Post by DrGadget on Aug 20, 2014 17:14:24 GMT -5
BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST
In my investigation I found something new that I had never noticed. In addition to the water baptism we're all familiar with, there is a baptism of the Holy Ghost.
John the Baptist used water (specifically the waters of the River Jordan) to baptize people, but prophesied that Jesus would baptize people with the Holy Ghost and fire.
PROPHECY
Matthew 3:11
[11] I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Mark 1:8
[8] I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
Luke 3:16
[16] John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
John 1:32-34
[32] And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
[33] 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.
[34] And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
Acts 1:5
[5] For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus said he was anticipating being baptized. He has already been baptized in water by John the Baptist. This was something new, and He was restricted until it occurred. He was going to be baptized by the Holy Spirit, most likely to initiate the Body of Christ.
Luke 12:49-50
[49] I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I if it be already kindled?
[50] But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
FULFILLMENT
Is this what really happened? Yes it is. They were baptized in the Holy Ghost first, and then were baptized in water some time later. Peter told of how the people from Caesarea were saved before having a water baptism.
Acts 11:15-17
[15] And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
[16] Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
[17] Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
Here are the actual events Peter was recounting.
Acts 10:44-48
[44] While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
[45] And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
[46] For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
[47] Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
[48] And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
First Peter preached (verse 44). They must have believed or they would not be saved. The Holy Ghost came down from Heaven unto them (verse 45). Peter said they deserve to be baptized in water (verse 47) seeing that they received the same Holy Ghost as the other believers. Peter then command they be baptized (verse 48).
The Holy Ghost doesn’t make mistakes. He knows who the believers are, and who the non-believers are.
We are baptized into Christ and into Christ’s death.
Romans 6:2-4
[2] God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
[3] Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
[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.
It is the baptism of the Holy Spirit that places us into the Body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:12-14
[12] For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
[13] For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
[14] For the body is not one member, but many.
Compare this to what Jesus told Nicodemus about being born again.
John 3:3-6
[3] Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
[4] Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
[5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
[6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
There are some who claim that John 3:5 means you need to be baptized to be saved. But if this was indeed an indication that both the Holy Spirit AND the waters of baptism were necessary for you to be born again, then why is it the Holy Spirit alone (1 Corinthians 12:13) who places us into the Body of Christ? There is no mention of water placing you into the Body of Christ.
When you put all three of these passages together, we see a clearer picture of the Holy Spirit placing people into the Body of Christ, and into Christ’s death and resurrection.
NEED TO BE BORN AGAIN
Why do we need to be born again? Because we were born “wrong” the first time around. Mary was a virgin who conceived of the Holy Spirit and gave birth to Jesus. Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit the first time. He didn’t need to be born again. But we were born the first time of our earthly fathers. Sin is passed through the fathers from Adam. When we are born again of the Holy Spirit, we get a new Father in Heaven. We are originally born in the image of Adam. We are reborn (born again) in the image of Jesus.
In trying to ask Ron about this, I decided to ask him when he was born again. Obviously he had been born once or he would not exist, but at which point was he born again? I was going to ask him, “You were born once, and then when exactly were you born again?” I managed to get out the words, “You were born once, and then…” At this point he interrupted me and demanded that he was born TWICE, not once. He didn’t let me finish the sentence and I got a 3 minute lecture. I responded and said, “So you were born a total of three times?” He said “No, 2 times.” “So you were born twice before being born again? That’s three times. Let me finish my question before you answer it.” He again tried to interrupt me as I was saying that, as if I had misunderstood him, so I shouted him down at the end, which wasn’t easy to do.
I was trying to determine some specifics about what he considered being “born again” and those specifics were not contained in the lectures he was hitting me with.
Rather than spending all night in a shouting match, I decided to write these rebuttals. You can’t shout over something you’re reading. My delivery is often very methodical and meticulous. I’m looking for a level of accuracy and specificity that few can provide, and fewer can anticipate. If I’m not allowed to finish my specific question, you will never be able to provide me a specific answer.
Ron if you’re reading this, know that I’m not attacking you. You’re a brother in Christ. This is written in love, but I am definitely going to be thorough. It may be painful reading this.
