QUESTIONS/COMMENTS ON WATER BAPTISM

August 21, 2010

Mr. Clark,

With all due respect and admiration, I must confess that after reading your belief system concerning water baptism I was more than surprised. Simply put, John came first and completed his job and in doing so our Lord went to the water as an example not because he had to.

Did John not say he needed to be baptized of the baptism that Jesus had, why, for an example unto us to do so, because John had the holy ghost since his mothers womb? No other man can claim these same attributes. So would it be fair to say that according to scriptures, whether Jew or Gentile they were led to the water before or immediately after recieving the Holy Ghost.

For Peter surely held the keys to the kingdom, keys being plural, and as soon as the oppurtunity arose to use those keys he did so in Acts2:38. We must repent (Godly sorrow, change of mind (life),be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of our sins, and ye shall recieve the gift of the Holy ghost). Sounds like three keys are to be used and if one key is left out, then how can the door be opened? If it was good enough for Jesus and Paul and Cornelius household then it has proven itself to be an act of faith that mustbe fulfilled.

Also, addressing my earlier question about stammering lips. I have seen all to much, people telling others that stammering lips is the recieving of the Holy Ghost, but it is not so. I personally remember in several of my many times of tarrying for that power from upon high that I felt the power of the stammering lips and the Lord spoke to my heart and then through scriptures in Isaiah that this also is a forerunner not a completion. For when I recieved the Holy Ghost on December 6th 2003 then I knew that that tongue came from heaven and spoke boldly of its acceptance of myself to become an heir to the throne.

Though I know not where you stand on this exactly, I hope to shed light on what the Lord has so gracously showed me. I would like to hear from you again and I have said nothing from an ill heart only one who is willing to agree to diasagree. When light shines in our life and we are made partakers of the Holy gifts then we must use them with the same compassion that Christ had for mankind as they efficiently butchered him instead of the thief. Would you agree that many churches still invite the thief in instead of the Saviour, Im sure you would and I confidently look forward to your message. With love and hope from those who are in the fight until the end here in east Tn.

W.B.

Dear Brother B.,

Thank you for your reply. It is important for God's people to communicate, and I look forward to hearing from you again in the future.

First, I agree with you, that the Son of God did not need water baptism. At the same time, you will hopefully agree with me, that just as the Son did not need water baptism, he also did not need physical circumcision, animal sacrifice, the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, or any of the other works of the law. Nor, you will no doubt agree, did he need the cross. The Son of God did all that he did for us, including coming from heaven to earth to live as one of us.

Secondly, we should answer the question, "Why did Jesus do those things?" If he did all those things, as you said, so that we would follow his example and also do those works, then I must ask, have you followed the Lord in being physically circumcised on the eighth day, observing the ritual of animal sacrifice for those cleansed from leprosy (Mt. 8:3-4), the dietary laws, or in keeping the Sabbath day, Passover, etc? I doubt that you have done those things, even though Jesus did them, and it is good that you have not.

I am sure you understand that the reason Jesus submitted to the works of the law was to liberate men from them, just as he suffered on the cross so that we would not have to die for our sins.

John the Baptist explained that his purpose for baptizing in water was to introduce the Messiah to God's people, the Jews (Jn. 1:31). This, according to Paul, was the very purpose of the entire law -- to point Israel to the Messiah. he said, "The law was our schoolmaster, to bring us to Christ" (Gal. 3:24). But then, he goes on to also tell the saints in Galatia, "But after faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster" (Gal. 3:25).

So, you see, my friend, after the Messiah came and fulfilled the law, we had no need of the works that pointed to his coming. Instead, we have the holy Spirit, which confesses Christ and creates us as "new creatures in Christ Jesus", creatures who do not live under the law but live in grace. There is no argument that "the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, and just, and good" (Rom. 7:12), but "the end of the commandment is love that comes out of a pure heart, and from a good conscience, and unfeigned faith" (1Tim. 1:5).

So, if we are of faith and love, we are the children of Abraham, and are blessed with him who was justified with God without being circumcised (Rom. 4), and without ever being baptized with water.

Beyond that, please take the time to read my short article on "The Keys of the Kingdom". You have been badly taught concerning what those keys were. You will find it here: http://www.goingtojesus.com/topic_kingdom.html

There are other significant matters in your letter that could be touched upon, but these are two of the most important. Please feel welcome to respond to my answer to your comments. You will always be welcome to do that.

Your servant in Christ,
Pastor John

Dear Mr. Clark,

In response to your comments I would have to ask you, what do you think the schoolmaster is? Of course it is the old law and commandments in which Jesus followed as he must in the time in which he dwelt among us. But Jesus himself spoke of him being the beginning of a new testament for he was the new testator himself.

Water baptism was still performed after the pouring out of the Holy Ghost but all the other things you mentioned were changed thru Christs own word and of his Apostles also. Paul struggled with the multitudes in trying to show them this. He spoke to them that fleshly circumcision no longer had any effect on mans standing with God, but friend he himself went to the water after Ananias came to see him and he received the Holy Ghost. He did not do this to please man but rather to fulfill all things required after the pouring out of Gods spirit. I hardly doubt that the baptism was only for the Jews to partake and to be drawed to the Lord, if that was the case why mention it or instruct Gentiles also to be baptized?

I see that we have came to a place where we must both trust in Gods instruction through wisdom and knowledge which comes through the Holy Ghost and have faith that it will guide in the right directon, for it has never given two answers to the same question. We should never lay more on Gods people than is required and on the flip side we can not leave anything out. Without a doubt we stand before a just Father and he is the author and finisher of everyones faith.

With that said, I stand firmly on what the Lord has given me, not mens learning, and find it far easier to disagree with one than to compromise what I've been taught by the one who has perfect knowledge from the beginning. The book of Acts is exactly that, what the apostles done according to what their Father taught them to do thru the instruction of the Comforter. Peter never said anything about keeping old tradition or of following after the schoolmaster but he spoke the words of life on the day of Pentecost and if he would have said Repent, sacrifice, and keep the Feast of the Passover then we would be held liable for those words. What makes us think we can do less when we should be doing more. I only speak those words which concern the edification of the church not the praises of men. I can only pray that many of us dont show up at the gate with two keys for it will surely not be opened unto us. Open rebuke is better than secret love and with that I feel that I should hold my tongue concerning any other matters.

