Doctrines of Baptism Part 2
Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go you 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 what so ever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The Messias Jesus has now been resurrected and sends his chosen Apostles to teach the gospel and to baptize for the remission of sins. This baptism as the baptism of John is a water baptism but now baptism would be in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. In order to understand the difference between the baptism of Jesus and the baptism of John. It is necessary to understand the transition that takes place by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Three things prophesied to occur that were missing from the baptism of John. The first, the Lamb of God would be sacrificed and his blood shed for the remission of the sins of men. The second, a new covenant or testament had been prophesied to be made between God and men to replace the one made in the days of Moses. The third, God would pour out his Holy Spirit upon all who received his word. This is why John the Baptist had taught the people Jesus would be the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. None of these could come to pass until Jesus the Messias died and was resurrected from the dead.
Acts 18:24-26
24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
Acts 19:1-5
1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were you baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
It has been sometime since Jesus ascended back into Heaven. In these two records contained in the Acts of the Apostles those who knew only the baptism of John are being instructed that his baptism is no longer valid. Once Jesus died and was resurrected the time of John's baptism ended. In the instance of those that the Apostle Paul met they had to be baptized again. But in the case of Apollos he did not have to be baptized again. Why did some, have to be baptized again and others did not? The answer is Apollos was baptized with the baptism of John before Jesus died and was resurrected. The others were baptized with the baptism of John after Jesus died and was resurrected. To better understand why, the Apostle Paul gives clarification in one of his epistles.
Hebrews 10:1-13
1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers there unto perfect.
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
5 Wherefore when he comes into the world, he said, Sacrifice and offering you would not, but a body have you prepared me:
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you have had no pleasure.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do your will, O God.
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin you would not, neither had pleasure there in; which are offered by the law;
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do your will, O God. He takes away the first, that he may establish the second.
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest stands daily ministering and offering often times the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From hence forth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
No man or woman from the beginning of creation until Jesus the Lamb of God was sacrificed and his blood shed. Had ever received the remission of their sins animal sacrifice served to purify the flesh only and sins were remembered until the time of reformation by Jesus the Messias. When John the Baptist taught the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. The remission of sins for those who were baptized with his baptism did not take place until Jesus shed his blood. For all those who had kept the law of Moses but could not be baptized with the baptism of John, remission of their sins took place when the blood of Jesus was shed. Those who lived prior to the law of Moses who had kept Gods law but could not be baptized with the baptism of John, remission of their sins took place when the blood of Jesus was shed. Jesus the Lamb of God was only going to be sacrificed once which began the last days for this world. Anyone baptized since his death and resurrection must be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit for the remission of sins.
Hebrews 9:11-17
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctified to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator lives.
The Messias Jesus and John Baptist were born under the law of Moses which was the covenant God made with the children of Israel when he brought them out of Egypt. The law of Moses was a shadow of what was to come. It alone could not make anyone perfect because it was a law directed at the physical man. In order to bring about perfection a new law and testament that addresses the spirit in man had to be put into place. When Jesus died on the cross his blood was shed for the new covenant or testament. The baptism of Jesus is essential for a man or woman to live according to a law that is directed at the spirit within and is a commandment of the new covenant or testament. As Jesus told Nicodemus a man or woman must be born again of water and of the Spirit. Those that have obeyed the gospel and been baptized for the remission of sins. Have been baptized into the death of Jesus the Messias and are now risen with him and made alive to live after the new covenant or testament in the newness of life. The old man of lust and sin has been crucified with Jesus that the body of sin might be destroyed.
Luke 3:16
16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I comes, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.
What this scripture plainly says is those who had been baptized in water by John would also be baptized by Messias Jesus with the Holy Spirit. He was speaking directly to all those that he had baptized in water. John Baptist was sent to baptize by God as is recorded by the Apostle John in his gospel record. God also told him that "Upon whom you shall see the Holy Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he that baptizes with the Holy Spirit". It had been prophesied that God would pour out his Holy Spirit on all flesh. This could not happen until God glorified Jesus after he had died upon the cross.
John 20:19-22
19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father has sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive you the Holy Ghost.
Now that Jesus was resurrected he has received from God all power in Heaven and in the earth. Just before his death he had told his disciples he must die in order to minister the Holy Spirit to them. In this eyewitness account the disciples of Messias receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit from him. All those baptized with the baptism of John prior to the resurrection now received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Until Jesus died and was resurrected remission of sins, the new testament and the Holy Spirit could not be given. This was the transition from the baptism of John to the baptism of Jesus in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit for the remission of sins. Those baptized after the resurrection with the baptism of Jesus receive the remission of sins and are baptized with the Holy Spirit when they are buried in the waters of baptism being born again of the water and the Spirit.
Acts 2:38
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 you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
In part three of the doctrines of baptisms more of what Jesus the Messias revealed will be provided. Please take the time to read it and examine his words.