Providence and Preservation, Pt. 1

If it is true that God’s intervention today in the dispensation of grace is not in circumstances or in outward things, but in the inner man, then how do we explain the preservation of scripture?  Were the translators guided by their own understanding of scripture, or was God providentially guiding them? 

It was a lot easier for me to explain the inerrancy of scripture before coming to right division because I just believed that God supernaturally guided the KJB translators to put down the exact words that he wanted, and therefore it was the inspired word of God.  Nevertheless, I still believe that the King James Bible is the perfect word of God.  Do you have any thoughts on this?

It is God’s will that every human being have his word.  If it is his word, then it is perfect.  Brother Richard Jordan held a conference about the King James Bible in 2011.  I would commend that to you.  You can contact his ministry for conference materials:

http://www.shorewoodbiblechurch.org/contactus.html

The 400-year anniversary of the 1611 KJB was 2011.  The entire conference was about the word of God.  Brother Jordan has all types of manuscript evidence supporting the KJB, and there are other brothers’ websites that have more than enough material on the preservation of the word of God to study.  I also held a conference:  “We Have the Word of God.”   I just started in Genesis with Adam and Eve.

Christ said in his earthly ministry:

Matthew 4:4

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

God took John into the future and said this:

Revelation 22:18-19

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

If Christ the Lord who is the living Word of God tells us that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, it means that man should have it in order to do so.  If God is going to hold us responsible, we should have God’s word.

At the end of the Bible, God says, essentially, that if you add to it or subtract from it, I will get you.  How could someone do that if they didn’t have it?  God will preserve it.

Psalm 12:6-7

The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.  Thou shalt keep them, O Lord [notice the focus is on God keeping them], thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

Although God uses man as his instruments, it is God who promises to do it.  The psalmist says under the Spirit’s inspiration that God is saying, “I will keep my word.”

Psalm 138:2

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

He has magnified it and he will preserve it.  Look what our Apostle Paul has to say about it:

2 Timothy 3:15-17

And that from a child thou [Timothy] hast known the holy scriptures [Almighty God’s set-apart, written word; the Holy Scriptures; the sacred writ], which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

So we have to have all scripture in order to be who we are in Christ.

Galatians 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

We know from scripture that it is the will of God that all men have his perfect word.  Watch what Paul says:

1 Timothy 2:4

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Now if it is the will of God for all men to be saved, is it incumbent upon God to make the provision today for all men to be saved?  The answer is yes.  How did he make the provision?

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

How does he make it available?  Through the preaching of the gospel of grace through Paul.

Colossians 1:23

If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

2 Timothy 4:17

Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

So God did his part for all men to be saved.  Are all men being saved?  No.  Is the provision there?  Yes.

Romans 3:22

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

God’s will is that all men be saved; he makes the provision:   the cross of Christ, the preaching of the gospel.

1 Corinthians 1:21

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

That’s number one.

1 Timothy 2:4

Who will have all men to be [#1] saved, and [#2] to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

That’s number two.  If it is God’s will for every man to come unto the knowledge of the truth, isn’t it incumbent upon God to provide that truth for us?  Yes.  What is Truth?  It is the word of Almighty God, the Holy Scriptures.  We have them…every word, every jot and every tittle!

How can you explain the preservation of scripture based on the concept that God is presently working in the inner man?  By the principles we laid out in Ps. 12:6-7, 2 Tim. 3:16, 1 Tim. 2:4 and Matt. 4:4.

To be continued…

Jerusalem, Mother of Us All

I need help understanding Galatians 4:26, 28.

Galatians 4:26, 28

But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all…Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

From my understanding, Jerusalem pertains to Israel coming back in the New Jerusalem.  Here Paul says that it is the mother of us all.  Then in verse 28 Paul says we are as Isaac – the children of promise.  These two verses make it sound like we are heirs of it (Jerusalem) like Israel. 

