How can we ensure our baptism aligns with the teachings in Acts 19:3? Snapshot of Acts 19:1-7 • Paul meets about twelve disciples in Ephesus. • They are believers, yet they have never heard of the Holy Spirit. • “Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asks. • “Into John’s baptism,” they reply (Acts 19:3). • Paul explains that John’s baptism pointed forward to faith in Jesus. • They are then baptized “in the name of the Lord Jesus,” receive the Holy Spirit, and begin speaking in tongues and prophesying (vv. 5-6). Core Truths Highlighted by Paul’s Question • Baptism must be connected to the full gospel of Jesus Christ, not merely to repentance that anticipates Him. • New-covenant baptism includes reception of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 12:13). • Proper baptism follows personal faith in the risen Lord (Acts 8:36-38; Galatians 3:26-27). • The authority invoked is the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19), yet Scripture often compresses that formula to “the name of Jesus” to stress allegiance to Him (Acts 10:48). Practical Steps to Align Our Baptism with Acts 19:3 1. Examine the foundation – Have I personally turned from sin and trusted Jesus as Savior and Lord? (Romans 10:9-10) – Did my baptism come after conscious faith, not before? 2. Confirm the message embraced – Was I taught that Jesus died, was buried, and rose physically, and that baptism pictures union with that work? (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12) – Was the Holy Spirit presented as God’s promised gift to every believer? (Acts 2:38-39) 3. Check the mode and meaning – Was I immersed in water, the New Testament norm symbolizing burial and resurrection? (John 3:23; Acts 8:38-39) – Was the act explained as an outward confession of an inward reality, not a mere ritual? 4. Verify the authority invoked – Was I baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19), thereby identifying openly with the Triune God? – Did those administering the baptism themselves trust Christ and hold to biblical doctrine? (2 Timothy 2:2) 5. Embrace the Spirit’s indwelling – Have I consciously welcomed the Holy Spirit’s presence and power, evidenced by growing fruit and gifting? (Galatians 5:22-25; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11) – Am I walking daily in step with Him, not relying on a past event alone? (Ephesians 5:18) Indicators That Your Baptism Mirrors Acts 19 Alignment • Clear testimony: “I believed first, then was baptized.” • Confession centered on Jesus’ death and resurrection, not merely moral improvement. • Awareness and experience of the Holy Spirit’s convicting, sealing, and empowering work. • Ongoing obedience—joining a local church, partaking of communion, engaging in discipleship (Acts 2:41-42). Living Out What Your Baptism Declares • Remember your baptism whenever temptation arises: you were buried with Christ and raised to new life (Romans 6:11). • Share the story; baptism is public, so keep pointing others to the One you confessed. • Serve in the Spirit’s strength, letting the same power that raised Jesus animate every good work (Ephesians 1:19-20). |
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