- To begin, to be baptized in the name of Jesus, you must first belong to him, and according to Romans 8:9, the evidence that you belong to Jesus is the Holy Spirit. “You, however, are not in the flesh but the Spirit, if in fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.”
You cannot truly call yourself a disciple of Jesus Christ if you do not have the Holy Spirit. As a result, you do not yet fulfill the necessary spiritual requirements to be baptized in his name. Things can only be done in the name of Jesus by those who have a personal relationship with him. Read Matthew 7:21-27 to know, understand and practice the truths Jesus taught about people who call him Lord.
- Second, God gives the gift of the Holy Spirit to individuals who have placed their faith in Jesus. This spiritual rebirth, sometimes known as being “born again,” is the result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. After being regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit, the next step is to be baptized in water.
Several biblical passages instruct us on the importance of being born again through the Holy Spirit to join the royal family of God:
- Sealed with the Holy Spirit as evidence that you belong to God. Ephesians 1:13-16, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” Therefore, you are not of your own to live however you want but to live for God. Read and practice Romans 7:1-6.
- John 3:1-8, “Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
- Titus 3:1-7, “Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. We were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others, and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
- 1 John 3:9, “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed, abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.”
- 1 John
- 1 John 5:4, “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”
- Third, the Holy Spirit is evidenced I am a child of God.
Galatians 4:4-7, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
Romans 8:14-17, “For all who the Spirit of God leads are sons of God. The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if we are children, then heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.” You did not receive the Spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
