Entering the local Koorong Christian bookstore yesterday, I immediately noticed a book with an attractive looking young Asian man on the cover. The picture was of Joseph Prince, the title of the book, "Destined to Reign", and the subtitle went as follows: "The secret to effortless success, wholeness and victorious living."
Wow. Effortless Success! Amazing! And this young man can teach me the secret to this! Folks, there's one born every minute. Even the front cover of this book should tell you that something is wrong.
The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 4 the following, and I used it for the biblical basis of why I would take the time to write an article like this:
"I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."
(2 Timothy 4:1-5)
The apostle Paul tells us here to convince, rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering and teaching. So by the grace of God we will do that.
Now Joseph Prince uses the writings of the apostle Paul, in particular verses like Romans 5:17 and other verses about God's mercy and grace to establish his position. If Joseph Prince and his followers wish to quote the apostle Paul as a source of true inspiration, they should be willing to listen to everything he said under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and not just construct something pleasing to the ear out of selected portions of the Scripture. If Prince is a lover of truth, he has to deal with all the New Testament Scriptures and not just some favorite ones.
The warning here is a prophecy given by God. It says that the time will come when God's people will begin to heap for themselves teachers who will speak to them according to their desires, according to what their itching ears want to hear. Now I don't know about you, but the idea of "effortless success" kind of appeals to me. And before I learned to love righteousness and hate wickedness, the idea of unconditional forgiveness and acceptance from God while I serve my own desires was also kind of appealing. It was something I could believe in, because I wanted to, and so did many of the people I knew. If you read my testimony, you will know that I thought I was a Christian because I believed certain doctrines about God's forgiveness being available to me through the cross of Christ - and I thought I could live for myself while still receiving these benefits. The idea of needing to REPENT of sin seemed way to narrow for us. We would have called it "legalistic".
If you and I can have "effortless success", then why did Jesus Christ make the following statement?
Luke 13:24 Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. (NIV). In the New King James: "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able."
Jesus, if I can have "effortless success", Ps Joseph Prince tells me in a top selling book in a respected Christian bookstore and around the world, why do you tell me to "make every effort" to enter salvation, or even worse, to "strive".
And Jesus, if you were so keen to do away with the moral requirements of the law, why did you seem to make it even tougher when you said:
Mat 5:27 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.'
Mat 5:28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Mat 5:29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Mat 5:30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Jesus, is that teaching really for us today, or were you just being a bit tough on the Jewish people of the time because they were under the law anyway, and you wanted to rub it in until your servant Paul could come and change the message for you?
There are hundreds of passages which don't fit in nicely with the idea of effortless success or salvation without repentance, but we live in a biblically illiterate age, where church people are too busy pursuing wealth and material success to have time to study the Bible. So for this reason, people flock to charismatic pastors like Joseph Prince whose theological education is limited to get their feel good message for the week to keep them motivated and upbeat about the week ahead. I understand that, but I see it as idolatrous nonetheless. We MUST study God's Word for ourselves at some stage in our lives, and heavily, if we are going to avoid being pulled into the Last Day's Deception which the Bible promises us and which in fact seems to be upon us now also in the charismatic, full gospel church scene.
I first heard about Joseph Prince from my pastor at the time on the Gold Coast who heard him speak at a Hillsong Conference. This pastor told me he considered Joseph Prince to be a false teacher, that he teaches salvation without the need for repentance or godly living, and that to preach the Ten Commandments at all makes you a "preacher of death". Hearing this report made me lose more respect for Brian Houston, the leader of the Hillsong Megachurch. For you see, Brian Houston must be very appreciative of the teachings of Joseph Prince. This is evidenced firstly by the repeated invitations to minister at the huge Hillsong Conferences, and secondly by the glowing endorsement Houston wrote on the back of the book I just referred to. But rather than focus at this stage on names, I would like to look at the actual ideas that Joseph Prince is promoting, and compare them with Scripture. In the end it will be for my readers to decide which doctrine they will believe, and which doctrine conforms most to the spirit and intent of the Scriptures as they are written.
