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In part one of this study we saw that the Scriptures explain: 1) the family of believers in Christ was foreordained to have the gift of eternal salvation as a rescue from eternal death, by the foreknowledge of Yahweh God; 2) that our Heavenly Father has accepted us into His family before the foundation of the world, and 3) that a Christian becomes alive to the awareness of this gift upon believing the gospel of Christ. We also now know that there are different manifestations of the process known as salvation. We have already been saved by the work that Yahweh foreordained that He would do for us, we are being saved in this age by living in the Word so that sin doesn't dominate our life, and we shall be saved completely when the mortal body is changed to immortal at the Resurrection. In light of all this, the reader has probably deduced that it is possible to receive the earnest of the Spirit, along with the anointing of the Spirit at the same time, which is what happened in Acts 2:37, & 38. One can have the heart pricked into awareness by the earnest of the imparted Spirit, then immediately have an anointing by that same Holy Spirit for power to witness for Christ. But these two events don't necessarily have to happen simultaneously. Let's view Acts 2:37, 38: Peter is teaching the men in the previous 10 or so verses about Christ crucified, then in verse 37 we read: "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts.2:37) "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 2:38) We remember from Ephesians 1:13,14 quoted at the end of our Part One (plus other like Scriptures), that these men were already sealed by the earnest of the Spirit because they were believers who"heard and were pricked in their hearts". The Holy Spirit had dealt with them. Next they were to repent, that is , change their worldly lifestyle, follow after Yahweh's laws, and witness for Christ. To do this they were to be baptized, which is the action that follows the faith. But most important for us to realize is that it's the heart felt repentance and faith in the blood (not the baptism) which brings the remission of sins, . What they experienced here in Acts 2 verse 38 was just one instance of the pouring out of the anointing of the Holy Ghost in power. This was promised by Jesus/Yahshua in Luke 24:49 when He told the apostles "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." They were already heart felt believing Christians when He told them that. Here also in Acts 2:38 they were getting the full anointing along with, or immediately after, receiving the earnest of the Spirit which came upon their believing the Word. Verse 43 tells us that fear came upon every soul because of the signs and miracles they were witness to, as the Holy Ghost was manifesting works of the Holy Power. This was an outpouring of the Spirit in power , which is different than verse 37 where they were pricked in their hearts and became Christians through their belief. Baptism didn't make them Christians. They wanted to be baptized because they were Christians. Another question we want to address in light of Acts 2:38 is "Does a person receive the Holy Spirit for remission of sins only when repentance is combined simultaneously with water baptism"? Some misled people are worried that they are still in their sins if they trust Christ but haven't been baptized yet. If we examine Acts 10, starting in verse 37, the Bible points out that baptism is not the exclusive time a believer may receive the gift of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It also points out that it is belief that brings remission of sins, not the water baptism act itself, even though a person who first believes may also get baptized "on the spot" as well. Here in the 10th chapter of Acts we again see Peter, the same Apostle of Acts 2:38 quoted by the water salvationists to supposedly "prove" that remission of sins comes only by repentance and water baptism together. Lets read the words of Peter starting in verse 37 here in Acts chapter 10 . "That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed Him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins. (Thus explaining Acts 2:38 that it was the "repentance",not the baptism, which produced remission of sin) While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word." (Acts 10:37 -44) They received the Holy Ghost (Spirit) upon opening their hearts to the testimony of Peter about the resurrected Christ. They had no water Baptism up to this point, yet they had already received the Holy Spirit. Then we read verses 45 - 48: "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. For they heard them speak with languages, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Yahshua. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days." (Acts 10:45-48) The Bible is clear! These men heard the Word, they believed, they received the Holy Spirit in power, and manifested the divine power within them by speaking in languages, just as the disciples did in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. Then they were also baptized in water. NOTE: One theory of the water salvationists claims that these men in Acts chapter 10 only had the Holy Spirit fall on them as poured out from on high but that supposedly this only means they were not actually touched within their hearts by the Holy Spirit. What a long reach in distorting the sound doctrine of the Scriptures!! Acts 2:4 tells us that at Pentecost the believers were "filled" with The Holy Spirit inside of them,and in verse 17,18 it explains that this was a "pouring out upon" them of the Spirit promised by the prophet Joel (2:28-32). Acts 10:44,45 tells us that the "falling on"of The Spirit and "pouring out"of The Spirit are the same, which is also a "filling of" the Holy Spirit. That