Being the new Testament Church Part 2: Baptisms

In continuation of my last post on “Being the New Testament Church” we are discussing Acts 2:41. After the new believers “believed in what Peter preached and then became baptized. The fact that the early New Testament (NT) believers were “baptized” can have many implications. According to which Christian discipline you are of the baptism mentioned could be “water baptism” or “the Baptism of the Holy Ghost”. Peter’s requirement for those asking “what they needed to do” mentions the “remission of sins” and “receiving the Holy Ghost”. This may be a little confusing so let’s take a look at the Biblical Baptism question.In the NT we first see John the Baptist performing this service. I have see programs on the TV that suggest that John got the practice of baptism from an earlier Jewish sec like the Essenes. This is debatable. The first baptism we are introduced to is a baptism in water by submersion. This has been called all through the New Testament as John’s baptism or the baptism of repentance. In three of the gospels Jesus is pictured as coming to John and being baptized and in all three accounts the Heavens opened up, a voice spoke and the Holy Spirit came down. This is one of those moments when the total God was present. God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit all showed up for Jesus’ baptism. Now since this was a baptism of repentance why did Jesus need it unless He had sinned? In Matthew3:13 He answered this, “…it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” One Commentator said that He had to be baptized so that He could be identified with His people. This is true but in Galations 3:27 and Colossians 2:12, both show that baptism is a picture of us being buried with Christ and risen to new life with Him. We rise clean and we put on Christ. We forsake our nature and we take the nature and righteousness of Jesus. We no longer live but Christ lives in us (Galations 2:20). So there was a reason to for Him to submit to John’s baptism. We see that as the Holy Spirit entered Him at this moment things began to change. Jesus was introducing a new baptism that would come into effect after He fulfilled His purpose. Acts 10:37 states that the Holy Spirit anointed Jesus at John’s baptism of Him. At this point some may say, “the Bible states there is One Lord, One Faith and One Baptism.” Some say that there are more than one according to Hebrews 6:2 where it states that “baptisms” plural, is one of the elementary doctrines of Christ. Which is right? As we look at Ephesians 4:5 in context we see that Paul is speaking of the Body of church believers, also called the Body of Christ. So this one Baptism of believers must be a baptism into the church, because there are other baptisms mentioned in the scripture. Jesus called His death on the cross as a baptism as recorded in Luke 12:50.So, how do we know of which baptism Peter was speaking of I vs. 41? Let’s look at the Christian growth process as a whole. In Gen. 1:26 and 11;7. God reveals Himself as a plural Personage. By reading the revealed scriptures in the NT we see that God is in fact Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Now I do not agree with our brethren that say God was God the Father in the Old Testament times , God the Son in NT times and now is a God the Spirit at our present time. We have seen that all three were present at the baptism of Jesus the Man. Jesus said at least one time that he had to “go to the Father” and that He ascended to the right hand of the Father. And that He would send another comforter.Back to Christian growth as concerning baptisms. We being created in the image of God, which is body, soul and spirit like He is Father, Son and Holy Ghost. At the fall of mankind the spirit part of man died. Giving future humanity a dead spirit nature. At our conversion, our being born again, we received a live spirit able to worship and commune again with God. In the Christian Growth Process we deal with the past, present and future. We have been saved, we are being saved and we will be saved. That is why the bible says that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8). When reading scripture we can see by reading the text within context if it is speaking of our past, present or future condition. I need to say here that the fallowing is my opinion and not to be taken as doctrine. I am an uneducated factory worker just trying to help you make some sense of this subject. I am not the final authority on the subject.With that said, let’s move on.John’s baptism was a baptism for repentance. It dealt with our past condition. An outward act reflecting an inward work. It shows that we are buried with Christ and risen with Him in life. That we are no longer subject to eternal death. I remember when I was a child baptized after walking the aisle and saying “the prayer”, it had no effect on my life. When I was converted as