Water baptism is a carryover from part of the Levitical Law. There are many examples of people in the Old Testament who would wash themselves with water as a final step to being clean. Water baptism was an outward sign of washing, and then you would be clean to God. Baptism in water, and the need to be circumcised passed away with the coming of Pentecost, as did the other Levitical Laws. To be led by the spirit is to not be under the yoke of bondage with the extreme of legalism, seeking the works of the flesh from the old covenant concerning the past Law administration that was written to Israel.
OK. I see your reasoning. But it just doesn't align with the NT teachings.
When Jesus was washing the Apostles feet, He did say to Peter that he who baths is completely clean and needs to wash only his feet.
So what you state above about washing with water as a final step to being clean is a good point.
Also, yes, circumcision was a ceremonial law and ceremonial laws have been abolished.
Baptism would fall under this category....the problem here is that it was continued well beyond the NT writers, which means that the Apostles also taught others that they were to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus baptism was for the same reason, but with it came the power of the Holy Spirit...
which is the difference between the Mosaic Covenant and the New Covenant...simply the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the POWER to obey God's commandments (with the aid of the HELPER).
I just have never heard this before. I'm wondering if a particular denomination I don't know about teaches this or if you've studied this on your own. No matter.
This reminds me of the Sabbath.
It was ceremonial, but it's also a part of the Commandments.
So.....we still celebrate the Sabbath, the day of rest, but on Sunday to honor Jesus' resurrection.
So too baptism BEFORE was for the forgiveness of sins and to prepare for the Messiah.
AFTER it was also for the forgiveness of sins but with the power of the Holy Spirit being manifested in the believer.
(I don't mean speaking in tongues necessarily).
It's clear from the gospels that water baptism had to do with the kingdom, which was ministered by John who was known as the Baptizer, and not a minister for the Church of God. John who was a prophet functioning under the old covenant was appointed by God to prepare and confirm the promises made to Israel. His message was to tell those who lived under the old covenant that the king had come and “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He used water as a sign to baptize those who believed the promised Messiah would be coming in just a matter of months and to illustrate that he would be the Christ, who would baptize them not with material water, but with holy spirit, which is “power from on high.” From the habit of tradition, and only for a short period of time, a small handful of people were baptized with water into the New Testament, but never again afterwards.
This is incorrect Peter. Baptisms were going on much time after the ascension and the death of John.
Martin Luther, THE Reformer stated:
The Christian belief that baptism is necessary for salvation is so unshakable that even the Protestant Martin Luther affirmed the necessity of baptism. He wrote: “Baptism is no human plaything but is instituted by God himself. Moreover, it is solemnly and strictly commanded that we must be baptized or we shall not be saved” (Large Catechism 4:6).
This was in 1,500AD circa
“‘I have heard, sir,’ said I [to the Shepherd], ‘from some teacher, that there is no other repentance except that which took place when we went down into the water and obtained the remission of our former sins.’ He said to me, ‘You have heard rightly, for so it is’” (The Shepherd 4:3:1–2 Hermas [A.D. 80]).
“As many as are persuaded and believe that what we [Christians] teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly . . . are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water. For Christ also said, ‘Except you be born again, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven’ [John 3:3]” (First Apology 61 Justin Martyr [A.D. 151]).
There's more, but the church has always baptized .... it never stopped being practiced.
In the epistles written just a little bit past the beginning of the New Testament is where we read the only time water baptism is mentioned is to note there is no more need for it, and that we are now to be baptized with holy spirit. And this is why in Acts 2:38, Peter commands “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ.” In Acts 8:16, Peter and John “baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” In Acts 10:48, Peter “commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” In Romans 6:3, it declares “that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ.” There is not one exception to this practice where we see water baptism, which belonged to the time period when Christ walked the earth, being used once the Church of God had become established. To suggest water baptism has anything to do with the only begotten resurrected Son of God, who is functioning within the New Testament as the head of the body of Christ, has led to nothing but confusion and has provided a bomb that has blown the local churches into pieces.
That's because the churches may not wish to study a little bit of history.
I think I mentioned Acts 10:48 to you....that plainly states that Phillip baptized the Eunich in water.
But this practice was continued even much later than that as shown above.
Why is this so important to you?
Do you see a conflict between water baptism and baptism in the Holy Spirit?
We can't have both?