the men of Acts 10 could "magnify (greatly praise) God" before they were water baptized (vs46,48) yet not have the Holy Spirit in their heart is absurd. A corrupt undealt with heart can not magnify (greatly praise) Yahweh God, but His family only does this. (Ps.40:16; 69:30;70:4;Lk.1:26;46; Rev.16:9) These believers were water baptized AFTER THEY MAGNIFIED GOD because the Holy Spirit had already touched their hearts!! Water baptism is not a ceremony which brings about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in power. Peter was happy to baptize them because they were already Christians, even to the point of their manifesting the works of the Spirit. Baptism is an outward testimony of the faith of the heart. It is a symbolic sacrament we are commanded to do by our Master and King , and it's a testimony that a person is following Christ as a member of His Ecclesia. The Holy Spirit, though, is given by choice and circumstance of Yahweh Almighty, and not by anything a person is going to do in order to make God jump through hoops, including the use of baptism to "make" Him do so. Yahweh El Shaddai is a personal God who knows each one of His children, and isn't going to be regulated or controlled by the dictate of a hierarchy of priests who have declared that by some method or by some ceremony you are going to make the Holy Spirit do anything. He's the One True Living God Almighty and will come to you as He sees fit. He is not going to be conjured up by turning baptism into a superstitious rite, which is unintentionally done by those who think that baptism "brings the Holy Spirit upon or into a person". The Holy Spirit may come in power at the time of water baptism, or at the time of preaching of the Word, or even by the laying on of hands without baptism. For example, let's read Acts chapter 8:14-17:
"Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Master Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost." (Acts 8:14-17)
As we note then, in Acts 2:38 the Holy Spirit was received upon repentance and water baptism, in Acts 10:44 the Holy Spirit was received upon hearing the word, in Acts 2:4 the Holy Spirit was received as disciples sat in one accord with each other, and in Acts 8:17 the Holy Spirit was received by the laying on of hands. In each case it is Yahweh who decides when the anointing of the Spirit is given; and exactly who it is that receives empowerment by the Spirit for works in the Kingdom. Continuing on with verse 18: "And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee." (Acts 8:17-22) The entire Bible testifies, as well as verse 22 here, that it's the repentance within the heart that brings about remission and forgiveness of sins. In Acts 2:38 where it says "repent and be baptized for the remission of sins" its the repentance within the heart that counts for the remission of sins, not the water baptism. Well did our Savior say: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16) Another curious doctrine says that baptism is where we make contact with the blood of Jesus, and without baptism there is no connection between the believer and Christ's blood, and subsequently no remission of sins. This is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible instructs us that contact with our Savior's shed blood is by a contrite heart of faith for what He has done: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;" (Rom.3:23-25) As a Christian now being led by The Holy Spirit, the believer will want to be baptized as a sign of his/her faithful commitment to Christ. It's blatant disobedience if a Christian does not get baptized given ample opportunity. But if we take the position that believers are not eternally saved until after they get baptized, it would be denying the blood of Christ and what He did on the cross. We would be arguing that His shed blood was not enough to pay for our eternal life... that it has to be His blood AND baptism. God forbid that we take that position to heart!! What about Acts 22:16? It says in that verse "be baptized, and wash away thy sins calling on the name of The Master." Here it's the account of Ananias talking to Paul, who was still called Saul at that time. Ananias tells Saul in verse 14 "the God of our Fathers has chosen you". Then he tells Saul (or Paul) in verse 16 "be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on His name." Simply put, our trust is in His Name , the Hebrew letters Yod Hay Vauv Hay, and the salvation He has given to us in that Name, by which Name He arrived and was crucified for our eternal life. There are those who want to argue over the point of the name being Yahshua or Jesus. The Scriptural position is that the word "name" here is "onomah" in Greek (Strong's #3686) and means one's "rank or authority". We are to call on the authority of Christ and not to be nitpicking over an exact ancient pronunciation we may never precisely obtain. That is to say, it's not a mimic trust in some so called preferred pronunciation of that Name, which Paleo Hebrew dialect pronunciation we don't precisely know beyond doubt -- but rather a trust in what His Name (Yhvh) means by its infinite merits. Christ said in John 5:43 , "I have come in my Father's Name." This is another great secret He wants us to know. I John 5:13 says, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know ye have eternal life , and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." It's what the incarnate Holy Name Yahweh our Salvation did on the cross by His infinite authority that washes away our sin, not what we do at baptism. And we are expressly forbidden in Hosea 2:16 from defiling the Holy Name by calling Yahweh "the Lord" (Baal), that ungodly name unto which most are baptized. The same denominations that defile the Name Yahweh in violation of the 1st commandment, also defile baptism by making it