What you consider bad teaching I see as revelation, well never the matter we both know who will have the last word. Wishing you the best but disagreeing to the upmost. Thank you for your time and may the Heavenly Father sort out all matters on both sides. All praises go to Jesus Christ and his coming in all his glory.

W.B.

Dear Brother B.,

It is disappointing that we have come to an impasse. But, God knows the hearts. So, I will accept that, and pray that Jesus will make us and all his people one, some day.

Not that I think it will change this situation, but just in case you ever want to consider again what I have told you, and revisit these emails I would like to point out that your biblical facts are not entirely accurate.

Paul preached his gospel only among the Gentiles, not the Jews. It would have been sin for him to preach his gospel in Jerusalem. He had no authority from God to tell Jews to cease from the works of God's OT law. In fact, Paul joined with Jewish believers in a Nazarite Vow ceremony when he went to Jerusalem the last time (Acts 21), which ceremony would have included the making of a sacrifice (Num. 6). Please consider the fact that Paul also told his Gentile converts that if they submitted to circumcision, they, too, would be required by God to keep the whole law (Gal. 5:3). Why would Paul say that if, as you say, he believed that all people, including circumcised people, should cease from performing the works of the law?

As for Peter and John, they continued going to the temple (Acts 5), as good Jews should have done at the time. Indeed, all godly Jews who believed were devoted to the law decades after Pentecost (Acts 21), as were Jesus' the apostles (who, you say, ceased from observing the law and taught others to do so).

Paul called Peter's gospel, which included the works of the law, "the gospel of the circumcision", and his own gospel for the Gentiles "the gospel of the uncircumcision" (Gal. 2:7). When referring to John the Baptist's baptism with water, Paul said, "Christ sent me not to baptize" (1Cor. 1), but when speaking of Christ's baptism of the holy ghost, Paul said, "There is one baptism" (Eph. 4).

Paul was baptized with water by Ananias because the "gospel of the circumcision" was the only gospel God had given to His people at that time. The Gentiles had hardly begun to come into the kingdom at that time. And even when they did, at Cornelius' house, there was no gospel given that could explain why God baptized those Gentiles with His holy Spirit before Peter had the chance to baptize them with water (Acts 10). What God did to the Gentiles at Cornelius' house was contrary to the gospel Peter preached on the day of Pentecost to the Jews. What God did was contrary to the gospel that any of the apostles at that time preached. That is why the Jews who were there when the Gentiles received the holy ghost were "astonished". They could not understand how it was possible that uncircumcised, unbaptized men could receive the Spirit. If any man had told them that God would do that, they would have condemned him.

God did not require Cornelius to be circumcised, offer sacrifice, be baptized with John's baptism, or sub,it to any other work of the law in order to receive His Spirit. He required only what Cornelius did, which was to repent and believe the gospel of Jesus. And that simple requirement surprised and confused Peter and the six Jewish brothers who came with him. Moreover, that is all that God requires today. This "simplicity of the gospel" still confuses those who refuse to acknowledge the sufficiency of Christ. We can trust Jesus, alone, is sufficient to save us, to circumcise us all that we need to be circumcised, to give us all the communion with God that we need, and to baptize us all that we need to be baptized.

Thank you, brother, for the opportunity you have given me to discuss with you the way of our master, Christ Jesus. May God richly bless you and the saints there with you.

Your servant,
Pastor John

May 21, 2009

Hi Pastor John.

Let me start by saying I love your booklet on Speaking in Tongues at Spirit Baptisim. The approuch was so exciting that I went to your web site to find out more about your ministry,

Thank you, Maria. We love and serve all our brothers and sisters in Christ, and we very much enjoy hearing from you and responding to you.

I was saddened to read some of the explanations on water baptisim just as you wre of Oral Roberts opinion on the Holy Ghost.There are more of us out here that believe in the born again experience of water immersion in the Name of Jesus Christ and the Infilling of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives the ability to do so than just the UPC there are over 181 organiations,20,200 ministers and 5.2million beleivers in the AWCF Apostolic World Fellowship alone,

Thanks for the information. At the same time, please know that numbers are irrelvant to God. Men say there are about one billion Catholics in the world. You and I both know that number means nothing to God. It only impresses men.

as one that has done such a tremendious job in one area can rule out that there is no need for a water baptisim or that it was just for the jews and that the first Gentiles Cornelius was baptized in johns baptisim is totaly in error in Acts chpt 10 yes they received the Holy Ghost while Peter yet spake he did'nt finsh his reason for coming he was preaching Jesus to him and his household when the Holy Ghost fell on them all

God was showing Peter and his Jewish friends a new thing that they did not understand. Peter later saiud he had just begun to speak when God did this. What God was telling Peter was that he didn't need to finish his sermon. He was revealing to Peter that what he had told Cornelius at that point was all that the Gentiles would need to hear in order to be washed from sins and born of the Spiirt into the family of God.

note also in verse 47 Can any man forbid water,that these should not be baptized,which have received the Holy Ghost a well as we? verse 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord....

Peter couldn't have done anything else. Paul's gospel for the Gentiles had not yet been revealed.

also Acts chpt 19 yes they needed the baptisim of the Holy Ghost but lets not leave out the fact that verse 5 after the conversation of how they were baptized when they heard whay Paul said they were baptized in the name of the LordJesus then Paul laid hands on them and they also received the Holy Ghost.

Paul not only baptized Jewish believers when he met them, he circumcised them, as well, as in Timothy's case. At the same time, Paul told the Gentile believers who submitted to circumcision that they had "fallen from grace". The Galatians are one example. Even then, he regretted baptizing the Corinthian Jews in water, saying that Christ did not send him to baptize. Any time ceremonies are added to the faith, strife follows, as happened in Corinth.

This goes along with Matthew 28:19;Mark 16:15-17;Luke 24:47;Acts 2:38;8:16;10-44-48;19:1-6Romans 6:3-4;Colossians 2:12.

Not every time that baptism is mentioned should you think "water". You have missed the point of these verses by doing that. The holy Ghost baptism is the one that saves us (Mk. 16:15-16). The holy Ghost baptism baptizes us into Christ (Rom. 6:3-4). We are buried with Christ in the holy Ghost baptism (Col. 2:12). Eartyhly water cannot do those things. Surely, you can see that.

Jesus is God 1 John 3:16 a Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us:

Jesus is God to everyone except to the One who created him. Paul said that was obvious, and that in the end, the Son will present us to the Father, and will himself bow down, with us, before Him (1Cor. 15). It is true that we saw the love of the Father for us in that the Son died for us, but that does not make the Son the same person as the Father.