I hope to write more on this subject later and soon, because the situation can't be properly addressed in a short blog post like this one. But it should be addressed as it relates to the very core of what our faith is about, and the issue of what God requires for those who wish to be reconciled to Him and saved. And because there is a real dearth of courageous pastors in the Pentecostal movement who are willing to rebuke false teachers, I, even I, will have a go. If the Lord should reveal further truth to myself or others in this process, may His Name be praised. We need a love of the truth to even make it into Christ's Eternal Kingdom these days. The love of the truth is going to cost us something. Its NOT going to be effortless. Yes, Christ's grace DOES empower us in the fight, and without Christ's grace we would be utterly inadequate. It is to the true grace of God I look in order to be saved in these last days.
Let us remember the words of Jesus Christ:
Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'
Matthew 7:23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
God's grace be with you.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Water Baptism
Water Baptism
John's ministry and Baptism was for the Jews only, following the Jewish tradition of ceremonial washings; here are a few:
To consecrate them ...Then you (Moses) shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and wash them with water. Exo 29:1-4.
And he who is being cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean; and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall stay out of his tent for seven days. Lev 14:8
And whoever touches anything that was under him shall be unclean until the evening; and he that bears any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. Lev 15:10
And thus shall you do to them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. Num 8:11
But it shall be, when evening comes, he shall wash himself with water; and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again. Deu 23:11.
John's Baptism ceremonially washed away the Jews' sins of the past, providing men showed the fruits of repentance - a changed lifestyle with beginning repentance: sharing from their excess with those who lacked the necessities of life, not taking advantage of anyone, not defrauding anyone, not oppressing anyone, not lying, not wanting more, and not complaining. But John's baptism was only to prepare people to receive the ministry of Christ; and in no way excused their future sins, nor excused them from the necessity of becoming true disciples of Christ who finally produce the fruit of the Spirit. In the beginning of the early Church, they (Peter particularly) maintained Jewish circumcision, dietary law, and the Jewish water baptism of John. Peter even applied some of these practices on the Gentiles, until: the Holy Spirit corrected him on food, Paul further corrected him on food, and the Apostles Council issued different guideline for Gentiles. Since both Christ and John the Baptist spoke of a better baptism, this baptism was later eliminated from Christian practice and the faith maintained one faith, one Lord, and one baptism, the baptism of fire or of the Holy Spirit. Clearly, just as there are no multiple lords, there are no multiple baptisms.
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism. Eph 4:4-5
John said: I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire: Mat 3:11
Jesus said: For John truly baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence. Acts 1:5
Paul said: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, Eph 4:4-5
I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
For Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel:1 Cor 1:14-17.
In this scripture Paul is plainly not happy that he water baptized even the handful that he did; clearly he is speaking about water baptism because the Corinthians were identifying themselves as belonging to Paul or Apollos, who only knew of water baptism.
Acts 8:13- 22
Simon the magician believed and was baptized. He tried to buy the power of laying on of hands. Acts 8:13-18
Peter said to him, "Repent therefore of your wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity." Acts 8:22
Does this sound like a man saved by believing or baptism - who in in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity?
You can't be 'saved' and still be in bitterness and the bond of iniquity?
Peter said "perhaps" he could be forgiven, if he repented and prayed for forgiveness.
But forgiven is not saved. He was forgiven before.
Clearly the one baptism needed is the fire of the Holy Spirit, which circumcises the heart, by plunging down sin and iniquity, and puts off the body of death and sins of the flesh so that we are without sin; "..baptized into Jesus Christ .. his death, buried with him by baptism into death, that they should walk in newness of life."
Peter corroborates the same: And baptism, which is the figure of this, now saves us, (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 1 Peter 3:21. Note! The baptism Peter is speaking about, is the baptism of death, resulting in the resurrection of Jesus Christ within a man.
