*BRIEF DOCTRINE OF BAPTISM*
*”Baptidzo”* – Greek = *”to immerse”*; used 115 times in the New Testament.
Baptism means to identify with – to make one with. It means that something is so identified with something else that its nature or character is changed.
Baptism does not save a person’s soul. Salvation is by faith alone in Jesus. What washed away our sins is the blood of Jesus, not the water of baptism Rev1:5, 1Jn1:7-9. Water baptism and the holy communion are the only 2 ceremonials ordained by Jesus, none of these save from sin.
‘Baptismal regeneration’ (being saved through baptism) denies grace, denies the Finished Work of Jesus Christ. It is apostasy and a doctrine of demons.
Water baptism symbolizes the change that has already taken place by believing in Jesus Christ. When the Holy Spirit placed us in His death and burial, we shared in the likeness of His resurrection, and it already took place at the point of salvation.
At the point of salvation, a vital thing takes place: the baptism OF the Holy Spirit. In Matt.3:11, where it says that Jesus baptizes “WITH the Holy Spirit,” the Greek preposition translated to “with” is en, which primarily means “in,” or “by means of,” and not “by.” It refers to the fact that the Spirit was the element, just as the believer is baptized IN water and not just WITH water.
The actual identification takes place in God’s eyes.
The baptism of the believer in the Church Age is a ritual picture of the real baptism by the Spirit. Ritual baptism must follow salvation – never precede it.
The believer in the early Church was baptized very soon after he was saved. As soon as a person was saved, they were immediately given a long lesson in the Word of God (6-7 hours).
Baptism is:
–commanded in Matt28:19
–to be practiced by all believers
–an act of obedience that the Lord commanded
–a public declaration of the faith of salvation to an unsaved community, as well as a tremendous demonstration of identification in the angelic conflict to the elect and fallen angels
Because of the seriousness and importance of baptism, a believer should have an understanding of the following before he is baptized:
1. The Finished Work of Jesus Christ.
2. Positional truth.
3. Retroactive positional truth.
4. Current reckoning process of truth.
5. Experiential positional truth.
6. The difference between eternal viewpoint and natural viewpoint.
7. The difference between divine good and self-righteousness.
8. The difference between relationship and fellowship.
…In detail:
*1. The Finished Word of Jesus Christ* means that on the cross Jesus finished the work of salvation, we can add nothing but only receive, Jn19:30: ”It is Finished!”
*2.Positional truth* means that now you are a child of God, placed in the heavenly places (see our study ”Our position in Christ)
*3. Retroactive identification with His death.* Believers have a real identification with Christ in His death and in His resurrection (which is retroactive positional truth and current positional truth).
The burial takes place to make sure the death is final – many people don’t experience the finality of their death with Christ and never have a burial – they are always bringing up the past, their hurts and wounds, etc, they dont have an understanding of baptism.
*4. In reality, baptism means you have died.* It is an historical fact. Your burial is a result of your death in Christ. There isn’t anything more to remember about your body – you are dead and are now sharing in current positional truth and experiential positional truth by reckoning that you are dead and alive unto God.
Water baptism is a ritual baptism – the water being symbolic of the Person and the work of Jesus Christ so that when a believer is baptized, they are being identified with the water; therefore, they are identified with the work and Person of Jesus Christ. The person going into the water is saying, in effect, “I am identified with Christ in His death and in His burial.” Because of this, the person now rejects self-righteousness, relevant righteousness, good religious trends in his life, bringing up anything about his past unless it can help him if he is ignorant, and trying to be good in the flesh.
*5. The burial means victory.* No matter what you think or feel – your feelings have no more dominion over divine facts – facts lead the way – feelings are irrelevant.
*6. The person coming out of the water is identified with the air that represents identification with Christ in His resurrection.*
*7.He is seated at the right hand of the Father and the work is finished.* Sins are gone and paid for; death has been executed; burial is completed; and resurrection and ascension have taken place.
*8. Relationship takes place at the moment of salvation.* Everyone enters into a relationship by the baptism of the Spirit into the Body of Christ when they are saved and believe in Jesus. They do not enter into sharing His death, burial, and resurrection until they have grace understanding, understanding of categories, and some understanding of faith rest.
Fellowship takes place at the moment of understanding Finished Work doctrine.
