Christ and the Church- Father and Mother in the New Birth

Throughout the Bible, the relationship of God to His people is typed as a husband and wife. In Ephesians 5, Paul describes the relationship between husband and wife and concludes with this statement: “but this speak I of Christ and the Church”.

In I Corinthians 15.46 the scriptures reveal, “Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual”.

God’s first commandment in the Bible, “Be fruitful and multiply"… was natural. Jesus’ great commission to the Church, “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them"… was spiritual. First God commanded natural reproduction, but then spiritual reproduction.

As in the natural relationship of husband and wife, each having their own role in reproduction, so it is in the spiritual relationship. Christ’s role as the husband in spiritual birth is to baptize with His Spirit. The Church’s role as the wife in spiritual birth is to baptize with water in Jesus name.

Only the Husband is capable of His role of baptizing with the Spirit, and only the wife is capable of her role of baptizing with water. Husband and wife cannot interchange their roles and both water and Spirit are necessary for the New Birth. As Jesus answered Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

When the wife does her part - water baptism in Jesus name, the Husband PROMISES to do His part. Peter said in Acts 2:38-39, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." God promises.

In John 20:22-23, Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost”. Then He said, “Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”

Jesus revealed in this Scripture that the Church is in a very powerful position of salvation: If the Church does not remit sins, the sins are retained.

Sins are remitted in the name of Jesus in water baptism. If the Church does not realize this imperative responsibility as her primary obligation, will souls be lost?

The baptism of the Holy Ghost supplies the power to overcome sin. It is vital that the Church brings souls to the point of receiving the Holy Ghost by travailing in prayer as well as assisting them in receiving the Holy Ghost in the New Birth process at the altar. However, the bottom line is, only God can fill them with His Spirit. And, He PROMISES He will fill them with His Spirit when they repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus, if a person will receive His Spirit.

The Church is commanded to preach repentance and to water baptize in the name of Jesus, and God promises His Spirit:

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, BAPTIZING them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (the NAME “Jesus”): teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." - Matthew 28:19-20 KJV 

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is BAPTIZED shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. ... And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen." - Mark 16:15-16, 20 KJV

"And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that REPENTANCE and REMISSION OF SINS should be preached IN HIS NAME among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." - Luke 24:46-49 KJV

"Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose soever SINS YE REMIT, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." - John 20:21-23 KJV

God can baptize with His Holy Spirit and the New Birth not be completed if the Church does not likewise fulfill her role of baptizing with water in the name of Jesus. While it is essential to preach about the Holy Ghost, to pray for souls to receive the Holy Ghost, and to assist people in receiving the Holy Ghost, the Church's necessary role in the New Birth is to water baptize people in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins.