My take on water baptism...

But you don't agree that the baptism, that was necessary for them, is water baptism?

Since water baptism was a commandment of Christ which has never been rescinded, what makes you say "Whether or not it was in God's will"? It is EXPRESSLY God's will, and Christ is God.

It means nothing. God could have not cared one way or the other if two guys wanted to play in the water. It had nothing to do with church doctrine.

Another guy put it this way...

Post 322 from Joseph1949

Water baptism is not a commandment. Actually Jesus explains it simply in Acts1:5...
John baptized with water, BUT YOU will be baptized in holy spirit. The (but) implies John did it this way, BUT you will be baptized this way. To be born again is to confess Jesus as Lord and believe God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9,10) Baptism is equated to receiving holy spirit within, it is trusting with the heart. The proof over and over again in the book of Acts is shown. When they were baptized, they manifested holy spirit by speaking in tongues. You don't see much of that in the church today.

This remark not only shows your ignorance about Church doctrine, but your contempt for Christian baptism. It confirms that you are a false teacher.

I believe the doctrine of Christian baptism is in Scripture to separate genuine Christians from pretenders. Thus false ideas regarding baptism crept into the churches at a very early date, and they continue to this day.

FALSE TEACHINGS ABOUT CHRISTIAN BAPTISM

1. Baptismal regeneration -- sinners are born again when they are baptized.

2. Water washes away sins, when it is the blood of Christ which washes sins.

3. Baptism was for the remission of sins, when it is repentance that is necessary for the remission of sins.

4. Water baptism confers the gift of the Holy Spirit, when faith in Christ results in the gift of the Spirit.

5. Water baptism is necessary for salvation, when salvation is by grace through faith in Christ and His finished work of redemption.

6. Water baptism was only for saved Jews, and Gentile believers need not be baptized.

7. Water baptism is not a commandment for Christians today, when Christians command to be baptized.

Jesus did for sure wash the disciples' feet, though. Jesus' exact words were, "Unless I wash you, you will have no part with me." John 13:8. That was quite literally with water. And Peter's response was, "Then wash me head to toe, too!" Jesus replied that those who have already been baptized need not do it again. The disciples were all Jewish: they had undergone mikva before. Judas probably underwent mikva, too, but with the wrong Spirit, and so was unclean.

Jesus never said it was a sin to undergo water baptism. So if you want Jesus to wash you, then why not go out and physically get baptized with water? You are expressing your faith--not just with feel-good "thoughts", but by actually putting one foot in front of the other.

Galatians 5:1-4
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

We will fall from the understanding of the grace that is in Christ, and succumb to the doctrines and theories that are dictated by human conception if we seek justification by our own works. The concision was from those who taught circumcision was necessary for salvation. Circumcision is a work of the flesh required by the Old Testament Law, and by the way so is water baptism, which is a carryover from part of the Levitical Law.

There are many examples of people in the Old Testament who would wash themselves with water as a final step to being clean. Water baptism was an outward sign of washing, and then you would be clean to God. Baptism in water, and the need to be circumcised passed away with the coming of Pentecost, as did the other Levitical Laws. To be led by the spirit is to not be under the yoke of bondage with the extreme of legalism, seeking the works of the flesh from the old covenant concerning the past Law administration that was written to Israel.

It's clear from the gospels that water baptism had to do with the kingdom, which was ministered by John who was known as the Baptizer, and not a minister for the Church of God. John who was a prophet functioning under the old covenant was appointed by God to prepare and confirm the promises made to Israel. His message was to tell those who lived under the old covenant that the king had come and “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

He used water as a sign to baptize those who believed the promised Messiah would be coming in just a matter of months and to illustrate that he would be the Christ, who would baptize them not with material water, but with holy spirit, which is “power from on high.” From the habit of tradition, and only for a short period of time, a small handful of people were baptized with water into the New Testament, but never again afterwards.

In the epistles written just a little bit past the beginning of the New Testament is where we read the only time water baptism is mentioned is to note there is no more need for it, and that we are now to be baptized with holy spirit. And this is why in Acts 2:38, Peter commands “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ.” In Acts 8:16, Peter and John “baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” In Acts 10:48, Peter “commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” In Romans 6:3, it declares “that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ.”

There is not one exception to this practice where we see water baptism, which belonged to the time period when Christ walked the earth, being used once the Church of God had become established. To suggest water baptism has anything to do with the only begotten resurrected Son of God, who is functioning within the New Testament as the head of the body of Christ, has led to nothing but confusion and has provided a bomb that has blown the local churches into pieces.

Nobody used water in Acts 10:47. It was a question and the anweser must have been no because nobody used water in Acts 10:48. And Philip who was not a leader in the Church simply said yes to a guy who wanted to get wet. Water Baptism is not taught in any of the Church Epistles or by any Apostles.

Hi, after reading another post...thought I'd see the issue peeps had with your writings.

Font see anything yet but a new member....

In this case I could not be dogmatic about water Baptism.

