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Saved BY Water

by Ron Sorg

This is not really a Bible study but an answer to questions asked concerning "saved by water" in:

(1 Peter 3:20-21 KJV) - Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21 The like figure whereunto, even baptism doth also now save us (not that putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Questions:
Can you explain this verse, in particular: "Saved by water" and "baptism does also now save us"?
Also, will Israel need to practice water baptism once the prophetic program resumes? If Israel needs to be baptized when the program resumes, what would be the reasoning for it then? The priesthood function?
Ron's answer:
In 1 Peter 3:20-21, Peter is using the illustration of Noah and water (flood) to explain the significance of baptism to the Jews of his day as well as the tribulation saints to come; all of which are part of God's prophetic program. Peter says that Noah and his family were saved BY water because it was the water of judgement that separated Noah and his family from the judgement of God. It was the water or flood that separated Noah and his family from the heathen of his day who were consumed by God's wrath and subsequently saved by it (Matthew 24:37-41).

As you know water in the Bible is associated with purification (Exodus 29: 1-4) and separation (Ephesians 5: 26). Another picture of this is found in Matthew 3:7-12, 3:36-43 when the fire (Tribulation) separates the wheat from chaff/tares (believers from unbelievers), one is saved and the other is destroyed. So in both cases it is the water and fire that saves believing people.

This is why the KJV says BY water in 1Peter1: 20. This is also why Peter uses the flood illustration to point out that water baptism saves the Jewish saints in the same way that the water saved Noah and his family; because water baptism purifies and separates those Jewish saints from the apostates of their day.

Water baptism is the means or doorway of entrance that the little flock or remnant of Jewish believers will be spared from the wrath of fire during the tribulation period (Matthew 3:1-12, Luke12: 32, Mark.1: 4, 14-15,16:16, 1Peter 4: 17) and who will inherit the Kingdom of God when Christ returns (Luke 12: 32, Daniel 2: 44). It also prepares them for their office of priesthood ...(Exodus 29: 1-4, 1Peter 2: 9-10).

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Why Water Baptism?

by B.C. Pratt

In Exodus 29:4 water baptism was a cleansing ceremony for the Hebrew priests of the tribe of Levi for their induction into the office of the Hebrew priesthood.

And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.
In Matthew 3:11 John the Baptist speaking to the Jews (Matthew 3:7) said,

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Note: Today, how are our sins remitted (forgiven)?

(Colossians 2:14 KJV) Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
(Ephesians 1:7 KJV) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
This nation of Israel (Exodus 19:3) was to fulfil Exodus 19:5,6:

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
Israel as a blessed nation was to become a nation of priests to go out to preach the Kingdom gospel to the rest of the world (the gentiles). Each individual had to submit to the cleansing ceremony for induction into the priesthood. This is why Peter answered the Jews who asked what they must do to be saved (to avoid God's judgment and to go safely into the Kingdom) in Acts 2:38:

Then Peter said unto them, 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.
Water baptism was not optional for the priests in the Old Testament (under the Old Covenant) nor for the Jewish believers in the Kingdom program.

In the present Dispensation of Grace many things are now different. No observations or ceremonies are commanded since we are not under the Law but under Grace.

(Romans 6:14 KJV) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
In the transition period from Law to Grace Paul baptized a few but his memory was dim on the subject.

(1 Corinthians 1:16-17 KJV) And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. {17} For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
This being the only mention in all his epistles of water baptism. His emphasis was on the spiritual baptism which all believers have at the moment of belief that Christ died to pay for their sins and that He is their Saviour.

Why don't we need water baptism for our cleansing for service? It's simply because we already have a superior baptism which is spiritual and invisible, performed by the operation of God Himself.

Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
I Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Romans 6:3-4 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? {4} Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Every believer receives all spiritual blessings in Christ. These include adoption as sons, righteousness, redemption, sanctification, forgiveness (remission of sins), salvation, justification, baptism, and much, much more, all by the operation of God. What more could we do to be accepted of God than what Christ has perfectly done for us?

Compare what Paul wrote to the Galatians about the practice of circumcision, a ceremony which was to be practiced by Israel, a token of the Abrahamic Covenant to Israel.

Galatians. 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
In Galatia, circumcision was the debated subject. What do you suppose Paul would have told them if the hot topic of the day had been water baptism?

Considering the Biblical purpose of water baptism, why would the ceremony be practiced today? To enter the priesthood of Israel? To have sins remitted? Tradition?

What if we do practice it for whatever reason we have? Under the program of Grace for today, Paul states in that there is "ONE baptism." Which ONE should we prefer?

(Ephesians 4:5 KJV) One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Colossians 2:10 states, "Ye are complete in Him (Christ)." How much more complete can one be? The Galatians had believed and accepted the Gospel of Grace but soon became influenced by Judaizers who taught them to add circumcision to the gospel they had been taught. Paul denounced them soundly.

Does not water baptism minimize Christ's FINISHED, COMPLETE SACRIFICE? To add to what Christ has done, and what God has provided for us, is it not to deny Christ has paid it all?

What is your decision? Did Christ accomplish all your need or not?

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Baptisms of the Bible

by Duane Gallentine

Israel's Nation Baptism unto Moses--placed under Moses' leadership.
(1 Corinthians 10:1-4 KJV) Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; {2} And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; {3} And did all eat the same spiritual meat; {4} And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
Diver's baptisms of Israel's religion as given by God
(Hebrews 6:2 KJV) Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
(Hebrews 9:10 KJV) Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. , 9:10
Traditional baptisms of ceremonies of the Jews--makes void God's Word
(Mark 7:1-7 KJV) Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. {2} And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. {3} For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. {4} And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables. {5} Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? {6} He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. {7} Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
John's baptism of repentance with water
(Acts 10:37 KJV)That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
(Mark 1:4 KJV) John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
(John 1:31 KJV) And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
(Matthew 3:11 KJV) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Christ's baptism in water to fulfill the righteousness of the Old Testament Scriptures
(Matthew 3:13-15 KJV)Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. {14} But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? {15} And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
Christ's baptism into death
(Luke 12:50 KJV)But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
(Mark 10:38-39 KJV) But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? {39} And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:
Holy Spirit baptism of power performed by Jesus Christ as the baptizer
(Luke 24:49 KJV)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.
(Acts 1:4-5 KJV) And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. {5} For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Baptism of Fire in prophetic judgement of Israel
(Matthew 3:11 KJV)I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
(Isaiah 29:6 KJV) Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.
Pentecostal water baptism in the name of Jesus for the Circumcision
(Acts 2:38 KJV) Then Peter said unto them, 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.
(Mark 16:16 KJV) He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Baptism of the Uncircumcision in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit during the reign of Christ's Kingdom on earth
(Matthew 28:19 KJV) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Baptism of the Spirit into the One Body and Christ
(1 Corinthians 12:13 KJV) For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
(Romans 6:3 KJV) Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
(Colossians 2:12 KJV) Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Of the above listed Scriptural Baptisms there is only ONE that places the lost sinner into the Body of Christ wherein he is eternally secure IN CHRIST! It is the ONE which all Believers of Paul's Gospel of the Grace of God possess through the Spiritual unity of the One Faith. This ONE BAPTISM is of necessity the Baptism of the Spirit that Paul writes about in Ephesians 4:4-5, Romans 6:3, 1 Corinthians 12:13, and Colossians 2:12. It is the only Baptism that is to be practiced in the Dispensation of the Grace Of God.

