Christian Foundations (13): Our Baptism into Christ

There are 3 foundational BAPTISMS that should take place at the start of our Christian life: (1) BAPTISM into CHRIST, (2) BAPTISM in WATER, and (3) BAPTISM in the HOLY SPIRIT. The word ‘BAPTISM’ means to DIP or IMMERSE into a medium – effecting a union, resulting in a permanent change. The 3 Baptisms are distinguished by WHO does it and the MEDIUM into which the person is baptised. *1. BAPTISM into CHRIST by the HOLY SPIRIT. This happens at the moment of salvation. *2. BAPTISM into WATER should follow soon after salvation, in which we act out and testify publicly to what God did in our spirit when we were baptised into Christ. *3. BAPTISM into the HOLY SPIRIT by the Lord Jesus (Matthew 3:11), empowering us for ministry. Adam, as the head of the human race, sinned and rebelled against God, and as a result he received sin, curse and death into himself, and all who are born IN ADAM are born into that same position of condemnation before God. Many things were true about us simply because we were born IN ADAM – we were spiritually dead, sinners under the power of the sin-nature, in the kingdom of darkness, guilty before God and under His wrath, destined for eternal destruction in Hell. This was our positional truth in Adam. Jesus became the 2nd Adam, offering Himself to us to be our new Representative before God. As we inherited from Adam the result of his sin, so when we receive Christ as our new Head, we inherit the result of His righteousness (forgiveness, grace and eternal life). On the Cross, He paid the price to cancel out our inheritance from Adam and reverse its curse. As He was perfectly righteous and obedient to God, as our Representative Man, He was fully accepted by God, and in His resurrection He received every blessing from God on our behalf. Through the Gospel, His forgiveness and His abundant and eternal life is offered to us as a free-gift. When we received Christ as our Lord and Saviour we were taken out of Adam and put (baptised) us into Christ, so that now every blessing is ours automat