Although to be avoided as an unnecessary ritual, water baptism is not harmful, unless you think it somehow makes you righteous, thereby being prevented from your seeking righteousness, which is Christ's top priority command " Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness." If you have been baptized in water in the past, don't fret over it being held against you; but if you understand that the one baptism needed is the death of the selfish human nature, then to be water baptized is to deny the true hope.
George Fox has an outstanding writing, distinguishing the Baptism of the Holy Spirit's Unquenchable Fire vs. Outward Water. He makes two critical observations: 1) John clearly declares for what end he was sent to baptize with water, namely, that Christ might be made manifest to Israel, the Jews, that had the figures and shadows of Christ; for John does not say, he came baptizing with water, that Christ might be made manifest to the Gentiles or heathen, but to Israel; and 2) as soon as John's ministry was finished, (along with his baptism), Jesus' started: from that time John was cast into prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, repent, and believe the gospel.’ Mark 1:14- 15, Mat 4:12,17.
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, Eph 5:26-27 . You must habitually seek and hear the Spirit of God, which is the Word of God, to be washed inside and outside by holy pure water; and obey the heard Words from the mouth of God, continually, to ever be sanctified. The water is not outward water, and neither is the word hearing the Bible; it is the power of the Word of God, Jesus Christ, who said: if I don't wash you, you can have no part of me.
Most sects have "Christening" as a sacrament also, or simply infant baptism, still with a fee charge or expected gift by the originating sect. There is no scriptural basis for this baptism at all. It is derived from the mistaken belief that one must be baptized in water to be 'saved' and therefore it applies to children also. God is not so unfair as to banish one infant, who has not been sprinkled with water, and embrace another who has been sprinkled or immersed - that makes him a God who judges on a ridiculous technicality or ritual, completely without fairness and justice. It further assumes that infants need 'saving,' which is further silliness. What sin have infants committed?
From George Fox's Journal:
There were some Baptists in that country, whom I desired to see and speak with, because they were separated from the public worship. So Oats, one of their chief teachers, and others of the heads of them, with several of their company, came to meet us at Barrow, where we discoursed with them. One of them said, 'what was not of faith, was sin.' Upon which I asked them, what faith was? And how it was created in man? But they turned off from that, and spoke of their baptism in water. Then I asked them, whether their mountain of sin was brought down, and laid low in them? And their rough and crooked ways made smooth and straight in them? They looked upon the scriptures as meaning outward mountains and ways; but I told them, they must find them in their own hearts; at which they seemed to wonder. We asked them, who baptized John the Baptist? who baptized Peter, John, and the rest of the apostles? And put them to prove by scripture, that these were baptized in water: but they were silent.
and:
In like manner he [Paul] was tender concerning the baptizing with water; but when he saw they began to make sects about it, some crying up Paul, others Apollo, he judged them, and called them carnal, and thanked God he had baptized no more but few; declaring plainly, that he was sent to preach the gospel, and not to baptize; and brought them to the one baptism by the one spirit, into the one body which Christ, the spiritual man, is the head of; and exhorted the church, "all to drink into that one spirit." For he asserted in the church the one faith, which Christ was the author of; and one baptism, which was that of the spirit into the one body; and one Lord Jesus Christ, who was the spiritual baptizer, who John said should come after him. And further the apostle declared that they, who worshipped and served God in the spirit, were of the circumcision of the spirit, which was "not made with hands;" by which the "body of the sins of the flesh was put off:" which circumcision Christ is the minister of.
and:
And although the Corinthians had eaten the bread and wine, and had been baptized in water, the apostle told them they were "reprobates [still subject to sin], if Christ was not in them;" and told them "examine themselves."
and:
While I was in London, I went one day to visit him that was called squire Marsh, who had showed much kindness both to me and Friends. I happened to go when he was at dinner. He no sooner heard of my name, but he sent for me to come up, and would have had me sit down with him to dinner; but I had not freedom to do so. Several great persons were at dinner with him; and he said to one of them who was a great Papist, 'here is a Quaker, which you have not seen before.’ The Papist asked me, 'whether I did own the christening of children?' I told him,' there was no scripture for any such practice.' 'What!' he said, 'not for christening children!' I said, 'no' I told him, 'the one baptism by the one spirit into one body we owned; but to throw a little water on a child's face, and say, that was baptizing and christening it, there was no scripture for that.'