(Ephesians 4:4 KJV) There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; {5} One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

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Baptism and (i.e. fully wet)

Nancy Paulson

Transliteration
The words baptism and baptize in the King James Version are transliterations of the Greek words, not a translation. A translation is a rendering of a word from one language into another language and a transliteration is to represent or spell a word in the characters of another language. Since the words baptism and baptize are transliterations, that means that they have the same alphabetical characters of the Greek words that were used, not necessarily the same meaning; they just look like the Greek words.

Three words that deal with the issue of baptism:

BAPTIZO - in Strong's Concordance it is #907 and is used 80 times in 65 verses.
BAPTISMA - in Strong's Concordance it is #908 and is used 22 times in 22 verses.
BAPTISMOS - in Strong's Concordance it is #909 and is used 4 times in 4 verses.
All three of these words are derived from the Greek BAPTO (in Strong Concordance it is #911) which is defined as "to whelm. i.e. to cover wholly in a fluid" and #907 is defined as to make whelmed (i.e. to make fully wet). The i.e. stands for that is. So, in other words, Strong's Concordance gives a definition and then adds "that is to cover wholly in a fluid" and "(that is fully wet)".

We now have a choice as to what we want to use as our authority in defining a word. We can use either what man has compiled as the definition of the word or we can use the Scriptures and see how that word is used in context to get the true meaning of the word.

Scripture use of the word baptisms (baptismos - #909):


(Hebrews 6:2 KJV) Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
(Hebrews 9:10 KJV) Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
In this verse we do actually see the word baptisms; but it is the same Greek word baptismos as found in Hebrews 6:2. So, we can conclude that the doctrine of baptisms can also be stated as the doctrine of washings. Does baptism or baptize always have to do with (i.e. fully wet) or (i.e. to cover wholly with a fluid)?

Doctrine of washings:
(Mark 7:1-8 KJV) Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. {2} And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. {3} For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. {4} And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables. {5} Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? {6} He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. {7} Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. {8} For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
In verse 4, in the phrase "except they wash", the word wash is the word baptizo (#907), and the word washing is baptismos (#909). Hence, the verse can be read as "...except they baptize, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the baptisms of cups, and pots brazen vessels, and of tables."

Washing of cups:
Now, with this in mind, let's think about what we do when we wash cups. The Scribes and the Pharisees were doing it according to the traditions of the elders and although you and I wash cups for a different reason the concept is still the same. We take a dirty cup and place it into a substance (water) and then perform an action (wash it) so that when we bring the cup out the water, it is clean and can now be used by you or someone else. Its previous condition has been changed.

When we think of baptism, we ought to think beyond the definition (i.e. fully wet). Strong's Concordance would lead us to believe that whenever we see the word baptize that we ought to always think of water, whether it is sprinkling, pouring or immersion. However, from these verses in Mark, we see that washing (baptism) has the idea of changing the condition of something because of an action that was performed.

For instance, when my daughter washes the dishes, she can (i.e. make fully wet) the cup but does not perform the action of washing it so that when the cup comes out of the water it is (i.e. fully wet) but the condition has not changed. It is still as dirty as it was before it was placed into the water. The idea behind the Greek word baptism is that of placing or putting something into another substance and performing an action so that it will change the state of the item from its previous condition.

Concept of washing:
What did the Scribes and the Pharisees have in mind when they complained about the disciples of Jesus not washing their hands? It was concerning the fact that the hands were not placed into something and an action performed so that when the hands came out the condition of their hands would be changed from the previous condition, from defiled to holy.

So then, what is baptism? To make something fully wet? Or is baptism the idea of being placed into something (Christ's death) and an action is performed so that when we come out we are changed from our previous condition? It is all about our identification; God takes what we are in Adam and places us into Christ and God's action (crucifying the old man) changes our condition, now we are in Christ. We are no longer what we were in Adam because God has done something to us and in us. Our previous condition has been changed because of what God has done.

(Colossians 2:12 KJV) Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
(Romans 6:3-6 KJV) Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? {4} Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. {5} For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: {6} Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
If we need to have a something to symbolize what happened to us inwardly then rather than it be something that will make us (i.e. fully wet) it ought to be our walk in newness of life.

Reference used:
Tapes series of Romans
by Duane Gallentine

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Baptism Purification Unto Sanctification and a New Identity

Nancy Paulson

There are many kinds of baptisms in the Bible and yet when we hear the word "baptism" we automatically think of water baptism. I think this is due to the fact that in the gospel accounts we see the ministry of John the Baptist and that his ministry was that of water baptism. But, John, himself, mentioned more than one baptism; he spoke of a water baptism, a baptism by the Holy Spirit and a baptism of fire. Only one of these refers to water. In general, all baptisms are purification unto sanctification and a new identification.

(Romans 6:1-3 KJV) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? {2} God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? {3} Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
A part of our sanctification in Christ is that we are dead to sin. How do we become dead to sin? We are dead to sin by being baptized into Jesus Christ, baptized into His death. This is the means through which we receive our new identity in Christ.

(1 Corinthians 12:12-13 KJV) For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. {13} For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the one that baptizes and the result of this baptism is a new identity.

(Galatians 3:26-28 KJV) For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. {27} For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. {28} There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
When we are baptized into Christ, we are given a new identity; we put on Christ.

In the flesh we are identified as:

Jew/Gentile
Bond/free
Male/female
When we are baptized into Christ, we lose our fleshly identity. When God looks at us now He no longer sees Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male or female, He sees Christ. With this baptism into Christ, we all receive the same identification as being in Christ.

(Colossians 2:11-12 KJV) In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: {12} Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
This baptism is accomplished through the faith of the operation of God not through the operation of man. It is God the Holy Spirit that does the baptizing. It is through this baptism by the Spirit that we obtain our new identity; we are cleansed from all that we were in Adam and are given a new identification in Christ.

(Colossians 2:20-22 KJV) Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, {21} (Touch not; taste not; handle not; {22} Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
Since we are dead with Christ to the rudiments of the world: circumcision, water baptism, days, things that pertain to the law, and such things that are after the commandments and doctrines of men. Why would we continue to be subject to those ordinances?

Baptism: purification unto sanction and a new identity
The issue of water baptism is purification, something which those of the nation of Israel understood the significance.