a teenager, I knew it was not right and that I needed to be baptized again. Nobody told me I needed to, I just knew. It was after this that I started to change. I started to understand the Bible. Christian principles were open to me. Concern for the lost became genuine.In Acts 19:3-4 we see another baptism. The Baptism of the Holy Ghost. This baptism is a baptism for the present condition of a believer. Just as John’s baptism was for the saving from the past, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for the saving of the present. Here I would like to say that the baptisms of and in themselves do nothing but (as said before) give outward show evidence of an inward work. John’s baptism was connected to the “saving of the Spirit”, the Baptism of the Holy Ghost is connected to the “saving of the soul”. Soul being the mind and emotions. It is a daily process with the Baptism as a starting point. Simply said, baptisms are just marks of a “new beginning” in a Christian’s growth in life with God. There is much debate as to the evidence of this baptism and when does a person receive it. Many believe that it comes when we are born again and some say it is a “second blessing” that comes separate. Whether separate or together, whether with out without evidence. No matter which way you swing, just get it. I know some who claim it and some who don’t that love the Lord and the same for ones that live worldly. One thing for sure, if you can argue about it, hold back fellowship or hate your brother over it, you do not have it.John had had spoken of Jesus coming to baptize us with the Holy Spirit and Fire. What is this Fire Baptism? (Mat. 3:11 and Luke 3:16) Many have tried to answer this and here is my try. Fire in the Bible has mostly been a symbol of purging. In Luke 3:16 were John says that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and Fire, the next verse speaks of wheat being purged from the chaff. The useless part of the wheat. In a Christian’s life there will come times of testing. Times of “New Beginnings” that serve to purge us of useless things in our lives that hinder our spiritual growth. These are baptisms of fire. I may add that if a person has not had the Baptism of Repentance and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, things might not turn out that good. I once had a job that I had been employed at for fourteen and a half years. At the time I was consumed with preaching in group homes, jails and prisons. Ministry in the streets and concert outreaches. And quit full of myself. Then I found myself jobless. Having to start all over again. At this time I started doing “Internet Evangelism”. I found out quite quick that I did not know as much as I thought. Looking back at my job loss, I saw mistakes that I had made which lead up to my loss. I was completely humbled. This was a baptism of fire. I look back now, at this time ten years ago, and see my spiritual growth much higher and my usefulness to the kingdom increased. I’ve learned to “humble myself” instead of letting the Lord do it for me.This is the Baptism of Fire which will save us. (again, outward marks of an inward work) It is the daily dying of our flesh. Our ego. Anything that hinders our relationship to the Lord with the final climax as our bodily death. As Jesus pointed to His death as a baptism, so we will all enter into a baptism that will save our body. A baptism for the future. A new beginning with the Father.In Acts 2:41 the baptism Peter spoke of is one or all of the baptisms. Some say that we are to baptize in Jesus’ name only because nowhere in the book of Acts does it show anyone doing it. Jesus gives us the commission to “Go and teach all nations and baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit”, in Mat. 28:19. Could Jesus be telling us to go and baptize for the saving of all the person? Body, Soul and Spirit? The Baptism of John or Repentance for the saving of the Spirit and for being added to the Church. The Baptism of the Holy Ghost for the saving of the Soul, in the name of Jesus. The Holy Spirit teaching us of Jesus and renewing our mind. He Baptism of Fire for the salvation of our body. The Holy Spirit leading us through the fire baptisms of life. All the way to our bodily death and final union with God.Again, this is just an idea and an attempt to put baptisms in perspective. I’m not pushing my formula or anything else. The point is, baptism is a new beginning. The new believers in Acts 2:41 had to start all over again before they could be added to the Church. Then they could understand the Apostle’s teaching with revelation. Fellowship in true Christ-Like love, take part in the Body of Christ and pray effectively. They became New Testament Christians.Further Reading on baptisms:Mat. 3:6; 21:25Mark 1:4; 16:16Luke 3:12, 21; 7:29John 1:26; 3:5, 23Acts 2:38; 8:12, 38; 9:18; 10:48; 13:2416:15, 33; 18:8; 22:16Romans 6:3; 1 Cor. 12:13; 1 Peter 3:21