Jesus said: I tell you the truth, no one can enter the Kingdom of God, unless he is born of water and spirit, John 3:5
Some say the above verse proves water baptism;
but to be born of water, is to be washed by his spoken, heard, and obeyed words:
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, Eph 5:25-26
Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth. John 17:17
Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. John 15:3
Peter said unto him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I do not wash you, you have no part with me. John 13:8
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Heb 10:22
For there are three that bear record in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.
And there are three that bear witness in earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; these three agree as one. 1 John 5:7-8
Some of you from evangelist sects are saying to yourself now: "But what about the great commission." I say the evangelists of today are completely ignorant of what the great commission really is. Lets look at it:
Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things in whatever I have commanded you; and, look, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Mat 28:19-20.
First: No one is supposed to go and preach or teach unless they have been trained, perfected, and restored to the image of God that Adam had before falling, and then authorized and sent: Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest, Mat 9:38; notice he sends the workers.
Second: Christ's true workers only speak words they hear the Spirit of God tell them to speak: He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of the One who sent him, that man is true, and there is no unrighteousness is in him. John 7:18. Just as Jesus spoke only what he was told to say, we must wait until we can hear what to say; otherwise we are seeking our own glory; this is doing "thy will" instead of our will.
Third: Disciples are not only supposed to baptize, but are supposed to be trained and expert in Teaching them to observe all things in whatever I have commanded you. Not just teaching the commands, anyone can read the Bible to them; but teaching them to observe (to obey) all things in whatever I have commanded you. So, his true disciples are supposed to be teaching us to observe all his commands, But Christendom ignores all his commands. From the Voice of the Lord within: "They have gutted Jesus. They have made the Bible hollow." Where is the teaching of Christ's commands in Christendom today? And who is showing people how to observe all his commands?
Who is teaching: Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect, Mat 5:48? (and then telling you how to comply?)
Who is teaching: Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, Mat 6:33?
Who is teaching: Repent or Perish, Luke 13:3?
Who is teaching: Sin no more, John 5:14?
Who is teaching: Believe in the light so that you may become children of the light. John 12:36?
Who is teaching: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me, Luke 9:23?
Who is teaching: So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple, Luke 14:33?
Who is teaching: He who finds his life shall lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake shall find it, Matthew 10:39?
What? Not your preacher? Then he is not a true disciple of Christ, but is a duped minister of Satan, transformed to appear as a minister of righteousness. 2 Cor 11:14-15.
A true disciple of Christ is told by the Spirit of God, exactly where to go, when to go, and what to say when they arrive. The teacher is Christ. Everyone else is a supposed to be a student. If the student starts teaching before the teacher has authorized him, then the blind pupil thinks he can see and is superior to the teacher. (Luke 6:39-40). Such authorization comes from him directly and specifically; you hear him say: you are now a teacher, or: preach repentance with remission of sins.
Jesus said that a man who preaches from his own mind seeks his own glory. He seeks your money, your admiration, and your subjection to his authority. The preachers of Christendom stand condemned for seeking their own glory and then accepting pay for their worthless words; when to even charge for true words of life like Balaam, spoken from the spirit of God, is expressly forbidden by Peter and Jesus. Seeking their own glory, the preachers of Christendom speak from their carnal minds, the nature of death, and in their vain imaginations from the evil of their hearts.
So, baptizing, in water, without teaching them to observe all things in all commands is worthless, creating converts twice as fit for Hell as the false disciples. Mat 23:15.
If his true disciples were teaching to obey all commands, those who were obedient would be baptized by the Holy Spirit, the one baptism needed.
