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March 2021 Printable 158 KB .pdf

Father thank you for another opportunity to study your Word to show we are approved to you, Father. Father, thank you for your Word giving us guidance, understanding and strength so we can do those things that please you, Father. Father, based on your Word, we know what we received on Pentecost was your gift of holy spirit and it is eternal. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

In the February 2021 teaching, we continued with Part 2 -Unity of the Spirit "One faith." We learned that the number five in God's Word represents grace, which is God's unmerited divine favor. We saw in Genesis 1:20-23 an example of the number five in God's Word. We built on the January 2021 teaching and continued our learning about the Greek word "pistis" (our English word "faith") for believing which means "firm persuasion, the conviction which is based upon hearing, not upon sight, or knowledge; a firmly relying confidence in what we hear from God in His Word." We also searched the scriptures for some examples of the Greek word "pistis."

This month, we continue with Ephesians 4:3-6:

Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. [Boldness identifies the unity of the spirit we are reviewing].

If you have not figured it out yet, there will be no unity in this world where Satan is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4) and has dominion and authority until the return of Christ. But there can be spiritual unity in the body of Christ with each member when we all believe what is written in Ephesians 4:4-6:

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Each born-again believer must do what Romans 12:2 declares.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

People living in this world without the spirit of the one true God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ can never prove what is that good, acceptable, and perfect Will of God in order to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace! 1 Corinthians 2:14 tells us:

But the natural man [no Spirit of God] receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The unity of the spririt documented in Ephesians 4:3-6 is for those born-again of God's Spirit. This unity is for His sons and daughters in God's household who are daily renewing their minds to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, who believe there is one body, one Spirit, one hope, One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all of us born again of His Spirit!

In this month's teaching we will continue with our Word-based study on the next unity of the spirit - "one baptism." In doing so we will:

• Discuss the Greek word "baptisma" used for our English word baptism.
• Explore what the number six represents in God's Word, as "baptism" is listed sixth in Ephesians 4:5.
• Discuss the difference of water baptism and spiritual baptism.
  

Remember in prior teachings the English word "one" is the Greek word heis which means "one, the first cardinal numeral; emphatic, one, even one, one single." The English word "baptism" is the Greek word baptisma. The root of baptisma is "bapto" which means "to dip." "Baptisma" means an immersion, or washing with water, (washing unto purification from sin), used in the New Testament for the rite of baptism. Our reference is Bullinger (1975) Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament.

There are 22 occurrences of the Greek word "baptisma" for our English word baptism in the Bible. Thirteen of those refer to John's water baptism, five (5) to the Lord's baptism, three (3) are in the Church Epistles and the last usage is in 1 Peter 3:21.

In the Bible, the number six always is the number that signifies imperfection. It is considered the human number. The Earth and all things contained therein were created in six days (Genesis 1:31-2:2). Man was created on the 6th day (Genesis 1:26,31). Likewise, in the Old Testament six days were given to a man to perform labor and to work. For instance, the day consists of 24 hours (24=6 x 4), a day is divided into day and night each of 12 hours, an hour has 60 minutes (60=6 x 10), a minute again has 60 seconds.

Let's look at some examples of the number six (6) in God's Word.

Luke 1:26:

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth.

Matthew 17:1:

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart.

Revelation 13:18:

Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

The number of Satan in God's Word is three sixes (666). Three is perfection, six is imperfection, therefore three sixes or 666 indicates Satan's perfect imperfection!

On the sixth day in Genesis 1: 24-31 God's Word declares:

And God said, let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So, God created man in his own image [Spirit], in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

These examples show the number six is considered the human number in the Bible. Let's now look at the difference between water baptism as laid out in the Old Testament and spiritual baptism that came after Pentecost. This understanding will aid us as we review Ephesians 4:5.

Jesus Christ commanded his Apostles to not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father [the gift of holy spirit] in Acts 1:4-5:

And, being assembled together with them [the twelve apostles], [Jesus Christ] commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father [the gift of holy spirit], which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

Jesus Christ said to his apostles "John truly baptized with what? Water but [in contrast] ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost [gift of holy spirit] not many days hence." This verse plainly states that John baptized with water (Old Testament); however, soon they would be "absolutely" baptized "with the Holy Ghost [gift of holy spirit]." Let us read Luke 16:16 to learn when this shift from the Old Testament's water baptism to spiritual baptism occurred.

The law and the prophets were until John.

