Summary:
The speaker explains the True Jesus Church’s doctrine on baptism and our belief that baptism is necessary for salvation. This sermon also describes the mode of baptism as recorded in the bible.

1. Baptism must be done in the name of Jesus
2. The baptismal candidate must be fully immersed
3. The baptismal candidate is to be lowered into the water with head bowed
4. The baptism must take place in living water

Baptism is an important sacrament of the church because it pertains to salvation. But some Christians deem baptism as unimportant. They think salvation depends on our belief in Jesus, not baptism. They refer to Paul’s words in Rom 10:10.
“For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

To be saved, we must definitely have faith in Jesus. But how do we put our faith in Jesus?

In Mark 16:16, Jesus says, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
If you truly believe in Jesus, then you have to obey His words to be baptised to be saved.

Why does Jesus instruct that one must be baptised in order to be saved? Because it is through baptism that Jesus washes away the sins of men.

Acts 22:16
This is how Jesus chose Paul. Jesus instructed Ananias to baptise Paul. Ananias said to Paul, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’”

Some Christians believe that our sins are washed away not at the point of baptism, but at the point of repentance. They use the example of the thief on the cross who had not been baptised but put his trust in Jesus, and Jesus said he would be with Him in paradise. It is true the thief did not get baptised, but only repented and was saved. But this is a special case. It was not that he did not need to be baptised but rather, had no opportunity to do so. If repentance itself was the only condition to be saved, had not Paul already repented? Hadn’t Jesus chosen him to be an apostle? Why did Jesus instruct Ananias to baptise Paul? Because Jesus, through baptism, washes away the sins of men.

Why are the waters of baptism able to cleanse one of sin? Some Christians don’t believe baptism washes sins away. Because they know the waters of baptism in itself don’t have the power to wash sins away. If baptism is only about water, the water does not have the power to wash sins away. But apostle John tells us that baptism is not only about water but also with blood.

1 John 5:6-7
“6 This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.
7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.”

John said Jesus came by water and blood. What do water and blood refer to? They refer to the water and blood that flowed from the side of Jesus when He was crucified.

John 19:33-35
“33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.”

When the soldier pierced the side of Jesus with his spear, immediately, blood and water came out. This was a very special scenario. If John had only seen blood flowing out, that would have been normal. But what he had seen was blood AND water flowing out. And he emphasised that this was true! Why would blood and water flow out of Jesus’ body after He died? There’s only one explanation. Jesus would offer remission of sins by water and blood that flowed from His side. That’s the reason why John specially recorded this event, and emphasised his testimony was true. “His testimony is true and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe”. What are we to believe in? The fact that Jesus died, and that water and blood flowed from His side to save men from sins.

How would the water and blood that flowed from Jesus’ side form a relationship with men to save him? Is it at the point of belief? No. It’s at the point of baptism.

If we say “I believe water quenches thirst.”, will our thirst be quenched just because we said this statement? Of course not. It is only when we drink the water can our thirst be quenched. “I believe that the blood of Jesus forgives my sins.” Will our sins be forgiven just because we have this belief in my heart? No. Our sins will not be forgiven until we get baptised and have the blood of Jesus wash our sins away. That is why Jesus instructed those who believe in him to receive baptism. It is in baptism that we receive remission of sins. This is because in the water of baptism is the blood.

1 John 5:6-7
Jesus came by water and by blood. That is to say, Jesus came by water and blood to save men from sins. In the Chinese Bible, it records that we are saved not just with water but with the use of blood as well. What does the phrase “not just with water” mean? Water refers to baptism. Some may say, in this passage, John doesn’t specifically mention baptism. Let’s then consider, if these verses do not refer to baptism, what would they refer to? Which sacrament/ordinance in the church uses water and blood? We all know that it is only baptism. With regards to baptism, John said, ‘not only with water, but with water and the blood.’ This means that the one being baptised is not just submerged in water but also submerged in the blood of Jesus. In so doing, his sins are cleansed by the precious blood of Jesus.

John wrote in Rev 1:5,
‘and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,’
The KJV and NKJV versions record, “to Him who loved us and washed us with our sins with his own blood”.

This is in unison with what John wrote in 1 John. In baptism, it is with water and blood. You enter into water but also into the blood of the Lord. It’s only because we enter into the blood of the Lord that our sins can be forgiven.

How do the waters of baptism become the blood of Jesus Christ?
It is the Holy Spirit that turns the water into blood. That’s why John follows by saying the Holy Spirit is the witness. The Spirit witnesses to the fact that in baptism, it is not just with water, but with the blood as well. Not only is the Spirit the witness, during baptism the Lord has shown visions that the blood of Christ is present in our baptism.