What is a New Testament Church?

Our pastor has been teaching lately on , "Being A New Testament Church". Many groups have used this title in their Church name and I will not sit in judgement as to whether they are or are not a NTC. One thing we have seen is that you can not have a NTC with out New Testament people. We have been studying in Acts 2:41-47
After Peter had preached and many decided to follow Jesus, they followed a certain pattern for growth.
1. They believed
2. They Baptized
3. They devoted time to learning the Apostles teachings
4. They had close fellowship together
5. They ate together daily and had communion
6. They prayed together.

I will discuss these as I can in different post.
First they believed after hearing Peter's preaching.
They had heard that Jesus rose from the dead. No one questioned the fact of the matter. Some chose not to believe, but many chose to do so. Belief starts from Heaven, comes down to man and then goes out. To really believe, one must have a revelation from the Lord. Just like when Jesus asked the disciples who they thought He was, Peter answered correctly and Jesus told him that man did not teach him this but it came from God the Father. Just as we will only get truth from the Bible or Preaching when the Lord reviles it to us. Then, like the early believers, we will not deny our faith for nothing. Not even to save our lives.

I will do baptisms next, after I have studied and prayed about it.

Brother Gary frith & Joe Green of America

I would like to announce that Brother Gary Frith from Grace Harvest Church (the church I attend) in Dothan, Al., USA will be in India this month.
Oct. 13-17 he and another Brother from Tn., Joe Green will be speaking at a Conference in Vishakapatnam, Mercy Mission.
And on the 20-24 they will be at the Holy Trinty Ministries Conference in Imphal.
If any of you can make it, tell them Wayne Brooks sent you.
Gary is interested in Gospel work in India that may not be sported by a large group.

Prayers for June 10th, 2008 From The Voice of the Martyrs

INDIA Pastor Beaten; Churches Attacked - VOM Sources On May 27, Pastor Rampal Kori was beaten by two Hindu militants in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, India. According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts, "The militants repeatedly struck the pastor, who was returning from prayer meetings, with an iron rod and accused him of forcibly converting villagers to Christianity. They also robbed him of 3000 Rupees (US $70). Pastor Kori sustained serious injuries that required stitches in his head." Meanwhile on May 26, in an unrelated incident, militants demolished a thatched church in the district of Adilabad, Andhra Pradesh. On June 1, another group attacked the Masihi Mandir Church in the district of Oriya Para, Chhattisgarh state, during a morning church service. VOM sources added, "At approximately 11:00 a.m., the militants barged into the church building and destroyed the facility's furniture. The attackers accused the believers present of forcibly converting people, and threatened them with dire consequences if they continued to worship Christ." Pray for healing for Pastor Kori. Ask God to strengthen the believers whose churches were attacked as they continue to stand in His grace. Psalm 37: 3-6

Understanding Christians

To understand Christians and why do they act the way they do and how did they get that way. First you must understand that just because people call themselfs a Christian does not make them one. Gandhi called himself a Christian, Muslim and Hindu. As great a man as he was he was neither of the three. No amount of claiming could make it true. Each belief system is opposite the other.

To understand what makes a Christian we must go back to the very beginning. In the book of Genesis 1:26, God said,. "Let Us make man(kind) in Our image, according to Our likeness." God is a three in one being, so we are created a trinity (body, soul, and spirit), Deuteronomy 6:5. In the garden God commanded Adam not to eat of the "Tree of Knowledge" or he would die that day. {Genesis chapter 2} Adam did eat of the fruit. Did he die? No! Did God lie? No! The spirit-part of man died therefore killing the part of man that God fellowshipped with. Man's soul (the mind) becomes cursed and corrupt therefore corrupting the body causing physical death and an eternity separated from the God that loves him.
To this day all mankind is born with a dead spirit that is unable to have "real" fellowship with God. But God knew this and had a plan. He came down as His Son Jesus, who was all God and all man, to become a sacrifice for all mankind. One man (Adam) brought death. One man would bring life. Through this sacrifice a person's spirit could be "Born Again" (John 3) and be made right before God.
This event of being born again is the process by which God draws a person to
Himself. The Holy Spirit convicts the person of his need for God and Christ' sacrifice on the cross-purchasing redemption for the convert. All three of the "ONE" is involved. All the person has to do is to repent (change his way of thinking about his condition) and have an open heart for God to work and ask the Lord to complete the process.
Now that you see how the person became a Christian, why does he act the way he does? The person now being perfected in spirit now spends his life on the salvation of the soul and body. The soul, which is mankind's mind and emotions, is in constant need of "renewing". It is in never-ending conflict between the spirit's desiring to please God and worldly influences that separate him from spiritual growth in his relationship with God.
The Lord knew this and therefore made a way for mankind to overcome this conflict. He created a way for the Holy Spirit to "fill" the believer, giving them the power to renew the mind and to overcome desires. (Read Acts Chapter 2 for more details) Now if a Christian is not tending to the renewing of his mind, he starts occupying his time with other pursuits. Sports, TV and other-things that are not bad in them-selves but when overdone can hinder the spiritual growth of a Christian. When a Christian reads the TV Guide (Backslider's Bible) more than his Bible or memorizes sport stats more than Bible verses, he has a problem. When a Christian lives by the desires of the natural soul, they are known as being "soulish".

