SPEAKERS:

• Steve Atherton
• Rick Eutsler
• Robin Atherton
• Phillip Walthall

WRITTEN MATERIALS:

• Baptism written materials

SUBJECT:

Baptism

Three Baptisms

John 3:1-5 and I John 5:8

Matthew 28:19-20 // Genesis 1:26-27

Look at how people were baptized in the New Testament as recorded in the Book of Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:47-48, 19:4-5 Each time they were baptized in the “name of the Lord”.

Mark 16:15-20 and John 1:12-13.

Peter’s sermon to the Jews on the day of Pentecost 2:14-47 lays out the three baptisms. It is the exact same thing that the Apostle Paul summarizes in two verses (Romans 10:9-10).

Baptism of Blood

Performed by God the Father, who baptizes you in the blood of His Son Jesus, the Christ, the Lamb of God. This baptism is for the “remission of sins”.

See Acts 2:38 (Peter to the Jews who crucified Christ on Pentecost), Matthew 26:28 (Jesus to His disciples at the Last Supper), Luke 24:47 (Jesus, after his resurrection, preaching to the two about the purpose of His atoning death and then greeting them and the eleven to confirm) and Acts 10:43 (Peter preaching to Cornelius before Spirit fell).

“Remission of sins” (Strong’s #859) means

1) release from bondage or imprisonment

2) forgiveness or pardon, of sins (letting them go as if they had never been committed), remission of the penalty

The baptism of blood is the first “born again” that Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about in John 3:3.

Peter’s message to the Jews at Pentecost is the most poignant example of this. After the people, under heavy conviction for crucifying the Lord, cry out what shall we do and Peter replies:

“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” Acts 2:38.

It is by the blood of Jesus Christ that the way into the holiest of holies is opened unto us. See Hebrews 9-10.

Baptism of Water

Performed by the Holy Spirit, who translates your soul out of this present darkness (i.e. your flesh) and into the resurrected Body of Jesus Christ. See I Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:27, Romans 6:1-14 and Ephesians 2:1-10.

1Co 12:13 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.

Ga 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Colossians 1:12-29 details the operations of God performed at baptism, verse 13 highlighting the promise of God at water baptism by stating:

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son:

This is what Jesus was referring to in speaking with Nicodemus about how man cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, except he be “born of water and of the Spirit”. John 3:5. It is also what Paul is referring to in Ephesians 2:1-10.

Romans 6-8 lays out in detail what it is to walk in the Spirit by faith in the operation of God performed at baptism.

Examples of folks being baptized in water.

Ethiopian Eunuch baptized by Philip. Acts 8:26-39

Acts 10:47-48 (Cornelius and his household baptized in water, after receiving the Holy Ghost)

A proper understanding of water baptism is critical because it is the Body of Jesus Christ, not our natural bodies that are the temple of the Holy Spirit. See John 2:19-22 and contrast it with Romans 7:18. It is only in Christ that you are able to partake of and walk in the fullness of the Spirit of God. Romans 8:1-9.

Baptism of the Spirit

Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16 and John 1:33. Jesus is the one who baptizes the believer in the Holy Ghost as John the Baptist testified in the above Scriptures.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit or “in the Holy Ghost” is what empowers the believer to do the works of God. It is what John was referring to when he spoke of power being given to those that “believe on” Jesus to become the sons of God. John 1:12-13. See also John 14:12, John 17:20-23, I John 4:17 and Mark 16:15-20.

Jesus after the Spirit descended upon Him at John’s Baptism. See Luke 4:14, Matthew 4:23-24, Mark 4:23 and the Gospels generally. The disciples after being baptized in the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. See Peter and the other Apostles (Acts 2:43, 3:1-11, 5:12-16 and 9:3242), Stephen (Acts 6:8), Philip (Acts 8:5-7), Agabus (Acts 11:27-30 & 21:10-1), Paul and Barnabas (Acts 14:1-3, 14:8-10, 15:12, 16:16-18, 19:11-12, 20:9-12, 27:21-44 and 28:1-10) and the church generally in the form of the distribution of spiritual gifts (I Corinthians 12:7-11).

Cornelius and his household began to “speak with tongues, and magnify God” (Acts 10:46) just as the 120 Jews did on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13).

The disciples in Ephesus began to speak in tongues and to prophesy after they were baptized in the Holy Spirit by the Apostle Paul. Acts 19:1-7.

Doctrinally, it is imparted by the laying on of the hands of an Apostle. See Acts 8:14-25, particularly 14-19, and Acts 19:1-7. However, Jesus may pour out His Spirit upon whom He may as set forth plainly in Acts 2:1-13 (establishment of Jewish Church) and Acts 10:44-46 (establishment of Gentile Church). He also used Ananias to impart the Holy Spirit unto the Apostle Paul. Acts 9:17.