Finally there are those who say: Jesus was baptized with water, so that proves it necessary. If you follow this logic, you must get circumcised (whatever your age, whatever the pain), follow all the dietary laws, observe all the Jewish ceremonies, etc. But Jesus was Jewish, and he had to completely fulfill the Law to live without sin, the Law being replaced by the new covenant that he came to establish. Of course all the above is not required, and practicing them would only put you under condemnation of the Law. And remember, there is absolutely no record of Jesus water baptizing anyone.
John's ministry and Baptism was for the Jews only, following the Jewish tradition of ceremonial washings; here are a few:
To consecrate them ...Then you (Moses) shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and wash them with water. Exo 29:1-4.
And he who is being cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean; and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall stay out of his tent for seven days. Lev 14:8
And whoever touches anything that was under him shall be unclean until the evening; and he that bears any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. Lev 15:10
And thus shall you do to them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. Num 8:11
But it shall be, when evening comes, he shall wash himself with water; and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again. Deu 23:11.
John's Baptism ceremonially washed away the Jews' sins of the past, providing men showed the fruits of repentance - a changed lifestyle with beginning repentance: sharing from their excess with those who lacked the necessities of life, not taking advantage of anyone, not defrauding anyone, not oppressing anyone, not lying, not wanting more, and not complaining. But John's baptism was only to prepare people to receive the ministry of Christ; and in no way excused their future sins, nor excused them from the necessity of becoming true disciples of Christ who finally produce the fruit of the Spirit. In the beginning of the early Church, they (Peter particularly) maintained Jewish circumcision, dietary law, and the Jewish water baptism of John. Peter even applied some of these practices on the Gentiles, until: the Holy Spirit corrected him on food, Paul further corrected him on food, and the Apostles Council issued different guideline for Gentiles. Since both Christ and John the Baptist spoke of a better baptism, this baptism was later eliminated from Christian practice and the faith maintained one faith, one Lord, and one baptism, the baptism of fire or of the Holy Spirit. Clearly, just as there are no multiple lords, there are no multiple baptisms.
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism. Eph 4:4-5
John said: I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire: Mat 3:11
Jesus said: For John truly baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence. Acts 1:5
Paul said: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, Eph 4:4-5
I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
For Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel:1 Cor 1:14-17.
In this scripture Paul is plainly not happy that he water baptized even the handful that he did; clearly he is speaking about water baptism because the Corinthians were identifying themselves as belonging to Paul or Apollos, who only knew of water baptism.
Acts 8:13- 22
Simon the magician believed and was baptized. He tried to buy the power of laying on of hands. Acts 8:13-18
Peter said to him, "Repent therefore of your wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity." Acts 8:22
Does this sound like a man saved by believing or baptism - who in in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity?
You can't be 'saved' and still be in bitterness and the bond of iniquity?
Peter said "perhaps" he could be forgiven, if he repented and prayed for forgiveness.
But forgiven is not saved. He was forgiven before.
Clearly the one baptism needed is the fire of the Holy Spirit, which circumcises the heart, by plunging down sin and iniquity, and puts off the body of death and sins of the flesh so that we are without sin; "..baptized into Jesus Christ .. his death, buried with him by baptism into death, that they should walk in newness of life."
Peter corroborates the same: And baptism, which is the figure of this, now saves us, (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 1 Peter 3:21. Note! The baptism Peter is speaking about, is the baptism of death, resulting in the resurrection of Jesus Christ within a man.
Although to be avoided as an unnecessary ritual, water baptism is not harmful, unless you think it somehow makes you righteous, thereby being prevented from your seeking righteousness, which is Christ's top priority command " Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness." If you have been baptized in water in the past, don't fret over it being held against you; but if you understand that the one baptism needed is the death of the selfish human nature, then to be water baptized is to deny the true hope.
