To Heaven and Back Again: Purpose of Baptism

Video: The Purpose of the Baptism of Repentance

God brought us together to begin the baptism of repentance. Once you receive a baptism of repentance, it is the beginning of a journey with God. The act of baptism is a solemn pledge to God in the sight of others that you are willing to turn from sin.

But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
(1 Corinthians 6:17-20 ESV)

We call Jesus, Lord, because He has purchased us, we are His bondservants: His willing servants. We must be willing to “bend the knee” to Him; to submit to our new Lord and the ways of His Kingdom. The season and time we are in, is critical for His kingdom. Knowing the season will help us in what the future holds.
Let’s look at what the Lord has brought, from the beginning of this season. In September 2023, God sent a vision to an elder at the church:

She was at the edge of a wheat field with God; The Father pointed out some tares (weeds resembling wheat) that she didn’t even recognize because they looked so much like wheat. Angels began moving into the field.

She recalled the story of the wheat and tares and knew God would begin removing the tares in the fall feasts.

Two elders and several others left the church during the Feast of Tabernacles. Several individuals came forward to give testimony. The actions they took as they left the ministry, clearly marked them tares or weeds.

In Strong’s Concordance, it says it is some kind of darnel, resembling wheat except the grains are black. Comparing the two types of plants will help us understand the difference between the wheat and tares:

Black is the color of sin, and wheat has a golden color representing God’s glory.

All are part of God’s kingdom, but how they began is quite different.

Darnel and wheat look the same until it is fully grown.

The top of the wheat gets heavy when it is grown and it bows or leans over.
Darnel heads don’t have any substance and they stand upright.

We humbly bow our heads to our God. Those in pride refuses to bow their heads to any authority, even God.
They look the same because pride is in the heart. The refusal to submit to authority is the key to recognizing them.

Wheat provides nourishment, darnels are poisonous.

Poison is often words spoken about others who are not present, stirring up strife and division.

We have discussed this parable in other messages, so let’s jump to the pertinent information. When we look at Jesus’ explanation of the parable we see the fate of both groups after God removes the tares:

But he said, No; lest while you gather up the tares, you root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather you together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matthew 13:29-30 AKJV)

And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13:40-43 AKJV)

The Lord has sent His angels to remove the tares, the weeds, from His church. Fire is correction and where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth” is away from His presence. John the Baptist also spoke of this:

I indeed baptize you in (with) water because of repentance [that is, because of your changing your minds for the better, heartily amending your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins]. But He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fan (shovel, fork) is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out and clean His threshing floor and gather and store His wheat in His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with fire that cannot be put out. (Matthew 3:11-12 AMPC)

The baptism of repentance is first, then the Lord gathers is wheat into His barn. A winnowing basket or fan is a tool for winnowing grain from chaff while removing dirt and dust too. The Lord gathered us together on June 1, 2024; we had worked together for years but many of us had never met in person. The purpose of the gathering was to begin the baptism of repentance which would mark the start of the process of the threshing floor so the wheat can shine forth as the sun! It is a process and the Lord sent a vision about this time:

Instead of dancing with the Lord in the gazebo, as I have so often done in visions of the Lord, Jesus approached me with His hair standing out widely like a lion’s mane with His eyes ablaze. As that comparison entered my mind, I saw a mountain-sized Lion marching across the world giving a tremendous and mighty roar. People began vibrating and black forms shook off of them.

Some shook until a bright light shone forth from them, while others shook and melted into either a spiritual death or a physical one. The Lord’s voice echoed in my head, “The Lion of Judah is marching across the land; He is roaring and shaking the Earth. Those who cling to Me will shine forth with My light; those who do not will fall away.”

This is the season and the reason for the baptism of repentance. You want to shake free of all that would hinder you from shining forth like the sun! The parable of the ten virgins also echo's this process. All were virgins, meaning Christians waiting for the Lord to return. We have covered the parable in other messages, so look at the part that applies here:

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the Bridegroom comes; go you out to meet Him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
(Matthew 25:6-7 AKJV)

This is the season: We must trim our wicks.

A Trimmed Wick:

creates an even, steady burn.
gives the flame a nice, even shape.

An Untrimmed Wick:

conveys too much fuel (wax) to the fire
the carbon buildup creates a black “mushroom cap” on the flame.

Black refers to sin

The Lord wants our light to shine steady and unhindered. We must be ready and willing to recognize sin that gives the enemy access. More than that, we must be willing to cut sin our of our lives so we can work effectively for Jesus.

If we look to what was accomplished on the cross, we know that He has paid the price to remove all hindrances if we are willing to look to Him. When Jesus was placed on the cross:

A crown of thorns had been placed upon His head: two-inch thorns pierced His head.

Thoughts are in our head.
If we permit Him, He can free our thoughts.
We must be willing to take every thought captive!
Are you willing to focus your thoughts on Him?

His hands were pierced with nails

We must be willing to work for Him.
Are your hands stained by sinful actions and unsuitable for work?

Are you willing to give up sinful actions?
Prayer may be necessary to set you free, or even help you desire to be free, but Jesus paid the price for you to be free from sin!

Jesus suffered much more than this, but these are the two things He said to focus on during this season. As our lives are shaken by attacks of the enemy, either upon us or our loved ones, we must look to Jesus. If we rest in Him, He will reveal what is allowing the enemy access and then the enemy can be shaken off. We will be one step closer to Him and be shining a little bit brighter!

Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing with God)? But thank God, though you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient with all your heart to the standard of teaching in which you were instructed and to which you were committed. And having been set free from sin, you have become the servants of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in thought, purpose, and action). (Romans 6:16-18 AMPC)

Our Lord has paid the price for us to be free from sin. Our part is to be willing to turn from sin as we find out what God sees as sin. If we continue in sin, then sin has certain rights over us and we can be afflicted by it. Even more, we may not be able to effectively do the will of our Lord because we are still bound by sin!

First you must begin to learn what Jesus expects of you. The Online Christian Church is here to help. Online classes, materials, and tutoring are all freely given. You can also receive prayer in online meetings. It is up to you. You should only receive a baptism of repentance if:

You want a deeper, more fulfilling relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You want to shake free of the attacks against you.
You want to shine forth with the glory of God

We hope to hear from you soon!

Online Christian Church courses of learning can be found at: www.onlinechristianchurch.com