(John 3:23-25 KJV) And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. {24} For John was not yet cast into prison. {25} Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.
As John was baptizing, some of his disciples and the Jews began to question the act of purifying. Water baptisms were a part of the rudiments of the world under the law program. Washings were a teaching aid that gave a visible, tangible, object lesson in connection with the need of God Himself to perform a washing of the inside of a person that produces a sanctification and a new identification. Perhaps this is where so many get the idea that water baptism is a symbol as an outward expression of what has happened to us on the inside (in the spirit).

John's disciples and the Jews understood from the law what was to take place in connection with washing from defilement, that a separation needed to take place. In Numbers 9, the water is called water of separation.

(Numbers 19:9 KJV) And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin.
(Numbers 19:13 KJV) Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.
(Numbers 19:20-21 KJV) But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean. {21} And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.
The water was called the water of separation, or sanctification and it was a purification for sin.

(Hebrews 9:9-14 KJV) Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; {10} Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. {11} But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; {12} Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. {13} For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: {14} How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
The divers washing (baptisms) cleansed from a known defilement. This was a picture or a type of the need for God to perform a baptism that would provide purification unto sanctification and a new identity, from unclean to purified. Verse 10 says that divers washings were imposed on them until the time of reformation. Baptism served its purpose for a time, but now, how much more shall the blood of Christ cleanse us from sin.

Today, in this dispensation of grace, we are baptized into Christ and purified (cleansed of all that we were in Adam), sanctified (set apart to no longer serve sin but God) and are given a new identification in Christ.

Reference Used:
My Notes from
"Our Identity in Christ"
Video teaching by Keith Blades

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The Justice of God and The Mystery
by Mike Tiry

There is a question that should eventually come to mind to the serious Bible student. That is "How can God put an innocent third party to death for my sins?" The Lord Jesus Christ was "...holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners..." (Heb. 7:26). He lived 33 years on this earth and yet could honestly dare to ask “Which of you convinceth me of sin?" (John 8:46) Yet God the Father "...hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (II Cor. 5:21) But justice demands that the guilty party pay the penalty. Obviously, God would execute perfect justice. The gospel (i.e. that Christ died for our sins, and was buried, and rose again the third day) must accommodate God's perfect justice as Paul states "To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (Rom. 3:26)

In order for justice to be served, Jesus Christ had to become guilty of our sins. But how can this be? The answer is simple: The moment a person believes the gospel today, the Holy Spirit baptized that person into Jesus Christ.

"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death..." (Rom. 6:3-4)
"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." (Gal. 3:28)
The Holy Spirit does this baptizing work as He forms the church which is Christ's body.

"For as the body is one, and hath many members and all the members of that one body, being many are one body: so also is Christ. For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we are Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." (I Cor. 12:11-14)
There is a living, vital union that is formed between each believer and Jesus Christ and also between each believer and every other believer. That union is the very special relationship that Paul the apostle of the Gentiles calls "The preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery". In this union Jesus Christ is the head of the church, which is his body, and He also is the Savior of the body. This relationship is much like a properly functioning marriage relationship:

"For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Savior of the body". (Eph. 5:23)
In marriage, the wife changes her name to take the name of her husband, to become one with him and entrusts herself to his provision and protection. It is much the same in salvation whereby the believer is joined to Christ be under His protection, provision and salvation. This new union of believers with Jesus Christ forms what Paul calls the "one new man" (Eph. 2:15). This new relationship is what he refers to as "...the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery" (Rom. 16:25)

What the believer brings to that union is sin and guilt. In this new and special relationship, Jesus Christ gets the believer along with the believer's guilt at the instant the believer made his/her decision to trust Jesus Christ as Savior. The redeeming work of the Lord Jesus is then applied to the believer because sin's debt was paid in full on Calvary. What our Lord Jesus brings to that union is the righteousness of God. The believer then gets the righteousness of God credited to his/her spiritual bank account the very instant of conversion. This is the process that the Bible calls Justification. Jesus Christ became guilty of the believers sins when He received the believer to himself as the Holy Spirit baptized the believer into Christ. He paid the debt and the believer is, from that time forward, viewed by the God the Father as just as fit for heaven as His Son Jesus Christ is.

So, when we came to Paul's epistles we know Jesus Christ differently than the lost sheep of the house of Israel knew Him in the Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They knew Him "after the flesh"--i.e. as the Man of Galilee who was to be Israel's Messiah and who would reign over an earthly kingdom. Today though, in order to truly understand the Christian life, we must not look at our Lord as they did during His earthly ministry to Israel. Rather, we must know Him as the Head of the Church, which is His Body--as the head of the One New Man. Thus Paul says "wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet no we henceforth know we him no more [i.e. we no longer know of Him as He was presented during His earthly ministry].

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; be hold all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imparting their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the world of reconciliation." (II Cor. 5:17-19).
For us today, who are being saved under the Dispensation of Grace of God through the program God calls The Mystery, Jesus Christ got our sin and guilt by means of the work of the Holy Spirit when He baptized us into Christ upon our act of believing. His payment of redemption is then applied to the believer [See endnote 1). For an Israelite, that transfer of sin and guilt is accomplished by a different mode of baptism i.e. that of water. In Isaiah 53:12 we read of Israel's Messiah "...he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." John the Baptist was sent to Israel to get Israel ready for her Messiah. John was "..."the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight" (Mat. 3:3). To do this, John practiced the baptism of repentance of Numbers 19. "John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out into him all the Land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of Him in the River of Jordan, confessing their sins." (Mark 1:3-5). But, to John's surprise Our Lord Jesus came to be baptized. "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him. But John forbade him saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? Then Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. " (Matt. 3:13-15) As the Messiah of Israel and her rightful and righteous king; Jesus Christ identified himself with Israel and with Israel's transgressors so that Isaiah 53:8 might be fulfilled "He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken." Thus, water baptism was the mode whereby an Israelite under the Gospel of the Circumcision could be identified with the Savior while the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit became the mode whereby the Jew or Gentile is identified with the Savior today under the Gospel of the Uncircumcision committed unto Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles.

 


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Endnote: God had His plan for the redemption of lost man in mind before He created the world. Note carefully the words of 2Tim 1:9-11: "[God] who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I [Paul] am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles." The redemption of man was planned by God before the world began, was accomplished for man when Jesus Christ paid sin's debt in full for every man, and it is applied to believers at the moment they eack believe the gospel. Though we creatures of God are locked into our space-matter-time contium, God is not. He can and does take the sin and guilt of a person saved in 2001 back through time to the cross just as surely as he could bring the sin of fallen Adam forward through time to the cross. God has a plan and a purpose that involves man. This plan centers in the work of redemption that was accomplished by Jesus Christ.


