Although this might be surprising to some at first sight, the answer is clearly, “Yes.” Here is why:

In John 1:1, we read that the “Word” (“Logos” in Greek, meaning Speaker or Spokesman) was with God (the Father), and that the Word was also God. That is, both God (the Father) and the Word were members of the Godhead–they were both God Beings. Verse 3 tells us that “all things were made” through the Word, and verse 14 explains that “the Word BECAME flesh and dwelt among us”–as the “only begotten of the Father.” So, clearly, the “WORD” was none other than the second Member of the Godhead, Who became a human being.

Hebrews 1:1-2 reveals that God spoke in these last days by His Son, “through whom also He made the worlds.” Colossians 1:13-16 explains, too, that God created “all things” through “the Son of His love.” The Son then is clearly identical with the Word, as God made everything through the “Son” and through the “Word.”

Notice, however, that Ephesians 3:9 explains that “God… created all things through Jesus Christ.” This shows that the Word is not only identical with the Son of God, but also with Jesus Christ; or, to put it differently, that the Word, the Son of God and Jesus Christ are all names or designations for the SAME IDENTICAL divine Personage in the Godhead.

The Greek expression, “Jesus”, which is identical with “Joshua” in the Hebrew, means “Savior.” The Greek expression, “Christ,” which is identical with the Hebrew expression, “Messiah,” means, “the Anointed One.”

But since when was the “Logos” or “Spokesman,” the “Son of God,” the second member of the God Family, known to God the Father as “Jesus Christ”? Of course, the proper name that we now use, “Jesus Christ,” is conveyed in the Greek language and has come down through approximately two-thousand years of history in its transliterated form. However, the Son was designated and called as the Anointed Savior long before He became a man.

We read that the “Lamb of God”–another expression for Jesus Christ–was slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). This means that it was clear at least from that moment in time that the Word would come to this earth–as a human being–to die for our sins–to become the Savior of the world. Further, we read that certain individuals have been predestined and chosen IN CHRIST “before the foundation of the world” to be called to salvation in this day and age (compare Ephesians 1:3-4), and that God promised eternal life “before time began” (Titus 1:1-2). It was made clear “before the foundation of the world”–and in a sense even before time began–that the vast majority of man would NOT be called to salvation in this day and age, but that they would have to wait until the time AFTER Christ’s return.

This means, then, that it was already determined a very long time ago that the Word or the Logos would become a man and die for our sins, thereby making it possible that some–those who were predestined–WOULD and COULD be called to salvation here and now, while most would be called later. The only way that anyone could be called to salvation would be for the Logos to die for our sins so that one could have forgiveness of our sins. And so, the Logos was slain “from the foundation of the world”–that is, it was CERTAIN by that time at least–if not earlier–that He, as the Savior of man, WOULD DIE for man.

The angel Gabriel instructed both Joseph and Mary to call the Word, Who was to become a human child, “Jesus,” the “Savior,” (Luke 1:31; Matthew 1:21), as He would “save His people from their sins” (compare again Matthew 1:21). As it was announced to ancient Israel more than 300 years earlier that an Old Testament king with the name of “Josiah” would be born to punish the priests of Baal (compare 1 Kings 13:2; 2 Kings 23:15-16), so it was already known LONG before the human birth of the Logos that His name would become known among men as “Jesus Christ.”

Romans 1:1-3 states: “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised BEFORE through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, CONCERNING HIS SON JESUS CHRIST our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh…” This remarkable summary from Paul acknowledges that the Logos would come as Jesus Christ, as the anointed Savior, and that He was plainly spoken of in the centuries BEFORE His physical birth.

The Bible clearly reveals that Jesus Christ existed–as Jesus Christ–long before He became a man. As we have already seen–in Ephesians 1:3-4–we were chosen IN CHRIST before the foundation of the world. We have also read in Ephesians 3:9 that all things were created through JESUS CHRIST. In addition, please note the following Scriptures:

Philippians 2:5-7 states:

“Let this mind be in you which was also in JESUS CHRIST, who, BEING IN THE FORM OF GOD, did not consider it robbery to BE EQUAL WITH GOD, but made Himself of no reputation, TAKING THE FORM OF A BONDSERVANT, and COMING IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN.”

Please realize WHO was equal with God, and Who became a human being. It was JESUS CHRIST. That is, when He was equal with God, He was ALREADY AT THAT TIME known as Jesus Christ.–the Savior, the Anointed One. This designation applied regardless of the particular language used–whether Greek, Hebrew or even the unique language of the heavenly realm (compare 1 Corinthians 13:1).

Remember that Gabriel, the angel of God, told Mary to name the Child to be born to her “Jesus,” and this was done BEFORE the Child was conceived (compare Luke 2:21). The New Testament record was initially written primarily in Greek. However, the strong indication is that the name that the angel revealed was in the common language of the day–Aramaic, a language closely related to Hebrew and spoken among the Jews at that time. We don’t know the exact language by which Jesus was named, but the evidence strongly suggests that it was not Greek. It is vital that we understand, however, that in whatever “tongue” the name of the Son of God, “Jesus Christ,” was specifically called, that name conveyed His TITLE and ROLE! As we have seen, this stems from God’s plan and purpose–before time began–of “bringing many sons to glory” (compare Hebrews 2:10).

