As followers of Jesus Christ, we must verify well that every new believer is ready to be baptized or fully immersed in water. The reason why is because we have seen many people getting baptised in water, but afterwards they do nothing or very little for the Lord. And this is because they didn't understand the real meaning of immersion in water, in the first place.
JESUS was also immersed in water, but not because of sin, as He had a sinless nature. He was baptised by John the Baptist as a sign of COMMITMENT before his Father in Heaven, to WORK for Him, and also SUFFER and DIE and RESURRECT to take away the sins of the world. His only focus and goal was to redeem us from our sins and sinful nature by the shedding of his blood, so that we could be justified and reconciled with God his Father, and receive his Holy Spirit. (See Matthew 3:13-17; 20:20-28; 26:26-28; Mark 1:9-11; 10:35-45; Luke 3:21-22; 12:49-50; John 1:29-34; 3:1-21; Romans 5:6-20; Colossians 1:12-20; Titus 3:3-7; 1Peter 1:1-9; 3:18-22; Revelation 1:4-6.)
Because of his complete and unconditional surrender to do the will of his Father, Jesus immediately received the powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit upon Him, to be able to perform miracles and be a powerful WITNESS and a yielded VESSEL to DO the will of God and FINISH the work. (John 4:1-42)
What is the real meaning of baptism or full immersion in water?
> It's more than just a prayer of deliverance and washing of sins. It's not only deciding about not sinning anymore and just having a "holy life”, but about 100 % REPENTANCE and putting the KINGDOM of GOD and his RIGHTEOUSNESS first. It's about forsaking our own comfort zone and the idea of having just a "decent life" and going to weekly “church gatherings”. It’s about focusing on the HEAVENLY THINGS at all times, and not on the things of the flesh and of this world. (See Matthew 6:19-34; chapter 25; Luke 12:13-53; 24:44-49; Colossians 3:1-17.)
> It's about denying ourselves and our own
will; about being willing to suffer shame and persecution for Christ's sake;
and about following and obeying Him by LOVING and PREACHING the GOSPEL to
people around in a daily basis. (See Mark 8:34-38; 16:15-18; Matthew 28:18-20;
Luke 10:1-24; 24:44-49; John 14:12; 20:21-23; Romans chapter 8; 2Corinthians
chapter 4.)
> It’s about being willing to lose our own life, and forsake our loved ones and house and material things and job and career, for Jesus' name and for living and preaching the Gospel at every opportunity. (See Mathew chapter 10; 19:16-30; Mark 8:31-38; 10:17-31; Luke 14:15-35; 18:18-30; John 12:23-27; Hebrews 10:32-39.)
> It's about having a big desire to constantly LOVE and WORSHIP and KNOW and SERVE GOD and JESUS with all our heart and soul and mind. It's about having a desire to be a living sacrifice, by praying in the Holy SPIRIT and meditating on the Holy WORD daily! It's about having a big desire to continually love OTHERS as we love ourselves! (See Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-37; John 4:23-24; Romans 12:1-2; 2Thessalonians 2:13-14; Hebrews 13:8-16; Jude 20-21.)
> It's not about incorporating Jesus in our life and continuing doing our own thing... It's about dying to our old life and resurrecting with Jesus in a newness of life, to DO God's will and LOVE and SERVE Him unconditionally, as Jesus did on Earth. "If anyone is in Christ, he is a complete new creation, as old things have passed away, and all things have become new!" (2Corinthians 5:17)
This is the real meaning of immersion in water: a COMMITMENT for life to LOVE and SERVE God wholeheartedly, and become an active WITNESS who boldly and openly proclaim the Good News of salvation in Christ Jesus, through the filling and anointing of the Holy Spirit!
By God's grace we are saved through FAITH in Jesus’ Blood shed for us, so that we may DO the WORKS of love toward others, as faith without loving deeds is non-existent at all! (See John 8:31-36; 15:1-17; Acts 1:8; chapter 2; Romans 3:19-31; chapter 6; 8:28-30; 2Corinthians 5:14-21; Galatians 3:24-27; Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 2:6-15; James 1:22-27; 2:14-26; 1John 2:3-6.)