"According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith [as in faithfulness] of him." (Eph.3:11&12)

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Baptism
By: Howell Osborne

Baptism: (The Entire Book)
http://lifeenhancements.tripod.com/DStudy1.html

Table of Contents:
Introduction
The "Church"
Questions, Many Have Ask
The Great Commission
What About Ordinances
Still More Questions
Majority or Minority
Is One View More Wrong Than Another?
One Body, Many Members
Who Is Wrong Or Who Is Right?
Should Water Baptism Be Practiced in This Dispensation?
Do All The Scripture That Reference Baptism, Mean Water?
What Do These Scriptures Mean In Light Of One Baptism?
Are There Different Baptisms?
Paul And John The Baptist
Paul And The Twelve Apostles
Why Paul Baptized Some
Problem Passages
Baptism After Paul's Conversion
Re-Baptism
Water Baptism And Circumcision
Water Baptism And The Lord's Supper
Christ, The Baptizer ---- The Holy Spirit, The Baptizer
The Figure Theory
Saul and The Immersion Theory
The Burial Theory
Identification With Christ
The Beautiful Service Theory
Which Commission?
Paul's Commission
The One Baptism
Did Jesus Have To Be Baptized?
His Identification With Us
His Baptism Into Our Guilt
His Baptism Into Our Death
Our Baptism Into His Death
Our Baptism Into His Righteousness
Our Baptism Into Him
Identification: Summary

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WATER BAPTISM PART 3

THE LITTLE FLOCK
John's baptism became a watershed issue for Israel. Luke 7:29,30 tells us,

"And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, JUSTIFIED GOD, BEING BAPTIZED WITH THE BAPTISM OF JOHN.

"But the Pharisees and lawyers REJECTED THE COUNSEL OF GOD AGAINST THEMSELVES, BEING NOT BAPTIZED OF HIM."

This, of course, is the reason that water baptism was associated with salvation and the remission of sins. Salvation was through faith, but the only way they could express their faith was by doing what God required-preparing to function as "a royal priesthood." First must come the cleansing; then the service. Ezekiel 36:25 promises Israel:

"Then will I SPRINKLE CLEAN WATER UPON YOU, AND YE SHALL BE CLEAN: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you."

The "sprinkling with clean water" was the necessary first step of faith in forming the nucleus of the coming kingdom, the group of Jewish believers which our Lord called His "little flock."

"FEAR NOT, LITTLE FLOCK; FOR IT IS YOUR FATHER'S GOOD PLEASURE TO GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM" (Luke 12:32).

The next step in preparing this believing remnant was Matthew 3:11's baptism with the Spirit. This baptism would correspond to the second rite of consecration to the priesthood-the anointing. The baptism with the Spirit would provide the needed empowering for the nation's coming service.

This explains why our Lord's post-resurrection ministry ties these two things-the baptism of repentance and the anointing of the Holy Spirit-so closely together. For example:

"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 THESE SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW THEM THAT BELIEVE; In my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues" (Mark 16:15-17. cf. Luke 24:47, Acts 1:4-8,etc.).

After the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter's appeal to Israel is clearly a further development of John's call to repentance:

"The Peter said unto them, 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" (Acts 2:38).

Here the order is clear: first the washing-"repent and be baptized"-and then the anointing-ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Those who feel the role of water baptism somehow changed after Pentecost should notice that the pre-and post-resurrection baptisms were identically the same. "Repent, and be baptized ... for the remission of sins" is exactly what John proclaimed in Mark 1:4. Nothing has changed. Rather there had simply been the historical development of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, followed by the outpouring of the Spirit. The Kingdom was no longer simply "at hand" as it had been with John; now the time had come to actually offer it to Israel.

And even after Pentecost those who refused to be baptized stood as condemned before God as did those in Luke 7:30, for Peter goes on to declare,

"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.

"And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation" (Acts 2:39,40).

This basic issue of gathering together the believing remnant of Israel-the "little flock" of Luke 12:32-runs through the ministries of John, our Lord and the Twelve in early Acts. This "little flock" represented the nucleus of the governmental authority for the coming kingdom. Those in Israel who refused to "repent and be baptized"-to identify themselves as those who had changed their minds about Christ being their Messiah through the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins-were to be "destroyed from among the people" (Acts 3:23).

It is of this little flock of Jewish believers that Peter later writes,

"BUT YE ARE A CHOSEN GENERATION, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, AN HOLY NATION, A PECULIAR PEOPLE; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (I Peter 2:9).

Thus we say again: In Scripture, water baptism is a ceremonial cleansing that pertained to the kingdom promised the nation Israel.


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GENTILE BAPTISM
If water baptism is thus associated with cleansing the nation Israel for its ministry in her kingdom, where does the baptism of Gentiles under the commission of Matthew 28:19 fit in?

Even here, water baptism is again demonstrated to symbolize cleansing-and again clearly associated with Israel's kingdom.

Remember that the priests were not the only people to be baptized. In connection with the cleansing of lepers, Leviticus 14:9 instructs:

"...Also HE SHALL WASH HIS FLESH IN WATER, AND HE SHALL BE CLEAN."

The "nations" of Matthew 28:19 were of course considered "unclean" by Israel and thus must be baptized-be cleansed-in order to gain access to Israel's kingdom and acceptance into God's favor.

Both Israel and the Gentiles needed to acknowledge their need of cleansing. The former in order to be worthy to minister the things of God; the latter to be the recipient of those things.


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WHAT ABOUT US?
The fact that water baptism pertains to Israel's kingdom program demonstrates why it has no place at all in the program of God today. It was a ceremonial washing participated in until the nation Israel and its program were set aside.

With "the fall of Israel" God raised up the apostle Paul and through him sent "salvation to the Gentiles." Following the raising up of Paul the practice of water baptism clearly underwent a change. The first real indication of this in the Scriptural record is found in Peter's experience at Cornelius' house in Acts 10.

As the Lord began to prepare Peter to recognize the change in program taking place in mid-Acts (e.g., Acts 10:28), He also prepared him for a change in baptism. As Peter addressed those assembled in Cornelius' house, he received a shock:

"To him [Christ] give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. "WHILE PETER YET SPAKE THESE WORDS, THE HOLY GHOST FELL ON ALL THEM WHICH HEARD THE WORD.

"And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 10:43-45).

This was a significant departure from the program Peter had been working under! All the Gentiles had to do to receive the Holy Spirit was believe, in sharp contrast with the previous requirement of the prior baptism of repentance (Acts 2:38). Peter then hastily baptizes them, asking, "Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized?" (See Acts 10:45-48).

Clearly water baptism was not functioning in the same way it had previous with Israel. Paul's own attitude toward baptism reflects this change:

"I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

"Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.

"And I baptized also the household of Stephannas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.

"For CHRIST SENT ME NOT TO BAPTIZE, but to preach the gospel...."
(I Corinthians 1:14-17).