Notice further 1 Corinthians 10:1-4:

“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and THAT ROCK WAS CHRIST.”

Realize again Who the Being was in the Godhead Who led ancient Israel in the cloud by day and in the pillar of fire by night, going at times in front of them and following them, giving them thereby total and complete protection. Realize, too, Who it was Who gave them both physical and spiritual food and water. It was none other than the ROCK JESUS CHRIST– the anointed Savior Who would become a man to die for our sins and to offer us salvation.

Also take note of 1 Corinthians 10:8-9:

“Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us TEMPT CHRIST, as SOME OF THEM ALSO TEMPTED, and were destroyed by serpents.”

The literal translation of verse 9 is rendered as: “Neither test Christ, as some of them tried Him…”

Realize again Whom the ancient Israelites tried or tested. It was none other than JESUS CHRIST.

Finally, please take note of 1 Peter 1:10-11:

“Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST WHO WAS IN THEM was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.”

Notice again WHOSE Spirit was in the ancient prophets in Old Testament times. It was the Spirit of CHRIST. That means, the Spirit of the second Member of the Godhead, WHO is identified as Jesus Christ, was already in the Old Testament prophets.

It is important to understand and to realize that none of the above-quoted Scriptures say that the Personage Who dealt directly with ancient Israel and Judah was the One Who would BECOME Jesus Christ. Rather, we read that it WAS the Personage whose NAME WAS Jesus Christ. That was ALREADY His name long before He became a human being.

For further information on the existence of Jesus Christ BEFORE He became a human being, and for additional proof that He was already known as the Son of God PRIOR TO HIS HUMAN BIRTH, please read our free booklet, “God is a Family,” as well as the Q&A in Update #294, titled, “Was Jesus Christ always the Son–even prior to His human birth?” You might also want to listen to Norbert Link’s recent sermon on this topic, titled, “The Son,” dated May 19, 2007, which is posted on our Websites, under Audio.

Based on this awesome truth–that the Word was also the SON of God and Jesus Christ LONG before He became a Man–we understand the undeniable FACT that God IS–and always HAS BEEN–a Family (consisting at this present time of the Father and the Son), and that it is His TIMELESS purpose to reproduce Himself through man, by bringing born-again spirit God beings as sons and daughters into His very Family. Without this priceless knowledge, we cannot really fully comprehend God’s GREAT Master Plan for man–WHY man was created, and WHAT his eternal potential is.

Lead Writers: Norbert Link and Dave Harris

The answer may very well be YES! In fact, no matter how many times you may have been ceremonially baptized, the crucial question is whether or not you followed all that the Bible requires in order to have a valid baptism.

It is true that many church organizations that nominally claim to be based on Biblical Christianity also include baptism in one form or another.

Several groups baptize newborn babies by pouring or sprinkling water on their foreheads—this is associated with rites of christening, which also includes naming a child. This practice emerged following the first century A.D. and was institutionalized by the Roman Catholic Church—a practice continuing to this time. According to the Illustrated Dictionary of the Bible (Lockyer, 1986 Edition), “Those who believe in baptismal regeneration (Catholics especially) argue that baptism of infants is necessary. In traditional Roman Catholic teaching, unbaptized infants who die cannot enter heaven in this state, but are instead consigned to a state of limbo. If this fate is to be avoided, they must be baptized in order to remove the guilt of their sins and receive new life.”

Even though the pope recently stated that the concept of “limbo” was a human invention and not a Biblical doctrine, the practice of the Roman Catholic Church continues to include the baptism of infants.

Many Protestant churches also baptize little babies, or they encourage children to become baptized. In fact, there is social pressure within many groups for baptism in order to reflect a better score in Sunday school classes, youth leadership or other church related statistical factors.

Those who have undergone these types of baptismal practices have NOT been properly baptized according to the Word of God, as they did not fulfill the Biblical requirements, as explained below. However, one must also consider the validity of an adult baptism in a church that does not teach the truth of God. In this context, carefully study what Jesus stated:

“‘Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?” And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

The crucial point here is that many claim to represent and to believe in Jesus Christ, but they do not obey Him—they “practice lawlessness.” Simply stated, God does not accept individuals or church organizations, who compromise the truth and who shape their religious practices around human customs and traditions. Unfortunately, this describes the vast majority of those claiming to be Christian!

In Acts 5:29-32, we find this very clear declaration about who can receive God’s Holy Spirit:

“But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit [which] God has given to THOSE WHO OBEY HIM.’”

An absolutely crucial ingredient for anyone seeking baptism is to first repent of breaking God’s laws. This is the initial step in obedience to God. This is not something that a baby or an immature child is capable of doing! And unless one is convicted of sinning against God by disobedience to His laws, then even as an adult, true repentance has not occurred!

Note this definition of sin as found in 1 John 3:4: “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and SIN IS LAWLESSNESS,” or, as the Authorized Version renders it, “sin is the TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW.”