The speaker has heard Preacher Ko testify of a 50 year old woman in Kenya, Africa, who was a high school teacher and who was originally a Roman Catholic. When she visited a Baptist church, she realised immersion was the correct mode of baptism. So she became a Baptist by immersion. Then she visited a Pentecostal church and realised speaking in tongues is correct and hence sought to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. She then received baptism in the Pentecostal church. Subsequently, she came into contact with the True Jesus Church. She realised that all the true and correct teachings are found in the True Jesus Church. She heard that in baptism there is the remission of sins. It is through baptism that Jesus cleanses us from sins. She was hence baptised once again, this time into the True Jesus Church. During her baptism, when the preacher baptised her in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and pressed her into the water, she froze. She could not move and could not get out of the water. This shocked the preacher. With strength, he pulled her out of the water and asked 4 brothers by the bank to get her out of the water, as there were still other baptismal candidates waiting to be baptised. The preacher wondered why this had happened. In our church, there have been testimonies where people had to be carried into the water but miraculously could walk out by themselves. Why was this sister able to walk into the water but had to be carried out? After the entire baptism was over, she recovered. Everyone went back to church to pray. In her prayer, she cried out in agony. She asked to testify. She testified that when she was being baptised, doubt crept into her heart and she wondered, ‘Is baptism really able to wash away my sins?’ She thought, ‘Let it be. I shall just get baptised now, and if it turns out to be wrong, I can just make it right with another baptism.’ When the preacher said “In the name of Jesus I baptise you,” she no longer saw water but blood before her eyes. She was extremely shocked. But the preacher didn’t give her time to ponder. He pressed her into the water. When she was in the water, she saw that it was blood in the water! She was shocked. It was not that she was numb and lost consciousness. Rather, she was overwhelmed with shock that she became speechless. She could not even move herself. She was filled with gratitude that the Lord Himself had testified to her that baptism truly washes away sins. Truly, the blood of Jesus is in the water. She testified that only in the True Jesus Church she experienced this. She was convinced the baptism conducted in the True Jesus Church washes away sins. She believed that only in the True Jesus Church can one receive salvation because of the baptism conducted.

We have the teaching of apostle John in the Bible. We have the testimony of the Holy Spirit. We have visions from the Lord that this is the truth. Why then is it that some people still don’t believe?

Visions of blood in the water aren’t seen only by believers. They’re also seen by unbelievers. They are seen not only by adults but also by children.

In Sungei Siput, Malaysia, a newly baptised sister testified to the speaker. She was the only one in her family to believe. Her children and her husband were not believers yet. On the day she was baptised, her husband and children were there. Thank God, the baptism was conducted smoothly. After the footwashing and Holy Communion sacrament, they went back home. However, after a while, she came back to church (which at that time, was the speaker’s uncle’s house). She was filled with joy and very excited. The speaker’s uncle wondered what the matter was. She shouted in excitement: “I saw it, I saw it!” The uncle replied, “What did you see?” She said, “I saw blood!” The uncle realised she was not talking about herself but her son. The sister testified that when she was being baptised, her son saw that the water was no longer water, but had become blood. But her son did not dare to say anything. It was only when they had gone back home, that he quietly told his mother, “When I saw you being baptised it was clearly water. But the moment the preacher put you into the water, it was no longer water but blood.” He had thought his eyes were deceiving him so he looked again but it was blood. The sister said to her son, “I’ll explain to you when I come back!” And she rushed to church to share this testimony.

In our church, we have many such testimonies. Not only in Singapore and Malaysia, but in the True Jesus Church all around the world. We know visions don’t just appear to someone because they want to see one. Many people watch the baptisms being conducted because they want to see visions of blood. After attending the baptism many times, they see nothing. So we can conclude that these visions do not appear out of one’s own imagination. Rather, it is the Lord Jesus who gives this vision to people to testify of baptism. The baptism of the true church washes your sins away and saves you.

Baptism is a sacrament for the remission of sins. It is unlike what many Christians believe of baptism - that it is just an initiation rite. If it was so, then it does not matter how we are baptised. But because baptism is a sacrament for the remission of sins, we must be extra careful to ensure that the mode of baptism is in accordance to the instructions of the Lord. How should baptism be conducted?

1. Must be done in the name of Jesus

Acts 2:38
‘Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’

Acts 8:16 ‘For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.’

Acts 10:48
‘And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.’

Acts 19:5
‘When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.’

In these four portions of scripture, baptism was conducted in different places and at different times. No matter the place or the time, baptism must be conducted in the name of Jesus.

Some might ask, why is it that in Matt 28:19, Jesus clearly says “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
Why did the disciples not act according to the instructions of Jesus here to baptise in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but according to the name of Jesus? Different Christian denominations have different explanations. A Bible scholar has this explanation: In most manuscripts, it records, “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”, but in some manuscripts it records “baptising them in MY name”. How do we know which manuscripts are correct? It is true that the manuscripts with more copies are correct? We know that more does not necessarily mean right. This scholar points out two important points for our reference.

Firstly, the apostles heard Jesus for themselves. It was not just a handful of apostles but the larger group of disciples who heard Jesus as well. Subsequently, in actual practice baptism was conducted in the name of Jesus, and not in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This points to the fact that Jesus said to “baptise then in My name”. Because these were first hand witnesses who heard Jesus with their own ears.