Certainly if Paul were working under the commission given to the other Apostles he could never have said this! When God interrupted Israel's prophetic program and ushered in "the mystery," by the very nature of things He interrupted Israel's baptism. As Israel "diminished" (Romans 11:12) through the later Acts period, so water baptism gradually diminished in importance and a new baptism emerged on the scene to take its place.

Today there is no priestly nation or class exalted above others. God is now reconciling both Jews and Gentiles to Himself in one body simply through faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary (Ephesians 2:13-18).

When the believer trusts Christ as Savior, that moment "by one Spirit [he is] "baptized into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13) and thus "baptized into Christ" (Galatians 3:27). There is no room for a water ceremony here. No human rite or ceremony can place the believer "into Christ." No, the "one baptism" (Ephesians 4:5) of the "one body" is performed by "one Spirit"-not by preacher or priest.

The mechanics of positional truth---of being "in Christ,"---is this Spirit baptism. So completely adequate is our position in Christ by virtue of this Spirit performed baptism that we are told:

"And YE ARE COMPLETE IN HIM..." (Colossians 2:10).

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath BLESSED US WITH ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST" (Ephesians 1:3).

In light of such completeness in Christ afforded to even the simplest believer the very moment of salvation, we ask: What could possibly be accomplished by water baptism that Christ and His finished work at Calvary have not already accomplished?

If this question is faced honestly, it will soon be apparent that not only does water baptism have no place in God's program today, but to practice it is to cast a reflection on the glorious, all-sufficient, finished work of the lord Jesus Christ (cf. Colossians 2:20).

We thank God that "by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." God forbid that we should add to that "one baptism" which unites us to Christ and His people and makes us complete in Him.

by Richard Jordan

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SHOULD WE WATER BAPTIZE?

To understand why water baptism was necessary for the Nation of Israel to enter into an earthly kingdom, we must first see progressive revelation, the difference between the Nation of Israel and the church (the body of Christ) and the need to always rightly divide the Word of truth (II Tim 2:15).

 

The Nation of Israel will be a kingdom of priests when the kingdom is set up on earth.

 

Exodus 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

 

To be a priest of God there were two things that must be done. They had to be washed in water, and they had to be anointed.

 

Exodus 40:12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water.

 

Exodus 40:15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.

 

John the Baptist shows up after 400 years of silence from God preaching the baptism of repentance FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS. Water baptism does not remit sins today because Jesus has died for our sins. (See I Cor 15:3-4)

 

Mark 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

 

Matt 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

 

Matt 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

 

Jesus came to be prophet, priest and king. When he began his ministry he preached repent the kingdom was at hand. He was offering the kingdom to Israel and he was to be their king. The Nation of Israel accepted him as a prophet (John 3:2), and when John baptized him he fulfilled the requirement of Priest. He also fulfilled all righteousness and today we cannot be baptized to fulfill all righteousness. Also the Spirit did not fall on him until after he was baptized.

 

Matt 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

 

Matt 3:14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

 

Matt 3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

 

Matt 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

 

Matt 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

 

Jesus chose his 12 apostles and told them to go only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel and to preach the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This gospel was only for Israel and always includes water baptism. The kingdom was still being offered to Israel until Acts 7 when they stoned Steven. Peter was still preaching water baptism in order to receive the Holy Ghost and the forgiveness of sins when the Lord returned.

 

Matt 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

 

Matt 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

 

Matt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

 

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, 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.

 

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

 

The apostle Paul is saved in Acts Chapter 9 and sent to the Gentiles. He does baptize a few, but after he received the mystery of the revelation (Rom 16:25) he wrote the book of First Corinthians telling us that he was not sent to baptize but to preach the gospel. If water baptism was still needed in the age of grace then Paul didn't have that commission. Paul tells us that there is one baptism, and he also tells us that today when we believe that Christ died for our sins we are baptized BY ONE SPIRIT into the body of Christ (not by water). The references the apostle Paul makes in his epistles are not referring to water baptism but Spirit baptism. (Rom 6:3;Gal 3:27; Col 2:12)

 

I Cor 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

 

I Cor 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,

 

I Cor 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

 

Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

 

Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

 

Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
 

Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

 

Today we are living in the age of grace; we are saved without works (Eph 2:8-9). God is no longer dealing with Israel or requiring water baptism; he is dealing with all alike (Gal 3:28). The one baptism in the age of grace is baptism by one Spirit into one body, the body of Christ.

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The purpose of this study is to show that the Bible teaches more than one type of baptism i.e. not just water. It will also help you to understand that water baptism was TO and FOR Israel in "Time Past". The only baptism in force or effect for this age is the baptism where the believer is placed into the Body Of Christ by the Holy Spirit of God.

Fill in the blanks with the bible answer.

Why did John the Baptist baptize? (John 1:31)


Why was Jesus baptized? (Matt. 3:15)


What happened to Israel when they were baptized? (Acts 2:38)


Were Israel’s 12 apostles sent to water baptize? (Matt. 28:19)


Was the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul, sent to water baptize? (1Cor. 1:17)


What are some OTHER types of baptism found in the Bible?

Matt. 3:11 ( 3 of them here )


Heb. 6:2 & 9:10


Luke 12:50


1Cor.10:2


1Cor. 12:13


How many baptisms are there today in the age of grace? Eph.4:5


Christ died for us, was raised for us, was circumcised for us, was he also water baptized for us? Col. 2:10-12


How according to the Bible are we placed into the Body of Christ today? 1Cor. 12:13 & Rom. 6:1-4


Is there ANY mention of WATER in the above passages?


Why would anyone want to make Spirit baptism into water baptism?


According to Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, is water baptism for today?

The single most cause of confusion in churches today is a failure to follow 2Timothy 2:15. While all of the Bible is for us it is not all written to us. In our study of God’s word we must give to Israel the things pertaining to Israel and to the Body Of Christ the things pertaining to the BOC.

This study is designed to motivate you to further study of the word of God and is not intended to answer all baptism questions.

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Why I Cannot Practice Water Baptism Part 1

Sermon Delivered November 15, 1959
By PASTOR CLARENCE E. KRAMER
At Berean Church, Holland Michigan
And over WJBL, 1260 K.C.

Whenever someone teaches a doctrine that is contrary to popular opinion, most people automatically reject it without thinking it through. This is especially true in the matter of water baptism. Christendom has always practiced water baptism, though in many different modes and for many different reasons. Some teach water baptism actually contributes to one’s salvation while others teach that baptism is only a witness of some inward transformation. But though most baptizers differ among themselves as to the significance of the ceremony, yet they all band together to reject the sufficiency of the one divine baptism by which the Holy Spirit places the believing sinner into Jesus Christ.