Always remember that when you read a verse you must keep it in context; especially Galatians 4:26.  Notice that it begins with ‘but.’  When a verse starts with the word ‘but,’ it is obviously in contrast to what the writer just said.  So before we look at Galatians 4:26, let’s look at the context.

Galatians 4:21-28

²¹Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

The book of Galatians has to do with legalism—mixing Law and grace.  Paul gave these saints the grace message, but they allowed the Law to come in to be their governing body of doctrine.  Paul is getting on them because as he said in chapter 1, they were so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel which is not another (Gal. 1:6-7).  So Paul is getting on them because they’re mixing Law and grace.  That is a problem because we’re not under the law; we’re under grace (Rom. 6:14).  This is the dispensation of grace (Eph. 3:2).

So in that context, Paul is going to use an allegory.

²² For it is written [he tells them to look at what the Law is saying since they want to be under the Law], that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

God, through Paul, goes back to Genesis 16 and the story of Abraham (Abram) who has his wife Sarai and her handmaid Hagar.  The one, Hagar, is a bondmaid; the other, Sarai, is a freewoman.  One is in bondage; one is free.  That is the key: the Law represents bondage; grace represents freedom.

2 Corinthians 3:17

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

One is liberty; one is bondage.  Abraham had two sons.  One son (Isaac) comes out of freedom (Sarai).  He comes out of liberty.   One of Abraham’s sons (Ishmael) comes out of bondage.

²³ But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh;... 

When Abraham and Hagar had Ishmael, it was not the will of Almighty God; that was of Abraham’s flesh; that was of sinful flesh.  The fruit of that union was of the flesh.

...but he of the freewoman was by promise.

Isaac came directly from a promise given by Almighty God.  He was ‘born of the Spirit.’  God gave Abram and Sarai the ability to conceive Isaac (Rom. 4:19; Heb. 11:11, 12).  Isaac was by promise—free. 

²⁴ Which things are an allegory [they paint a picture]: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

The temporary Mosaic Covenant is represented by Hagar and Ishmael – Mount Sinai.

²⁵ For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia...

Hagar represents Mount Sinai where the Law and bondage was given.

 ...and answereth to Jerusalem which now is,

It pertains to Jerusalem in Paul’s day.  Jerusalem was then under the Romans and was in bondage physically, but more importantly it was in bondage spiritually.  They were under the curse of the Law; they were in bondage.  All these represent bondage and the Law:  Hagar, Ishmael, Mount Sinai, Jerusalem which was under Roman bondage and the bondage of the Law.

 and is in bondage with her children.

The Jews were in bondage under the Romans and to the Law.

²⁶ But Jerusalem [In contrast to the Jerusalem that was on the earth and in bondage under the Law] which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

The New Jerusalem which is above is free; there is no bondage in New Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:2

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Remember when Paul said that God separated him from his mother’s womb and called him by his grace in Galatians 1:15?  Paul wasn’t talking about his biological mother; he was talking about his mother Israel, particularly Jerusalem—the center for the Law.  God separated Paul out of that.

A mother represents the place from which life springs forth.

Genesis 3:20

And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

The life of freedom springs forth from where God is; he is in New Jerusalem.  That is why he says she is the mother of us all.  The ‘us all’ has to do with both Jews and Gentiles in the body of Christ.  He is talking about the grace believer today.

By the way, Paul quotes a lot of Old Testament passages because there are Jews in the Galatian assembly who were easily being drawn back into the Law.

²⁷ For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

²⁸ Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

God promised Abraham that he would multiply his seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand upon the sea shore:

Genesis 22:17

That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

What we now know looking back is that ‘as the stars of the heaven’ refers to the church the body of Christ.  Abraham’s seed would be in two spheres.  The ‘sand upon the sea shore’ is the earthly seed of Israel.  Remember that Romans 4 makes it clear that Abraham has a dual fathership.  He is the father of the Jewish people – the circumcision.  He is also the father of those who are uncircumcised.  God made a promise to Abraham before he was ever circumcised.

