The one baptism according to Jesus Christ, the Lord and Saviour:
Matthew 28:18. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
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:
20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Here is a command by Christ to His apostles to go, teach and baptize all nations.
Is it Spirit or water baptism? IT IS WATER BAPTISM
Could the apostles baptize with the Holy spirit? NO
Is the Holy Spirit working through the baptism Christ commands to be done? YES
To me it is quite obvious from this thread that Satan has found another way to create division and dissension among believers by CREATING CONFUSION ABOUT BAPTISM. God is not the author if confusion, and the teaching on baptism is quite plain. Why are we continually confusing the baptism of the Holy Spirit with water baptism, when each one is distinct and each one is necessary?
WATER BAPTISM Water baptism is a commandment of the Lord Jesus Christ for every believer in every age until the Lord comes for His saints (Matt. 28:19). Water baptism signifies death, burial, and resurrection with Christ -- when He died, we died; when He was buried, we were buried; when He rose again, we rose again with Him (Rom. 6:1-23). Water baptism does NOT WASH AWAY SINS, but PROVES that our sins have been forgiven and we have received the gift of the Holy Spirit -- "raised to walk in newness of life".
Obedience to this command is obedience to Christ. IT IS AN OUTWARD MANIFESTATION OF AN INWARD REALITY.
SPIRIT BAPTISMThe baptism with or by the Holy Spirit is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit who "IMMERSES" [baptizes] each and every believer into the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12, but read the whole chapter, Eph. 4:5, but read the whole chapter). There is no conflict in Scripture, and this baptism accompanies salvation by GRACE through FAITH in the blood of Christ and His righteousness (Tit. 3:4-7). There is no commandment to be baptized with the Holy Spirit (since that is God's supernatural work) but there is a commandment to be FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT (Eph.5:18).
So how does Christ "baptize with the Holy Ghost"? When we believe on Him and receive Him as our Lord and Saviour, He gives us THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST (Acts 2:38), who in turn baptizes us into the Body of Christ. The emphasis by Paul on "ONE BAPTISM" [ of the Holy Ghost] was because the gifts of the Spirit were causing disunity in the Body, and believers had to be reminded that there are no divisions in the Body of Christ because there is "one Body, and one Spirit" (Eph. 4:4). I trust this post will again remind us of the same truth.
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