A remark often heard is: “How can you say that the whole Church has been wrong these centuries and now only you have the truth about baptism.” Let us first remember that we do not know if all believers practiced water baptism even though the Church as a whole did; and don’t forget there is a difference between all believers and the religious hierarchy of Christendom. But further, it is so strange that most have been misled regarding this truth? it will not be so strange to the one who knows the tragic history of Israel. And Martin Luther must have faced with the same problem when he, a mere monk, challenged the entire Church of Rome on the question of justification by faith. Truth has never been popular, and spirituality is not usually found with the majority. Rather than look around us to see what others believe, lest we be found different, we should stand for God’s truth in spite of its unpopularity and the Church’s indifference to it.

Now, we believe that the one basis of fellowship among all believers is the blood of Jesus Christ which saved us from our sins. Our relationship with the blessed Son of God is what relates us to each other. I love every Christian not because they agree with me doctrinally but because they all love my Lord, and we are brethren in Him. Water baptism should never be made a basis of Christian fellowship, unless, of course, water baptism makes us children of God, which no true evangelical, Bible believing Christian teaches or believes.

As for me, I cannot practice water baptism because:

1. WATER BAPTISM IS AN OLD TESTAMENT ORDERANCE (Heb. 9:10).
In Heb. 9:10 we read, regarding Israel’s worship under the law:
“Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.”
The Greek Word for “washings” in this verse is baptismois or baptisms. This incidentally shows that water baptism in the Bible is a ceremonial purification and not a symbol of death and burial. There were no immersions under the old covenant or law. John the Baptist’s disciples had a dispute with the Jews in John 3:5 about purifying, not burying.

This first covenant (now the old covenant) “had also ordinances of divine services and a worldly sanctuary” (Heb. 9:1). The religious worship of Israel under the law consisted in “meats and drinks and divers baptisms.” So water baptism was a part of the law worship and not a “New Testament” ordinance as so many try to make it. One need only read Exodus and Leviticus to find there the numerous ablutions and purification ceremonies. In Leviticus alone there are some 20 references to washings or baptisms. The laver, an important piece in the Tabernacle furniture, was used to wash or baptize the hands and feet of the officiating priest.

Then we read, in Heb. 9:10, that the various regulations of the law, including baptisms, were “carnal ordinances” (the “and” after “washings” is not in the original). Water baptism as a ceremonial cleansing was a physical ceremony, a shadow of good things to come (Heb. 10:1 which never could “make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience” (Heb.9:9) It would be interesting to contrast this passage with 1. Peter 3:21 where the baptism which “doth also not save us” is a baptism that does meet the demand of “a good conscience toward God.” Something which a water ceremony could never do. This baptism is the antitype of Noah’s baptism and must surely refer to death baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ who experienced God’s wrath for us on Calvary. We are safe from God’s wrath being in Christ the same way that Noah was safe from God’s wrath while in the ark.

We also read in Heb. 9:10 that water baptism was “imposed on them until....” Here was law. It was not left up to the believer’s conscience; nothing was ever said about it not being absolutely necessary. It was “imposed,” but only temporarily. Like the law covenant itself which was “added because of transgression, till the seed should come” (Gal. 3:19) water baptism was a temporary institution.

Why I Cannot Practice Water Baptism Part 2

Many fine Bible believing Christian who are sure that believers today are not under the law, still insist that believers ought to be under the water. But water is part of the law. Whatever we do with law we must do with the water, and since the believer is not under the law he should not be under the water!

Further, I cannot practice water baptism because:

2. WATER BAPTISM IS NOT OF THE PAULINE REVELATION (1. Cor. 1:14-17)

The important question regarding water baptism is not whether or not it is taught in Scripture. It very plainly is, and for that reason I believe in water baptism. But is water baptism to be practiced today? This is the vital issue. Though God’s Word does teach water baptism, it also teaches the need for blood sacrifices, circumcision and speaking in tongues. I believe in these things too. But are they to be practiced today?

How can we know what is to be practiced today and what is not? By what principle of Bible study can we rule out some things that do not seem to fit, and hold on to others? The key to this important problem is in the Word itself. God has dealt with men in various ways under differing programs. God is now dealing with men in grace, and this dispensation of grace under which we live was first revealed to the Apostle Paul who made it known to us in his epistles (see Eph. 3:1-9; Col. 1:24-27; Rom. 16:25). This is why we must be “Pauline.” Some things once commanded by God are now strictly forbidden (compare Gen. 17:9-14 and Gal. 5:2, 3). The Word of God which is specifically addressed to us today is that revelation committed by the glorified Lord to the Apostle Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13). Pauline truth is our guide, and all truth must be taught in the light of this revelation.

Now, what does Paul command in regard to water baptism? Absolutely nothing! There is not one command in the Pauline epistles to the effect that members of the Body of Christ should practice water baptism. Paul himself says he was not sent to baptize (Read 1 Cor. 1:17 again). True, he did baptize some, as he also spoke in tongues, but water baptism was not a part of that particular revelation he received from the Lord for us. He was not sent to baptize and neither are we.

Now if Paul was working under the same commission as Peter (and the one most believers today are trying to obey) he could never have said: “Christ sent me not to baptize.” Peter was sent out under the commission of Matt. 28:19,20 and Mark 16:15-17. Under that commission, Peter and the circumcision apostles were told to baptize all nations and he that believed and was baptized would be saved. Furthermore, miraculous signs would follow those who believed. Read the commission in Matthew and Mark again and see all it commands. This “great” commission definitely required water baptism.

But Paul was not sent to baptize and hence could not have been working under that commission. What was his commission? It was a new commission for the new dispensation of grace which he received from the Lord in glory (Gal. 1:11,12: Eph. 3:1-3). Water baptism is not included in this commission or in the program for this dispensation. (See 11 Cor. 5:18-20)

Finally, I cannot practice water baptism because:

3. THE “ONE BAPTISM” is THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT MAKES US ONE WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. (Eph. 4:5 1 Cor. 12:13).

Paul does say a great deal about baptism but it is not water baptism. In Eph. 4:5 he mentions as part of the unity of the spirit the one baptism. The following verses will show what this one baptism is:

Rom. 6:3,4: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were BAPTIZED INTO JESUS CHRIST were BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH? Therefore we are buried with Him by BAPTISM INTO DEATH; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

1 Cor. 12:13: “For as many of you as have been BAPTIZED INTO ONE BODY, whether we be Jews or Gentiles...”

Gal. 3:27: “For as many of you as have been BAPTISED INTO CHRIST have put on Christ.”

Col. 2:11,12: “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. BURIED WITH HIM IN BAPTISM, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation God, Who hath raised Him from the dead.”

It is quite obvious from a simple reading of these important passages that the one baptism that is common to every believer, irrespective of denomination, is the baptism into Christ and His Body. This baptism occurs the very moment one believes the gospel. If this baptism is by water then water baptism saves, for it is a baptism into Christ.

But it is only God who can save and only the Holy Spirit who can put anyone into Christ. In Rom. 6:3,4 we are told that those who have been baptized into Christ (by the Holy Spirit) have been baptized into His death. It is in His death that we died to sin (verse 2). Since we died with Him we were also buried with Him by means of that baptism into His death; buried, not in water but in His tomb. And when He arose we arose with Him to new life.

