Step 5: Baptism in water and the Holy Spirit

Jesus and Nicodemus

Nicodemus was a Pharisee, “a ruler of the Jews” and “a master of Israel” (John 3:1, 10). He came to Jesus by night, convinced that Jesus was “a teacher come from God”. Jesus answered him: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

Nicodemus did not understand: “How can a man be born when he is old?” Jesus explained: “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 3:5-7).

Religion, knowledge and good morals were not enough for Nicodemus. He needed a new birth from God. So does every person.

Baptism in water

On the day of Pentecost, when the people heard the Gospel and asked “What shall we do?”, Peter answered: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized” (Acts 2:41).

Baptism unites us with Christ: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4). Jesus Himself said: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16).

In Acts, people were baptized as soon as they believed – the 3,000 at Pentecost, the Ethiopian on the road (Acts 8:36-38), the jailer at Philippi “the same hour of the night” (Acts 16:33).

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

John the Baptist said about Jesus: “I indeed baptize you with water… he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Matthew 3:11). Jesus promised: “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me” (Acts 1:8).

This promise is for every believer: “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:39). When Paul met disciples in Ephesus, he asked: “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?” After they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, Paul laid his hands on them, “the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied” (Acts 19:2-6).

How to say it

“Jesus told Nicodemus: ‘Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.’ And when people asked Peter what to do, he said: ‘Repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.’ This promise is for you too.”

The new life that begins here has a glorious future – step 6.