' household became believers, received the Holy Spirit, and began speaking in tongues, before being baptized in water.
According to Jesus (John 7:38-39, Mark 16:17), receiving the Holy Spirit happens only to those who are believers, and therefore saved.
So, we must conclude that these believers were born again, and ready for Heaven, before they were baptized in water.
TITUS 3:5 NKJ
5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
We are not saved by works of righteousness that we do. Many think, wrongly, of water baptism as a work that must be done to be right with God.
EPHESIANS 2:8-9 NKJ
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
If water baptism was necessary for salvation, then salvation would partly be by works, and not by grace.
1 CORINTHIANS 1:17 NKJ
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
The apostle Paul, who received the Gospel direct from the risen Lord Jesus, said he was not sent to baptize. If water baptism was necessary for salvation, that would not make any sense.
MARK 16:16 NKJ
16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
What about Mark 16:16? Obviously, if water baptism was required for salvation, that requirement would be made clear throughout the New Testament -- and it is not. Mark 16:16 could mean, "believes to the point of publicly confessing, by the act of water immersion." Or, it could mean, "believes and is placed in Christ."
We should also note that the passage in question does not say, "He who believes and was baptized will be saved." Only a present tense baptism guarantees a person's salvation. That is to say: those who are IN CHRIST now, are saved.
Salvation cannot be dependent on physical surroundings -- such as water being present for baptism -- there are too many situations where water baptism would be impossible.
Those who make this error do so because the word baptize was not translated and understood. Therefore, they think every mention in Scripture of the word baptize refers to water -- which is not true.
Baptism in water is not necessary for salvation, but is beneficial for the believer. Water baptism provides a good foundation, if understood correctly.
Summary
The main points to remember about water baptism are:
* It does not make you a Christian, or right with God. It is only a symbolic act with no power to save you.
* It is a testimony of what has already happened inwardly in the believer -- the death of their old life.
* Certain formulas of words are not vital.
* It is complete immersion into water.
* It is best done publicly.
* It should be done only by someone old enough to understand what they are doing.
* It should be done only by those who have received the Lord Jesus Christ and are committed to Him.
Should you be baptized in water? Yes, if you understand clearly what you are doing, and sincerely mean what baptism signifies.

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source www.believers.org/believe/bel190.ht