Because I just thought of something I never seen......
This is my thought in reference to first Peter 3:21

And: Romans 6

Don't you know that all who share in Christ Jesus by being baptized also share in his death? When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptized, so that we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father.

If we shared in Jesus' death by being baptized, we will be raised to life with him. We know that the persons we used to be were nailed to the cross with Jesus. This was done, so that our sinful bodies would no longer be the slaves of sin. We know that sin doesn't have power over dead people.

I CAN NOW SEE A WATER BAPTISM AS A SYMBOL OF PUTTING OFF THE FLESH...AS IN ALSO RELATION TO CIRCUMCISM... BECAUSE IT COULD REPRESENTS HOW WE ARE TO LIVE OUT OUR LIFE WHILE ALIVE IN THE BODY. FOR 1 Peter addresses a Baptism that saves us now...and it seems to say it is by walking by the Spirit.....
Another words in their day...it was the law after the flesh, But now it is the law after the Spirit in which we can come to have a relationship with the father and be delivered from present circumstances. People seemed to be Baptized because they accepted a teaching.

As surely as we died with Christ, we believe we will also live with him. We know that death no longer has any power over Christ. He died and was raised to life, never again to die. When Christ died, he died for sin once and for all. But now he is alive, and he lives only for God. In the same way, you must think of yourselves as dead to the power of sin. But Christ Jesus has given life to you, and you live for God.

Romans 6:3-11

Since water baptism was a commandment of Christ which has never been rescinded, what makes you say "Whether or not it was in God's will"? It is EXPRESSLY God's will, and Christ is God.

I do agree with you that it was fine for them. But not for us.

Here's a post from another guy... Post 322 from Joseph1959

Water baptism is not a commandment. Actually Jesus explains it simply in Acts1:5...
John baptized with water, BUT YOU will be baptized in holy spirit. The (but) implies John did it this way, BUT you will be baptized this way. To be born again is to confess Jesus as Lord and believe God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9,10) Baptism is equated to receiving holy spirit within, it is trusting with the heart. The proof over and over again in the book of Acts is shown. When they were baptized, they manifested holy spirit by speaking in tongues. You don't see much of that in the church today.

Jesus was sent to Israel in his first coming. Since many Churches love to take doctrine from the 4 gospels, we mix up his instructions to Israel as instructions to us.

The one who is mixed up is you. So pay close attention to the words of Christ and abandon your false ideas:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (My 28:19)

Does "all nations" mean Israel, and is this a COMMANDMENT of Christ to the Church?

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (Mk 16:15,16)

Does "all the world" mean Israel, and is this also a COMMANDMENT of Christ to the Church?

It should be obvious -- unless one is wifully blind -- that Jesus coming to Israel and Jesus becoming the Savior of the world are all a part of the Gospel. It should also be obvious after a careful study of The Acts of the Apostles, that the apostles were careful to obey Christ in the matter of IMMEDIATE BAPTISM OF BELIEVERS. And that has not changed for over 2,000 years.

Peter and the 11 understood "all the world/all nations" differently from you.

Acts 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Acts 10:28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

The 12 were determined to make sure that the nation Israel had to repent and believe that Jesus is the Messiah first, before all the other nations can be reached.

That is the timetable. And as far as the Acts account went, they never did manage to convince the nation leaders to do so. The entire Acts account tells us about the fall of the nation Israel.

Until the nation Israel accepted their Messiah, Peter reminded Cornelius that it was unlawful for them to keep company with gentiles. How then could they reach all nations when it was against their Law in the first place?

Those of us in the church today who are claiming they are following the Great Commission are not following it, as the 12 understood what it really meant. So don't kid yourself.

Hi, not necessary true since the diciples learned Jesus's words He taught many times by progressive revelation...listen to Peter in acts in what He says...

Hi, not necessary true since the diciples learned Jesus's words He taught many times by progressive revelation...listen to Peter in acts in what He says...

Jesus did for sure wash the disciples' feet, though. Jesus' exact words were, "Unless I wash you, you will have no part with me." John 13:8. That was quite literally with water. And Peter's response was, "Then wash me head to toe, too!" Jesus replied that those who have already been baptized need not do it again. The disciples were all Jewish: they had undergone mikva before. Judas probably underwent mikva, too, but with the wrong Spirit, and so was unclean.

Jesus never said it was a sin to undergo water baptism. So if you want Jesus to wash you, then why not go out and physically get baptized with water? You are expressing your faith--not just with feel-good "thoughts", but by actually putting one foot in front of the other.

Jesus was sent to Israel in his first coming. Since many Churches love to take doctrine from the 4 gospels, we mix up his instructions to Israel as instructions to us.

After he ascended to heaven, Israel still rejects him so he raised Paul to reach us gentiles.

We follow Paul as he follows Christ

It seems we have the same doctrine but built on different base

Mine is based on dispensationalism, yours is based on...?

For those who think there is more than one Gospel of God, please consider this video.

Spoiler alert: there is only one Gospel of the Kingdom of God. It is the one preached by Jesus, Peter, and Paul.