My point is not to bash you . . . my intention is for you to hopefully take another look at what your view is on water baptisim since you so wonderfully did the Holy Ghost research don't fall short on the complete born again experience

This is the part of "Apostolic" doctrine that is not apostolic at all. It shows great disrespect for Christ. The baptism of the holy Ghost, by itself, is the "complete born again experience", and it needs no water. Your leaders are guilty of adding to the doctrine of Christ. For them to teach that without receiving their form of water baptism, those whom Christ has cleansed with his baptism will not be saved in the end, is the same as to teach that without physical circumcision, those Christ had cleansed with His baptism will not be saved (as taught by foolish men in Acts 15). That is a great error.

what is the fear or upsetness of it when Acts chpt 19 alone lets us know along with the other scritures.

What Acts 19 reveals is that Paul understood that God still required the Jews to submit to works (ceremonies) of the Law, which included water baptism in Jesus' name (John's baptism). Paul said "I become all things to all people, that I maight save some." To the Jews, he became as a Jew, but when among the Gentiles, he strictly forbade them to perform those ceremonial rites.

Please dont alow satan a foot hold in your ministry and it's not just a UPC view thanks for youe time reading this I will pray for you and your work in the Lord.We need men and women that are willing to step up for full truth.

M ----

Rock Church
Illinois

Thank you for writing, Maria. I hope you can see what I am telling you and that you will escape the darkness of what is falsely called the "Apostolic" faith. It is not apostolic at all, as far as Paul was concerned. It is a gross misunderstanding of the Scriptures.

Pastor John

February 1, 2009

Dear Gary,

Praise the Lord!

I must say that I am pleasantly surprised by the love and humbleness of mind with which you responded to my letter. It shows me that there is indeed the light of life and love of God in you, which is actually quite refreshing, and not at all what I am used to in the work God has given me.

In answer to your two questions (which are both good questions), I would be inclined by the Lord to respond thusly:

1) The one baptism that Paul referred to in Ephesians is that the church is "baptized into Jesus Christ"(Romans 6:3). This baptism is one baptism of WATER and SPIRIT. Neither is complete without the other. There are examples in the NT of people receiving the Holy Ghost both before and after water baptism. But the circumcision of Christ (Colossians 2:11,12) is made by the accomplishing of both burial and resurrection, which are effectual upon the born again believer upon genuine repentance and the NT birth of water and spirit. Baptism in Jesus' name IS for the remission of sins.

2) Being baptized in water alone is not enough. (See Hebrews 10:14-17, for example) The scripture bears witness that the Holy Ghost is given to those who believe (Mark 16:17) and obey (Acts 5:32). The passage referenced here in Hebrews states that the Holy Ghost is the proof that we have believed when we were baptized. Some come to that faith later after their baptism...but in answer to your question, no---remission of sins is not obtained by the water baptism alone, without the Gift of the Holy Ghost. It is the water and the spirit together that circumcise the heart, and make a new creature in Christ, cleansed from past sin. As it is written, "And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one." And what do these three bear witness of? "...that God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son."

I hope these will help you in better understanding the principles which I have expressed to you from the scripture. Thank you again for your meekness and humbleness of mind, which in contradistinction show true strength and virtue. May God bless you as you seek and serve him with all your heart.

Most sincerely in the royal service of his Majesty the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ,
C----- A----

Dear C-------:

Thank you for your reply. I appreciate you clarifying your belief. I just wanted to be sure I understood your position on water baptism rightly, and I believe I did.

I am glad that you recognized the love and humility of Christ in my letter to you. I hope that you sincerely felt that from me, because it's there for you, and for every other child of God. I also hope you feel the same love and humility from me should I refute your doctrinal errors, and that you were not just "flattering" me.

When I was an Assembly of God minister decades ago, I met some people who were alive in the Spirit, and started to get to know them. Before too long, I was confronted with the fact that there was no trinity. It was something I had believed and been taught all my life since coming to Christ. In fact, I had been taught that if any man said there was NO trinity, that it was a sure sign they were NOT from God. To say that one did not believe in the trinity, provoked the response "I will have nothing to do with you."

By the mercies of God, I stayed open. In time, the love and humility I felt from the men who loved the holy Ghost and did not believe in the trinity, proved to be greater than the men I knew who taught the trinity. Their love conquered my wrong doctrine. They did not accept my wrong doctrine in the least, but they loved me in the Spirit, and it could be felt. Of course, in time, I found out that I had been wrong all along. What a wonderful relief it was to say "I was wrong". That there was no trinity... all along it was just something men had taught me. And because I remained open and reasonable, I believe God allowed me to see it.

Your "water baptism in Jesus name" doctrine is my "trinity".

Brother Clinton, the Spirit has made us one. What God has joined together man must not put asunder. Wrong doctrine has divided us. Jesus did not do that. He prayed that his followers (those he baptized with his holy Ghost) would be one. Which will we allow to be greater? That which comes from heaven, or that which man has taught us? The errors of "water baptism in Jesus name" are easily seen when pointed out. My question is, are you willing to dispose of it, as I did my wrong trinitarian doctrine, should the reasonableness of truth in the love of God be shown to you?

In the love of God and His Son,
Gary Savelli

August 31, 2007

I was reading John David's away message tonight. It was a passage from John 3, about being born again. As far as angels being born again, or any other creature in heaven, I found this to be interesting. I don't know if I am thinking about this backwards or no, so here is what I am thinking:

"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

So, I guess we are "born of water" when we come from our physical mother? That's what it first looks like. Based on that assumption, I thought, "Well, angels never were born like that." So, I am wondering if angels and other creatures in heave have been born of spirit, but not of flesh; and, hence, are not of the kingdom of God. That seems a little backwards from the way I have always thought of this...

But wait... I have another question. "Except a man be born of water." He wouldn't already be a man if he was born of water? So... is Jesus description here only applying to Nicodemus (and other Jews of his time), since he is referring to water baptism? Or! was I born with both water and spirit when I received the holy ghost?

...that ended up being more interrogative than expected. Thanks,

Elijah

Hmmm.... Let me think about this.

I don't think that Jesus was telling Nicodmeus that his baptism in the Jordan River by John the baptist was a birth. There is no indication that anyone in the Bible ever thought of John's baptism as a "birth by water". If so, then Jesus would have told Nicodemus -- if Nicodemus had not already been baptized by John -- that he needed to be born two more times. The natural birth was Nicodemus' first birth ("born of water"), and the baptism of the holy ghost would be his second birth. No one receives both at one time; the second is for those who have experienced the first.

