Baptizer or "Baptizee"

Just a thought or two to stir us to dig into the word of God.  I just want to stir us up enough to get some serious study for this day.

In Acts 1:5 "For John truly baptized with water."
This is Jesus speaking.  He is fixing to open these apostles eyes to what is ahead. And ahead is going to be a change.

He goes on to say in verse 5, "but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."

Turn with me to Matthew Chapter 3 and read in verse 11.  John is speaking and says, "I indeed do 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."

The biggest reason today for all the controversy and disputing in the "church" (more on that word later in our studies) is because we take scriptures and doctrines and try to make them fit what we believe, or what religious groups have taught us, without study of the statements on our own.

First, who is John speaking to?  To whom is John addressing?  The scriptures clearly indicate John is addressing the Jews.  There are no gentiles here in the crowd being addressed. So this is a Jewish group being preached a Jewish message.

In this sermon, John states he will baptize with water, but Jesus the Christ will baptize you with the Holy Ghost or into the Holy Ghost.
So John is stating, that Jesus the Christ will be the Baptizer. He is going to baptize the Jews into the Holy Spirit.
Well, where or when did this happen? When will Jesus fulfill this?

Well, when you go to the book of Acts, there is a Jewish feast day taking place called Pentecost. The Nation of Israel, devout Jews from all the nations, are gathered together and the fulfillment of this   promise was to take place.
What promise?
That He would baptize them (the Jews) with the Holy Ghost.

It was not just so people could "speak in tongues" or experience an excitement.  It is a valid offer for these Jews to be empowered by God to perform miracles, signs, and wonders, just as Jesus had done in His ministry.  It was so they could carry on with the ministry that Jesus had been doing for the last 3 to 3 1/2 years in His ministry.

When I start a study on the Book of Acts later, we will restudy Acts 1:8,  which defines what the Jews were to do, if they would receive Jesus as Messiah, and perform the works of Messiah.
Acts 1:8 declares that they, "would receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:  and ye shall be witnesses unto me both is Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria,  and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
In Acts !;4, they were to wait for the promise. Verse 8 declares what the promise is they are waiting on.

Now that is what the Holy Ghost was sent to do. Give the power needed to win the Gentiles to Jesus Christ.

So that was the whole idea in John's gospel that Jesus would be the baptizer, and Israel would be the one's baptized or the "baptizees."

Now let me stir just a little more. I love controversy.
Turn in your bibles to 1 Corinthians Chapter 12 and start with verse 12.

Paul is in his "Mystery" (Much much more on that later) is writing to the Gentile Church at Corinth. Now we learn a term you will hear much from me, "a Pauline term",  The Body of Christ. 
Jesus and the Twelve never spoke of the Body of Christ.
So here in 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 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.

He is making the allusion to the Body of Christ, the Church. We've got all these different people who are making up the Body of Christ. All are different cultures and backgrounds, but they have all been saved by the same Gospel, then we are now "one" in Christ

 Now the question, How did we get there?  How did we get into that we call the Body of Christ.
The next verse, has the answer.

1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit (the Holy Spirit) are we all baptized into one body (not a local church) one body (The Body of Christ, the church)....

 Let me dig a little more. No unbeliever can go or get into the Body of Christ.  Now you can baptize as many people as you can, use imported water from he river Jordon, broad river, or in a Church baptistry, (and it makes no difference)  and then make them members of a local church, but they can be lost. They may be baptized but not into the Body of Christ.

But however, the true child of God, saved by the work of the Holy Spirit is baptized by the Holy Spirit into that Body. There are no hypocrites in the Body of Christ. And that baptizing is the one that counts and stands.  Baptized into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit, and now you are His.

Paul is the only one that uses that term. He will say the Church, which is His Body, or  the Body of Christ which is the church. And trust me, you can soon tell if you are dealing with one that was baptized just in water,  or one baptized into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit of God.

 So to sum it all up. As we came out of the four Gospels, and into the Book of Acts with God dealing with the Nation of Israel, Christ is the Baptizer. 

