Bible Studies
PURPOSE of SOUL BAPTISM
Why is this baptism or salvation of the soul so important? If our spirit has been resurrected and we now have the 'everlasting life' promised to us in John 3:16, why can we not live any way we choose and still go to heaven? There are several reasons for this which takes us back to John the Baptist's statement about Jesus in Matt. 3:11, “ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” We seem to forget about the that very last phrase “and with fire.” Fire represents judgment.
All sin has consequences. Jesus took care of the eternal punishment for our sin by His death on the cross. But there are other consequences that must be paid. Heb. 12:6-11 says, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
As a father disciplines a child that has disobeyed, so God will discipline His children when we disobey. Our disobedience does not cause us to loose our relationship with the Father, but it does cause us to loose our fellowship with Him. God's law was given to us to tell us how to stay in fellowship with Him. The children of Israel were supposed to follow it so they could remain in the land, so their crops would grow, so their cattle would reproduce, so they would live a full and rich life down here. Paul said he followed God's law and died to self daily because he was worried about becoming a 'castaway'. (1 Cor. 9:27) He was not worried about loosing his spiritual salvation. He was worried about God putting him on a shelf and no longer using him.
This dying to self for the salvation of the soul takes a lifetime. We have to be ever vigilant “because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1 Pet. 5:8) We hear stories all the time about preachers who have had affairs with their secretaries, and how it has ruined their ministry. As long as we have our sin nature, we will have to work, with God's help, at saving our soul. This is one possible application of the statement “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Matt. 24:13)
Eph. 2:8-10 says that we are saved by faith, but then after we are saved we are to do good works. We are supposed to live in a way that will honor God. The Great Commission tells us that we are to work, we are to spread His gospel. We are to live in such a way as to increase His kingdom. How we live our lives will be judged. 1 Cor. 3:9-15 says, “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
You see, this baptism of the soul, this dying to self and living after the Spirit, not only has temporary benefits for this life. It also has eternal benefits in the next. Matt. 6:19-21 says, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Jesus spake these words. By doing so, He has told us that we will not all be equal in heaven. Some people lay up more treasure than others. Some don't lay up any treasure at all. Yes, everyone who goes to heaven is rich in that they are in heaven and not hell. And I do not know how it will work, but I believe those who have laid up little or no treasure will wish they had.
Remember the parabel of the pound? “He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good
servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a
napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou
knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.” ( Luke 19:12-26)
“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.” (Matt. 24:42-47)
We see, in these parabels, that those who are more faithful in how they live down here will rule over more when they get to heaven. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” (1 Cor.4:2) Living faithfully for God down here will have eternal benefits. We need to think of this life down here as getting a college degree. The better grades you get now will raise your standard of living later. We need to do our best, and God forbid if we should flunk out.
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