Ecclesiology
The Ordinance of Water Baptism
Lesson XXX
Introduction
2 Corinthians 4:18
(18) While we look not at the things which are seen, but
at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen [are] temporal;
but the things which are not seen [are] eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:18 “… the things which are seen are temporal; but
the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Water
baptism is certainly an event in life that is “seen” and therefore “temporal”. That is our first reason for believing that
water baptism is not necessary for one’s salvation. Salvation is an eternal matter, not a
temporal one.
We
are sure that water baptism does not save.
If water baptism is necessary for salvation, how then does one interpret
Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:14-17?
1 Corinthians 1:14-17
(14) I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus
and Gaius;
(15) Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own
name.
(16) And I baptized also the household of Stephanas:
besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
(17) For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the
gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of
none effect.
How
could Paul say “I thank God I baptized none of you” if baptism were necessary
for one’s salvation? Is he not plainly
saying that baptism is not part of the gospel?
I
What is the Gospel?
1 Corinthians 15:1-4
(1) Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel
which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
(2) By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what
I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
(3) For I delivered unto you first of all that
which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the
scriptures;
(4) And that he was buried, and that he rose again the
third day according to the scriptures:
Therein
is the gospel. There is nothing about
anything we do, only what Christ has done for us.
II
Water Baptism is a confession of faith
Acts 8:35-38
(35) Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same
scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
(36) And as they went on [their] way, they came unto a
certain water: and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth hinder me
to be baptized?
(37) 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.
(38) 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 8:35-38 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and
preached unto him Jesus. And as they
went on their way, they came to a certain water: and the eunuch said; what doth
hinder me to be baptized? And Philip
said, if thou prove thyself for a period of time, and are worthy….No! Not that!
“And
Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” That was the only requirement for water baptism. And he (the eunuch) 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 9:17-20
(17) And Ananias went his way, and entered into the
house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, [even] Jesus,
that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou
mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
(18) And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had
been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
(19) And when he had received meat, he was strengthened.
Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
(20) And straightway he preached Christ in the
synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
It
was because Peter was sure that all were saved, he
commanded them to be baptized in water.
The water baptism did not save them.
Acts 10: 43-48
(43) To him give all the prophets witness, that through
his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
(44) While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost
fell on all them which heard the word.
(45) And they of the circumcision which believed were
astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was
poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
(46) For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify
God. Then answered Peter,
(47) Can any man forbid water, that these should not be
baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
(48) And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of
the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Here
it is again, because of her salvation Lydia was baptized in water as her
testimony.
Acts 16:14-15
(14) And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple,
of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard [us]: whose heart the Lord
opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
(15) And when she was baptized, and her household, she
besought [us], saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come
into my house, and abide [there]. And she constrained us.
Acts 16: 30-34 speaking of the jailor,
(30) And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do
to be saved?
(31) And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
(32) And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to
all that were in his house.
(33) And he took them the same hour of the night, and
washed [their] stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set
meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
Again,
comment is not needed. Because he
believed, the jailor was baptized. There
was no long waiting or proving period.
The same night he believed he was baptized in water.
Acts 18:8
(8) And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue,
believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing
believed, and were baptized.
Because
they heard, and because they believed, not because they behaved, they were
baptized.
Acts 19:3-5
(3) And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye
baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
(4) 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.
(5) When they heard [this], they were baptized in the
name of the Lord Jesus.
These
verses prove that there is a difference between John’s baptism in water, and
our believers’ baptism in water. John’s
pointed forward, ours points backward.
III Water baptism is a Public
testimony to our identification with Christ in His death, burial and
resurrection
Romans 6:3-4
(3) Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
(4) 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.
We
are aware of the fact that many do not see water baptism in these verses at
all. But we do because of two expressions. The word “therefore” and the words
“like as”. The verses, at least to me,
teach that our baptism in water is an act of testimony that we believe that
when Christ died, we died with Him, when He was buried we were buried with Him,
and when He arose we arose with him.
Water baptism is an act of identification.
