Eph. 1:7
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT WATER SOME MORE.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
It does NOT say "in whom we have redemption through SOME WATER…" But the key is applying the finished work of Christ to our lives since he shed his blood on the cross for our sins. That is accomplished by asking him to forgive and cleanse us WHEN we see our need for his salvation THROUGH the preaching of the word, THROUGH someone sharing, witnessing what Christ has done for us, THROUGH reading his word, THROUGH prayer and intercession of others, Prayer is powerful. God has many ways to reach mankind but we MUST answer the call when he calls or receive the gift when it is offered to us, Plain and simple. You WILL get a CALL OR AN OFFER so DON'T REJECT IT you might not get another chance???
Acts 2:38
"Then Peter said unto them, 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."
Now let's get a little more proof dealing with the same Greek word, this time it is translated "AT".
"The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented AT the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here."
(Caps emphasis above is mine)
Question:
In these two verses above we have the word "for" and the word "at" which came from the Greek word, "Eis" pronounced "ace" in English.
Two questions...
1) Did they get baptized to receive remission of sins or because they already had it? It is like the illustration, 'When you take an aspirin "for" a headache, do you take one to get a headache or because you already have one? Of course, I would advise prayer instead of the aspirin.
2) Also dealing with the next verse, "When they repented "at" the preaching of Jonah, did they repent to get the preaching of Jonah or because they already had it?"
Likewise, did YOU get baptized to get remission of sins or because YOU already have it?
Your answer can help determine if you are in Jesus or just got wet.
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Then the friend of mine shared these scriptures to show me that water saves us. I told him "fraid" not. Look at it again. V 16 clearly shows that salvation is based on believing SINCE it says, "he that believeth NOT shall be damned." I ALSO believe it is Spirit baptism here too because to truly believe with your heart, your inner man, is when you are baptized into the body of Christ.
I am going to give you another well known verse to show you where I am coming from.
John 3:16
"16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
I shared this verse last time but it NEEDS to be REPEATED NOW.
Now I want to talk about
Believing with your whole heart (your total being) is receiving him into your life not just a head belief that doesn't save.
What I want you to see it this. The moment I believed is the moment I repented is the moment I received. They are interwoven, locked in together and right then I became a child of God.
Cf.
"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."
That one body is the body of Christ, his church.
And that one Spirit was NOT some Church of Christ preacher or a Roman Catholic "priest" or a Jehovah's Witness or Mormon or whoever else believes water baptism for salvation. It was the Spirit of God who baptized me into his body, which is the church. Nobody got me wet.
Matt 28:19,20 in a different way than it is normally used.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Now these verses many believers use when they water baptize people. I was water baptized under this formula, so to speak. I don't think it is the correct way anymore but that is another subject, Water baptism is NOT a salvation issue. Right NOW I want to focus on "Does water baptism save?" SO do these verses teach water baptism? NOT FROM WHAT I see. LET'S READ IT AGAIN.
Mstt 28:19,20
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
I believe God is telling us as teachers of his word to baptize or immerse them in the teachings of the triune God. This three in one God has shown us trinities all around us in the world and universe.
We as humans are triune beings; body, soul and spirit.
I Thess 5:23
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The very first verse in the bible teaches a "trinity".
Gen 1:1
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (time, space & matter)
My mind goes to the scripture that tells me at the mouth of two or three witnesses let every word be established. SO HERE ARE THREE VERSES …
II Corinth 13
1 This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
I Tim 5:19
Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
Heb 10:28
28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
NOW back to the name.
Just as the new testament shows the same truth in a round about way when God became a man.
Psa 9:10
10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
I KNOW that God's name in the OT is Jehovah SO does that mean I WILL put my trust in him? NO, to the Jews, God's people a name meant a lot MORE than just a name, so to speak.
The name entails who the person was OR should be. JEHOVAH MEANT which is, and was, and is to come, self-existent, eternal, and immutable; and in him is strength, as well as righteousness for his people; and that for everything it is wanted for, to bear up under temptations and afflictions, to withstand every spiritual enemy, to exercise every grace, and discharge every duty: and this strength is everlasting; it always continues in him, and is always to be had from him; he is the "eternal" God…
So what I am telling you IS those who know his name WILL PUT their trust in him AND if they don't they fon't KNOW his name, so to speak.
Phil 2:10,11
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
God said he would not give his glory to another and if Jesus was NOT God then God lied because Jesus most definitely had God's glory here and many other places.
Check Isa 42:8
8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.