Romans 4:8-12

⁸Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin [whose iniquities are forgiven].  ⁹Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also…

Paul is asking the Jews in particular whether the Jews (the circumcision) were the only ones who would receive this blessedness, or would the uncircumcised gentiles receive it too?  Watch how he builds his case.

…for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

We do say that.  Abraham’s faith was accounted to him for righteousness (Gal. 3:6).  But watch what Paul does; he throws a monkey wrench into the Jews’ thinking by asking when God did that.  When did Almighty God reckon our father Abraham’s faith to him as righteousness?  Did it come before he was circumcised or after?  Paul is going to remind the Jewish reader that when God counted Abraham as righteous, it wasn’t after he was circumcised.  The Jews rested in their circumcision.  He says no it wasn’t after he was circumcised; it was before.

¹⁰ How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision?

When did God reckon his faith as righteousness?  Before he was circumcised?  Paul says before.

...Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

When God reckoned Abraham righteous he was an uncircumcised gentile.  He says that the whole reason God gave circumcision in the first place was for a token or sign of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was yet uncircumcised.  The point of giving Abraham circumcision in the flesh made by hands (Eph. 2:11) was to show that even before he was circumcised, he had faith.  So Paul is taking us back to the original faith of Abraham in uncircumcision.  That is what we are as gentiles (the uncircumcision).

¹¹ And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: [here is the purpose] that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised [gentiles]; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

¹² And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

Even the Jews (the circumcision) had to follow in the faith footsteps of father Abraham’s faith – not his faith after circumcision, but his faith before.  Interesting!  That is how Paul presents it.  James presents it a little bit differently (James 2:21-23); but you have to rightly divide the two operating principals.  One is the focus of Paul’s epistles in the dispensation of grace and the other is from James who was under the Law.

+ + + +

So Abraham has a dual fatherhood, but ‘mother of us all’ has to do with the New Jerusalem.

Galatians 4:26

But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

You stated that Jerusalem pertains to Israel; that is true for the earthly Jerusalem.  And it is true that the New Jerusalem will also be made available to the nation of Israel.

Revelation 21:9-10

And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

When we rightly divide God’s word we know from the mystery that the New Jerusalem is not only reserved for the people of Israel.  If we focus only on Prophecy outside of Paul’s epistles, we see that it is associated with the Jew.  But now we have further truth from Paul about New Jerusalem.

We know from John that it extends 1,500 miles into the heavenly places (Rev. 21:16).  It is probably shaped like a pyramid similar to a mountain.  It is called Mt. Zion (Ps. 48:2).  What I see from scripture is that we will live in the New Jerusalem.

Ephesians 2:19

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

God the Father lives at the very top of the New Jerusalem.  Zion literally means the highest point.  The body of Christ will live with him near his throne in his temple.  We know through the revelation of the mystery that New Jerusalem is not just associated with Israel, but also with the body of Christ; we will share it.  We will live in the penthouse section at the top.  Israel will occupy the lower part of New Jerusalem on the earth.

Galatians 4:28

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

Just like God promised Abraham and Sarah a child and he made it happen; we too are the children of promise—the multiplied seed as the stars of the heaven.  Both Israel and the body of Christ are a part of the household of God.  We will both live with our Lord in New Jerusalem.  Our Father lives in the city called New Jerusalem.

Hebrews 11:10

For he [Abraham] looked for a city [New Jerusalem] which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

And we will too.  I want you to understand that in prophecy, Israel is the focus in regard to Jerusalem (the city of Jehovah’s peace).  In the mystery, we too will be a part of it because we will live with our Father.  New Jerusalem will not be exclusive to Israel because we are part of the household of God with them.  One part is for the heavens, the body of Christ; and the other part, Israel, is for the earth.

Hopefully this helps!

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Northern California Grace Fellowship

Do you have a question for Pastor Ron?

Hebrews' authorship

I love your study series of the book of Hebrews.  I have always read Hebrews as if Paul was writing to believers in this current age of grace; so obviously I am in the process of untangling a lot of bad teaching.  Do you believe that Paul wrote Hebrews, because if he didn’t, that changes everything!