Colossians
2:12 Buried with him in baptism,
wherein also ye are risen with him, … then
Colossians
3:1 “If ye then be risen with Christ,
seek those things which are above ….”
Colossians 2:11-13
(11) In whom also ye are circumcised with the
circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the
flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
(12) 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.
(13) And you, being dead in your sins and the
uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having
forgiven you all trespasses;
Colossians 3:1
(1) If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
We
don’t get baptized in water to be identified with Christ, we are
baptized because we already are identified with Him.
Matthew 3:13-16
(13) Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John,
to be baptized of him.
(14) But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be
baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
(15) And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it to be
so] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered
him.
(16) And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway
out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the
Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
John
was baptizing sinners. And when Jesus
came to John, John said I cannot baptize you for you are not a sinner. I am the sinner and I need to be baptized by
you.
But
Jesus said, “John, righteousness has brought me here.” And so John baptized Jesus.
What
do we learn?
When
Jesus was baptized, he was by that act identifying himself with sinners. So when we are baptized, we are identifying
ourselves with the Saviour. As Jesus
did not become the Son of God by water baptism, so we do not become sons of God
by water baptism. We are publicly
acknowledging that we are already sons of God when we are baptized in water.
Colossians 2:11-13 As we have already
pointed out, water baptism is identifying ourselves with Christ in his death,
burial and resurrection, to walk in newness of life.
IV
Water baptism is the answer of a good conscience towards God
1 Peter 3:18-22
(18) For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the
just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the
flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
(19) By which also he went and preached unto the spirits
in prison;
(20) Which sometime were disobedient, when once the
longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing,
wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
(21) 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:
(22) Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of
God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
1 Peter 3:18-22 “For Christ also hath once suffered for
sins (this was the only suffering that
ever atoned for sin) the just (for us) the unjust, that he might bring us to God. (there was no other way) being put to
death in the flesh (not spirit), but quickened (made alive) by the Spirit (the holy Spirit) By which
(by what? Does it not mean the
Spirit?) also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison: (When did the Spirit preach?) These spirits
now in prison “were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in
the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing ...” It was in those days the Lord said, “My
spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his
days shall be an hundred and twenty years.”
It
is my understanding that through the testimony of Noah, while he prepared the
ark, the Holy Spirit, in Noah was striving with men.
Genesis 6:3
(3) And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive
with man, for that he also [is] flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and
twenty years.
Hebrews 11:7 that Noah condemned the
world - all but his house.
Hebrews 11:7
(7) By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen
as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the
which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by
faith.
Back
to 1 Peter 3:20 “wherein few, that
is, eight souls were saved by water.”
Verse 21 “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;”
We
are not saved by a ‘figure’ we are
saved by the fact of the resurrection. In water baptism we have the figure of that
resurrection. Water does not wash away
any sin or any guilt. Water baptism is
the answer of a good conscience made possible by Christ’s death and
resurrection. Water baptism does not
produce a good conscience - the blood of
Christ does that.
V
Water Baptism, in Scripture, is always by Immersion.
Matthew 3:16
(16) And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway
out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the
Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
John 3:23
(23) And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim,
because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
Acts 8:38-39
(38) 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.
(39) And when they were come up out of the water, the
Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he
went on his way rejoicing.
Matthew 3:16 “And Jesus when he was
baptized went up straightway out of the water…”
John 3:23 “And John also was
baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there…”
Acts 8:38-39 “And he commanded the
chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water; and he baptized
him and when they were come up out of the water…”
There
are no Scriptures about baptizing babies.
There
are no Scriptures teaching baptism by sprinkling.
It
seems that people who reject immersion accept both of the above practices.
VI
Water Baptism was Practiced “in Jesus’ Name”
Acts 8:12
(12) But when they believed Philip preaching the things
concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were
baptized, both men and women.
Acts 10:48
(48) And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of
the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Acts 19:5
(5) When they heard [this], they were baptized in the
name of the Lord Jesus.
Colossians 3:17
(17) 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.
