To answer the question as to whether or not the church in this dispensation, the body of Christ, has to be water baptized, we need to first look at the requirements of the law.
God made covenant with Israel. Israel's obligation was to keep the covenant.
[Exo 19:5 KJV] 5 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:
To keep the covenant, Israel had to obey all that was in the covenant.
[Exo 24:7 KJV] 7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.
If Israel kept the covenant, God promised to make of them a kingdom of priests.
[Exo 19:6 KJV] 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.
Washings were commanded for the priests.
[Exo 29:4 KJV] 4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.
[Lev 8:5-6 KJV] 5 And Moses said unto the congregation, This [is] the thing which the LORD commanded to be done. 6 And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.
[Num 8:6-7 KJV] 6 Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. 7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and [so] make themselves clean.
[Exo 30:17-21 KJV] 17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 18 Thou shalt also make a laver [of] brass, and his foot [also of] brass, to wash [withal]: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. 19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: 20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: 21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, [even] to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
Washings were commanded for the people as well.
[Num 19:13 KJV] 13 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.
[Exo 19:10 KJV] 10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
[Lev 11:25 KJV] 25 And whosoever beareth [ought] of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
John came unto Israel. John preached that Israel confess their sins as a nation.
[Mat 3:5-6 KJV] 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
John baptized Israel for the remission of sins.
[Mar 1:4 KJV] 4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
[Luk 3:3 KJV] 3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
John came to identify Jesus as Israel's Messiah.
[Jhn 1:31 KJV] 31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
Peter came preaching that Israel should repent of putting their Messiah to death. Peter did not preach that Jesus died for their sins and rose for their justification. Peter preached water baptism for their forgiveness.
[Act 2:38 KJV] 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.
Gentiles believed in the name of Jesus and were baptized and added to the church of God, the believing remnant of Israel.
[Act 10:43, 48 KJV] 43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. ... 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Even after his resurrection, Jesus commanded baptism for Israel to be saved to enter the prophetic kingdom on earth.
[Mar 16:16 KJV] 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
In the kingdom on earth, Israel will baptize the nations and teach them to observe all that Jesus commanded them, which included the law (Matthew 19:17}.
[Mat 28:19-20 KJV] 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.
God will cleanse Israel with water to enter the kingdom on earth.
[Eze 36:25 KJV] 25 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.
To Paul it was revealed by Christ, that our baptism is not by water, but by the Spirit.
[1Co 12:13 KJV] 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.
We are baptized into Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
[Rom 6:3-5 KJV] 3 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:
Paul has the commandments and the instructions for the church today, the body of Christ, and nowhere commands water baptism.
[Heb 9:8-10 KJV] 8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9 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.
The water washings were imposed on Israel until Christ came. They were only a figure that have been realized in Christ by his washing (Ephesians 5:26 Titus 3:5).
If you think you have to obey water baptism then you have to do all of the law (Galatians 5:3). If you think you have to be water baptized, you mistakenly think you are Israel.
God made covenant with Israel. Israel's obligation was to keep the covenant.
[Exo 19:5 KJV] 5 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:
To keep the covenant, Israel had to obey all that was in the covenant.
[Exo 24:7 KJV] 7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.
If Israel kept the covenant, God promised to make of them a kingdom of priests.
[Exo 19:6 KJV] 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.
Washings were commanded for the priests.
[Exo 29:4 KJV] 4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.
[Lev 8:5-6 KJV] 5 And Moses said unto the congregation, This [is] the thing which the LORD commanded to be done. 6 And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.
[Num 8:6-7 KJV] 6 Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. 7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and [so] make themselves clean.
[Exo 30:17-21 KJV] 17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 18 Thou shalt also make a laver [of] brass, and his foot [also of] brass, to wash [withal]: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. 19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: 20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: 21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, [even] to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
Washings were commanded for the people as well.
[Num 19:13 KJV] 13 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.
[Exo 19:10 KJV] 10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
[Lev 11:25 KJV] 25 And whosoever beareth [ought] of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
John came unto Israel. John preached that Israel confess their sins as a nation.
[Mat 3:5-6 KJV] 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
John baptized Israel for the remission of sins.
[Mar 1:4 KJV] 4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
[Luk 3:3 KJV] 3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
John came to identify Jesus as Israel's Messiah.
[Jhn 1:31 KJV] 31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
Peter came preaching that Israel should repent of putting their Messiah to death. Peter did not preach that Jesus died for their sins and rose for their justification. Peter preached water baptism for their forgiveness.
[Act 2:38 KJV] 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.
Gentiles believed in the name of Jesus and were baptized and added to the church of God, the believing remnant of Israel.
[Act 10:43, 48 KJV] 43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. ... 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Even after his resurrection, Jesus commanded baptism for Israel to be saved to enter the prophetic kingdom on earth.
[Mar 16:16 KJV] 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
In the kingdom on earth, Israel will baptize the nations and teach them to observe all that Jesus commanded them, which included the law (Matthew 19:17}.
[Mat 28:19-20 KJV] 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.
God will cleanse Israel with water to enter the kingdom on earth.
[Eze 36:25 KJV] 25 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.
To Paul it was revealed by Christ, that our baptism is not by water, but by the Spirit.
[1Co 12:13 KJV] 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.
We are baptized into Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
[Rom 6:3-5 KJV] 3 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:
Paul has the commandments and the instructions for the church today, the body of Christ, and nowhere commands water baptism.
[Heb 9:8-10 KJV] 8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9 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.
The water washings were imposed on Israel until Christ came. They were only a figure that have been realized in Christ by his washing (Ephesians 5:26 Titus 3:5).
If you think you have to obey water baptism then you have to do all of the law (Galatians 5:3). If you think you have to be water baptized, you mistakenly think you are Israel.
