Buy an essay: THE CHRISTIAN’S VICTORY

Traditionally, views of Christians on the resurrection of Jesus Christ were grounded on Biblical texts and Christians believed that the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the unique miracle. Nevertheless, the analysis of Biblical texts and primary and secondary sources reveals the fact that resurrection of Jesus Christ is not unique, if it is viewed as revival after the physical death of an individual. Today, Christians have quite a superficial view on the resurrection of Jesus Christ because they view it as one of resurrections described in Biblical texts and other sources. For instance, it is worth mentioning the story of Elijah who revived the son of Zarephath widow. Or else, it is possible to refer to another story of resurrection described in Kings, namely the story of Elisha who revived the son of the Shunammite woman. Naturally, all these cases of revival of individuals after their deaths remind the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, such a view on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, being extremely popular and widely-spread today, is superficial and not absolutely correct. As the matter of fact, the major outcome of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the hope for salvation for the entire mankind on the condition that people are true believers and preferably baptized Christians. Another effect of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the fact that Jesus Christ, unlike other “resurrected”, is still alive and he is among believers. Therefore, unlike other people, who were raised from dead, Jesus Christ has the eternal life and this is exactly what Christians hope for when they get baptized and when the convert to Christianity. Therefore, the resurrection of Jesus Christ paves the way to the salvation of believers and the eternal life which can be granted to Christians, if their faith is strong enough.

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The Bible and Baptism
Let us turn to the Scriptures and see what kinds of baptism are mentioned in it.
Matthew 3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.”
Mark 1:8 “I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Luke 3:16-17 “John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
The Bible speaks of three types of baptism: the baptism of water, the Spirit and fire. Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. In this research, we are talking about baptism by water, but we should also mention the other two types of baptism.
John the Baptist spoke of the baptism of the Spirit (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16; John 1:33). Even before His death and resurrection, Jesus taught about the baptism of the Spirit, saying: John 7:37-39 “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” “Jesus said to them [disciples] again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (John 20:21-22).
Reading about what happened at Pentecost, we can clearly see that the believers were baptized with the Holy Spirit. We find the clearest definition of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the First Corinthians 12:13: Paul, weary of disputes, disagreements and divisions among the faithful, declared: “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” He wanted to say that all believers in Jesus Christ were baptized by one Spirit. Baptism of the Holy Spirit makes us members of the Body of Christ – His Church. Baptism of the Holy Spirit comes upon the adoption of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The following verses Scripture also support this view: Romans 8:9 “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him”; 1 Corinthians 12:3 “No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.” Baptism by the Spirit is also called in the Bible “Birth from Above”. Without this birth a person cannot enter the kingdom of heaven (John 3:3-7).
There are two viewpoints on the baptism by fire:
1. Baptism of Fire is the Judgement Day.
Theologists, sharing this view, base on the following place of the Scripture.
Matthew 3:11-12 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
2. Baptism of Fire is the baptism of suffering, persecution, and trials.
Another group of theologists believe that the baptism of fire is the baptism of suffering and persecution for Christ.
Jesus Himself said in Luke 12:50 “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!” Jesus here speaks of His coming suffering and torment. This is the baptism of fire that awaits all believers in Jesus.
Here is what the Lord said about it Himself: John 15:18-21 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.”
1 Peter 4:12-19 “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”
The man is proved in difficult life situations. Likewise, our faith devotion to God is proved. Herein lays the judgment, which God produces over believers.