As far as angels go, we cannot say that because they are not born again, or even born the first time, that they are not in God's kingdom. God can create beings, and has done so, that are in His kingdom without being born at all. Being born again in order to enter into the kingdom of God is required only of humans, those fallen creatures who have been born on earth and in sin.

Dad (JDC)

May 25, 2007

In John 3:5, What is being "born of water"?

jd

Jesus explained what being "born of water" is in the next verse (Jn. 3:6). It is one's natural, fleshly birth. Nicodemus already had that birth; that is why Jesus told him simply, "You must be born again." If "born of water" referred to water baptism, Jesus would probably have told Nicodemus, "You must be born two more times"; that is, born of water and then of spirit.

Pastor John

April 4, 2007

Thank you pastor John for being of so much blessing to our lives; to all of you, thank you very much. There are no words to express our gratitude. May the Lord Jesus continues to bless your lives richly.

It was so sweet and good to get to know you all and to have fellowship with the saints. What a wonderful opportunity for us! We are in debt, to our Lord and to all of you.

May I ask an apostolic question? I was reading in 1Corinthians 6:11. It says, "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

How can you respond to an apostolic that says that "the name" in the baptism in water is the one thing that cleans your sins?

Manny Jimenez

Hi Manuel:

It was a pleasure meeting you and Christina. The grace of God is with you both, and we were blessed to have been able to meet you and spend time with you. I love God's people; they are the best people on earth.

The United Pentecostal Church (UPC) doctrine you mentioned comes from a misunderstanding of such scriptures as Acts 2:38, which, as you know, is a favorite UPC scripture. In it, Peter says, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins . . . "

The UPC folk see "for the remission of sins" attached only to being baptized in Jesus' name, but it went with both repentance and being baptized in water. Peter was telling those Jews to repent for the remission of sins and to be baptized in Jesus' name for the remission of sins. The remission of sins is what Peter said would come after those Jews repented and were baptized in Jesus' name for the remission of sins: the holy Ghost baptism. The consistent truth that we find in the Bible is that the holy Ghost baptism washes away a person's sins, and nothing else. Paul was convicted of his sins on the road to Damascus, but his sins were washed away only when Ananias laid hands on him three days later and he received the Spirit. Paul later taught the Gentiles that all God required of them was to repent for the remission of sins. Paul's gospel for us Gentiles did not include all that Peter preached to the Jews, namely, baptism in Jesus' name (John the baptist's baptism) for the remission of sins, and the other works of the Law.

I hope that helps make things clearer for you, Manuel. Thanks for writing.

Pastor John

July 2, 2006

Hello Pastor John,

In Acts 22:16, which baptism is it that Paul is referring to when he was speaking of what Ananias had said to him: "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptised, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Looking back in chapter 9:17-18, we see that Ananias originally said that the Lord had sent him (Ananias) to Paul so that he might see again and "be filled with the holy Ghost." Then Paul's sight returned and "was baptized"...with the holy Ghost? Or with water? Or both? Is there any way of knowing?

Thanks,

Sarah

Hi Sarah:

Good question. Paul was referring to John's baptism with water when he referred to Ananias baptizing him. The gospel for the Gemtiles did not yet exist, except in the mind of God. But even if God had already revealed that gospel to someone, Paul was a Jew and, therefore, would have been required to be baptized with John's baptism. After that, Paul received the holy Ghost.

Pastor John

October 26, 2005

My Friend,

Water Baptism In The Name Of Jesus Christ is just as important as the baptism of the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance. Being born of water and of the Spirit is the born-again experince in full. All throughout the book of Acts water baptism and the Spirit baptism were done together by the Apostles. One without the other was not an option for the Apostles.

Kent A. Williams

Several of the folks who meet at Pastor John's house responded to these comments from Mr. Williams. Their responses are as follows . . .

Dear Kent

I, too, have received your email from Bro Gary regarding your belief that water baptism is as important as the Holy Spirit baptism. I know you have received a number of other responses so I will try not cover the ground that they have already been over.

You wrote that "All throughout the book of Acts water baptism and the Spirit baptism were done together by the Apostles."

Firstly, I must point out that no man has ever baptized another man with the Holy Spirit, even though Jesus may have used men to lay hands on another who then received the Spirit from Him. John the Baptist was quite explicit when he said, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost." Jesus is the only one who can baptize with the Holy Spirit, and He is always right when He does so.

Secondly, if, as you say, "one without the other was not an option for the Apostles", then what are we to make of the Apostle Paul's statement to the Corinthians that "Christ sent me not to baptize"?

Dear Kent, the question I would like to ask you is: Do you really think that a baptism performed by men with a physical substance is in any way comparable (let alone just as important) with the baptism that Jesus performs from heaven? Surely what Jesus does is of far greater significance. In fact, isn't what Jesus does for a man the only thing that matters at all?

Water baptism was important when, and only when, it was ordained by God. John the Baptist only baptized with water because, he said, there was one "that sent me to baptize with water". John preached to Jews only. Jesus also, sent the first apostles to the Jews only, and yes, they were to baptize repentant believers in water with the promise of the Spirit baptism, but Paul He sent to the Gentiles, and Paul's own testimony is that "He sent me not to baptize." The only baptism Paul could perform was water baptism. Therefore, Jesus did not send him to water baptize anyone. If Paul did so early on, it was through ignorance or misunderstanding.

If water baptism was not required for Gentiles, then it cannot be important at all. Even when Jesus used Peter to first reach Gentiles, God clearly showed that they did not require water baptism in order to receive the Spirit. Peter's preaching to that time was, "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." But God clearly contradicted this in the case of Cornelius and his household by by-passing the water baptism. Actually, He didn't even let Peter mention it. Peter's subsequent actions were done out of a complete lack of understanding of what God had done. It was only later through the apostle Paul that God gave the understanding.

Water baptism was a part of the gospel message preached to the Jews, but never was it a part of the gospel preached to the Gentiles. Water baptism, like other ceremonial precepts of the Law, was a point of obedience to God for a Jew. A repentant Jew would therefore be water baptized. The common ground between what Peter and the other apostles preached to the Jews and Paul's preaching to the Gentiles was the Holy Spirit baptism. The fact that Jews (including Paul) were required to observe ritual requirements of the Law (read Acts carefully and you will see that this was the case) is particular to them. The Gentiles had no such requirement from God. The Holy Spirit baptism, however, was essential for all. It is the only baptism that counts with God. That is why there is, according to Paul, just "one baptism".

