Water Baptism and the New Birth

Today I would like to continue the thought from yesterday on how the observance and practice of water baptism has divided and crippled the body of Christ. It's really very simple. Jesus came here for one purpose; to do what it would take to make the same divine, eternal life available to mankind that dwells in himself and the Father (Jn. 5:26; Jn. 10:10). That life IS the "Spirit OF life that is IN Christ Jesus," and that life is received by being baptized therein, meaning with the holy Ghost (Rom. 8:2; Mk. 1:7,8; Acts 1:4,5). The baptism of the holy Ghost [with the sign of speaking in tongues] is the only thing that Jesus sent back from heaven after he went away, and complete faith in him always produces that experience (Jn. 16:7; Jn. 7:39; Acts 2:4). And the fact of the matter is, there is NO MEANS whereby anyone can be accepted by God, other than FAITH in his Son Jesus (Rom. 3:21,22; Rom. 5:1; Philip. 3:9). And the only OBEDIENCE to God that exists is the same thing, true faith in Jesus (Rom. 16:25-27). So faith in Jesus is what this gospel is all about, and faith in Jesus produces the baptism of the Spirit with power to live free from sin (Acts 1:8; Rom. 6:1,2,6; Tit. 2:11,12; I Jn. 3:2,3). Being baptized into Christ by the Spirit removes sin and thereby joins us together with the Father and the Son, giving us literal reconciliation (I Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27; I Cor. 6:11; Tit. 3:5; I Cor. 6:17; Jn. 17:21-24; Col. 1:21). So again, it is all about faith in Jesus, and there is no such thing as true, complete faith in Jesus NOT producing the experience of being baptized with the holy Ghost. Now let me show you something here about how the minds of people have been tainted by the modern Christian traditions and doctrines, and this point will help me further clarify what I am trying to say here. I have used the word "baptized" several times now, and I guarantee you that there is someone reading this post who is thinking at this moment that I have been talking about WATER baptism. Reason being almost NOBODY thinks "holy Ghost baptism, speaking in tongues" when they hear the word "baptism" or "baptized." And as I said, that goes straight to the point that I'm making. Jesus DID NOT suffer, die, and raise from the dead so that people could continue with ANY practice of the old covenant, because NO practice or ordinance of the old covenant EVER made ANYBODY right with God by truly taking their sins away! (Gal. 3:21; Heb. 7:19; Heb. 10:2,4) The apostle Paul said it perfectly: "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" (Gal. 2:21). The same apostle who alone taught the truth of the fulfillment of the law to the Gentiles, which Gentiles had never been under the law; also stated the following on the topic: "But IF ye be led of the Spirit, ye are NOT under the law" (Gal. 5:18). And that is certainly an integral point, seeing the same apostle said the following in regard to being led by God's Spirit: "For as many as ARE led by the Spirit of God, THEY are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:14). And two scriptures alone show clearly that water baptism was OF THE LAW! (Mat. 3:15; Mat. 5:17). Go ahead, read them for yourself.

So in keeping this practice of water baptism, God's people have not been acting like the sons and daughters of God, or at least that's the way it is according to the Bible. I said this yesterday, and I will say it again; EVERYWHERE that this misguided zeal for ACTS 2:38! exists, the MUCH larger zeal and regard is for the part about being "baptized in the name of Jesus Christ," and NOT for the part about "receiving the gift of the holy Ghost!" And as I said, and clearly showed yesterday, Peter was mistaken about needing to be baptized in water, and about that baptism being for the remission of sins. It was an honest, and even righteous mistake that absolutely anyone would also have made in the same situation. But the fact of the matter is, Jesus DID "fulfill all righteousness," even as he told John he was doing when he came to be baptized of him (Mat. 3:15). And what is fulfilled, meaning the carnal ordinances of the law, has ENDED (Rom. 10:4; Heb. 8:13). The scripture tells us, "Now the Lord IS that Spirit," and Jesus also said the same when he said that the holy Ghost would be sent back from heaven in his name, which is to say in his stead (Jn. 14:26). The scripture also tells us that "[we] are COMPLETE IN HIM," and we have clearly seen that we GET into him by being baptized with the Spirit (Col. 2:10; I Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:3,4). Okay, so here it is: First of all if we tell someone they have to be baptized in water to be "in obedience" to Jesus, we are lying to them; because obedience to Jesus is FAITH in Jesus, "And [ordinances of] the law is not of faith" (Gal. 3:12). And when someone is taught that they need to be baptized in water, they are being taught to go backward from the leading of God's Spirit, which is to say that they should act like they are NOT a child of God (Gal. 5:18; Rom. 8:14). Now where do you suppose one goes when they go backward from the leading of God's HOLY Spirit? Well it sure isn't into holiness, and that only leaves one other place; and that would be sin, which is NOT a safe place for anyone to be (Rom. 6:23). And there is no unity, love, power, or peace in sin; which creates a serious predicament. And that serious predicament my friend is exactly where the body of Christ is at today. The once divinely ordained ordinance of water baptism has been turned into a graven image by God's people, and exalted above the very baptism of the Spirit that Jesus paid for with his life, to be able to administer it personally to those who are thirsting for the life he died and rose to give (Jn. 4:13,14). What do you think happens when a dead carnal ordinance that never gave life to begin with, is esteemed above the very Son of God who died to give us life, that being eternal life, which is his Spirit? Jesus has been dishonored, disgraced, and disesteemed by his people continuing to honor the dead water baptism; and the result has been chaos, division, weakness, sickness, affliction, and a destitution of the knowledge of God's holy love, power, and truth that delivers and preserves from sin (Jn. 8:31,32; Rom. 5:5; I Pet. 1:4,5,22). This "high place," along with every other carnal ordinance like "communion" so called, foot washings and the like; will have to be taken away in order for Jesus to truly be THE "ONE Lord" among his people, and for the body of Christ to be prepared in holiness for his soon return (Eph. 4:5). I for one will do all that I can to see to it that this DOES happen, and that God's people are brought together in the unity, the power, the love, and the holiness that his Spirit alone imparts. Amen.