George Fox has an outstanding writing, distinguishing the Baptism of the Holy Spirit's Unquenchable Fire vs. Outward Water. He makes two critical observations: 1) John clearly declares for what end he was sent to baptize with water, namely, that Christ might be made manifest to Israel, the Jews, that had the figures and shadows of Christ; for John does not say, he came baptizing with water, that Christ might be made manifest to the Gentiles or heathen, but to Israel; and 2) as soon as John's ministry was finished, (along with his baptism), Jesus' started: from that time John was cast into prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, repent, and believe the gospel.’ Mark 1:14- 15, Mat 4:12,17.
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, Eph 5:26-27 . You must habitually seek and hear the Spirit of God, which is the Word of God, to be washed inside and outside by holy pure water; and obey the heard Words from the mouth of God, continually, to ever be sanctified. The water is not outward water, and neither is the word hearing the Bible; it is the power of the Word of God, Jesus Christ, who said: if I don't wash you, you can have no part of me.
Most sects have "Christening" as a sacrament also, or simply infant baptism, still with a fee charge or expected gift by the originating sect. There is no scriptural basis for this baptism at all. It is derived from the mistaken belief that one must be baptized in water to be 'saved' and therefore it applies to children also. God is not so unfair as to banish one infant, who has not been sprinkled with water, and embrace another who has been sprinkled or immersed - that makes him a God who judges on a ridiculous technicality or ritual, completely without fairness and justice. It further assumes that infants need 'saving,' which is further silliness. What sin have infants committed?
From George Fox's Journal:
There were some Baptists in that country, whom I desired to see and speak with, because they were separated from the public worship. So Oats, one of their chief teachers, and others of the heads of them, with several of their company, came to meet us at Barrow, where we discoursed with them. One of them said, 'what was not of faith, was sin.' Upon which I asked them, what faith was? And how it was created in man? But they turned off from that, and spoke of their baptism in water. Then I asked them, whether their mountain of sin was brought down, and laid low in them? And their rough and crooked ways made smooth and straight in them? They looked upon the scriptures as meaning outward mountains and ways; but I told them, they must find them in their own hearts; at which they seemed to wonder. We asked them, who baptized John the Baptist? who baptized Peter, John, and the rest of the apostles? And put them to prove by scripture, that these were baptized in water: but they were silent.
and:
In like manner he [Paul] was tender concerning the baptizing with water; but when he saw they began to make sects about it, some crying up Paul, others Apollo, he judged them, and called them carnal, and thanked God he had baptized no more but few; declaring plainly, that he was sent to preach the gospel, and not to baptize; and brought them to the one baptism by the one spirit, into the one body which Christ, the spiritual man, is the head of; and exhorted the church, "all to drink into that one spirit." For he asserted in the church the one faith, which Christ was the author of; and one baptism, which was that of the spirit into the one body; and one Lord Jesus Christ, who was the spiritual baptizer, who John said should come after him. And further the apostle declared that they, who worshipped and served God in the spirit, were of the circumcision of the spirit, which was "not made with hands;" by which the "body of the sins of the flesh was put off:" which circumcision Christ is the minister of.
and:
And although the Corinthians had eaten the bread and wine, and had been baptized in water, the apostle told them they were "reprobates [still subject to sin], if Christ was not in them;" and told them "examine themselves."
and:
While I was in London, I went one day to visit him that was called squire Marsh, who had showed much kindness both to me and Friends. I happened to go when he was at dinner. He no sooner heard of my name, but he sent for me to come up, and would have had me sit down with him to dinner; but I had not freedom to do so. Several great persons were at dinner with him; and he said to one of them who was a great Papist, 'here is a Quaker, which you have not seen before.’ The Papist asked me, 'whether I did own the christening of children?' I told him,' there was no scripture for any such practice.' 'What!' he said, 'not for christening children!' I said, 'no' I told him, 'the one baptism by the one spirit into one body we owned; but to throw a little water on a child's face, and say, that was baptizing and christening it, there was no scripture for that.'