Acts 8:12 “But when they believed
Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus
Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”
Acts 10:48 “And he commanded them
to be baptized in the name of the Lord. …”
Acts 19:5 “And when they heard
this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in
word or in deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, …”
We
will give you a copy of the paper we wrote on Matthew 28:19, where it says
“baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost”. In that paper we explain why we
do not use that formula for baptism. [Editor’s Note: This paper is reproduced at
bottom of this lesson.]
VII
There is a Reproach to Water Baptism
John 12:42
(42) Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many
believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess [him], lest
they should be put out of the synagogue:
John 14:15
(15) If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Hebrews 13:13
(13) Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp,
bearing his reproach.
John 12:42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but
because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out
of the synagogue”. Baptism was a public
confession.
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments
Hebrews 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his
reproach.
VIII Obedience always brings blessing
John 13:17
(17) If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
1 Peter 4:14
(14) If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy
[are ye]; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he
is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
John 13:17 “ If ye know these things , happy are
ye if ye do them.”
1 Peter 4:14 “If ye be reproached for
the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth
upon you:….”
People will not be baptized in
water in eternity. It is a witness here
and now that one belongs to Christ.
The Trinity
Baptism Formula
Matthew 28:19
As
I SEE It.
We
observe from the Scriptures that when the Apostles baptized in water they DID
baptize "in the Name of the Lord Jesus."
The
moment this subject arises, in the minds of many, we are charged with holding
some peculiar doctrine about the Godhead!
But speaking for myself, I have always baptized in Jesus’ Name, and it
has had nothing to do with any doctrine I hold relative to the Godhead.
Look
at the Scriptures:
Acts 8:12-16 “They were baptized in the name of the
Lord Jesus.”
Acts 10:48 The Apostle Peter (who by the way had
heard the command in Matthew. 28:19) “commanded them to be baptized in the name
of the Lord.”
Acts 19:5
The Apostle Paul, (nearing the end of his ministry) “baptized in the
name of the Lord Jesus.”
Colossians
3:17 Paul under inspiration writes, “and whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do
all in the Name of the Lord Jesus.”
How
does one conduct a wedding ceremony? In
the name of the Lord Jesus!
How
does one dedicate a little baby? In the
name of the Lord Jesus!
How
does one conduct a Communion Service? In
the name of the Lord Jesus!
How
does one bury the dead? In the name of
the Lord Jesus!
How
does one baptize in water? In the name
of the Lord Jesus!
Whatsoever
ye do, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus.
That is plain Bible teaching.
But
what about Matthew 28:19-20?
Matthew 28:19-20
(19) Go ye therefore, and teach
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost:
(20) Teaching them to observe
all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway,
[even] unto the end of the world. Amen.
Because
of this Scripture, we acknowledge that there has been conflict over the formula
of baptism. Sincere people on both sides
of this issue have been divided because of it
I
believe, first of all, that when we were saved, we were baptized by the Spirit
into the Church, the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:13
(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.
Ephesians1:21
(21) Far above all
principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named,
not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
That
is one reason for our using the Name of Jesus in our water baptism. We are identifying ourselves with Jesus
Christ and His body by baptism. And if
we had not been baptized into Christ, we would not be baptized in water. Our water baptism is our personal confession,
our testimony that we belong to Christ and are members of His Body, the Church.
Ephesians. 1:21-22
(21) Far above all
principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named,
not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
(22) And hath put all [things]
under his feet, and gave him [to be] the head over all [things] to the church,
But
again we ask, What about Matthew 28:19, “Go ye therefore and teach all Nations,
baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy
Ghost”?
We
may jar you by saying, that we do not believe that this is the Church’s
commission at all. Notice the word
“teach” the Nations. We are not
commissioned to teach or “disciple” the Nations. We are commissioned to PREACH the gospel to
the Nations or the Gentiles, but not teach them.
A.W.
Smith often said, “God did not call me to herd goats, he called me to feed
sheep.”