The first time you are born, you are born of water. When you hear a woman say, “My water broke,” that means a baby is about to be born. Water equals natural childbirth.
Being born again of the Holy Spirit indicates salvation. You become a new creature. It is then that you are promoted from carnal to spiritual. You go from being a creation to a son. You go from sinner to saint. You go from “On my way to Hell” to “On my way to Heaven”. You go from being God’s enemy to God’s friend. You go from lost to saved. You go from natural to supernatural.
Everyone who can potentially read this was born once, of water. Only those who believe the Gospel will be born again, of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said you must be born of both, and in that order, to enter the Kingdom of God.
John 3:5
[5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
The Holy Spirit is often symbolized by water. Jesus used this symbol when talking to the woman at the well.
John 4:10-14
[10] Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
[11] The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
[12] Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
[13] Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
[14] But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
But if Jesus was using the same symbolism when talking to Nicodemus, He would have been saying, “You need to be born of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit. This makes no sense. He was talking about physical water. And since the water baptism is not required for salvation, this means He was talking about the first birth, or the “water birth”. Take another look at verse 4. Jesus was answering Nicodemus’ specific question about being born as a baby (water birth).
John 3:4-5
[4] Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
[5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Question – Answer. Complete. Nobody here was talking about baptism. They were both talking about childbirth. But then Jesus added to this, “and of the Spirit”. You experience childbirth to become a human. You spiritual birth to become a Christian. By looking at these two verses in context, we see what Jesus’ answer really meant.
Also consider that water baptism was a fairly well-understood concept at the time. You confess your sins and are then immersed in water. Many people from Jerusalem and the surrounding area had gone down to the Jordan River to be baptized of John. It was the thing to do. Baptism doesn’t give birth to anything. You’re not born in baptism. You’re born when you’re born. If Jesus had meant baptism, He would have told Nicodemus that you need to be born of BAPTISM and the Spirit. Nicodemus would have understood this.
Baptism isn’t just any old kind of water. It’s a great deal of water used for a specific purpose. Nicodemus didn’t understand being born again, so Jesus was giving him specifics. Jesus wouldn’t be intentionally vague if baptism was required for salvation. He was NEVER vague when it came to the need for faith. Why would He be vague concerning the need for baptism?
It would have taken Jesus no extra effort to use the more specific word “baptism” if that’s what He meant, but He chose not to use it. Why? Because He wasn’t talking about being born by water baptism. He was talking about being born again by the Holy Spirit, just as He was personally born originally of the Holy Spirit. We need to do what Jesus did, and be born of the Holy Spirit. He did it as a baby, but we do it as believers. Being born of the Holy Spirit is a real thing. Being born (as a baby) when your mother’s water breaks is a real thing. Being born in a water baptism is not a real thing.
You are not born three times, but twice. One of these is fake. Being born as a child, and then being born again of the Holy Spirit are the two real ones. Being somehow born of water baptism is not real.
Jesus was not talking to Nicodemus about a water baptism.
TWO BAPTISMS
First, let us discount the baptism of John. He was doing God’s work at the time, but his baptism was deemed no longer useful by the Apostles (Acts 18:24-26 and Acts 19:3-5). Jesus gave us a superior form of baptism.
But in reality, there are two distinct baptisms going on. When you believe on the name of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit baptizes you into the Body of Christ (among the many other changes that take place). You are a new creature. Then you perform the second baptism where you are publicly immersed into a body of water, signifying the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Every verse in the Bible that seems to say that you must be baptized in water to be saved really doesn’t mean that. It really means one of the following:
a. Get fully saved, and then add water baptism to the top of your “to do” list.
b. The Holy Spirit is placing you into the Body of Christ. This is done on a hidden spiritual level that we can’t see, and does not involve immersion in water.
HOW TO BE SAVED
We are made children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Period. We are baptized into Christ (into the Body of Christ) which also means we have “put on the new man”. We should let the “old man” (our previous carnal selves) die daily so that Christ may live in us. If done right, people should look at us and see Christ instead.
Galatians 3:26-27
[26] For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
[27] For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
We are buried with Christ in baptism. But we are risen with Christ through faith in God’s operation of raising Christ from the dead. And again, we should put off the “old man” (our previous carnal selves) which is the body of the sins of the flesh (verse 11).