Jesus said: I tell you the truth, no one can enter the Kingdom of God, unless he is born of water and spirit, John 3:5
Some say the above verse proves water baptism;
but to be born of water, is to be washed by his spoken, heard, and obeyed words:
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, Eph 5:25-26
Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth. John 17:17
Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. John 15:3
Peter said unto him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I do not wash you, you have no part with me. John 13:8
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Heb 10:22
For there are three that bear record in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.
And there are three that bear witness in earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; these three agree as one. 1 John 5:7-8
Some of you from evangelist sects are saying to yourself now: "But what about the great commission." I say the evangelists of today are completely ignorant of what the great commission really is. Lets look at it:
Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things in whatever I have commanded you; and, look, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Mat 28:19-20.
First: No one is supposed to go and preach or teach unless they have been trained, perfected, and restored to the image of God that Adam had before falling, and then authorized and sent: Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest, Mat 9:38; notice he sends the workers.
Second: Christ's true workers only speak words they hear the Spirit of God tell them to speak: He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of the One who sent him, that man is true, and there is no unrighteousness is in him. John 7:18. Just as Jesus spoke only what he was told to say, we must wait until we can hear what to say; otherwise we are seeking our own glory; this is doing "thy will" instead of our will.
Third: Disciples are not only supposed to baptize, but are supposed to be trained and expert in Teaching them to observe all things in whatever I have commanded you. Not just teaching the commands, anyone can read the Bible to them; but teaching them to observe (to obey) all things in whatever I have commanded you. So, his true disciples are supposed to be teaching us to observe all his commands, But Christendom ignores all his commands. From the Voice of the Lord within: "They have gutted Jesus. They have made the Bible hollow." Where is the teaching of Christ's commands in Christendom today? And who is showing people how to observe all his commands?
Who is teaching: Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect, Mat 5:48? (and then telling you how to comply?)
Who is teaching: Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, Mat 6:33?
Who is teaching: Repent or Perish, Luke 13:3?
Who is teaching: Sin no more, John 5:14?
Who is teaching: Believe in the light so that you may become children of the light. John 12:36?
Who is teaching: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me, Luke 9:23?
Who is teaching: So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple, Luke 14:33?
Who is teaching: He who finds his life shall lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake shall find it, Matthew 10:39?
What? Not your preacher? Then he is not a true disciple of Christ, but is a duped minister of Satan, transformed to appear as a minister of righteousness. 2 Cor 11:14-15.
A true disciple of Christ is told by the Spirit of God, exactly where to go, when to go, and what to say when they arrive. The teacher is Christ. Everyone else is a supposed to be a student. If the student starts teaching before the teacher has authorized him, then the blind pupil thinks he can see and is superior to the teacher. (Luke 6:39-40). Such authorization comes from him directly and specifically; you hear him say: you are now a teacher, or: preach repentance with remission of sins.
Jesus said that a man who preaches from his own mind seeks his own glory. He seeks your money, your admiration, and your subjection to his authority. The preachers of Christendom stand condemned for seeking their own glory and then accepting pay for their worthless words; when to even charge for true words of life like Balaam, spoken from the spirit of God, is expressly forbidden by Peter and Jesus. Seeking their own glory, the preachers of Christendom speak from their carnal minds, the nature of death, and in their vain imaginations from the evil of their hearts.
So, baptizing, in water, without teaching them to observe all things in all commands is worthless, creating converts twice as fit for Hell as the false disciples. Mat 23:15.
If his true disciples were teaching to obey all commands, those who were obedient would be baptized by the Holy Spirit, the one baptism needed.
Finally there are those who say: Jesus was baptized with water, so that proves it necessary. If you follow this logic, you must get circumcised (whatever your age, whatever the pain), follow all the dietary laws, observe all the Jewish ceremonies, etc. But Jesus was Jewish, and he had to completely fulfill the Law to live without sin, the Law being replaced by the new covenant that he came to establish. Of course all the above is not required, and practicing them would only put you under condemnation of the Law. And remember, there is absolutely no record of Jesus water baptizing anyone.
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