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Biblical Baptism Testimonies.
Only the Bible
can answer to all our questions related to the baptism, and the way
it is supposed to be practiced. The baptism is connected to the
obedience of the Gospel. Its result is well expressed in the
commission given by Jesus to His apostles < < 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 > >,
Marc 16: 15-16. It is
clear to whoever that the true faith is followed by the obedience to
the will of God. Referring to the Old Testament, the Apostle Peter
explains < <
while the ark was a preparing, wherein
few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 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:
> >,
1 Peter 3: 21
The
impotance of Faith before the Baptism and The Baptism of Children
The fact that the
apostle Peter mentions the baptism as < the answer of a good conscience
toward God > challenges us immediately with the baptism of baby,
because a baby does not have conscience, and cannot understand to
believe as it is written: <<... the faith comes from what
one hears, and what one hears of the word of Christ > >
, Romans 10:17. That
is why children who were brought to Jesus were not baptized, it is
written, < < But when Jesus saw it, he was much
displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come
unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of
God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them
up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them > >
, Marc 10: 14-16.
The Lord did not
baptize children but puts hand upon them and blessed them.
The blessing of the children is also a biblical practice that the
Lord Himself had to fulfill in His childhood. The children of
believers, up to now, must be brought to the temple (Church)
and
blessed by a man anointed with Holy Spirit. The Lord is our example in
every thing, it is written about Him that : < <
And, behold, there was a man in
Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and
devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost
was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that
he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And
he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought
in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then
took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now
lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared
before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and
the glory of thy people Israel. And Joseph and his mother marvelled
at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them,
and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the
fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall
be spoken against >
>, Luke 2: 25-34. When
ever a baby or child is well mentioned in the Bible, it has never
been a baptism but a blessing and laying-on hands which
we must also do, and it is the only biblical model.
The
Name to use in Christian Baptism
The name and the manner
of being baptized have a direct relationship with the
fulfillment of promises of God in us. It is obvious through the behavior of Paul: < <
He said unto them, Have ye received the
Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so
much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto
them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's
baptism. 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. When they
heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And
when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them;
and they spake with tongues, and prophesied
> >, Acts
19: 2-6. Saint Paul knew how the name and the manner is so
significant that even these people who were baptized by John the
Baptist
had to be baptized in the name that God has revealed in the New
Testament. If this was so highly important for the apostles, how come nowadays
some preachers dare to say < it does not matter >?
Who do they want to please when they don't want to stand for the Truth?
What kind of spirit do they have? Surly not the same spirit that was
upon saint Paul. We are short of preachers like Paul because many believers received
the baptism of their organizations instead of the only biblical
model baptism. Many do not have the Holy Spirit. Many are
not even waiting for the coming of the Lord because they never heard
there is such a promise!
The same commission of
the baptism can be read in Matthew 28: 19 < < Go, make of
all the nations of the disciples, baptize them in the name of the
Father, of the Son and the Holy Spirit
?
> >. Before doing
anything, we must know the name in question. The name which
corresponds to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Not names (plural)
but the Name (singular). The apostles knew that name and they did
everything in it. The Holy Spirit led the apostles in all the truth
to teach and practice the baptism as they did, Jean 16: 13. The name
of Jesus in Hebrew is Yashuah. It means God Savior. The man named
Jesus bore the name of God as He said: < <
I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of
the world...
> > Jean 17: 6. < < ... Holy Father, keep through thine
own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we
are > > Jean 17: 11 < < I made known to them your name >
> Jean 17: 26. < < And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all
in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father
by him > >,
Colossians 3: 17. < < To him
give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever
believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. >
> Acts 10: 43. The apostles did all on his name including the
baptism; The passages of the scriptures in which the name called
upon at the time of the baptism is not clarified must lead us to
make an honest investigation to see how those who were approved of
God were baptized, which name was called upon on them etc. As soon
as we obtain the result of this neutral investigation, the Bible
says: < < ... If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye
do them > > Jean
13: 17. Knowledge without practice is useless. It is a damnation
when we don't practice what we know to please Lord.
