And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, “All power
is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore
and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the son and of the Holy Ghost: teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you: lo I am with you always even unto the end of the
world.[Matthews 28:18-20] .
And Philip said, if thou believest with all thine heart,
thou mayest. And he answered and said, “I believe that
Jesus Christ is the son of God. And he commanded the
chariot to stand still and they went down into the water,
both Philip and the Eunuch and he baptized him.
[Acts 8:36]
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized
And the same day there were added unto them about
three thousand souls [Acts 2:41].
The Greek word ‘baptizo’ means to ‘dip or immerse’ in water. This supports the practice of immersion. Some Christian denominations accept this as the only method. They hold to the belief that dipping one inside water signifies the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, the scriptures also support sprinkling of water [Ezekiel 36:25]. Little wonder Reforms tradition upholds the two methods. In baptism we invoke the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit [consecration] to set apart the water from every common use and trusting God to save the soul of the one who accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior and submit self for the ordinance. “Baptism is a Christians’ way of identifying publicly with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.”
Holy Spirit: One cannot become a Christian without God’s Spirit. He proceeds from the Father and the Son and is agent of new birth [John15:26].
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except
a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God. The wind blows where
it listed, and thou hears the sound thereof, but canst
not tell whence it cometh and whither it goes; so is every
one that is born of the Spirit.[John 3: 5, 8];
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send
unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, that
proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me. And
ye also shall bear witness because ye have been with
me from the beginning. [John15:26-27].
But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is
come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in
Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the
uppermost part of the earth. [Acts 1:8].
This I say then, Walk in Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill
the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the spirit,
and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the
one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
But if you are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
[Galatians 5:16-18].
He makes new creation in Christ; changes life to the image of Christ and seals until final redemption. The Spirit enable a Christian understand the things of God [1 Corinthians 2:11, 6:11; 2 Cor.3:18; Eph 1:13]. He flows from innermost being like a river and quicken us [John 6:38, 7:37-39]. The Holy Spirit gives life and liberty and impart power and gift to men [2 Cor. 3:6,17; Luke 24:49;1Cor 12:1-11].This Spirit of Truth abides among men for ever and teaches all things; reproves the world and cast out devil [John14:16,17;16:7-11;Matt 12:28]. However the world cannot receive Him [John14:17]. He works in a Christian to provide power, love and sound mind [2 Tim 1:6-7].
For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power
[1 Corinthians 4:20].
…….now if any man have not the spirit of Christ,
he is none of his [Romans 8:9b]
Witnessing is Christian’ vacation: “We are saved because somebody someday told us about Jesus. If we did not hear the Good News, we may have been living in darkness and groaning and travailing in pains and sorrow up till this day.” God revealed His love to us so that we live it and through us others may come to God through faith in Christ. If we have found Christ, the solution to all humans sins, we should not be reluctant to tell it to our families, relatives, friends and colleagues as well as neighbors; those living in fears of life, in abject poverty and who are sick. The world is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, to hear the truth about salvation [God’s saving grace].
Writing in, The whole world is waiting for you, Pastor Sunday Adelaja says, “Only God can deliver people from the curse of sin, from bondage to futility or whatever else it is that causes suffering. This is why God heals the sick, when they come to Church and deliver them from alcoholism and drug addition.” He added people need freedom, this freedom that only Christians have. Each one of us can testify how, when we turned to God and accepted Christ; we were set free from spiritual bondage. And this freedom that each one of us has is something that those in captivity to sin would like to have. As a matter of fact that is what they have been searching for in wrong quarters. We are called to set the world free through the power of the Gospel. God saved us; have chosen us and entrusted us with other people’s destinies. As Christians our mission is to preach the Gospel and tell people about the love of God exhibited in Christ sufferings, death and resurrection.
Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord and my servant
whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me,
and understand that I am he; before me there was no
God formed, neither shall there be after me. I even I am
the Lord; and beside me there is no savior. I have declared,
and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no
strange god among you; therefore ye are my witnesses,
saith the Lord, that I am God. [Isaiah 43:10-12].
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew
and hanged on a tree. Him has God exalted with his right
hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to
Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of
these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath
given to them that obey him [Acts 5:30-32].
