WATER BAPTISM IN OUR TIME
WATER BAPTISM IN OUR TIME:
THIS ORDINANCE ENDED WITH
PAUL’S REVELATION OF
THE CHURCH DISPENSATION!
JAN LILLEBY
We cannot find any command or ordinance to baptize believers in water post-Acts. Neither can we find any ‘Baptism with the Holy Spirit’ post-Acts. Actually, with Paul’s new revelation as he told in Ephesians 3 and Colossians 1, we cannot find any sort of Biblical ordinances at all. It is all gone. I shall come to this shortly.
It can only be found during the Acts period, as God had His apostles sent out to Israel, 28-62 CE. Peter and the eleven were sent to Israel inside the land, while Paul…later on, in 37 CE, was sent to Israel outside the land –that is, in the diaspora in the provinces of the Roman Empire. Paul’s epistle to the Galatians sets the standard for this narrative, Gal. 2:7-9, NASB,
“7 But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised
8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles ),
9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.” (My emphasize)
Reading Acts, we find that Peter and the eleven kept the ordinances, of which water baptism was one, and so did also Paul when he went outside the land.
Peter in Acts 2:36-39, NASB, as response to his speech on Pentecost 28 CE (it was actually June 20, a Sunday – the 50th day after Passover) -
“36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ -this Jesus whom you crucified."
37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren *, what shall we do?"
38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 "For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself."
(My emphasize)
Peter’s reference to the Holy Spirit is directly based on the promise given to them by Jesus; that God should let the Holy Spirit come upon and fill those who took to the faith. Such as we find happened in Acts 2:1-4, NASB,
“1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.
2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.”
In Mark 1:8 and John 1:33, the Baptist proclaimed that Jesus "will baptize in (the) Holy Spirit"; while in Matthew 3:11 and Luke 3:16, he "will baptize with Holy Spirit and fire".
But as we read of the Holy Spirit in Paul’s two only Church epistles written post-Acts around 63-67 CE…as he was in jail in Rome, we find the Holy Spirit only mentioned as a ‘seal’ or a ‘guarantee’ for our salvation by faith.
Ephesians on Holy Spirit
It is noticeable that while Ephesians has mentions of the Holy Spirit in every chapter, there is but one mention in the whole of Col. 1:7, 8,
"Epaphras … also declared unto us your love in the Spirit".
But at this point, we have to remember that Paul’s two Church epistles (actually it was three, for the one to Laodicea was never found) – are so-called circular letters. They were read in all the congregations in Asia Minor, such as in Hierapolis, Laodicea, Ephesus, Colossae and others. When Paul had the Grace Gospel preached through his faithful co-workers in Asia Minor 63-67 CE, it was decades before any historic Gospel writing was issued. Matthew came in 80-85, Mark in 83, Luke probably in 73, and John in 92-93 CE. Paul was alone regarding the revelation of the Grace Gospel to the entire world. Eph. 3:1-9.
Eph. 1:13, 14, NASB,
“13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation -having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.” (My emphasize).
Eph. 4:30, NASB,
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (My emphasize).
The Holy Spirit is present within us, heart and mind, but still he has an altered function compared to the twelve apostles, as well as Paul when he ministered to Israel in the diaspora: Paul did no longer teach of any miracles, tongues, casting out of demons, etcetera, nor did he go baptizing anyone in water or have them baptized in the Spirit by laying on of hands. In his two Church epistles, we no longer find the Holy Spirit as one who worked in the believers (the apostles) with miracles and wonders.
In the Church dispensation the Spirit works as a ‘seal’ - a guarantee for us that we are indeed saved, even sat in heaven with Christ.
Likewise, we still have ‘baptism’ present among us believers in Christ, but this baptism does no longer consist of immersion in water; we are now – as we come to faith – baptized automatically into the death of Christ. Jesus said of that death…that He was going to be baptized in it, Mark 10:32-39, NASB,
« But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" They said to Him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.”
Paul used another word for this as well: that of being circumcised without human hands (but by God’s hand), Col. 2:11, 12, NASB,
“11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” (My emphasize).
This is a real and true spiritual narrative – us shown as such ones who are circumcised by God as we come to faith, thus are buried with Christ in His baptism into death…as well as also being RAISED UP WITH HIM THROUGH FAITH.
This is what Paul also told in short, in Eph. 4:5, that ONE BAPTISM.
The Acts-Body of Messianic believers had two baptisms: The water baptism AND that same baptism as we now have, in the death of Christ. They had two baptisms, but we only have one. It’s very simple really.
In our time ALL WATER BAPTISMS as well as any ‘baptism with the Holy Spirit’ are no longer ordinances established by God for the Church.
Such things are not promoted by God.
Is it a sin then, to get baptized in water or seeking a baptism in the Spirit?
No, I would not really call it a sin. It is only a misdemeanor, a petty violation comparable to parking your car where it is not legally. You get a ticket for the latter. But there is no ticket served by God if you believe water baptism should be kept as an ordinance in Church. You will not be rejected by God for this misunderstanding of Scripture.
But why practice such things that God no longer has going for believers in Christ?
We are saved by faith alone, and no works, Eph. 2:8, 9, NASB,
“8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
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