(1) AGE:- There some conditionalities to be met before baptism to take place. Age is the most impportant of all. The participant in the baptism must be mentally matured, must be able to give an account of him or herself, able to reason and understand that he is about entering into covenant or lifetime agreement with God and descide for him or herself to follow Christ till death and should know what the journey is all about. He or she should not do it under compulsion but of a personal selfwill.
(2) BELIEF:-This is the bedrock of conviction that leads to repentance and confession. It is the nexus or connecting rod linking the sinner to his saviour(Acts 11:38-39) One must first believe and accept that Jesus is his personal Lord and saviour, and that He is the only begotten son of God who has the devine power to forgive sins and salvage all mankind. It is only when one believes in Christ's ability to save, that repentance and confession is done through His name (JESUS) Acts 4:12n John 8:34-36, Romans 10:9-10, John 4:40-53.
(3) REPENTANCE:- It is a condition of remorse or spiritual regret experience by a sinner who is convinced by the Holy spirit into realizing that he has derailed or gone astray from the way of God. If the participant did not find himself under that state of remorse before baptism, he should consider himself unfit for baptism because it is the godly grief or sorrow that brings repentance. 2nd corrinthians 7:10, Acts 3:37.
(4) CONFESSION AND FORSAKING OF SIN:- When one is truely arrested by the Holy spirit, he is pushed by a spiritual force to expose his sins, thereby disgracing the devil and freeing himself from bondage. Repentance leads to a spiritual grief and grief leads to a state of remorse and remorse produce a broken spirit and contrite heart which finally produce penitential tears and this state of penitence leads to confession and a sin confessed must be forsaken; if not forsaken, that means, that one returns to former state after verbal confession, hence, a sin forsaken brings a true cleansing. Where confession is not done and sin forsaken, true repentance has not taken place. As it is written, he that confess his sins shall be forgiven, but he that conceals it shall not be forgiven and there is no salvation for him. Romans 10:9-11, Ephessians 5:11-13, Proverbs 28:13.
(5) FAITH:- It is an assurence through spiritual conviction of what is not seen. Having been baptized, you must have the faith that the kingdom not yet envisaged, must one day be brought into focus where every suffering of the saints would be rewarded as Christ promised us in John 14:1-3. It is only one's faith in the unfailing promises of God to his children that will sustain one to continue in the race, despite the trails and tests or whatever, for we are sure through faith that they are momentary, as the scripture says:- No eyes have seen, No ear have heared nor any heart percieved what God has prepared for those who wait on him 1st corrinthians 2:9-11.
It is on this ground that one, after baptism keeps to his promises to God not go back to the worldly life. Hence, one cast his anxieties upon Christ to enable him achieve his aim I covenanting with God. 2nd Peter 3:4-7, Hebrew 11:1-6.
(6) COVENANT:- It is an agreement between God and man. The person going for baptism should be made to realise that he is going into covenant or Agreement with God his creator, to do and observe His will and commands. The covenant or Agreement is made up of THE LAWS, THE STATUTES, THE ORDINANCES AND THE JUDGEMENTS OF. GOD/ THE ELOHIM OF ISRAEL( AMOS 3:3-7).
THE LAWS:- It is a devine order that edifies, corrects, reproves, trains and defines the duties of man to his fellow man and to his creator. It also help to regulate the activities of man and defines his limitations in life; Hence, mankind is subject to the supreme God through the observation of God's laws. Exodus 20:1-17, Deutronomy 28:1-end, Galatians 5:16-25, 1st John 2:3-6.
THE STATUTES:- The statutes are the embodiments of the secred and ceremonial festivals inaugurated during the creation. Genesis 1:14(Goodnews Bible) and the details in the book of Leviticus 23:1-44. These festivals are memorials of recent and future occurrences which are celebrated in honour and in preparation to usher in the Messianic reign. John 7:1-37, Acts 2:1-38.
THE ORDINANCES:- These are the ceremony of ritual cleansings or preparations attached to the laws and observerance of the statutes. These include baptism as a ceremonial cleansing, preparation before the sabbath, burial and after child birth cleansing, just to mention but few. (Leviticus 12:1-8, John 3:3-6, Mathew 3:11, Luke 2:22, Numbers 19:11-18, Leviticus 15:16, Numbers 6:1-end.
THE JUDGEMENT:- This is an official or devine decision given by God himself. It is an order of punishment to be meted instantaneously or subsequently by man or God himself against the offender or breaker of God's laws without any further human interference. At the same time, it is a devine order of blessing that will acrue to the faithful observer of God's law which no human being can obstruct or prevent from manifesting, for it is Devine. (Deutronomy 6 vs24, having received the baptism, one is expected to live a life fully directed by the Holy spirit and not to walk in or gratify the things of the flesh, Romans 8:28-30 says:- WE KNOW THAT IN EVERYTHING, GOD WORKS FOR GOOD WITH THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. FOR THOSE WHOM HE FOREKNEW, HE ALSO PREDESTINED TO BE COMFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON IN ORDER THAT HE MIGHT BE THE FIRST BORN AMONG MANY BRETHREN. AND THOSE WHOM HE PREDESTINED, HE ALSO CALLED, AND THOSE WHOM HE CALLED HE ALSO JUSTIFIED; AND THOSE WHOM HE JUSTIFIED HE ALSO GLORIFIED.
The word "He Justifies" means that you have been acquitted, made righteous, putting you into right standing with Himself.
The word "Glorified" means raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being. Consequently, it is the will of God, having done all these for us, that we should be also sanctified spiritually and physically.(1st thess 4:3).
The word "Sanctification" means concecrated and set apart for pure and holy living. This could only be possible by having the word of God or God's covenant enshrined in your heart and meditating on them, Day-in and Day-out Romans 8:4-10. It is only living according to His words, understanding your duties to your fellow human and to your creator that you will retain the right your sonship.(Joshua 1:7-8, John 1:9-12, Mathew 7:12.
In view of the above affirmation, let me quickly introduce the root or foundation of the words of God.(Galatians 5:16-24). Having sanctified and glorified us by his blood; we ought to walk and live by the Holy spirit and free from impurity which is disobedience to the word of God(THE LAWS). Which are the ten commandments. The ten Commandments were incidentally devided into six hundred and thirteen pieces of laws covering every aspect of human activities in life(DUTIES TO FELLOW MAN AND GOD). HAVING BEEN SANCTIFIED BY HIS WORDS, YOU HAVE BEEN SEPERATED, WASHED AND SET APART FOR THE PURPOSE OF HIS KINGDOM WHICH GOD HAS PREDESTINED TO HIS CHOSEN ONES. Consequently, you are no longer under the law or servitude, for the spirit of Christ has set you free and the life you live henceforth becomes a blessing to mankind. For you are now living in the similitude of Christ nature. Romans 8:29. THAT IS THE PRAYER OF ALL BELIEVERS. HALLELU'YAH!!!!!!!
SHALOM ALL.
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