Colossians 2:9-12
[9] For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
[10] And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
[11] In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
[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.
In this next passage, Peter starts by talking about the quickening of the Holy Spirit (verse 18). The Holy Spirit continues in verse 19, by which He (Jesus) preached unto the spirits in prison (Hell). In verse 20, he says that Noah and the others on the ark were saved by water, but the water didn’t really save Noah. Being dry saved Noah, while the rest of the world died in the water. A more appropriate translation might be that they were saved “through” the water, even though the water was death.
1 Peter 3:18-22
[18] For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
[19] By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
[20] Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
[21] The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (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:
[22] Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
The above passage is two sentences, but one thought. In verse 21, it starts by saying “The like figure”, meaning the picture of Noah in the Ark, and the entire account of the Great Flood. Verse 21 says that baptism saves us, but remember that this line of reasoning started with a discussion of the Holy Spirit in verse 18. Leave out the part in parentheses, and it says that baptism saves us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 3:21 (without the part in parentheses)
[21] The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (-----) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
This is the exact same message as Paul said in Colossians.
Colossians 2:12
[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.
Baptism saves us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit baptizes us into the Body of Christ. We are resurrected with Christ. This is the message.
The picture of Noah’s ordeal shows death on a massive scale. The proportions of the ark (300x50x30 – Genesis 6:15) was a 6 to 1 ratio. The ark was made to look like a gigantic coffin. God could have chosen a cubic design, or a thin square. Anything else. Whatever. But God chose to make the ark look like a coffin. A coffin is where you put the dead, not the living. Here God was saying that the way to life is death. Whatever entered the ark came back out a year later. Whatever was not “entombed” in this massive coffin ended up dead.
Mark 8:35
[35] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
If you try to save yourself you die. If you trust God and lose your life, you live. This is the picture of baptism. You die with Christ and are raised again. The account of Noah’s Ark went the extra mile by making it look like a giant coffin. To the earthly eye, it looked like a great place to die, not a place to live. But God chose foolishness to confound the wise. God’s foolishness is far greater than Man’s wisdom.
1 Corinthians 1:27
[27] But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
In my investigation I found something new that I had never noticed. In addition to the water baptism we're all familiar with, there is a baptism of the Holy Ghost.
John the Baptist used water (specifically the waters of the River Jordan) to baptize people, but prophesied that Jesus would baptize people with the Holy Ghost and fire.
PROPHECY
Matthew 3:11
[11] I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Mark 1:8
[8] I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
Luke 3:16
[16] John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
John 1:32-34
[32] And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
[33] 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.
[34] And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
Acts 1:5
[5] For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus said he was anticipating being baptized. He has already been baptized in water by John the Baptist. This was something new, and He was restricted until it occurred. He was going to be baptized by the Holy Spirit, most likely to initiate the Body of Christ.
Luke 12:49-50
[49] I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I if it be already kindled?
[50] But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
FULFILLMENT
Is this what really happened? Yes it is. They were baptized in the Holy Ghost first, and then were baptized in water some time later. Peter told of how the people from Caesarea were saved before having a water baptism.
Acts 11:15-17
[15] And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
[16] Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
[17] Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
Here are the actual events Peter was recounting.
Acts 10:44-48
[44] While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
[45] And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
[46] For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
[47] Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
[48] And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
First Peter preached (verse 44). They must have believed or they would not be saved. The Holy Ghost came down from Heaven unto them (verse 45). Peter said they deserve to be baptized in water (verse 47) seeing that they received the same Holy Ghost as the other believers. Peter then command they be baptized (verse 48).
The Holy Ghost doesn’t make mistakes. He knows who the believers are, and who the non-believers are.
We are baptized into Christ and into Christ’s death.
Romans 6:2-4
[2] God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
[3] Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
[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.
It is the baptism of the Holy Spirit that places us into the Body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:12-14
[12] For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
[13] For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
[14] For the body is not one member, but many.
Compare this to what Jesus told Nicodemus about being born again.
John 3:3-6
[3] Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
[4] Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
[5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
[6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
There are some who claim that John 3:5 means you need to be baptized to be saved. But if this was indeed an indication that both the Holy Spirit AND the waters of baptism were necessary for you to be born again, then why is it the Holy Spirit alone (1 Corinthians 12:13) who places us into the Body of Christ? There is no mention of water placing you into the Body of Christ.
