THE   ONE   BAPTISM

( There is only  "one"  New Covenant baptism. )

The one baptism of God's NEW covenant is many times very misunderstood because it is an Act of Obedience.  And no, baptism is not a work !  Baptism is exactly as 1Peter 3:21 plainly declares;

 

" The pledge of a good conscience toward God. "

1Peter 3:21  And this water (the water that took the sinful people away from Noah) symbolizes Baptism that now   saves you   also, not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.  It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(Notice that Noah's water is the symbol, and Baptism is the reality.)

Baptism is a simple act of obedience and certainly no less worthy of attention than belief.  The word baptism is a transliteration not a translation. Instead of translating the Greek word Baptizo into the English word - Dip, Plunge, or Immerse, translators made a new English word to define the Biblical act of immersion and they called it, Baptize.

The biggest misunderstanding about new testament Baptism is the confusion between;

 

Number 1.  The Baptism of the Holy Spirit. (No longer exists)

Number 2.  Water Baptism (by immersion) INTO Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and to receive the gift (indwelling seal) of the Holy Spirit.

Number 3.  The miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit given by the laying on of the Apostles hands. (No longer exists)

 

Number 1.  The Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

This baptism only happened twice in the New Testament.  Once for the Jews in Acts 2:4 and once for the Gentiles in Acts 10:44.  This miraculous baptism was prophesied by John in Luke 3:16 "...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." and also by the prophet Joel as it was fulfilled in Acts 2:4.  Now notice carefully as the Apostle Peter recounts the second occurrence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit when it was bestowed upon the Gentiles in Cornelius' house approximately three (3) years later.  In Acts 11:15 Peter declares;

"As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning."  If this Baptism was a regular occurrence (like some denominations profess) why would Peter refer back to an occurrence that happened 3 years earlier ?  Why wouldn't he just say; "As is happening to Christians all the time." ?  The answer is because it was only a two (2) time occurrence in the first century (New Testament).

 

The purpose of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was to;

1)  Usher in the Kingdom (Mark 9:1)

2)  Bestow miraculous powers upon the Apostles (Acts 1:8) and to;

3)  Bring the Gentiles as well, into the Kingdom (Acts 10:45)

 

 

Number 2.  Water Baptism (by immersion)  "into"  Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and to receive the gift (indwelling seal) of the Holy Spirit.

This Baptism is the one Baptism of God's New Covenant.  The Covenant between God and all people after the death of Jesus Christ, spoken of by the Apostle Paul in

Ephesians 4:5  One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.

This is the one baptism of Colossians 2:12 and the one baptism that Romans 6:3 and Galatians 3:27 declares;

 

Puts us  "into"  Christ.

 

The one baptism which puts us into God's New Covenant as preached by the Apostle Peter in Acts 2:38.  The one Baptism that is symbolized BY (not symbolic OF) the water that took the sinful people away from Noah.

 

1Peter 3:21 says that the waters of baptism are the same as the waters of Noah, for just as the waters of Noah came and took the sinfulness away, so the waters of Baptism takes our sin away.  The Baptism that now washes away our past sins (Acts 22:16) by putting us into Christ and covering us with His Blood is the same one Baptism that saves us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ declared in 1Peter 3:21.  You can read more about this one baptism by clicking on; Plan of Salvation.

 

 

 

Number 3.  The miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, given by the laying on of the Apostles hands. (No longer existent)

 

This is not a baptism and is far too often mistaken as a baptism of the Holy Spirit as in Acts 19:1-6.  While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.  There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"  They answered "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."  Now notice here closely how Paul immediately and directly connects 'Receiving the Holy Spirit' -with- 'Water Baptism' (Baptism into the name of the Lord Jesus)

³ So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive ?"

Why would Paul ask this question if in fact the seal of the Holy Spirit was not given in Baptism ?

However just like God declares in Acts 2:38, the indwelling seal of the Holy Spirit - is - given to a repentant sinner when they are baptized into God's one church.

