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Baptism
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Baptism When we speak about baptism we usually mean baptism of water, either by sprinkling or immersion. This is frequently mentioned in Acts. However also talked about is the baptism of fire or the Holy Spirit. Both John’s and Jesus’ baptisms were of water, however Jesus also sent the Holy Spirit baptism; first by tongues of fire for the disciples and then usually at the baptism of believers (Jesus’). Water baptism is not only restricted to Christianity it is also an important part of other religions. Water was used as a symbol of purification in many religions at a very early date. In the ancient world, the waters of the Ganges in India, the Euphrates in Babylonia, and the Nile in Egypt were used for sacred baths. The sacred bath was also known in Hellenistic mystery cults. Jewish law provided for the use of water in ritual cleansing (Leviticus 11:25, 40; 15:5-7); and Elisha commanded the Syrian commander Naaman to dip himself in the Jordan River to be cleansed of leprosy (2 Kings 5). Well before the 1st century AD, converts to Judaism were required to bathe (or baptize) themselves as a sign of entering the covenant (tebilath gerim). Some of the later prophets envisaged that Jewish exiles returning home would cross the Jordan and be sprinkled with its water to cleanse them of sins prior to the establishment of the kingdom of God (Ezekiel 36:25). In this tradition, Jesus' older contemporary John the Baptist urged Jews to be baptized in the Jordan for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4). In Acts, John’s baptism is mentioned in chapters 1 and 19. In chapter 1 Jesus was quoted “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Jesus drew a distinction between water baptism and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In chapter nineteen we meet believers whose conversion was incomplete.
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