Water baptism is part of the Law. So, when did spiritual baptism come to pass? The answer is on the day of Pentecost. No one was baptized with the Holy Ghost (gift of holy spirit) before Pentecost. Why? Because it was not available until the day of Pentecost! Water baptism was replaced with spiritual baptism! I know some apostles in the book Acts performed water baptism, we will discuss why later in this teaching.

Turn to Acts 2:4:

And they [the twelve apostles] were all filled with the Holy Ghost [gift of holy spirit], and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit [God] gave them utterance.

The doctrine regarding baptism in the book of Acts documented the events of Pentecost and directly afterward. It never teaches the use of water baptism because from Pentecost forward, people were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus! Here is a summary of these records:

• Acts 2:28: Peter baptized "in the name of Jesus Christ."
• Acts 8:16: People were "baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus."
• Acts 9:18: "[Paul] received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized."
• Acts 19:5: "When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus."
  

It is important that we study to show ourselves approved to God, as a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). We know that God's Word declares water baptism to be replaced with spiritual baptism, which started in the Grace Administration on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). There is now one emphatic baptism, and it is spiritual not water!

Now there are documented records where water baptism was spoke of and, in some cases, performed after Pentecost. This is because of the lack of knowledge of the word of the Lord Jesus Christ on the day of his ascension documented in Acts 1:5:

For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

Acts 10:47-48 tells us:

Can any man forbid water, that these [Gentiles] should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost [gift of holy spirit] as well as we? And he [Peter] commanded them [the Gentiles] to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

In this record, Peter talks about water baptism, but in Acts 2:38 he did not talk about water baptism. Remember, Peter spoke by revelation and inspiration after he received the gift of holy spirit; he did not have a prepared text to read from. Peter did what we all have done - he forgot what Jesus Christ had said to him in Acts 1:5. However, we will see Peter remembered the word of the Lord and did not baptize Cornelius' household and friends in water in Acts 11:16.

Then remembered I [Peter] the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

The Word of God is the Will of God. The Will of God our Father is for us to be baptized with the holy spirit! Now that we know God's Will, we renew our minds and do it! Romans 12:2 reminds us:

And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The good, acceptable, and perfect Will of God is that we shall be baptized with the holy spirit not water! In Acts 19:2-5:

He [Paul] said unto them [certain disciples], 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 [Paul] said unto them, unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism [water]. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance [water], saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they [certain disciples] heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

This record shows us that certain disciples at Ephesus were baptized with John's water baptism. However, these disciples did not receive the gift of holy spirit when they believed. Why? Because they were not taught God's Word concerning spiritual baptism. This is the difference that is so critical when it comes to the one baptism in Ephesians 4:5.

Paul expounded the Word of God concerning John's water baptism and baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus. Let's turn to Acts 21:18-20:

And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. And when he [Paul] had saluted [greeted] them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. And when they [James; and all the elders] heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him [Paul], thou see, brother, how many thousands of Jews [Judeans] there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law [water baptism].

The Judeans in this record believed and were saved. But they were zealous of the law's water baptism and hardened themselves against the revelation of the Grace Administration given to the Apostle Paul.

Remember in Acts 19, Apollos was only instructed in John's water baptism. So, he taught what he knew. No individual can teach more than he or she knows! The good, acceptable, and perfect Will of God is that we shall absolutely be baptized with the holy spirit! The Will of God is the Word of God! [see April 2016 teaching].

Today, many churches are still teaching John's water baptism. They still have not rightly divided God's Word concerning water baptism. We must do the Will of God, which is His Word, if we want the results His Word declares!

In this month's teaching, we discussed the Greek word "baptisma" used for our English word baptism. "Baptisma" means an immersion, or washing with water, (washing unto purification from sin). We saw from God's Word, in the Grace administration the "one baptism" in Ephesians is referring to spiritual baptism not water! We discussed what the number six represent in God's Word, as "baptism" is listed six in Ephesians 4:5. We discussed the difference of water baptism and spiritual baptism.

In Acts 1:5, Jesus Christ said to his apostles:

John truly baptized with water but [in contrast] ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost [gift of holy spirit] not many days hence.

Father, thank you for your Word which is your Will. Father thank you for your gift of holy spirit which is eternal life. Father, thank you for giving us your Word so that we can walk in one accord with you and your only begotten son the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, thank you for your Word which clearly states that in the Grace Administration water baptism was replaced with spiritual baptism. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

For next month's teaching, we will continue with Part 2 - One Baptism and search the scriptures for examples of the Greek word "baptisma" used for our English word baptism.

In the Lord,

Ministry of Reconciliation
Son of God through Jesus Christ
Ambassador for Christ

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