something it is not, .... a doctrine of priestcraft control, used to throw a guilt complex on the sheep of His flock. The threat? "Come to my church to get baptized or you're not a Christian". No, dear brothers and sisters ... you become a converted (made aware of salvation already done) Christian when the Holy Spirit deals with your heart and imparts belief. Baptism is a sacred symbol of your own personal faith with your Savior, not an emotional tool to be used by clergy to put a guilt trip for any reason upon unsuspecting truth seeking Christians. The Apostles went to great lengths to teach us that it's the cross which is the focal point of our eternal life. Not the cross and baptism, not the cross and the Sabbath, not the cross and dietary laws, not the cross and the feast days. But...... they preached "Christ crucified" for our redemption All of those other things are very important to our Christian growth, but they are not what brings us to Christ. Paul, in particular, wrote that if those believers in his day were to misconstrue the meaning of baptism in any way, that he would not have baptized anybody! People were putting faith in WHO baptized them instead of what baptism meant. Paul then explained that it's not the cross and baptism that saves us. It's the cross. Period! Let's turn to Paul's discourse on this in I Corinthians: "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? 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 Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other." (I Cor.1:12-16) Paul is saying here that he was glad he didn't baptize many people, since way back then there was already a misunderstanding about baptism. If baptism is how we get the Holy Spirit and become a Christian, Paul would have said something like "I'm glad I always baptize as many people as possible but let me clear up some confusion". No, the next verse explains exactly why Paul was glad he did not baptize many Christians. "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." (verse 17) It's the simple teaching of the secret of the cross that makes a person's heart alive as to the free gift of salvation. Doctrinal matters are important to get right because false doctrine tolerated in the ecclesia can remove blessings from on high that are going to be needed to guide the remnant through the trials that are soon to visit our nation. The remnant does not need chained down with unclean doctrines of men, any more than an eagle needs a weight tied to its legs while trying to reach new heights. The expended power will drain him of strength. Diluting the cross with a distorted view of baptism will rob the Christian of spiritual power from on high. "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." (Verse 18) " For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" (verse 19,20) The worldly mind, or carnal nature of man, is bound and determined to make our salvation conditional upon a religious ceremony. The simple fact that Yahweh saved us exclusively by the cross of Jesus of Nazareth, is foolishness to the world's religions. But the Bible has got nothing to do with religion. Religion is man made. Religion is man trying to reach for God Almighty. The cross is God Almighty reaching out and redeeming man. What Our Redeemer wants us to know is what He said on the cross. Christ said on that cross, "It is finished". (Jn 19:30). How can we add to a finished work of our Saviour by telling others , "Faith in the blood of Jesus isn't enough, now you have to get water baptized to become a Christian"? However, Christ knew this would happen as He said in Matthew 15:9 "In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.". Let's expound a bit more on the false teaching that water baptism is where we contact the shed blood of Christ for redemption. By supposedly connecting the blood of Christ to water baptism, the teaching follows that the blood of Christ cannot be "activated" for salvation until a person gets immersed in water. A misinterpretation of Paul's writings in Romans 6:3 is quoted to come to this conclusion and we will shortly cover that verse in Part Three. But let's first build a foundation from Paul's testimony concerning the Bible truth that there is more than one baptism mentioned in the Scriptures. The word baptism in the Greek means "to immerse", and the Bible is clear that we can be immersed into many different situations, events, and circumstances , as well as being immersed in water. Some are quick to cite Ephesians 4:5 where it says, "One Master, One Faith, One Baptism". However in that chapter of Ephesians the Bible student will observe that the baptism there was referring to the unity of the Spirit in Yahweh, which all of us have entered into believing in the same faith. It's not talking about water baptism in that verse. It is referring to our being immersed into one Spirit. Ephesians 4:3,4 tells us that we are called into one body, and verse 16 says that this one body in Christ is fitly joined together. The double witness to this immersion into one spiritual body is I Corinthians 12:13 which says, "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Judeans or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." This baptism does not refer to baptism into water. There are yet other baptisms mentioned in the Bible as well. Let's go to the book of Hebrews chapter six, the words of Paul once again. Starting in verse 1: "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment." (Heb.6:1,2)