I hope this will be of some help to you.

Damien Callaghan
Queensland, Australia

Excellent, Damien!

I am thankful for the wise men and women that God has added to my life. Your letter to Kent made me think about how few humans there are on the planet who are able (1) to even tell the truth about such things and (2) to express the truth with genuine love for the ignorant. I am so grateful.

Pastor John

and . . .

Dear Brother Kent,

I am 52 years old,and I was baptized 2 years ago with the HOLY GHOST! PRAISE GOD! I lived my whole life trying to fit in this world in sin, never feeling loved. I started praying and asking GOD to please show me why I was here. At 46, GOD gave me a job where 3 HOLY GHOST FILLED saints worked. One of those blessed souls told me her testimony of GOD'S mercy in her life. It sounded wonderful, but I was still trying to find peace in the world.

For four years, I still tried it my way, going to different churches, wanting to feel something! I never did,a nd I never was water baptized. I told the three saints that I wanted to go to one of their meetings. The first meeting I went to, I felt something! It was the love of GOD in every person there. Their testimonies and the songs they sung that night was just for me from GOD! I finally felt something real, deep in my heart and soul!

I kept going to the meetings, and praying for the HOLY GHOST, and living clean, and GOD baptized me! These two years have been the most wonderful, joy-filled time of my life! How PRECIOUS it is to hear GOD'S SPIRIT speak to me. How AMAZING that GOD'S SPIRIT PRAYS IN TONGUES through us, FOR us, TO OUR SAVIOR!

Brother Kent, I walk in the SPIRIT daily, for that is my strength against the world and the flesh. Ask GOD with a sincere heart for truth in any matter, and pray in the SPIRIT! HE WILL ANSWER! I pray you will hear and know GOD'S VOICE! The TRUTH OF GOD IS PRECIOUS! GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS! AND CHANGES LIVES!

a humble and blessed sister in THE LORD,

wanda

and . . .

Hello Kent,

My name is Jerry. I wanted to share with you my experience of baptism. It was 1995.

I had lived a miserable life up until that point. I was unhappy and sin was all that I knew about. I never had thought too much about God. More unbelief than anything at that point. I used to see Christian shows on television while I was flipping through stations and wonder how anyone could follow or believe what they were saying on them. It just looked phony and I wasn't interested.

My actions landed me in jail. I was tired inside and out. And I was hopeless.

I started reading these books about criminals who found a life with God. It took many books, but my defenses finally weakened and I picked up a Bible voluntarily, for the first time. I started reading from the begining. On the outside I looked rugged, while on the inside I was pleading for the God in this book to be real. I needed Him; He was my last hope.

I kept reading; I understood little; but it made me feel better all the while. After about thirty days, they released me from jail. It was late at night and I looked up at the stars and thought "it's gonna be okay." For the first time that I could remember, I had hope. I believed that night that God would make things okay. I was in Florida at the time. I went back to Ky, my home, and I immedietely looked up an old friend who had dropped out from the crowd I ran with. I had heard that he had changed his ways, and I wanted to know more. He soon took me to a prayer meeting that he attended. I knew nothing about God. I only knew that I felt better when I behaved myself and that reading the Bible felt good, and I knew the feeling of hope.

I walked in the door of that prayer meeting for the first time with my friend. I was overwhelmed with the same feeling that I had been feeling that month or two prior to that day. That feeling of sweet peace, of goodness, of God. Everyone there spoke with tongues and praised God freely; it was a wonderful feeling. People sang and danced under the power of the holy Ghost. "I am home at last," my heart was screaming! I was told that the holy Ghost baptism, evidenced by speaking in tongues, was the new birth. I was told that every man that repented before God and believed could have this experience. I wanted it, and I put it into action. I prayed, and I continued repenting of my old ways. God kept meeting my faith and effort with power to put an end to the deeds that had, until then, ruined my life.

We met for a Bible study one Wednesday evening. I remember I was at the edge of my seat waiting for people to start praying. I had faith that night, the kind of faith that when you put your hand into a fire on a stove that it would burn you. I believed that my time had come, and when the elders amongst God's children started praying, i dashed to the front where they were, hands held high, squinting my eyes as I approached them. I knew that when they laid hands upon me that night, i was going to get "burned" by that stovetop. And indeed I did, my feet kicked clean out from under me, and I landed flat on my back speaking in toungues. I lept up and grabbed my friend and danced around the room under the power of my new holy Ghost. I was baptized with the holy Ghost and fire. Amen.

God did that for me because I repented, and it has never ever left me. I had never been water baptized, still haven't. I wasn't even a Christian. But, I was born again, and the Scriptures say that I was made complete in Him. i later learned that you can be a christian without being born again. So I am glad that I never was one. I then was able to start learning the Bible, and my new holy Ghost.

I read in your e-mail that we were made complete by two baptisms, but Paul said to the Ephesians in chapter 4 verse5 that there is only one. I would have to trade my testimony from God for that other baptism. According to Paul, I couldn't have both. Now, of course, I was "born of water" when my momma gave birth to me. I certainly had to have that one.

I can't imagine what water baptism would add to my testimony. How can being dunked in water in the name of Jesus be as important as the Spirit of God entering my body and making me a temple of God? If God ever wanted me to do it, I'd do it twice. But it seems like I would be saying that He wasn't enough. That doesn't feel right.

I looked in Acts before I wrote you. There sure is a fight in there amongst the elders about people keeping all the ceremonial laws after they were baptized with the holy Ghost. It seems though, that Paul was struggling to keep those yokes (physical circumcision, animal sacrifices, and other ceremonies) off of the Gentiles. It seems that every ceremonial work under the old law, before the new covenant began, was just for Jews only. It was never for a Gentile. I believe that means that I am as free from water baptism as I am circumcision.

Write back if you get time.

Sincerely, Jerry

and . . .

Dear Kent,

I received your question from Gary, and thought I may try to give you some insight on this subject.

