BAPTISM

QUESTION:  Can a born again believer go to heaven if he/she dies before getting baptized?

ANSWER:  Yes.  Baptism is something we do in honour of Jesus as part of our public profession of our faith in Him.  But if a born again person dies before getting baptized, they will still go to heaven.  Believing on the Name of Jesus is the key to salvation and entrance into heaven.

QUESTION:  Is it advisable to baptize children? Which age is recommended for one to be baptized? And can a backslidden Christian undergo another baptism?

ANSWER:  When a child is able to understand the plan of Salvation and receive Jesus into their heart, confessing Him as their Saviour, they are old enough to be baptized.  Baptism should be encouraged and made available to a child when they have given their heart to the Lord, but it has to be left up to the child to make the choice to be baptized.  Many children have received the Lord into their heart and been baptized as young as 2 or 3 years of age.  Scriptures indicate no age requirement, only that one receives and understands their commitment to serve the Lord.

If someone who has backslidden returns to the Lord and rededicates their life to Him, it is perfectly all right to be baptized again as a public confession of one's choice to live for God.  It is also fine for any believer who desires to be baptized more than once to receive additional baptisms in water.

QUESTION:  If one was backslidden, having been baptized in water and spirit, and finally decides to return back to Christ, can he receive the gift of the Holy Ghost before being immersed again in water, and is it compulsory for him to be baptized after coming back to Christ? 

ANSWER:   Baptism in water is a public testament of one's faith in Jesus Christ and change of life through Him.  It is something we should do when we receive Jesus as our Lord, yet it is not a requirement that one be baptized in water before receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit.  (Acts 10.44-48)

When one who is backslidden returns to the Lord it is not necessary that he be baptized again in water - However, most individuals who were backslidden and return to the Lord want to be immersed again in water as a testimony to their renewal in Him.

QUESTION:  The three types of Baptism are: - Water Baptism, Holy Spirit Baptism, and Fire Baptism.  Now the agent for water baptism is water; for Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit, what of Fire Baptism? And if is fire how is being administered? And who are those worthy for fire baptism?

ANSWER:  Mark 1.4 and Luke 3.3 speak of the Baptism of Repentance for the remission of sins. This is the First Baptism: SALVATION - being Born Again.  I Cor. 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. (NASB)

This is not water baptism, but a distinct event where the Holy Spirit baptizes you into the Body of Christ.

In order to obtain from heaven the Spirit of Jesus (the Holy Spirit), it is first necessary that the individual shall know that his sins are blotted out, that the Blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed his heart and cleansed him from the sinful nature, the inherent nature of sin.  When one repents of a life apart from God and believes (accepts) Christ's sacrifice on the cross for their sin, they are transferred (baptized) into the body of Christ, and become a member of His body.

We see from I Corinthians 12:13 that it is the Spirit that is doing the baptizing.  And He is baptizing us into The Body.  The Holy Spirit is the agent and He is baptizing us into the Body.

The Second Baptism is: WATER.  Jesus commanded us in Matthew 28:19 - "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

In the second baptism it is disciples which baptize believers in water. After the old man or the old nature has been cut away (circumcised) through the Blood of Christ, the old nature is to be buried  in the waters of baptism.  (Romans 6.3-5,  Colossians 2.11-12)

The Third Baptism is: The HOLY SPIRIT and Fire [Matthew 3.11, Mark 1.8, Luke 3.16, John 1.33 Luke 24.49, Acts 1:4-5]

Matthew 3:11"(John said) I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."

 "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."  In Salvation, the Holy Spirit baptizes us into Jesus.  Then Jesus baptizes us into the Holy Spirit.  Baptism with the Holy Spirit and Fire are received synonymously.  The FIRE spoken of here is referencing the Power and Holiness of God.  Jesus said "You will receive POWER after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you." (Acts 1.8)  Jesus baptizes us into God's very own power and holiness so that we can live a life full of the greater works He has called us to do as His Anointed Body.  The third baptism, baptism with the Holy Spirit and Fire, is for those who want to go on to maturity.    To have an overcoming life on this earth you need all three baptisms.