Then comes the saving of the body. That's why most Christians do not
drink or smoke. They are taught to see their bodies as the Temple of the Holy Spirit and should protect it as such. The body is also in conflict with the spirit. Most of the body's desires are formed in the mind. That's why it is important to renew it as much as possible. A Christian living to fill his bodily desires is known as being "fleshly" or "carnal". This is confusing to most non-believers, but the hope that we have is that when death comes, we have nothing to fear. We will have everlasting Joy in Body, Soul and Spirit. No other religion promises this.
You may wonder where all this so-called JOY is and why you do not see much of it in that Christian you work with. The answer is simple. While you, the non-believer, goes through life without a care for your soul or eternal destination, the Christian has an uncontrollable desire to share with you how you may have this relationship with the Lord. He has a desire to see you re stored to Christ and at the same time has a fear of being rejected by you or even worst, offend you.
The only way to control these desires is to either share with you and risk being rejected and offending you or talk to you only about sports and TV shows. Anything to keep his mind off your eternal desti­nation.
When you make comments about" all the hypocrites at church", you do not realize the battle that goes on in that Christian for your happiness. Most Christians care very deeply about you, their co-worker and grieve when you grieve. They know what you're looking for in life. He has it and may not know how to share it with you. When they became "Born Again" they made an enemy of a dangerous foe that watches over you and would do anything to keep you theirs. I speak of evil spirits doomed to hell that are trying to keep you from God so you can join them. They live to plague the Christian and keep him beat down so that he really believes that it would be better to let you slip into Hell than to risk offending you or face rejection. Most do not know they have the power from the Holy Spirit to overcome the Evil One and share with you; the greatest of gifts.
I hope this explains why Christians act totally out of this world. It's because they are. Next time a Christian sticks a tract in your face, flashes you with the latest Christian T-shirt or quotes a Bible verse to you. Look at him the way God sees them. A lost child of His that was found. That is trying to show you the best way he can that you are loved and there is joy in serving the Lord. They are like the butterfly, a totally new creature from what they were. In their awkward way they are trying to show you God's love and lead you to Him.
To better understand that Christian you work with, spend some time with them and ask them why he or she is a Christian. Only then will you truly understand where they come from.
If you would like to experience this new life that I have found, just find a spot that you can get alone with Jesus (restroom, bedroom or closet) and confess to Him that you are sinful and ask His forgiveness. Believing that He died to pay for your sins and that He heard you and that He has forgiven you. Than turn from your sins and follow Him. You follow Him by staying in constant prayer with Him and learning His will through the reading of the Bible. Also join a local church that He leads you to and become active in that community of believers. A sheep separated from the flock (the Church) is the best target for the enemy (Satan).

Here is an outline with Bible verses that my help:
1. Repenting from your sins. Mark 1: 15 For without turning from your sins there is no Salvation.
2. Receiving forgiveness of sins by faith Ephesians 1: 7
Like any free gift, you must receive it for it to be yours.
3. Confessing with mouth and believing with your heart that the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9
For it's your heart you must believe with and not just your mind. And with your mouth you confess your salvation.
You may use the prayer in Psalms 51 to pray to God with. King David prayed it to ask forgiveness of adultery and murder and God heard him and forgave him.

Video: Pray For India

More On Christianity

Christianity is unlike any other religion. In the since that just in the word "religion " means what man does to reach God. But Christianity is what God done to reach man. God revealed as triune (three in one) came to earth and created Himself as a man, Jesus. He is called the "Son of God". Third part of the Godhead of Father (God), Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit). No other religion did "God" offer Himself for the sacrifice needed to repair God and mans relationship. God the Father being so Holy that it would kill man to touch or see Him as He is, it was needful for Jesus the Son to come and interact with man and be a Holy sacrifice at the same time. And to maintain this relationship He sent the Holy Spirit to live within man to bond the relationship with God and man for eternity. And the Holy Spirit serves to teach mankind of Jesus and guide them how to live holy lives to bring glory to God the Father.

This is Christianity in a nutshell. I did not give any scripture reference because I wanted to keep my post short and to the point.

For study and free Bible courses go to:
http://www.trinitytheology.org/

Free Rice For Poor

I found this great site I wanted to share.
You go to http://freerice.com Play the vocab game and as long as you stay and play the advertisers donate rice to the poor for how many words you guess the meaning of. It is real goos for home schoolers and people like me with a lousy vocab.

Check it out.