You said in your email: "All throughout the book of Acts water baptism and the Spirit baptism were done together by the Apostles. One without the other was not an option for the Apostles". Remember when Cornelius was baptized with the holy Ghost and spoke in tongues? He was never water baptized. Yet he had this blessed experience and was born again. Jesus himself said that the Holy Ghost baptism is the New Birth experience. In the old testament under the Law, Jews were required to be baptized in water. Jesus came to do away with the ceremonial works of the laws, and writes God's law in our heart's, by the holy Ghost. We now live by the Spirit of God inside of us.

My friend, I know many of people who have been Spirit baptized, without being water baptized. I received the holy Ghost outside of Christianity, and it's ceremonies! So, in my heart that tells me, that Jesus holy Ghost baptism is all I need. Before I received the holy Ghost nothing ever changed me. His Spirit was the only thing that could set me free. No water or any other ceremony ever changed me, because God changes the heart.

In Eph 4 it says that there is one baptism (Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism). Therefore we must know, that there must now only be one. So we have to ask ourselves the question, which one would be more significant: Baptized is water, or God's Spirit? Just ask Jesus. He will really show you who He is, if you really want to know, and keep your heart open for whatever He may tell you. I hope you can find this information useful.

Your Friend,

Margo Ellis

Very good, Margo. Thank you for doing that.

One comment on a specific point you made, however. We cannot say that Cornelius never was water baptized because Peter baptized him with water after Cornelius received the holy Ghost. We should say instead that Cornelius he had never been baptized in water before receiving the holy Ghost. I hope he did not miss your main point, however. It was well made. Good job.

Pastor John

and . . .

Hello, dear Kent.

I received your e-mail from Brother Gary and thought I would respond by sharing my experiences with baptism: baptism with water and baptism with the holy Ghost. I mention the water baptism I received as a child of age six while attending Christian services only to say this: all it was good for was getting me soaking wet. :) I did it because I was told to and because everyone else was doing it, not because it meant anything special to me, and it did not touch me where it counts; in my heart. It did not change me on the inside. However, I do know this; at that early age, I was already searching for something from God. Sometimes I would be the only person from my large family walking along on Sunday mornings to attend worship services, because I was very curious about God. I wondered about Him and talked to Him on these walks, always hoping that He was real, but never knowing for sure. I remember getting a white bible, with my name embossed on it in gold letters, as a gift for attending Sunday School for a whole year with no missed Sundays. Later we moved from that neighborhood and I visited other places during the next forty years, always knowing something was missing.

For many years following that water-baptism experience, I tried to find the truth about the new birth, knowing that life was too empty and meaningless without a real relationship with God. I attended services sporadically and kept changing or transferring my "membership" from this religious group to another, over and over. I would search the scriptures, but could not make a lot of sense with them. There were times I would sit and look through the telephone book, and I would call ministers, pastors, priests, and nuns on the phone and ask about their beliefs, hoping I could find some relief that way. It was always clear in my mind and heart that something was missing; I was an incomplete person, and the main chamber of my heart felt empty and nothing could fill it. As the years passed, and after becoming a wife, mother, and grandmother, I felt the emptiness even more. I knew there just had to be more about God that I didn't know about, thinking that if He were alive, He was not showing me much about Himself. I searched for answers, and did not receive them, but know now that the people I asked did not have the answers; the answers need to come from God himself. I know now that God answers our questions and our hunger for Him, our thirst for Him in His time, not ours. I started to believe that nothing on this Earth could help me, that I was destined to remain hopeless, without a touch from our dear Savior.

When my troubled teenaged son began attending home prayer meetings with his friend, I became very curious and questioned him about these meetings. Just another part of my long search...well, my mind would think...maybe I can find something about God HERE, something my soul needs to just survive this world. Let me search this new place out and see what is going on. After questioning my son about those meetings he was attending, he told me about the new birth, or receiving the holy Ghost, as described in Acts, and which is accompanied by stammering lips, or speaking in tongues, which is a sign for the unbeliever. I wasn't sure what to think, except that my son did believe this. As I watched him change into a new person as he learned about God and grew to know and love those people who have the holy Ghost and were led by and obeyed God, I saw a miracle in the making. My heart began to feel as if maybe, just maybe I had another chance to find out something, to feel complete at last. My son asked me to attend a meeting with him and I went. What awesome power filled that little room as people there began to pray and speak in tongues, worshipping God and loving Him and each other as I had never seen or heard of before, in fact had never dreamed of before. After attending just a few meetings, I was led to ask for prayer for myself, and as those dear Saints touched me for the first time, I sunk to the floor and began to speak with stammering lips speaking in tongues, as the Spirit gave utterance. God performed another miracle that day, just for me.

It will soon be the twelfth anniversary of that day, when I finally felt complete in the Lord, and knew that Jesus and God were real and loved me, and that the baptism of the holy Ghost was all I needed to feel complete. It changed me into a new creature, erased all my sins, gave me a new heart, and made me able to love Him as I had always wanted to. I received on that day a great love for the people of God also, because we are bonded together into a family who loves God and wants to do His will, learn about Him and be able to love Him and His Son continually. This is the only baptism which actually means anything, which changes a person from a miserable, hopeless sinner into a person who is clean inside and outside, who is so very humble and thankful each day for this wonderful holy Ghost-filled life, and for the opportunity to be with Jesus.

I did not mean to write such a long e-mail, but to share my experiences with you, that is what was required. May you seek God and search for the truth about His baptism. He will show those with a hungry heart what is truth and what is not.

Love, Sister Ruth

and . . .

Dear Bro Kent,

My name is Tony. I read your email this week and was excited to respond to your question on baptism.

I remember having questions once, just like you. Always wondering what was the right way to follow God. I am 36 years old, and I have had the Holy Ghost since September 2001. Before Jesus touched me, I lived pretty wildly. Always in trouble, and always thinking thoughts like "I wish I were not doing these wrong things." I had been in and out of Christianity since I was 19. I would always get tired of doing wrong and start thinking of God during these times. Then I found myself going to church. Through many experiences, such as being sprinkled in a catholic church, or repeating a prayer after a man who told me if I accept Jesus in my heart, then I was saved. The last time I got under conviction, during one of those times when I would fall away and start living wildly again, I kept wondering in my thoughts to God when I would pray, "What is real, what is right, and what is truth?"