When you put all three of these passages together, we see a clearer picture of the Holy Spirit placing people into the Body of Christ, and into Christ’s death and resurrection.
NEED TO BE BORN AGAIN
Why do we need to be born again? Because we were born “wrong” the first time around. Mary was a virgin who conceived of the Holy Spirit and gave birth to Jesus. Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit the first time. He didn’t need to be born again. But we were born the first time of our earthly fathers. Sin is passed through the fathers from Adam. When we are born again of the Holy Spirit, we get a new Father in Heaven. We are originally born in the image of Adam. We are reborn (born again) in the image of Jesus.
In trying to ask Ron about this, I decided to ask him when he was born again. Obviously he had been born once or he would not exist, but at which point was he born again? I was going to ask him, “You were born once, and then when exactly were you born again?” I managed to get out the words, “You were born once, and then…” At this point he interrupted me and demanded that he was born TWICE, not once. He didn’t let me finish the sentence and I got a 3 minute lecture. I responded and said, “So you were born a total of three times?” He said “No, 2 times.” “So you were born twice before being born again? That’s three times. Let me finish my question before you answer it.” He again tried to interrupt me as I was saying that, as if I had misunderstood him, so I shouted him down at the end, which wasn’t easy to do.
I was trying to determine some specifics about what he considered being “born again” and those specifics were not contained in the lectures he was hitting me with.
Rather than spending all night in a shouting match, I decided to write these rebuttals. You can’t shout over something you’re reading. My delivery is often very methodical and meticulous. I’m looking for a level of accuracy and specificity that few can provide, and fewer can anticipate. If I’m not allowed to finish my specific question, you will never be able to provide me a specific answer.
Ron if you’re reading this, know that I’m not attacking you. You’re a brother in Christ. This is written in love, but I am definitely going to be thorough. It may be painful reading this.
The first time you are born, you are born of water. When you hear a woman say, “My water broke,” that means a baby is about to be born. Water equals natural childbirth.
Being born again of the Holy Spirit indicates salvation. You become a new creature. It is then that you are promoted from carnal to spiritual. You go from being a creation to a son. You go from sinner to saint. You go from “On my way to Hell” to “On my way to Heaven”. You go from being God’s enemy to God’s friend. You go from lost to saved. You go from natural to supernatural.
Everyone who can potentially read this was born once, of water. Only those who believe the Gospel will be born again, of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said you must be born of both, and in that order, to enter the Kingdom of God.
John 3:5
[5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
The Holy Spirit is often symbolized by water. Jesus used this symbol when talking to the woman at the well.
John 4:10-14
[10] Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
[11] The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
[12] Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
[13] Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
[14] But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
But if Jesus was using the same symbolism when talking to Nicodemus, He would have been saying, “You need to be born of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit. This makes no sense. He was talking about physical water. And since the water baptism is not required for salvation, this means He was talking about the first birth, or the “water birth”. Take another look at verse 4. Jesus was answering Nicodemus’ specific question about being born as a baby (water birth).
John 3:4-5
[4] Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
[5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Question – Answer. Complete. Nobody here was talking about baptism. They were both talking about childbirth. But then Jesus added to this, “and of the Spirit”. You experience childbirth to become a human. You spiritual birth to become a Christian. By looking at these two verses in context, we see what Jesus’ answer really meant.
Also consider that water baptism was a fairly well-understood concept at the time. You confess your sins and are then immersed in water. Many people from Jerusalem and the surrounding area had gone down to the Jordan River to be baptized of John. It was the thing to do. Baptism doesn’t give birth to anything. You’re not born in baptism. You’re born when you’re born. If Jesus had meant baptism, He would have told Nicodemus that you need to be born of BAPTISM and the Spirit. Nicodemus would have understood this.
Baptism isn’t just any old kind of water. It’s a great deal of water used for a specific purpose. Nicodemus didn’t understand being born again, so Jesus was giving him specifics. Jesus wouldn’t be intentionally vague if baptism was required for salvation. He was NEVER vague when it came to the need for faith. Why would He be vague concerning the need for baptism?