*SEVEN BAPTISMS:*
Four Actual Baptisms:
*1. Baptism of Moses* – children of Israel identified with Moses and the cloud as they passed over the Red Sea 1Cor10:1,2
*2. Baptism of the Cross or the Cup* – Acts20:22 – 2Cor5:21 – Jesus Christ drank the cup filled with our sins – poured out by God (His wrath) – identified with our sins – bore them on the Cross and He was made sin for us – 1Pet2:24
*3. Baptism of the Holy Spirit* – is not speaking in tongues. Baptism of the Spirit happens at the point of your salvation by God – not a feeling, but a fact – (1Cor12:13; Acts1:5; Rom6:3,4; Gal3; Col2:12; Eph.4:5) called the one baptism. We are placed (immersed) into the Body of Christ
*4. Baptism of Fire* – has nothing to do with tongues – Matt3:11. It has to do with God’s judgment at the Second Advent (Coming) on all unbelievers at the Battle of Armageddon (Matt25:31; Matt25:33; Lk3:16; 2Thess1:7-9). God takes all the unbelievers and immerses them forever in the lake of fire.
RITUAL BAPTISMS:
*5. Baptism of John* – Matt3:6 and Matt3:11a – water is symbolic of the Kingdom of God which John preached. The people, when baptized by John, were indicating that they have previously believed in Christ and now they were symbolizing that identification with Jesus’ Kingdom by baptism unto repentance.
*6. Baptism of Jesus Christ* – This was the most unusual baptism: Jesus was not a sinner, but when He went into the water, He identified with God’s will (His Father’s will). He was saying, “I am immersed unto the Father’s will through the Spirit in my humanity.” He identified Himself with the Father’s will in the execution of salvation in identifying with our sins and our sin – Matt3:13-17. We cannot duplicate this baptism.
*7. Baptism of the Believer in the Church Age* – water represents the Person of Jesus Christ, also His Word (Jn13:10,15:3, Eph5:26, 1Pet1:22). Believers are identified with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection – this symbolizes retroactive and current positional experiential truth – it is the ritual of the real baptism of the Holy Spirit.
*VERSES ON BAPTISM:*
—1Pet 3:21 ”The like figure (”antitupon” means ”symbol”, ”figure”) whereunto baptism doth also now save us (”sozo” in Greek means ”to save”, but also ”to liberate, protect”) not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This verse shows that baptism is a symbol of a spiritual reality and it does not remove sins: the blood of Jesus removes sins: 1Jn1:7-9, Rev.1:5.
—Rom6:4 ”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.”
—Eph4:5 ”One Lord, one faith, ONE BAPTISM”
—1Cor12:13 is the baptism symbolized by the water baptism.
—1Cor12:13 ”For BY ONE SPIRIT are we all BAPTIZED INTO ONE BODY…” THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT VERSE ON BAPTISM. It means that the Holy Spirit immerses you into the Body of Christ at the moment of salvation, not at the moment of water baptism Rom8:9
—Col2:12 ”BURIED WITH HIM IN BAPTISM, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”
—Acts22:16 ”…BE BAPTIZED, and wash away thy sins by calling on the name of the Lord”, the washing of sins is not by water baptism but by calling on the name of Jesus
—Rom6:3 ”Know ye not, that so many of us as were BAPTIZED INTO JESUS CHRIST WERE BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH?”
—1Cor1:13,14-16 …”For CHRIST SENT ME NOT TO BAPTIZE BUT TO PREACH THE GOSPEL…”, If water baptism was necessary for salvation, Paul would have baptized all believers
—1Cor15:29 Paul here is speaking of Christians that before being killed for faith and were asking others to get baptized in their name; Paul is not supporting their request (which is not doctrinal) but Paul is applauding their faith in the resurrection
—Gal3:27 ”For as many of you as have been BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST have put on Christ.” Again, baptized into Christ is 1Cor12:13 baptism. When do you put on Christ? When you first believe in Jesus as your Savior
—Baptism is to be done “in the NAME – singular – of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit”, therefore immerse only once not 3 times
You are baptized into the Body of Jesus (universal Body which is Jesus’ universal church), not into a local church, therefore you don’t have to get baptized again if you change your local church. Adventists and different cults (Jehovah Witnesses) add for baptism to the name of the Trinity the name of their organization, which is not biblical. If you got baptized in a cult, you got baptized into another Jesus 2Cor11:4 therefore you should get baptized again in a biblical way.
Pastor Daniel