"John’s baptism," they replied.

⁴ Paul said, "John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is in Jesus." ⁵ On hearing this they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

And so at this point these people were now sealed with the gift of God's Holy Spirit that they received in baptism just as Acts 2:38 declares. However now Paul proceeds to place his hands on them in order to give them two of the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit.  ⁶ When Paul placed his hands on them the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

 

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit only happened twice in the new testament and receiving the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit (given by the laying on of the Apostles hands) would end when the last of the Apostles died.  And because God (through Paul) declares in the book of Ephesians (4:5) that from that point on, there would only be one Baptism.  This leaves the only option of the one Baptism to be that of ;

 

Number 2.  Water Baptism (by immersion) INTO Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and to receive the gift (indwelling seal) of the Holy Spirit.

 

 

 

5  Reasons why  "infant baptism"  is a False Doctrine

 

1.  There is no such thing as Original Sin (people become sinners (guilty, deserving punishment) when they choose to sin against God and NOT before)  There is no such thing as the False catholic Doctrine that every descendant of Adam is automatically born with a sinful black mark on their soul.

2.  Children are sinless, they have no need for Remission of Sins (Baptism INTO Christ)

3.  Jesus declares that ALL children belong to Him (Matthew 19:14)

4.  Very young children are incapable of  Pledging a good conscience toward God (1Peter 3:21)

5.  There is no mention anywhere in the Bible, about children being baptized.

 

 

So there you have it, the crucial (elementary) doctrine of Baptism (into Christ). Note below how the Hebrew writer declares that knowing this elementary teaching, is a prerequisite of being able to move on to become a mature Christian.  Mature Christians will have a complete understanding of the one Baptism.

Hebrews 6:1  Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Listed below are the majority of inspired instances of people becoming Christians in the first century.  Does your conversion compare to what God teaches in His WORD ?  Or have you been taught a  false  plan of salvation by some mistaken man's doctrine ?

 

 

 

BAPTISM  scriptures within God's NEW Covenant.

 

 

Acts 2:41

Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

 

Acts 8:12

But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

 

Acts 8:13

Simon himself believed and was baptized.  And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

 

Acts 8:35

And he gave orders to stop the chariot.  Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

 

Acts 9:18

Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized.

 

Acts 10:48

So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

 

Acts 16:15

When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home.

 

Acts 16:33

At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.

 

Acts 19:5

On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

 

 

 

No, new covenant baptism is not God's parallel to old covenant circumcision and also, God does not use new covenant baptism to replace old covenant circumcision.

New Testament Baptism is a spiritual birth that parallels the the old testament physical birth of Jews being physically born into God's old covenant.  Under the old covenant, after people were physically born into the covenant, they were then sealed in that covenant via circumcision.  Later then, they were expected to acquire an understanding of God and His covenant. However after the cross, today, people must first get to know God's covenant and then they are given the choice of entering into it.

This is why Jeremiah the Prophet said, "No longer will a man teach his neighbor or his brother saying, know the Lord, because they will all know me."

So today, after coming to an understanding of His new covenant plan, repentant sinners are then born into God's New Covenant through Baptism.  And in this one baptism (water immersion) people are also sealed in the new covenant as God then gives them the gift of His Holy Spirit.

 

Old Testament  =  Physically born a child of God (Jew) into the Old Covenant  >  Then Sealed in the Old Covenant by circumcision  >  Then learn about being a child of God.

New Testament  =  Learn about being a child of God  >  Born of water (baptism) into the New Covenant  >  Then Sealed in the New Covenant by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

 

 

Old Covenant (Physical Birth)  =  New Covenant (Baptism).

Old Covenant (Circumcision)   =  New Covenant (Sealed by the Holy Spirit).

 

 

If you attend a denomination or are not holding to this one Doctrine of God's New Covenant, contact us and we'll help you find a congregation of the church that Jesus established in the First Century.

 

 

Titus 1:9  Encourage others with sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

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