Here is very clear instruction that Peter proclaimed under the inspiration of God on the day of Pentecost—this is what someone should experience when becoming truly converted to real Christianity:

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

Consider as well that the Holy Spirit is given through the true ministers of God by the laying on of hands (Compare Acts 8:14-17 and Acts 19:6). As the account in Acts 8:18-24 shows, not just anyone is granted this authority, but only those whom God has called to serve Him in this position (Compare Hebrews 5:4).

One must be careful to avoid being deceived in this all-important matter. Remember that Jesus very directly warned in Matthew 24 that many will claim to be Christian and that the many will be deceived! Also, we have this caution found in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”

These deceptive practices include false conversions! Some experience emotional attachments to the idea of Christianity, but the fruits of their lives do not reflect that God’s Spirit dwells in them. Galatians 5:22-23 reveals the fruit of the Spirit of God, while the preceding verses describe “the works of the flesh.” Truly converted individuals will seek to walk in obedience to God. They will begin to live in accordance with God’s laws by growing “in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Peter 3:18).

Remember, Jesus Christ committed no sin! (Compare 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15). He never transgressed the law of God. Jesus taught that He did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill (Compare Matthew 5:17-18). He did just that—He kept the law of God by obeying God. That is why there was no sin found in Him. Note what He says of those who reject God’s law and about those who obey: “‘Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 5:19).

The baptism that Jesus Christ instituted and that His ministry has carried on is revealed in the Word of God. Regarding the question of whether a particular baptism is sufficient or valid, let’s also take note of what Paul did when he met with people who had only previously followed John the Baptist, as recorded in Acts 19:1-6:

“And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’ And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.”

Understand, then, that for baptism to be accepted by God, an individual must be called of God and come to believe in all that Jesus Christ did and will do—accepting Him as Savior. One must also repent of his or her sins—which are breaking the laws of God. All of this can lead to true conversion.

The Church of the Eternal God and its corporate affiliates in Canada and the United Kingdom have prepared a very comprehensive booklet titled “Baptism—A requirement For Salvation” (Available at: www.eternalgod.org, www.churchofgodacf.ca and www.globalchurchofgod.co.uk). This material thoroughly examines the questions and answers about both the need for baptism and the Biblically revealed steps that will assist those who desire to turn to God and who seek to receive eternal life in the coming Kingdom of God!

Set forth below are excerpts from our booklet on baptism, which address the question of “re-baptism”:

“People who have been baptized as a baby or as a young child would need to be ‘re’-baptized, that is, properly baptized for the first time, when they are called by God to genuinely repent of their sins. The same would be true for adult persons who were baptized without realizing what they were really guilty of and what they needed to repent of. For instance, people who do not know the importance of keeping ALL of God’s Ten Commandments, including the commandment to keep God’s Sabbath holy, the commandment not to fight or kill in war, not to worship idols, and not to pray to ‘Mother Mary’ or other ‘heavenly saints,’ have not really repented of their sins. They lack understanding of what sin is and, therefore, do not cease from their sins. They continue to engage in the same wrong conduct, showing that they did not begin to live in “newness of life.”

“When someone is in doubt whether his or her prior ‘baptism’ was valid in God’s eyes and resulted in receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, he or she needs to look at the fruits after that ‘baptism.’ Since God’s commandments regarding idolatry and Sabbath-keeping are of such fundamental importance, the Holy Spirit would lead a person who is called by God to immediately recognize and accept this truth before or at the time of baptism, or very shortly thereafter. The person would immediately feel a compelling desire to keep the Sabbath and to cease from committing idolatry. If such an action did not take place at the time of ‘baptism,’ or at least within a reasonably short time thereafter, we can safely say that such a ‘baptism’ was not valid in God’s eyes and did not lead to the pouring out of God’s Spirit on the person. If the person begins to understand now the importance of keeping all of God’s commandments, is repentant of his or her prior conduct, believes in Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of his or her sins, and is willing to obey whatever God’s Spirit might reveal to him or her in the future, then that person should now consider being properly baptized.

“In order to determine whether a previous ‘baptism’ of an adult person was valid in God’s eyes, we should ask ourselves the following questions:

“(1) When I was baptized by immersion, did I understand what sin is? Did I repent of my sins? Did I ask, in faith, for forgiveness of my sins? Did I understand that forgiveness was bestowed on me because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who died for me, so that I could live for Him?

“(2) Did I understand, at the time of my baptism, what I was—not only what I did—and did I repent of my very evil and carnal nature that is hostile against the law of God? Did I actually bury my old self in the watery grave?

“(3) Did I make a commitment with God to let the Holy Spirit create in me a new heart, to make a new person out of me, to live in me, to guide me, to help me avoid sin, and to give me strength to strive against sin so that I would be able to acquire a new nature—the divine nature of God Himself? Did I actually come up from the watery grave ‘clean,’ a new person, knowing that from then on I would have to strive as never before to avoid sinning and to live righteously, and that I would have to continually work at keeping all of God’s commandments, including those that would be revealed to me in the future?

“If we cannot substantially answer all of the above questions with ‘yes,’ then our previous baptism would not be valid in the eyes of God and we would not have received God’s Holy Spirit at that time.”

Lead Writers: Dave Harris and Norbert Link