This is not symbolic language for water could never symbolize crucifixion, burial in a rock tomb or resurrection to new life. This is all a Spiritual reality which we are to reckon true by faith. This baptism into Christ transforms the life and breaks the power of the sin nature. Could water ever do this? Only God can, and God did, by making us one with Christ through this divine baptism.

This divine baptism, then, presents a spiritual obligation. Because we have been baptized into Christ and thus have died to sin and are now alive unto God, we are commanded to “reckon” ourselves “to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:11). Our baptism into Christ is the only true basis for Christian living. We died to sin only in Him and are alive spiritually only in Him. Put water here and we miss the whole lesson God would teach us. Yea, we miss the power to live pleasing to Him!

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Baptism: A Mid-Acts Dispensational View

By Ben Webb

http://www.geocities.com/benwebb.geo/bapindex.html


Today, during this present "dispensation of the grace of God" (Eph.3:2), Uncircumcised Gentiles are saved through the fall of Israel, as Paul states in Romans 11:11. Yet no Old Testament prophecy ever even hinted at such a possibility. Instead, prophecy consistently portrays the sanctification of Gentiles as taking place through the exaltation of Israel, rather than through her fall (see Is.2:1-4, 27:13, 61:6-9, Ezek.3:4-7, Micah 4:1-3, Zech.8:20-23, Zech.14:16, etc.).

Nor was such a possibility implied even in the Four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John (see, for example, Mt. 10:5-7; compare Ezek. 3:4-7). As a result, from the standpoint of prophecy, the salvation of uncircumcised Gentiles today is a true "mystery", as the apostle Paul states in passages such as Ro. 11:25, Eph. 3:1-6, and Col. 1:25-27.

It is therefore the mid-Acts Dispensational view that because Old Testament prophecies have temporarily ceased (1 Cor. 13:8), water baptism is no longer necessary (see 1 Cor.1:17; 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:5); although it was absolutely required at one time for believers in the house of Israel (Mk.16:16; Acts 2:38). While some churches actually recognize the fact that belivers in the previous dispensation were required to be baptized, many of them still fail to understand the "mystery" that Paul speaks of. Consequently, they still allow (or maybe even require) their members to be baptized today. Others also fail to acknowledge that prophecy has temporarily ceased today, thereby relegating Paul's statement in 1 Cor. 13:8 to a future time. This study, then, will explore the purpose behind Old Testament baptism, and the reason why mid-Acts Dispensationalists believe it is no longer relevant.


Table of Contents:


Prelude to understanding the Mid-Acts view concerning water baptism
1. Baptism does not necessarily imply "WATER" baptism
2. Water baptism (washing) was an Old Testament ordinance for Hebrew priests
3. Israel's inheritance as a kingdom of priests
4. Water baptism was required under the prophesied gospel of the kingdom
5. Water baptism was also required under the "Great Commission"
6. Why the "Great Commission" does not apply to Christians today
7. Why was our Lord Jesus Christ baptized?
8. Water baptism was not a replacement for circumcision

For all the above studies:

http://www.geocities.com/benwebb.geo/bapindex.html


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There is one baptism" (Eph 4:5), which is administered by the Holy Spirit and not by human hands (Col 2:11,12), which results in the permanent union of every believer as a member of the Church which is His Body (1 Cor 12:13).



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One Lord, Faith, Baptism
 
 
   We will look at the verse in Ephesians 4:5 that says there is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. I will show you there are not many denominational people out there who believe this verse. I see the signs on the churches out there on this very topic, But I am afraid they don't understand the meaning behind this verse.

    In Matthew 3:11 it reads," I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire". By this paragraph then, how many baptisms are included here? If you said three then you're right: Water, Holy Ghost, and Fire. So then this would mean there are more than one kind of baptism? Yes there are; there are even more but we will start with this three.

    In Acts 1:5 Jesus is talking here. He said, " For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence". Now these men were already baptized with the baptism of John, so now something new is introduced into your bible- the baptism with the Holy Ghost. You know this because in 2:1-4 they were baptized with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in tongues ( That is other languages). They received the Holy Ghost, did they not? Yes they did, you are right. Who baptized them? If you said, " Jesus Christ" then you're right. John did the baptizing with water and Jesus baptized these people with the Holy Ghost.

    This is an idea in your bible called " Progressive Revelation" and you're seeing this in action here in this topic. Progressive Revelation is how God reveals things to man, slowly over a period of time rather than all at once ( See article called progressive revelation in advanced bible study). Now you see the baptism changing here right in front of you.

    Peter, In Acts 2:38 told these people to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and they would receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; everyone agrees with this because this is the way people today are taught to be saved. They got baptized with water then they would receive the Holy Ghost. After Peter and them baptized the people then Jesus would baptize them with the Holy Ghost, do you agree? Good. Let's move on then.

    In Acts 10, Peter is preaching to a man named Cornelious. In Verse 44 while Peter was yet preaching the Holy Ghost fell upon these men. In the next few verses the disciples were astonished that they received the Holy Ghost without water; this shocked them! Then Peter, in Acts 11:16 remembered the words of Jesus Christ about being baptized with the Holy Ghost. These people who he preached to received the Holy Ghost without water.

    Now here is where it gets confusing for people who want something, or have an agenda. In I Corinthians 12:13 it says, " For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles....". They say this believers baptism is with water. This is a grave error to people who want to butcher the scripture. There is no mention of water in this passage at all. Watch: By ONE SPIRIT ARE WE BAPTIZED into one body. If we are baptized BY the Spirit, and that's the Holy Spirit, then who's doing the baptizing? If you said the Holy Spirit then you're right. The Holy Spirit is doing the baptizing today and not man. Not only this though, when the believer today trusts Christ and His shed blood for then, then he/she is Spirit baptized and placed into the church- the Body of Christ- Ephesians 1:13. Then he/she is sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise til they die- Eph.4:30. This is true, right, and according to scripture. Anyone who won't believe this has accurately explained away the scripture.

    This thought then brings us unto Ephesians 4:5, One Lord, One Faith, One baptism. If there's only one baptism in the Body of Christ, and there is, and it's Spirit baptism, and it is, then aren't these people who water baptize people for thier sins going contrary to the bible? If you said yes then you're right. They say believers baptism is with water then the Spirit steps in and baptizes you, yea right. These people also tell you you're saved when you trust Christ. If I am saved and sealed with the Spirit then why would I then need believers baptism to get the Spirit? I don't need something from a man that God already gave me, do I? What are they doing then? They have a motive, an agenda. They want to make a fair show of you in their flesh Gal.6:11-13. They want to glory in your flesh, bragging about how many people they baptized yesterday at church, and it's all in vain. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the truth of God. Some of them even know this but they do it anyway, why? Because they were taught this in preacherboys school and their church requires they do it or else they would lose their jobs. Now they have put money above the truth of God; it would stink to be them when they meet God, knowing they compromised their principles for the world, and money.

