Oct. 12, 2011
Mark 1:8
"I indeed baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.'"
One of the most argued topic in Christianity is the act of baptism. There is argument of whether one should be baptized as an infant, or when one accepts Christ as their Lord and Savior at an older age. These and other variations are constantly argued, and I have seen it time and time again, growing up in the Apostolic Lutheran Church. Being older, and able to read and comprehend God's word on my own, I determine, what does the Bible say about this? I clearly see that in this passage John is saying that he baptizes with water, but there is one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. My interpretation of this is that John is baptizing the people with what he can. He is showing a cleansing of their hearts through a cleansing of the body. He is stating that although this is a great thing, what Christ will do is much greater. He will bring the Holy Spirit to cleanse their body, mind, and soul. To be a guide and a comfort all their days of following Christ. That Christ has a much deeper baptism into Him than simply the dunking into a body of water as the representation in front of God and man that the person has chosen to follow Christ. Jesus will give them the Spirit to always be cleansing their hearts of things impure and filling them instead with things of God. That the baptizing of the body does not bring salvation, but baptizing of the heart, and entering of the Holy Spirit is ultimately what changes oneself.
I want to always look at my choice to be baptized as an adult as my promise to God that I will obey His gift to me: the Holy Spirit. To look upon Sept. 23, 2011 as a day of a seal between me and Christ that I will follow Him with everything I am, and always seek Him for discernment with full confidence in His Spirit and His word, and His truth on the choices that I am to make in my life, now and forevermore.
"Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." 2 Corinth. 3:17
"Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place."
2 Corinth. 2:14
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