He is placing the Jewish people as they believe, into the power of the Holy Spirit to perform the sign and miracles, that the Jews required as you will remember, 

(1 Corinthians 1:22) that would continue Christ's earthly ministry thus evangelizing the world for Jesus Christ..

But as Israel rejected all of this completely, God turns to the Gentiles through the Apostle Paul, and now we find the Holy Spirit has become the Baptizer and He places us into Christ.

Many scriptures bear this out. Colossians 3:3 "We are hid in Christ in God."

How did you get "in Christ?" Not with water baptism, but when the Holy Spirit baptized you into Him.

That should be enough stirring for this study. May God bless those who will hear and study for themselves.

   

The Gospel

If you will turn to 1 Corinthians 15, you will find "the gospel".  It is the gospel given to Paul and is our gospel today. 

1 Corinthians 15:1  Moreover, brethren,  I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received and wherein ye stand;
2.  By which also ye are saved if you keep in memory what I preached unto you unless ye have believed in vain.
3.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4.  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures;

Now that is "the" gospel. Just take what the Bible says and take it for what it says.  It needs nothing added to it, nor taken away.  It can not be any plainer than that. This is the only gospel by which men can be saved when Paul preached it and today as we read it.  Notice verse 2 declares, "by which also ye are saved".

Notice also that the scripture declares, "wherein we stand".  Nothing is going to cause you to doubt the work that Jesus Christ has done in you if you believe. Stand!  Being as kind as I can, it is not just a pitch to follow some cleverly devised lines to get us to come down to an altar, that does not save anyone. Yes, I was saved....redeemed.  It was more than a feeling or hope.

Turn to Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also the Greek.

Jesus was crucified, and it was all for our sins, he was buried, He rose again the third day and then following he was witnessed by "infallible proofs.  Resurrection power.

Turn to Acts 2:3  To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days and speaking of the thing pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Turn again to 1 Corinthians 15 and read verses 5 and 6.
5.  "And that He was seen of Cephas,  then of the twelve.
6.  "After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto the present, but some are fallen asleep.

He went on to assure us, James and the rest of the apostles saw Him, to include "me,  Paul,  one born out of due time".

It is so hard for us to understand, it is that simple.  All we have to do is believe. Oh now, it is more than just an easy religion. When you believe you turn around and go the other way. You change as the work of the Spirit changes you. If you are not changed by the gospel, you missed it.  Oh my, we will get into that at a later time and study.  If you can add to it to be saved, it is not the gospel.

Just believe the Gospel for His salvation.  He will guide you to be pleasing to Him. He will strengthen you to live a life pleasing. 

No one will be able to say, they did not know. There were infallible proofs. Undisputable witness. How many have an ear to hear it?

Turn to Acts 2:32 Again there were witnesses ordained by God to see and know the risen Christ.
This Jesus hath God raised up

 The proof is there. Can you see it?  Have you received it?

Now do not take what I say and depend on you making it into the presence of God.  Never let any man tell you what the Bible says. Know it for yourself.  The past personalities you have heard preach and teach to you things had very good intentions. We are to know ourselves. There will be no excuses on that day.

I will close with Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith,  it is impossible to please Him"
Trust the work Jesus did!

The Original Gospels

 Thanks for stopping by. You have reached my Bible Study blog. I will be adding bible studies on a regular basis.
I am not ashamed of what I believe and my teachings will reflect my beliefs.
Jesus came teaching and preaching to the Jews with few exceptions to the Gentiles. Paul, formerly Saul, was called through the "Mystery" to preach the Gospels to the Gentiles.
I teach the original teachings before so much of man's requirements have been added to this Word of God. I do not add denominational teachings. Just pure Bible.
I try to make the studies simple for all to understand. The Gospel is so simple that all can understand.
Please feel free to join with me and lets' study the Holy Inspired Word of God.
My website is called the Original Gospels and that is what I seek to teach.

Do not believe everything you hear or read, to include me. Test and try to make sure the teaching you are reading is rightly divided and is a pure doctrine.
A doctrine that has been added to is just that, a doctrine that has been added to. Pray and make sure you are not being deceived, even by me and this blog.