Nicodemus
came to Jesus as his teacher, rabbi. But
Jesus told him, Nicodemus, you need to be born again. He did not endeavour to teach him anything
but his need of the new birth.
We
need to remind ourselves that when Gentiles are saved today, they cease being
Gentiles or a part of the Nations.
Ephesians 2:11
(11) Wherefore remember, that
ye [being] in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by
that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
In
Ephesians 2:11 Paul writes, “Remember ye WERE gentiles” but now they are
members of the Church. Today it is our
business to teach the Church, not the Nations (Gentiles).
We
disciple the saints in the Church - not the Nations of the world.
When
interpreting the Book of Matthew, remember, it is rightly identified as the book
of the Gospel of the Kingdom. Matthew is
the first book in the New Testament because it is the proper link with the Old
Testament promises to
The
Old Testament had promised a seed of David, a son of David, who would appear in
history as Messiah, who would be both a Saviour and King of
At
the time of the first coming of Christ, John the Baptist was on the scene, and
he was baptizing in water. We do not
know his formula. We do learn something
about baptism from John's baptism but we must not confuse his baptism with our
water baptism. Both, of course, are acts
of identification. But the fact that
Paul re-baptized the believers at
Remember
that Paul's Epistles were written after the Commission in Matthew 28:19 had
been given. Therefore, when Paul wrote,
he was not ignorant of Matthew 28, and even if he had been, the Holy Spirit was
not ignorant of that commission when He inspired Paul to write, “Whatsoever ye
do, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus”(Colossians 3:17).
Now
turn to Matthew 28.
Verse
1 It is the day of resurrection.
Verse
9 “and as they (the women) went to tell
his disciples, Jesus met them saying-All Hail”.
Verse
10 “Then said Jesus unto them, be not
afraid, go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee and there shall they see
me.”
Verse
16 “Then the eleven disciples went away
into Galilee ... where He appeared unto them.”
Verse
17 They saw Him. (resurrection day!)
Verse
18 Jesus came and spake unto them.
Verse
19 He gave them the Commission to
baptize “in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
Verse
20 The omission is to be noticed. It does not record the ascension.
Now
before going on, take note of the time element and the geography. The Matthew Commission was given on
resurrection day in Galilee.
Now
turn to Mark 16:15-17.
Mark 16:15-17
(15) And he said unto them, Go
ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
(16) He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
(17) And these signs shall
follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall
speak with new tongues;
Here
the commission is to PREACH the gospel to every creature.
Verse
19 “So then after the Lord has spoken
unto them, he was received up into Heaven and sat on the right hand of God.”
Verse
20 “And they went and preached
everywhere.” Prior to this, they had
only gone to the lost sheep of the house of
Acts
1 tells us that Jesus gave special instruction to the Apostles for forty days
after the resurrection and that instruction, no doubt, had to do with the
Apostles’ NEW position as the first to be placed into the Church (1 Corinthians
12:28).
Mark
In
Acts 1:2, our Lord is with the Apostles.
Acts
1:3, “to whom he showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible
proofs being seen of them for forty days.”
Acts
1:9, “When he had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up.” Again, this is the final ascension.
Thus
Acts 1 and Mark 16:19 and Luke 24:50-53 seem to be one and the same event, and
the instruction given was the LAST message before Jesus finally returned to
Heaven.
And
this brings us to another observation.
Acts 1:9-12
(9) And when he had spoken
these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out
of their sight.
(10) And while they looked
stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white
apparel;
(11) Which also said, Ye men of
Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up
from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into
heaven.
(12) Then returned they unto
Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's
journey.
Acts
1:9-12 identifies the place of the ascension as being the Mount of Olives. So the commission in Mark and Luke was given
on the
So
we are suggesting that there are two different commissions given at different
times, at different locations, for different reasons. We are also saying that there is a time
period of 40 days between these Commissions.
When
Jesus came the first time, were people being baptized in water? The answer is yes.
Who
was doing the baptizing? The answer:
John.
In
what period of history was it when John was baptizing? We reply: It was during the 69th week of
Daniel's prophecy (Daniel 9:26).