Of course we know that first and foremost, God wrote the book of Hebrews.  We know from our Sunday series in Hebrews that Paul wrote 13 epistles (Romans through Philemon) and that he began each one with his name.

Romans 1:1

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

Although many bibles label Hebrews as ‘The Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews,’ that is just something that man added.  It is not part of scripture; the publishers added it to “help” readers.  If Paul did write Hebrews, God did not want it to be known.  People speculate, but I don’t believe that he did.  The writer of Hebrews includes himself in the doctrine of the book of Hebrews.

Hebrews 1:1-2; Hebrews 2:1

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

A lot of that doctrine is about falling away from the Lord—a warning that pertains to the performance-based acceptance system that God had placed the nation of Israel under.

Hebrews 6:6

If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

In his epistles, our Apostle Paul includes himself with us the church the body of Christ; we are saved by God’s pure grace, no works.

Ephesians 2:5

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Romans 4:24-25

But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

We have justification unto eternal life.

Romans 5:21

That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Titus 3:7

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

So obviously the doctrine of Hebrews doesn’t fit in with Paul’s 13 epistles.  He begins them all with “Paul;” but the book of Hebrews begins with “God.”

Hebrews 1:1

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

God wrote it and he didn’t want the human author to be known.  Most people believe that Paul wrote Hebrews because bible publishers say that he did.

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You went on to say, “I believe a Jew other than Paul wrote this around 66 A.D. to the Little Flock, not knowing about the dispensation of grace, but thinking that the Kingdom was quickly approaching and was preparing the Jewish people for what was to come.”

That is true; the writer would be a Jew—a Hebrew. 

There is a lot of speculation about when it was written.  That topic is debatable and not the real issue.  Rather, the issue is where it fits in with the rest of scripture.  Hebrews does not take into account the dispensation of grace, and that is another reason why I don’t believe that Paul authored it.

Ephesians 3:1-2

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

God gave Paul the dispensation of grace.

1 Corinthians 9:17

For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel [of grace] is committed unto me.

The focus of Hebrews is not the dispensation of grace.  Like all the other Hebrew epistles outside of Paul (James through Revelation), it is written without the dispensation of grace in view.  In fact, the books of Hebrews through Revelation fit a time future to us. (These are the books Jews will have to study….rightly divided…after the catching away of the body of Christ. They will not obtain salvation by Paul’s gospel through grace, but will once again be under the performance-based acceptance system—Law. ‘Wrongly dividing’ can be hazardous to one’s spiritual well-being.)  

All of God’s word is for us and for our learning.

Romans 15:4

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

2 Timothy 3:16

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Hopefully this helps!  

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Northern California Grace Fellowship

Do you have a question for Pastor Ron?

 Heir of God or Joint-Heirs with Christ? 

Wrongly Deriding Joint-heirs with Christ

How God Works Today

Is it correct that God’s intervention today in the dispensation of grace is not in circumstances or in outward things, but in the inner man? 

That is true up to a point.  God does not directly, supernaturally intervene in circumstances the way he did in Time Past.  But when we read the Apostle Paul, there is no doubt that God does intervene indirectly as he works through the saints.  As his word works in the saints it does have an outward effect.

As a dear brother in Southern California has said: “We are his body; he is our mind.”  So God does indirectly intervene on the stage of human history through his word working in people.

For example, if a saint has a need and lets it be known to other saints who are in Christ and who believe the doctrine and desire the life of Christ to work through them, circumstances will be affected.

Galatians 6:2

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

God’s word working in saints affects their own circumstances and others’; it affects outward things.

If you have a need and you contact me through this internet ministry and I respond back to you through a communication like this, I am fulfilling a need for you that will affect your circumstance.  It is based upon my understanding the doctrine so that I will be able to edify you.  It begins in the inner man.

Ephesians 3:16

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

1 Thessalonians 1:3

Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

Your work of faith is you getting the doctrine in and God stablishing you by the doctrine.