Etymology of the word BAPTISM
Etymologically the word
BAPTISM is from Greek BATIZEIN. It means:TO IMMERSE, PLUNGE IN. John
the Baptist is literally called: JOHN the IMMERSER. The water of
baptism must be deep enough to be < buried > baptized. Jesus-Christ
humbled himself to be baptized: < < And it came to pass in
those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was
baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the
water... > >,
Marc 1:9-and not to be sprinkled. If the Lord Himself obeyed the
justice of God; who are we to find the loopholes not to obey the order
that all saint people have followed without discussion? Sprinkling
is completely antibiblical, and is a baptism that no apostle nor any
biblical believer had ever have. Nobody can be buried upright, in
the air... Jesus Christ in whom we must be identified was buried in
the tomb. Water typifies the tomb, Romans 6:3-4.
The following passages
show clearly the way the apostles and all true believers were baptized:
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< < ..Know ye not,
that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were
baptized into his death? 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 > > Romans 6: 3-4
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< < For as many of
you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ > >,
Galatians 3: 27.
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< < 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 > >,
Colossians 2: 12
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< < Peter says to
them: Repent and that each one of you be baptized in the name of
Jesus-Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit? > > Acts 2: 38
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< < He ordered to
baptize them in the name of Jesus-Christ? > > Acts 10: 48.
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< < And now why
tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins,
calling on the name of the Lord > >, Acts 22: 16
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< < And Philip said,
If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he
answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down
both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized
him > >, Acts 8: 37-38.
The
Disappearence of the True Practice of Baptism and its Restauration
in our Time.
All the
above testimonies
on the name called upon at the time of the baptism, as well as the
manner of administering it got molten into 325 council of Nicée. Why is it so difficult for some people to see the big
difference existing between an intellectual meeting, (the case of
Nicée), and a meeting upon common agreement by the Holy Spirit, (the
case of the apostles)?
Dear brothers and
sisters in Jesus-Christ, dear friends Net surfers, the message of
God that we have received in this perverse generation has only one
objective: To bring people back to the faith and practices of
apostles and, it includes biblical baptism. Irenee, Martin
(315-399), Colomban, Martin Luther, John Wesley etc. were true men
from God that were used to gradually bring back biblical truths
destroyed in different Councils.. But, we need to pay attention
that if something is not revealed yet by God, it remains
not-revealed even for His prophets (Deuteronomy 29: 28), thus these
men of God, on some points, like the baptism, have continued
baptizing in the titles, which is a catholic baptism and not a
biblical baptism. Now, those who have followed the teaching of
these great men of God did not follow their intention, instead of
grasping to the biblical truth that the Lord restores
progressively to His Church;
They got organized mixing politics with religion, becoming
Wesleyans, Lutherans, protestants and so on. It is really sad to se nowadays
many believers not fighting for the truth, but for the defense of
their organizations! It is sad brothers and sisters! What a
damage? That is why, we are not to be of Branham nor Franck etc.
but of Christ Jesus! Amen. Paul clearly speaks against such spirit in 1
Corinthians 3: 3-6, he says: < < Indeed, since there are
among you jealousy and discord, aren't you carnal and do not walk
you in a very human way? When one known as: Me, I am of Paul! and
the other: Me, of Apollos! aren't you men? What is this thus that
Apollos, and what Paul? Servants, by the means of which you
believed, according to whether the Lord gave to each one. I planted,
Apollos sprinkled, but God made grow > >
. On the other hand,
(according to 2 Corinthians 6: 14-17) we
are not supposed to remain in the denominations or preach without giving
testimony of those who were used by God for our edification. The apostle is
against that. Here is his advises : < < For God hath not
given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a
sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our
Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the
afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God...>
>, 2 Timothy
1: 7-8.
Therefore, the true
children of God are those who are not ashamed to receive a man sent
from God. They will suffer with him, and carry with him the opprobrium of Christ
that he carries because of the biblical truths that he brings back
on the candlestick. Amen. Brothers and sisters don't you be
ashamed of those who are sent from God in our time! God will discern between him that serveth God and
him that serveth him not, Malachi 3: 6-18. The lord emphasized it
and said: << Verily, verily,
I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me;
and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
>> John 13 :20. << Whosoever
therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous
and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed,
when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
>> Mark 8: 38.
Wherever you are, don't you be late! If you believe, this is
the time to start fighting for the Truth. Repent and get baptized in the name of
the Lord Jesus-Christ.
Fraternal greetings in
the name of Jesus-Christ our Lord, amen.
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