Secondly, “in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit” is a phrase commonly used by the Trinitarians. We know that the doctrine of trinity was first mentioned quite late in the second century. Initially, it was not accepted by a great majority of Christians. Only in the 4th century that it was officially accepted in the council of Nicea. So it is quite clear that during the apostolic age, there was the absence of the phrase “Father, Son and Holy Spirit”. It was added later by people. But from the verses in Acts we read earlier, in different places at different times, disciples during the apostolic age baptised people using the name of Jesus. Hence, it is only through the name of Jesus that a person can be saved. Baptism must be conducted in the name of Jesus.

2. The baptismal candidate must be fully immersed.

The Chinese word we use for baptism is 洗礼 which means cleansing rite. This conjures up a different image in mind. But in the original language, Greek, the word ‘baptism’ means immersion. The Baptists use 浸礼, which means an ‘immersion rite’ and not a ‘cleansing rite’. Besides the meaning of the word, we also see that when Jesus Himself was baptised, it was by immersion.

Matt 3:16
‘When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.’

When Jesus had been baptised, He came up from the water. This means He had to enter and be immersed, and hence why He had to come UP from the water. Some people talk of a film that depicted Jesus’ baptism - He walked into the water but was sprinkled. The film showed that the actor Jesus walked into the water waist deep, and then John the Baptist cupped some water and sprinkled it onto His head. But we know this is the imagination of the film director but not what the Bible says. Perhaps they depicted it in this way because they did not want to offend Baptists who immerse as well as the Roman Catholics who baptise by effusion/sprinkling. Hence the film portrays him as being immersed and also sprinkled. But let’s consider, if the baptism was conducted by sprinkling or pouring and not by immersion, why get into the water in the first place? If one cannot accept the simple presentation of scripture, he’ll imagine all kinds of things that we perhaps may not think of.

Acts 8:36-39 ‘36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”
37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.’

This passage is about Jesus sending Philip to baptise the Ethiopian eunuch. When the Ethiopian eunuch saw water, he said, “What hinders me from being baptized?” Philip told him that if he believed with all his heart, he could be baptised. The eunuch confirmed that he believed. Philip then baptised him. In verse 39, it records that they came up out of the water. Both went into the water and both came UP OUT of the water.
The record of such actions tells us clearly that baptism is by immersion.

3. Have to be lowered into the water with head bowed

Many Christians are immersed face upwards. But for us, we are baptised with our face downwards. Why must we bow face downwards?

Rom 6:3-5
‘3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,’

Paul explains the truth about baptism. He talks about two important points of significance during baptism. These two points of significance are carried out with two different actions.

Firstly, baptism is burial with Christ. Hence, in baptism the entire body must be immersed. This is to be buried together with the Lord. Other forms of baptism such as sprinkling and pouring cannot achieve this fact.

Secondly, baptism is to be united in the likeness of the death of the Lord. John 19:30
‘So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.”’

When Jesus died, His manner was bowing His head. He died by crucifixion. Clearly, He would have lowered His head. John saw that when Jesus’ side was pierced, water and blood flowed. What Paul saw was Jesus bowing His head. Hence being baptised is sharing in the likeness of His death and His resurrection.

Are we not expecting our resurrection because we’re buried in Christ? In burial, one does not get buried face downwards. Since in a normal burial the head faces upwards, this seems reasonable. But the emphasis of Paul is not to be united in likeness of burial but rather, in likeness of death. The burial in itself is not very meaningful. The manner of death may not be very important. But the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ was very special. Even though He was crucified a torturous death, He died in that way voluntarily. He wants to save us from our sins through His death. So to Christians, His death is of great significance and has to do with our salvation. So in explaining doctrine of baptism, Paul says we have to be united in the manner of His death. Then we shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. So our baptism has to be head bowed.

4. Must be in living water

Eph 4:4-6
‘There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.’
There is only one baptism. If the apostles conducted the baptism in a certain way, we must be sure to follow as well. Notice that Jesus and disciples took the trouble to go to large pools of natural water to conduct baptism even though artificial pools were available at that time. (Mark 1:9-10, John 3:23, Acts 8:36-38)

Accepting this is a matter of faith. If we are willing to follow three out of four of these aspects in the correct mode of baptism, why are we not willing to follow the fourth one, especially since the Bible is silent on any other way? Why fight with God?

If we believe that baptism pertains to salvation and we believe in abiding by the other 3 aspects of the mode of baptism (in the name of Jesus, head bowed, total immersion), why not take the fourth one too? To argue about this is very dangerous; especially since it’s to do with God’s word.

If we were to think about it in terms of probability, would it be more likely that baptism is in natural water or in artificial pools?

Many Protestants ask, ‘Why are you adding to the bible? The Bible didn’t insist on this.” However, Ephesians 4 implies that there’s only ONE way so it is of utmost importance to find that ONE way. If one is of the belief that we should not baptise in living water, then one should prove it, because there can only be one way. (Note: background - people started conducting baptism in artificial pools for convenience sake)
Baptising in artificial pools is evidently different from baptising in natural water which was what Jesus and HIs disciples took the trouble to do.

If we really believe in Jesus, then we must be baptised to be saved. But we have to ask ourselves if the baptism we have undertaken is the same as what the apostles have condicurf. Is it the baptism according to John not just with water but also blood? This is a serious question to consider because it has to do with our salvation. May the Holy Spirit move all of us to understand the truth of baptism.