The Born Again Baptism

Colin Melbourne
© 02-08 Born-Again-Christian.Info

Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'

There is one body, one Spirit... one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God...

For we were all baptised by one Spirit into one body.

We (believers) died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Holy Bible Jn. 3:6-7, Eph. 4:4-5, 1 Co. 12:13, Ro. 6:2-5, Ti. 3:5-6 NIV

Baptised Into Christ: The Born Again Baptism

This is the most important baptism of all, it is the greatest experience this side of Heaven, and the only baptism that saves. It is the New Birth baptism, the point of salvation, when a genuinely repentant sinner first believes and receives the Lord Jesus Christ into their heart. They become a righteous child of God, saved by simple faith in the finished work of Christ.

This baptism is spiritual, invisible, but profoundly real, and must precede water baptism. The new believer is taken out of the devil's realm and baptised into Christ by the Holy Spirit Himself. Out of the authority of Satan and into the kingdom of God. All their guilt, sin and shame are instantly removed by the grace of God. Christ's eternal life comes into their spirits, they die to their old-self, and begin a new life in Christ.

Fuzzy Christianity and Nominal Christians

There's is no such thing as drifting into Christianity. It is a definite instantaneous transformation, wrought by God, the moment a sinner truly repents and believes on Christ. If you don't know when and where it occurred, you are still unsaved and in your sins. You can drift into religion, or a 'Christian' church-going routine, but nobody can be born of God without knowing it, and when it happened.

I heard that a famous evangelist's wife said she, 'doesn't know when she was saved', a statement I find incredible. New Testament believers knew when they were saved, they were all radically changed.

When Almighty God the Creator of Heaven and Earth, enters a person's heart, and brings them out of spiritual darkness and death into the glorious light and life of Christ, don't ask me to believe you don't know when it happens. I certainly knew, and so do all the people we lead to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is as clear-cut as when a person gets married. There must be the concious decision to repent and trust in Christ, or Jesus will not enter the person's heart. When He does, you know about it, Praise God for evermore!

The Inside Information Money Just Can't Buy

People who ask for help 'to know if they are saved', usually want you to tell them that they are, but the truth is they are not. When you're saved you do not need anybody to tell you, you are the one busy telling everyone else, "I'm saved! Glory! All my sins are gone, I'm forgiven!" You have the inner-witness that no man can gainsay.

Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. ... And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son, has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
1 Jn. 5:10,11-12

You only get this inner-witness as a result of the born again baptism into Christ, not after water-baptism. The cults and false-teachers try to subvert God's Word to infer that this is the same as water baptism, but water-baptism is a subsequent public representation of the believer's born again baptism.

Dry Water Baptisms

How many times have you seen somebody water-baptised and the Lord has shown you that they were wasting their time, because they were not yet saved? Remember the boxer Mike Tyson's theatrical water-baptism? Tragic.

'Christening': Satan's Invention

Any form of water baptism is pointless if the candidate is not genuinely born of God beforehand. They must hear the Good News, and decide to repent and believe in Christ to be born of God. This is why babies and infants cannot be baptised, they are too young to understand the Gospel and be saved. 'Christening' of babies is not in the Holy Bible, it's a man-made tradition concocted by false-teachers, who have to add to God's Word to justify the unbiblical practice.

The Bible Order is Saved First: Then Water Baptised

Many Scriptures show the distinction between being born again (the baptism into Christ), and water baptism. One of the clearest is the account of Cornelius the Centurion in Acts 10 and 11.

This Gentile was a devout God-fearing man, who was generous to the needy, and prayed daily to God, as the first two verses declare. But he was unsaved, still in his sins and condemned to Hell. Many Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Mormons and nominal Christians are devout, but they are unsaved. Demons are God-fearing, and they are doomed, many people are generous to the poor, but no righteous act will save anybody. You must be born again, and Cornelius was not. How can we be sure? Because Acts 11:14 confirms he was unsaved: Peter in justifying his actions to the religious crowd at head-office related that the angel God sent to Cornelius had said:

Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.

When Peter entered Cornelius' home, the Centurion was still in his sins, despite his devotion, prayers, and good deeds. Peter had come in obedience to God's command given after a vision, and he began to proclaim the simple Gospel message. Look at the beautiful humble way Cornelius and his household received the common fisherman from Galilee whom Christ had chosen;

The Roman Centurion fell at his feet and Peter had to tell him to get up. Can you imagine one of your high government officals or Army commanders throwing themselves down at your feet when you visit them?

Cornelius said in verse 33: Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.

Isn't that beautiful? He wasn't flattering a big-name preacher to gain favour, no, he really meant it, and how it must've thrilled God's heart. You can do that too.

As his whole household and friends listened to Peter, they believed on Christ and were born again. Before Peter could finish, God sent the Holy Spirit upon them, and they were also baptised in the Holy Spirit. No 'tarrying meetings' for these seekers. Halleluia!

Notice this: They must have been born again during Peter's message because Jesus speaking of the baptism in the Holy Spirit tells us in John 14:16-17 that the world, unbelievers, cannot accept the Holy Spirit. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is only for the saved. Here it is:

I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever, the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him, nor knows him.

That is clear enough, these Gentiles were unsaved before Peter began to preach. As he spoke, they repented and believed on Christ, and were born again, they were also baptised in the Holy Spirit as evidenced by their speaking in tongues. Peter hadn't even made an appeal (let alone 'an invitation').

What was Peter's reaction? It's in verses 47-48:

Can anyone keep these people from being baptised with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." So he ordered that they be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ.

God's Word plainly says that these people had received the Holy Spirit before their water baptism. That is the Bible order you must be born again before water baptism.

Please don't be led astray by some cults calling themselves 'Pentecostal' who spread the false-teaching that unless you speak in tongues you are not born again. The above example does not support their false teaching.

Incidentally, it's highly likely that Cornelius and friends were water-baptised the same day. With such receptive wholehearted believers, they would be leading the way to the water's edge before Peter had even gathered his reeling senses. Just like the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8, who'd just believed on Christ.

"Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptised?"

Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may."

The eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

He was born again, then he was water-baptised.

Now, what about you?

Addendum:

Here's a selection of Bible verses that refer to the new birth baptism, not water-baptism:

Jn. 3:3-8, 1 Co. 12:13, 1 Pe. 1:23, Jas. 1:18, 1 Pe. 3:21, Eph. 2:1-10, Col. 2:11-12, Ti. 3:5, Eph. 4:4-5, Gal. 3:27, Jn. 4:14, Ro. 6:2-4

Read them again in the light of the understanding you've just received, and you'll see them anew.

Have you been Born Again?

You will be experience the born again baptism When you take two simple steps...