Daniel 9:26
(26) And after threescore and
two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the
prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end
thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are
determined.
What
did the candidates do when they submitted to John's baptism? They were identifying themselves with sinners
who were looking for their Messiah to come.
Luke 1:16-17
(16) And many of the children
of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
(17) And he shall go before him
in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the
children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people
prepared for the Lord
In
Luke 1:16, of John's ministry we read: “And
many of the children of Israel shall he (John) turn to the Lord their God.” Luke 1:17 continues, “And he shall go before
him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the
children and the disobedient (sinners) to the wisdom of the just, to make ready
a people for the Lord.”
And
we ask, how did John do this? We answer,
by water baptism and calling people to repentance.
Now
remember, John was baptizing during the weeks of Daniel. And if we have understood our Bibles, those
weeks are not yet finished. We believe
that the 70th week of Daniel is future.
We believe it is fully identified by Jesus as the time of the great
Tribulation which will come on earth just before Jesus returns to earth (Matthew
24:15-30).
And
because there was water baptism during the 69th week just before Jesus began
His ministry when He came the first time, so there will be water baptism again
during the 70th week, just before the Lord begins His reign on this earth. But that baptism will not be in the Name of
Jesus. Since the Ascension and until the
Rapture, we baptize in Jesus’ Name because this is the Church age. And during this age all believers are being
baptized into the body of Christ by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13).
In
our water baptism we are not confessing our sins, but we are being identified
with Jesus Christ, the Saviour, who has saved us from our sins. But those who get saved during the
tribulation are not going to be baptized in Jesus’ Name because in that period
of history those who are saved are no longer going to be part of the
Church. The baptism of John during the
69th week of Daniel introduced the First Coming of Messiah. The baptism in the 70th week will introduce
the Second Coming of Messiah.
And
because John foreshadowed the coming of Elijah, we believe that Elijah, who is
coming back (Malachi 4:5-6) will baptize also.
Malachi 4:5-6
(5) Behold, I will send you
Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
(6) And he shall turn the heart
of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers,
lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Malachi 4:5 “Behold I will send you Elijah the
prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” (That is
never the first coming)
Malachi 4:6 “And he shall turn the hearts of the
fathers to the children.” Exactly what
John did, Elijah will do. And if John
did so by baptism, is it not logical to believe that Elijah will do so by
baptism?
On
Ascension day, after teaching the Apostles for 40 days, Jesus ascended to
Heaven to found the Church, and He used the pen of the Apostle Paul to record
for us the doctrine of the Church and the Rapture of the Church.
And
after the Church is raptured, Matthew 28:19 will be proclaimed. There will be a declaration of the King and
the Coming of the Kingdom. We learn
these facts from many other Scriptures.
The Nations will hear the message and those who believe the testimony of
the two witnesses, Elijah and Moses, and perhaps the 144,000 Jews, will submit
to water baptism, no longer in the name of Jesus to be identified with the Church,
but with Elohim of the Old Testament who now has revealed Himself as Father,
Son and the Holy Spirit. And in that
Name, they, at that time, will be baptized.
We
conclude.
Mark is our commission. We are to preach the gospel. This is confirmed by the Apostle Paul, the
minister of the Church. The Church is a
called-out-group, commissioned to declare to all men the saving work of Christ
on their behalf.
Paul
is clear.
It
pleases God to save by the foolishness of preaching. Woe if we preach not. I rejoice that Christ is preached and so on.
If
we do what we are commissioned to do, believers will become followers of
Christ, and we will not need to follow-them up.
See 1 Thessalonians 2:14.
1 Thessalonians 2:14
(14) For ye, brethren, became followers
of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have
suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they [have] of the Jews:
They
became followers of us and of the Lord.
Anyone
who is into a discipleship doctrine today based on Matthew 28:19-20, in my
opinion, has missed the mark. The
Nations will be discipled in future days in a way they cannot be in these
days. And by future days I mean
Millennial days when things will be much different than they are today.