    Colosians 2:10 says you are COMPLETE in Christ. You don't need a thing, according to God. Once you trust Christ you are sealed with the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption. Water baptism doesn't even save us anyway; it's the blood of Christ- Rom.5:11. Once you trust Christ and His shed blood for you, it is a done deal; don't let some wicked person bewhitch you into believing things that aren't true, believe the word of God where you will never be wrong for.  

    You see, the churches that have the sign on them that say," One Lord, One faith, One baptism don't believe that verse. Why then do they baptize people with water if they did believe that verse? They are misunderstood on these things. We will pray that they open there bibles and study further and seek Gods words and not their church doctrine.



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Thanks super kid, Paul taught Peter everything he knew about the Grace of God.


Read Acts chapter 10.


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Super kid, I will pray that you open your bible and study further and seek Gods Words and not your church doctrine.



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I believe God's word. It states about the Lord Jesus that::

•   He has promised to meet all our needs Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
•   He has promised to always be with us Hebrews 13:5. Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.
•   He has promised to hear our prayers and give us the desire of our heart 1 Peter 3:12 - Psalm 37:4 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
•   He said we are conquerors  Romans 8:37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
•   He said He would keep us from falling and present us faultless Jude 24. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.
•   He said He would supply all we need at all times. 2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have abundance for every good work.
•   He has promised all the seed we need. 2 Corinthians 9:10 - Hebrews 13:20 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness. Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus form the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever.
•   He is greater than anyone or anything. 1 John 4:4  You are of God little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
•   He does more than we ask. Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.
•   His thoughts to us are for good. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
•   As we seek Him He rewards us. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
•   He know us. Psalm 139:3  You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
•   His eye is on us. 1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers.
•   He is praying for us. Hebrews 7:25  Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.



 

One Lord, Faith, Baptism


    We will look at the verse in Ephesians 4:5 that says there is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. I will show you there are not many denominational people out there who believe this verse. I see the signs on the churches out there on this very topic, But I am afraid they don't understand the meaning behind this verse.

    In Matthew 3:11 it reads," I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire". By this paragraph then, how many baptisms are included here? If you said three then you're right: Water, Holy Ghost, and Fire. So then this would mean there are more than one kind of baptism? Yes there are; there are even more but we will start with this three.

    In Acts 1:5 Jesus is talking here. He said, " For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence". Now these men were already baptized with the baptism of John, so now something new is introduced into your bible- the baptism with the Holy Ghost. You know this because in 2:1-4 they were baptized with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in tongues ( That is other languages). They received the Holy Ghost, did they not? Yes they did, you are right. Who baptized them? If you said, " Jesus Christ" then you're right. John did the baptizing with water and Jesus baptized these people with the Holy Ghost.

    This is an idea in your bible called " Progressive Revelation" and you're seeing this in action here in this topic. Progressive Revelation is how God reveals things to man, slowly over a period of time rather than all at once ( See article called progressive revelation in advanced bible study). Now you see the baptism changing here right in front of you.

    Peter, In Acts 2:38 told these people to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and they would receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; everyone agrees with this because this is the way people today are taught to be saved. They got baptized with water then they would receive the Holy Ghost. After Peter and them baptized the people then Jesus would baptize them with the Holy Ghost, do you agree? Good. Let's move on then.

    In Acts 10, Peter is preaching to a man named Cornelious. In Verse 44 while Peter was yet preaching the Holy Ghost fell upon these men. In the next few verses the disciples were astonished that they received the Holy Ghost without water; this shocked them! Then Peter, in Acts 11:16 remembered the words of Jesus Christ about being baptized with the Holy Ghost. These people who he preached to received the Holy Ghost without water.

    Now here is where it gets confusing for people who want something, or have an agenda. In I Corinthians 12:13 it says, " For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles....". They say this believers baptism is with water. This is a grave error to people who want to butcher the scripture. There is no mention of water in this passage at all. Watch: By ONE SPIRIT ARE WE BAPTIZED into one body. If we are baptized BY the Spirit, and that's the Holy Spirit, then who's doing the baptizing? If you said the Holy Spirit then you're right. The Holy Spirit is doing the baptizing today and not man. Not only this though, when the believer today trusts Christ and His shed blood for then, then he/she is Spirit baptized and placed into the church- the Body of Christ- Ephesians 1:13. Then he/she is sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise til they die- Eph.4:30. This is true, right, and according to scripture. Anyone who won't believe this has accurately explained away the scripture.

    This thought then brings us unto Ephesians 4:5, One Lord, One Faith, One baptism. If there's only one baptism in the Body of Christ, and there is, and it's Spirit baptism, and it is, then aren't these people who water baptize people for thier sins going contrary to the bible? If you said yes then you're right. They say believers baptism is with water then the Spirit steps in and baptizes you, yea right. These people also tell you you're saved when you trust Christ. If I am saved and sealed with the Spirit then why would I then need believers baptism to get the Spirit? I don't need something from a man that God already gave me, do I? What are they doing then? They have a motive, an agenda. They want to make a fair show of you in their flesh Gal.6:11-13. They want to glory in your flesh, bragging about how many people they baptized yesterday at church, and it's all in vain. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the truth of God. Some of them even know this but they do it anyway, why? Because they were taught this in preacherboys school and their church requires they do it or else they would lose their jobs. Now they have put money above the truth of God; it would stink to be them when they meet God, knowing they compromised their principles for the world, and money.

    Colosians 2:10 says you are COMPLETE in Christ. You don't need a thing, according to God. Once you trust Christ you are sealed with the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption. Water baptism doesn't even save us anyway; it's the blood of Christ- Rom.5:11. Once you trust Christ and His shed blood for you, it is a done deal; don't let some wicked person bewhitch you into believing things that aren't true, believe the word of God where you will never be wrong for.  

    You see, the churches that have the sign on them that say," One Lord, One faith, One baptism don't believe that verse. Why then do they baptize people with water if they did believe that verse? They are misunderstood on these things. We will pray that they open there bibles and study further and seek Gods words and not their church doctrine.


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Can Water Baptism Save You?

YES, if you are living during the flood and are on Noah's Ark! - 1 Pet 3:20 ... in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. YES, if you are a Jew living 2,000 years ago. Mark 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. YES, if you are going to join Peter's church which stopped meeting 2, 000 years ago. Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, 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. NO, if you are going to follow the teachings of Paul in the dispensation of the grace of God . 1 Cor 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. HERE is a list of cults that do not follow Paul today because they require Israel's water baptism for salvation.... Jehovah's Witnesses , Catholics, Mormons, Church of Christ, and others.... who you going to believe? Men or God?

 By Pastor Doug Dodd


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