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What a Christian Believes

heaven, an incident happened providing evidence of this
difference. Acts 19 v3-5 'So Paul asked (the people)
"Then what Baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism"
they replied. Paul said "John's baptism was a baptism of
repentance. He told people to believe in the one who
was coming after him, that is in Jesus." On hearing this
they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.'

So John the Baptist's baptism lasted only for a short while,
until Jesus' public ministry began.

In fact Jesus commenced his public ministry by being
Baptised by John. In so doing HE changed the purpose of
BAPTISM.

2. Christian Baptism in Water.

Jesus was without sin and therefore neither needed to repent
of them nor needed foregiveness. 1Peter 2 v22 'He
committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His
mouth.'

John knew this, so when Jesus came to him, he did not want
to Baptise Him. Matthew 3 v14 '...."I need to be baptised
by you and do you come to me?"

With Jesus response is seen the new meaning and purpose
of baptism. v15 "Permit it to be so now; for thus it is
fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness."

Jesus is saying

(a) it has to be now, it is the start of something new.

(b) 'Us', firstly meaning Himself and John setting in place this
new meaning of Baptism. It was to declare publicly the

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