What is of interest for the sake of our study today is Paul's use of the phrase "doctrine of baptisms (plural)". What does Paul mean by "baptisms"? The apostle found it essential to define a doctrine of immersions (baptisms) of many types, into which an individual can be completely absorbed. For example: in Mark 11:30 Christ put the question to the Pharisees, "The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?" John himself said in Matthew 3:11 "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance .. but a mightier comes after me who will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." In verse 7 of that chapter it tells us that there were unbelieving Pharisees among the crowd of people to whom John was speaking. This Scripture account reveals that these scoundrels will be "immersed" as well in "Holy Ghost fire"....by a baptism of God's wrath in judgment for their political and religious manipulating, which judgment is likened unto fire. Verse 12 likens this immersion into fire as chaff being burnt up ... and the good wheat is the family of Christ's believers being gathered and stored. [The chaff itself being the unrighteous seed of the Pharisee/ Edomite/ viper line of people who later crucified Christ. (Mat.23:33) The good wheat being those of the House of Jacob who have been redeemed into true Christendom. (Mat.25:34) You can read about the baptism or immersion into Holy Ghost fire for the Edomites in the book of Obadiah verses 15 - 18.] The immersion of the Holy Ghost (Spirit) power can have different results on different people. That power can destroy an enemy in fire , but when the redeemed of Jacob are baptized into that fire, the results are supernatural empowerment for works in the Kingdom such as what happened in the upper room on Pentecost. Cloven tongues of fire fell upon the disciples in Acts 2 as they sat gathered on that day. They got "Baptized into the Holy Ghost" by a powerful anointing and summarily spoke in various languages to witness for the Kingdom of The King of kings. Christ spoke of yet another type of baptism. Christ told His disciples in Luke 12:50 , "I have a baptism to be baptized with: and how I am in pain til it be accomplished." Our Savior wasn't talking about water baptism. He was referring to His crucifixion and suffering on the cross which He would shortly enter into. Along with that specific baptism, which was to overwhelm Christ in blood, in Matthew 20:23 Christ told James and John that "they would indeed be Baptized the same as He". That baptism meant that they would be immersed into a martyr's death just as Yahshua our Savior died in the faith becoming the ultimate example of martyrs who would die for Christianity. This is a martyr's baptism. These are all examples from the Scriptures of how the word "baptism" does not categorically mean being immersed into water. This is what Paul refers to as "the doctrine of baptisms". In order to mature in the faith, among other things, we must to understand these many baptisms mentioned in the The Written Word. In I Corinthians 10, we find Paul speaking yet about another baptism without water. "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; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;" (I Cor.10:1) This, as we know, is referring to the Israelites coming out of Egypt in the Exodus. As Yahweh's glory cloud protected the Israelites, the children of Israel followed Yahweh's representative, Moses. They were immersed , that is, baptized into the leading directions of Moses. The King James Version says "unto Moses", but here it's the Greek word "eic" (pronounced :eece) and it's the same word as "into". They were baptized unto, or rather into Moses. The Almighty spoke to Moses, and the people listened to that prophet. They left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea at the direction of Moses, while Yahweh held back the walls of water until Israel was safely on the other side. Then the Egyptians were flooded and destroyed when The Almighty brought the sea back upon their armies. We note that while Israel was baptized into Moses and remaining completely dry, it was the Egyptians who were the ones immersed or baptized in water, weren't they? Israel's dry "baptism into Moses", resulted in their salvation from the horseman and foot soldiers of Pharaoh. Moses was a type of Christ. The children of Israel were the "body of Moses" ,since as Paul says, they were "baptized into Moses". Likewise Christians today are the "body of Christ" because we are baptized into Christ ... we follow Jesus (Yahshua our Savior) explicitly and to the best of our ability. This emphasizes the fact that Paul reveals to us here in I Corinthians that the phrase "Baptized into Moses" did not mean they were "water baptized", exactly as the phrase "Baptized into Christ" means that we follow Christ in every way possible. To be "Baptized into Christ", is not the same as to be baptized into water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Paul says in Galatians 3:26 & 27 "For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been BAPTIZED INTO Christ have put on Christ." (not put on water) This describes a complete surrender of one's life to Christ and His saving power, here in the present and also forever. That's the real immersion or baptism, and it's the immersion that's in your heart. There are many people who are water baptized, who are not IMMERSED INTO Jesus the Christ, or else they would not habitually do the various worldly deeds they do. These are lip service nominal Christians, all water baptized in their church, each claiming that they solidified their Christianity by that ceremony, yet disobeying the commandments of Christ at every turn. Keeping in mind that being BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST means following His commandments by faith (as was Israel's dry baptism "into Moses" a following of Moses), and that being BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST does not specifically mean the act of water baptism, we will continue on in Part Three with Romans 6:3 where it is erroneously claimed that only the act of water baptism contacts the blood of the Cross. Baptism Continued Next Article>>> |