It would have taken Jesus no extra effort to use the more specific word “baptism” if that’s what He meant, but He chose not to use it. Why? Because He wasn’t talking about being born by water baptism. He was talking about being born again by the Holy Spirit, just as He was personally born originally of the Holy Spirit. We need to do what Jesus did, and be born of the Holy Spirit. He did it as a baby, but we do it as believers. Being born of the Holy Spirit is a real thing. Being born (as a baby) when your mother’s water breaks is a real thing. Being born in a water baptism is not a real thing.
You are not born three times, but twice. One of these is fake. Being born as a child, and then being born again of the Holy Spirit are the two real ones. Being somehow born of water baptism is not real.
Jesus was not talking to Nicodemus about a water baptism.
TWO BAPTISMS
First, let us discount the baptism of John. He was doing God’s work at the time, but his baptism was deemed no longer useful by the Apostles (Acts 18:24-26 and Acts 19:3-5). Jesus gave us a superior form of baptism.
But in reality, there are two distinct baptisms going on. When you believe on the name of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit baptizes you into the Body of Christ (among the many other changes that take place). You are a new creature. Then you perform the second baptism where you are publicly immersed into a body of water, signifying the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Every verse in the Bible that seems to say that you must be baptized in water to be saved really doesn’t mean that. It really means one of the following:
a. Get fully saved, and then add water baptism to the top of your “to do” list.
b. The Holy Spirit is placing you into the Body of Christ. This is done on a hidden spiritual level that we can’t see, and does not involve immersion in water.
HOW TO BE SAVED
We are made children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Period. We are baptized into Christ (into the Body of Christ) which also means we have “put on the new man”. We should let the “old man” (our previous carnal selves) die daily so that Christ may live in us. If done right, people should look at us and see Christ instead.
Galatians 3:26-27
[26] For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
[27] For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
We are buried with Christ in baptism. But we are risen with Christ through faith in God’s operation of raising Christ from the dead. And again, we should put off the “old man” (our previous carnal selves) which is the body of the sins of the flesh (verse 11).
Colossians 2:9-12
[9] For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
[10] And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
[11] In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
[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.
In this next passage, Peter starts by talking about the quickening of the Holy Spirit (verse 18). The Holy Spirit continues in verse 19, by which He (Jesus) preached unto the spirits in prison (Hell). In verse 20, he says that Noah and the others on the ark were saved by water, but the water didn’t really save Noah. Being dry saved Noah, while the rest of the world died in the water. A more appropriate translation might be that they were saved “through” the water, even though the water was death.
1 Peter 3:18-22
[18] For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
[19] By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
[20] Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
[21] The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (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:
[22] Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
The above passage is two sentences, but one thought. In verse 21, it starts by saying “The like figure”, meaning the picture of Noah in the Ark, and the entire account of the Great Flood. Verse 21 says that baptism saves us, but remember that this line of reasoning started with a discussion of the Holy Spirit in verse 18. Leave out the part in parentheses, and it says that baptism saves us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 3:21 (without the part in parentheses)
[21] The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (-----) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
This is the exact same message as Paul said in Colossians.
Colossians 2:12
[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.
Baptism saves us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit baptizes us into the Body of Christ. We are resurrected with Christ. This is the message.
The picture of Noah’s ordeal shows death on a massive scale. The proportions of the ark (300x50x30 – Genesis 6:15) was a 6 to 1 ratio. The ark was made to look like a gigantic coffin. God could have chosen a cubic design, or a thin square. Anything else. Whatever. But God chose to make the ark look like a coffin. A coffin is where you put the dead, not the living. Here God was saying that the way to life is death. Whatever entered the ark came back out a year later. Whatever was not “entombed” in this massive coffin ended up dead.
Mark 8:35
[35] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
If you try to save yourself you die. If you trust God and lose your life, you live. This is the picture of baptism. You die with Christ and are raised again. The account of Noah’s Ark went the extra mile by making it look like a giant coffin. To the earthly eye, it looked like a great place to die, not a place to live. But God chose foolishness to confound the wise. God’s foolishness is far greater than Man’s wisdom.
1 Corinthians 1:27
[27] But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