So in June 2001, I went to a Billy Graham crusade, and thought I would rededicate my life to Jesus. At least, that is what they told me I was doing. There was something different I went through this night. All who were present at the crusade were invited to an "altar call." At least 600 to 700 people in a football stadium standing all around me, each had a prayer partner with them. They handed each one of us a prayer package, and they started explaining to each and every one of us how to pray, step by step, but I could hardly concentrate on what the man who was my partner was saying to me. Because I started looking around at all these people, and I saw so many sincere hearts crying very hard. I know I will never forget what I saw that night on these faces. I saw real emotion, and all those prayer partners had to offer them was a prayer kit and a "repeat after me" prayer. So from there I started going to a Baptist church, where they taught water baptism, being totally submersed under water.

I remember thinking, right before the minister dunked me under and said "I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and holy Spirit". My heart was racing a hundred miles per hour. I thought "All right! This is what I have been praying for." I have been sprinkled, and I have said "the sinner's prayer", and was told that I am saved. I even followed instruction from Billy Graham, but I never really changed. I always went back to what I hated more that anything: Sin! So the minister dunked me, and when he brought me up, I remember thinking, "I'll feel different. Really alive for the first time." But my heart broke when I didn't feel anything.

Two months later after being baptized, I went through a very hurtful event. I went to the Baptist place wanting to play a song for other people getting baptized. So the minister asked if any one wanted to share anything with the ones being baptized. I went up to him and whispered in his ear, that God had put it on my heart to play a song for the one's baptized. He politely whispered back, "Maybe next week." It broke my heart for him to make me feel like he was in charge and he decides who has something from God. So I left another church, but this time I didn't want to go back to the world or my wild living ways. I remember getting a thought, a still small voice said, " Leave it all behind and seek me! Leave everything you thought was right about Me (God), and just seek Me."

The Bible says, "Seek and you shall find, knock and I'll answer." God was telling me just seek Him, and He would show me His Truth. God had been convicting my heart of sin ever since I was 19, but man's outward ceremonies were getting in the way. So when I listened to the still small voice, things changed. All those ceremonies never changed who I was, just a broken sinner who needed to know God.

In August 2001, I met a man named Gary. I remember him telling me about these prayer meetings he used to go to. I heard him speak in tongues, and I had never heard such a sound before. One day I needed a job, so Gary told me about a man named Billy, and said I should go see him for a job, so I did. I went to see Billy, filed out the application, had an interview, but didn't get the job. As I was leaving, Billy followed me out to my car, and we started talking. Out of the Blue, Billy says, "I feel a lot of hurt from you." I had never met this man before. I thought, how did he know I am hurting inside? He then said that God has something for me, if I had a willing heart.

After our conversation, we met somewhere to talk more. He told me about the same prayer meetings that Gary used to go to, but Gary had fallen away. God used a backslidden brother; to get me to a Holy Ghost filled Saint! We talked about Acts 2, where the men who followed Jesus received the holy Ghost baptism. Billy invited me to the next prayer meeting. Everything in me was coming alive. It was now September 2001. I went to the prayer meeting, and it wasn't long until they started singing, dancing, shouting, and speaking in tongues! I was so excited at what I was feeling, because for so long all I wanted was to know Jesus, but all those ceremonies were in they way, until now.

It was my third prayer meeting when I got the Holy Ghost and was born again. I had gone up for prayer, and I fell back on the floor and laid there. I remember feeling more peace than I have ever felt in my life. It occured to me that not one single person in the room told me come and get prayed for, and no one told me what to pray for. It seems that all I was doing was going by what I was feeling. So while I was still on the floor, I remember I heard a voice, just like the one before that told me to leave it all behind and seek Me. The voice said "Stand Up!" With no delay, I stood up, and something hit me from my head all the way to my feet. It was very warm feeling, and then I started running all over that floor, shouting and dancing, and I heard speaking in tongues. I suddenly stopped, my eyes popped open, and I froze. Someone said, "Don't stop there! You show them you got the Holy Ghost." Then that same power from God hit me again, and it was even warmer and tingly than the first time. I didn't realize the person I heard speaking in tongues was I. I spoke in tongues for a long time after the second touch from Jesus.

So you see Kent, all of those other things I mentioned earlier never changed me. I always went back to doing those sinful things. It took God's Spirit on the inside to help me keep God's commandments. Ephesians 4 talks about one body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism. I followed many examples of baptism, but only one changed me, a broken-hearted sinner, into a new creature in Christ. That one baptism is the New Birth, the Holy Ghost baptism with a witness when you receive it from Jesus, and that is speaking in tongues as God's Spirit speaks through you saying, "Abba Father", by which we know we have received the Spirit of adoption, which says we are the sons of God. No man on earth can give you such a baptism.

With Love in Christ,

Bro Tony

August 3, 2005

John Clark Sr.,

Jesus Christ is the author of eternal salvation to them that obey him. When the Jews who were under the law, when they committed sin, they had to pay for their sins with the things that they possessed for atonement for those sins to get them removed. So that was a work they had to do to get rid of Sin. Now that was under the Law and the Children of Israel got under the Law by Moses because they were baptized unto Moses that's how they got under the law by baptism. Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ and to be in or under the grace of Jesus Christ you must first be baptized into Jesus Christ. Because when you were born you came through the water in Adam you were born in a sinful and defiled state. You must be born again of the water and of the spirit. The water with the name of Jesus Christ summons the grace, which is the Blood atonement for your sins that is the price for our redemption. You get That Blood by obedience of the Gospel, which puts you under Grace. Because there is now nothing a man can give for the removal of his sins he cannot pay for his sins. The only thing he can do is believe the gospel, repent, confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the removal of his sins. If you don't you still have your sins and your are still in Adam and the Sin of Garden is still on you.

When judgment comes God is going to see the sin because the blood is not upon your body. Now the baptism of water is for the body but the Holy ghost is for the spirit of the Man. The spirit is what supposed to control the body but since sin came in, the body controls the spirit but Jesus Christ sent back a remedy for that called the Holy Ghost with fire, which go against the will of the flesh. The first evidence of the Spirit Baptism is speaking in other tongues as the spirit gives utterance and clean and holy life which shows that Christ is in you the hope of glory. Jesus Christ made himself known to me some years ago in the same way he did other believers that were written in the bible.

Bro. Marvin

Dear Brother Marvin:

The baptism that saves is the one that is not for the body but the one that came "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ"; that is, the holy Ghost baptism (1Pet. 3:21). The water of Noah's flood was a figure of that baptism, just as John's baptism in the Jordan River was a figure of it. It is as impossible to practice John's baptism as it is to re-enter Noah's ark. Neither of those two figures exists any longer. God has moved on. I am glad you obeyed God and were baptized by His Spirit into Christ. Keep obeying Him and He will keep you from trying to return to things that do not exist in Christ, in whom is hidden all the wisdom and power and goodness of God.