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost
and with power; who went about doing good, and hearing
all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the
land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and
hanged on a tree… [Acts 10: 38-39]
Discipleship is God’s commission: When Andrew found Christ, he went first to invite his own brother Simon, whom Jesus named, Peter. Jesus Christ found Philip himself and Philip found Nathanael [John1:40-41, 43-45]. Since you became a Christian, how many people have you brought to Christ? Many who are Christians today came from fetish backgrounds, if they trace from two and three generation down. They became Christians by the sacrifices of early missionaries who left the comfort of their advance world to seek lost soul in other worlds. Christianity has been likened to two beggars who went out in search of bread. One first found some quantity, tasted it to confirm it was bread and taste good. He rushed out to get his partner to join him. A Christian is one who was glooming in darkness and has found glorious light. He can’t keep quite but open up to invite others to the great light. You can’t be in the light and hide yourself, become selfish or complacent. Jesus came to save the world from sin. You can’t answer a Christian and neglect the work of Christ. Jesus died for lost souls. We can’t be nonchalant and adamant in seeking lost souls perishing in our world.
Christians are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works – to reveal the love of Christ to the lost world [Ephesians 2:10]. On the last day what matters to Christ is the work of saving souls. How would you feel that on the last day you have no soul in your harvest? God’s call on Christians is neither to play religion or ‘Churchanity.’ We’re not asked to win members but souls. We should stop the crazy fight for membership. However, being a Church member is wonderful; everything we do – ushering members, teaching, prophesying, preaching, ministering in songs, visiting and caring for God’s house and people are excellent virtues. Of all these, the Great commission ask us to go and make disciples of all nations. In other words: go and reach out, bring them in, teach and mentor them and send them out. The Lord Jesus still says the harvest is great but the laborers are few. God depends on Christians as His laborers and co-harvesters of souls.
Christians are saved and delivered so that they may through the power of the Gospel set others free. The world is waiting to be saved by us; waiting for the immeasurable love that can transform thieves, immoral people, drug addicts and alcoholics without punishment and imprisonment. They wait to receive the precious gift in life – transformation in human lives. Little wonder Apostle Paul after tasting the rich glory of the Father vowed, Woe unto me if I do not preach the gospel; if I’m saved and doing nothing to get others saved [1 Corinthians .9:6]. But God who is rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, ……saved us by grace through faith in Christ Jesus……. are God’s workmanship created in Christ to witness that same Christ. [Ephesians 2:4-10].
………Go ye into the world and preach the gospel
to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall
be saved; but he that believes not shall be dammed.
And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my
name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak
with new tongues. They shall take up serpents and if
they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they
shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover
[Mark 16:15-18]
…But rise and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared
unto thee for this purpose to make thee a minister and
a witness both of these things which thou has seen and
of those things in the which I will appear unto thee.
Delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles,
unto whom now I send thee; to open their eyes and to
turn them from darkness to light and from the power of
Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of
sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by
faith that is in me. [Acts 26:16-18].
Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine; continue
in them for in doing this thou shall both save thyself and
them that hear thee. [1 Timothy 4:16].
Christians are not perfect people but just forgiven; they have put their trust in God who is perfect in all His way [Psalm 18:30]. They make mistakes and drift into sin; disagree with one another and sometimes loose their tempers. They understand how to rebound to God and ask for forgiveness and mercies. They are people called out by God’s unmerited favor despite their imperfections and inabilities to enjoy God’s unconditional love and mercy. They are sick people who have found a great Physician [Jesus Christ] and a caring hospital [The Church].Some are outward patients while others with severe cases are on admission; among them we have those in critical care, in labor wards and in psychiatric unit, etc. They are making process in health and shall soon be discharged to tell the world how the Lord Jesus healed them. This is witnessing – every Christian vocation. “The destiny of millions of unsaved people depends on us Christians”; because you have returned and made peace with your Maker, you now enjoy the power of His love, His grace and His mercies.
God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and
of love and of sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed
of the testimony of the Lord, or of me his prisoner but
be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according
to the power of God; who has saved us and called us with
an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to
his own purpose and grace, which was given us in
Christ Jesus before the world began…..[1 Timothy 1: 6-9].
For the earnest expectation of the creature waits for the
manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made
subject to vanity, not willing but by reason of him who
hath subjected the same in hope. Because the creature
itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty of the children of God……. ……
[Romans 8: 19-22]
For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now
obtained mercy through their unbelief; even so have these
also now not believed that through your mercy they also may
obtain mercy………..[Romans 11:30-32].
Are you a Christian? Can God depend upon you for proclaiming Him? How many people have heard the story of how God saved you? How many have heard how God healed you from sickness? How have you witnessed to the world the glorious light that shines in you, the joy you share, peace you enjoy in your heart? Someone needs to know how you found Christ and what you are still struggling with in your faith journey. Perhaps it’s your testimony that would change him/her. “Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave,……… tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.” Be a witnessing Christian and help to change our world.
Reach Evangelist Ogbonnaya, Godswill at weefreeministries@yahoo.com OR Box 720035, Houston, Texas 77272.