Pastor John

February 20, 2003

Thought for Today.

Fundamentals of the New Testament, No. 4

"John's Baptism"

There are some facts that are so basic to one's understanding of the New Testament books that without being aware of them, one cannot possibly understand what the apostles wrote. This is the fourth of the essential truths with which every student of the New Testament ought to begin his study. Before opening for the first time any of the books written by the apostles, one ought to already know these things. Mothers, teach these truths to your children; pastors, teach these things to your congregations. These are the foundations upon which all right knowledge of the truth is laid.

Fundamental #4

John's Baptism

Early in each one of the gospels we are told of John the Baptizer, a man so great in the sight of God that even his coming was foretold by other, more ancient prophets (Isa. 40:1-8; Mal. 3:1). Jesus called John "much more than a prophet" (Lk. 7:26), and told the multitude, "Among those that are born of women, there is not a greater than John the Baptizer" (Lk. 7:28).

John was the first man ordained by God to wash others with water since Moses, who lived about thirteen hundred years earlier. This is one reason that so many in John's day "mused in their hearts of John, he were the Christ or not." He certainly was a prophet somewhat "like unto Moses", whom the ancient prophets foretold would come to Israel.

"And they asked him, 'Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ . . .. .?'"

"And he confessed, and denied not, but confessed 'I am not the Christ.'"

Not surprisingly, John and his holy work were misunderstood in his own time, even though John did his part to make himself and his work clear to Israel. The real tragedy is that John and his work are still a mystery to most of God's people. The absence of this foundation in the hearts of God's people today has resulted in a world of conflict and confusion for the children of God. Being ignorant of the truth, they are so often like "sitting ducks" for those ministers of Satan who hunt the souls of men.

We cannot understand Jesus before we understand John. That is why God sent John ahead of Jesus: "to prepare the way of the Lord." Understanding Jesus, of course, is far more important than understanding John; but that is not the issue. The building is always of more importance than the foundation. The point is that we must have the foundation of John and his baptism properly laid in our hearts before we can fully appreciate the greater one, Jesus, and his greater baptism.

From John's own words, then, and from Biblical record of the things John did, here are a few elemental truths about John and what God sent him to do:

A. Like Jesus, John was sent only to the house of Israel (Jn. 1:29-31). No Samaritans or Gentiles ever came to John to be baptized, and if they had, they would have been rejected. What John had was not for them.

B. John's baptism was not for all Jews, but only for those Jews who truly repented (Mt.3:5-9). There were many Jews who came to John to be baptized and were sternly rejected because they had not repented. John was so close to God that he knew who were prepared for his "baptism of repentance" and who were not. No one fooled John because no one could fool his God.

C. John's baptism was from heaven (Lk.7: 24-30; 20:1-8). John did not invent his baptism. He was sent by God to do what he did and to say what he said when he did it.

D. John's baptism always was accompanied by a specifically worded message (Acts 19:1-5). If John's exact message did not attend his water baptism, it was not John's baptism, as Paul taught those twelve Ephesian disciples whom he met. They thought they had received John's baptism, but they had not heard about the holy Ghost baptism. Learning this, Paul explained to them that they had not really received John's baptism because "John came saying". And since, being Jews, they were required by God to receive to John's baptism (even though John himself was dead by then), Paul re-baptized them, this time using John's words. Then, those twelve humble men received the holy Ghost baptism from Jesus and spoke with other tongues, just as John had said they should.

Mere water baptism is not John's baptism. The various forms of water baptism that Christians practice and teach are strange baptisms that Christians have invented without any ordination of God whatsoever. There are only two baptisms that God has ever ordained, John's and Jesus', and only one of them was intended to be permanent. The time for John's baptism is passed, and every other form of water baptism has been worthless to start with. For this reason, Paul proclaimed that there is but one baptism that matters at all to God (Eph 4:5).

E. John's baptism was a prophetic symbol of Jesus' baptism, the baptism of the holy Spirit and fire (Mt. 3:11; etc.). When Jesus suffered and died, bringing to men the baptism of their spirits, the purpose for John's baptism began to fade away. As John himself confessed, "He must increase, and I must decrease."

F. The holy Ghost baptism is greater (Mt. 3:13-15) and was destined to completely replace John's baptism (Jn. 3:28-30; Eph. 4:5; 1Cor. 1:10-17). John's baptism was but one of the many ceremonial symbols that God gave to Israel to point them to their Messiah. When the Messiah came and accomplished his work in Israel, there was no more need for John's baptism than there was for animal sacrifices or holy days. These things were the "shadow" of Christ, and the shadows all passed away when the light came to us.

G. John's baptism prepared Jews to receive the holy Ghost baptism.

This is the last element of confusion that needs to cleared up for this generation concerning the purpose of John's baptism. On several occasions, John's baptism is called a baptism "unto repentance for the remission of sins". On this basis, many have wrongly concluded that John's baptism remitted, or washed away, sins. But no amount of earthly water can wash away sins. Sin is a matter of the heart (Mt. 15:19-20); water baptism, being a natural, fleshly thing, cannot cleanse that part of man. Jesus' baptism of man's spirit is the only baptism that can cleanse man's heart from sin.

John's baptism was a divine seal, a testimony from John that a person had repented and was prepared for the baptism of the holy Ghost that Jesus would make available after he ascended to the Father to offer himself as a sacrifice for our sins. John's was a "baptism or repentance" because it was given only to those Jews who repented. It was for "the remission of sins" because it prepared those whom John baptized to receive the remission of sins that Jesus' baptism would give. John's baptism was "for remission of sins" not because it remitted sins but because it qualified the Jews who received it to receive remission of sins. In your Bible, you will never find one Jew who received the holy Ghost from God unless he had been prepared for the remission of sins by John's baptism.

No reasonable person can believe that earthly water can remit sins. But wrong ideas about God make us unreasonable. Plato once said that "whatever deceives, bewitches." In other words, when we relieve a lie into our souls, we are brought under a spell. Every lie comes from some unclean spirit, and we are brought under the power of that spirit when we believe it's lie. But Jesus promised that the truth would set us free. God's children need to know the foundational truth about John the Baptizer so that they can to escape the dark power of Christianity and its lies about God.

This is the fourth stone that I have used to lay out for you for a sure foundation, upon which you may safely build your faith as you grow in the light of God.