Romans 16:25

Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

Ephesians 4:16

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

As saints do their part they affect the circumstances of others; outward things are affected.  Paul gets on the Corinthians’ case for not doing that (1 Cor. 11).  They were supposed to tarry one for another, but they were being selfish and not using the gifts God gave them to bless other saints.

Romans 12:8

Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Do these things.  Work out your salvation.

Philippians 2:12

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

So again, God does not supernaturally, directly intervene in circumstances and outward things; but he does intervene through the saints who are operating in the truth.

So don’t limit God’s intervention to the inner man; it is the inner working first. First, you are to get the word in you and then translate it into a labor of love.  That is the work of faith.

Galatians 5:13

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh [your own selfish purposes], but by love serve one another.

Galatians 6:2

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:10

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

All three chapters of Titus are about good works.

Titus 2:7, 14; 3:8

In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.  This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Ephesians 2:10

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

So God is intervening (spiritually) to change circumstances indirectly through the working of his word through the saints—living creatures who are his body.  We are his body; he is our mind. That is called providence.

Hopefully this helps! 

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Northern California Grace Fellowship

Do you have a question for Pastor Ron?

 Heir of God or Joint-Heirs with Christ? 

Wrongly Deriding Joint-heirs with Christ

Baptism is Essential

I believe that baptism is essential for salvation.  Without being baptized, how can one have their sins washed away?  The water in baptism symbolizes the blood of Christ washing away our sins.  Without our sins being washed away we are spiritually dead because sin separates us from God.  In baptism we are united to Christ and are raised with him to walk in newness of life and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

I agree that baptism is essential for salvation, but what I need you to explain to me is which baptism are you talking about?  In the bible there are at least 12 different baptisms.  I believe that you are speaking about water baptism.  I am familiar with the Church of Christ.  Some of my brothers in Christ have come from a Church of Christ background; I know much about it.  I am originally from Chicago, IL where Jeremiah Wright is a Church of Christ preacher.  I had attended his assembly when I was growing up.  I know exactly what the doctrine of the Church of Christ is—particularly the issue of water baptism for salvation.

I will challenge you, as I have challenged others in the past including brothers who have come out of the Church of Christ, in the issue of whether or not water baptism is essential for salvation.

What I want to show you first and foremost is that every time the word ‘baptism’ is used in the bible, it is not referring to water.

Matthew 3:11

I [John the Baptist] indeed baptize you [the nation of Israel] with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

In that one verse there are three different baptisms.  There is the baptism with water; the baptism with the Holy Ghost; and the baptism with fire.

John baptizes Israel with water.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the one who will baptize Israel with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

When someone says ‘baptism,’ I know they mean water.  But understand that in the bible baptism is more than just water.

1 Corinthians 15:29

Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

Here is another example. The Lord Jesus speaks about this issue of baptism for the dead in the Gospels.

Mark 10:38

But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?

He is speaking of his death.  We see that every time the bible uses the word ‘baptism’ it does not automatically mean water.  Why is that important?  Because there are verses that are wrongly interpreted as water baptism. 

We must rightly divide truth from truth.  That is why you are confused about baptism.

2 Timothy 2:15

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

We will look at what our apostle Paul has to say about baptism today in the dispensation of grace.  Paul is Christ’s chosen vessel:

Acts 9:15

But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

Paul is the apostle to the gentiles:

Romans 11:13

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

Paul is the apostle of grace; we live in the age of grace.

Ephesians 3:1-5

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:  How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages [but now we live in the age of grace that began with Paul (1 Tim. 1:15-16)] was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

So the information given to the Apostle Paul in his 13 books, Romans through Philemon, was previously not known.  Paul is the apostle, the sent one, of Jesus Christ to the gentiles, to the body of Christ.

We have seen that there are three different baptisms in just one verse (Matt. 3:11), but Paul the apostle of grace says that now there is only one baptism.

Ephesians 4:4-5

There is one body [the body of Christ], and one Spirit [the Spirit of God], even as ye are called in one hope of your calling [the heavenly places]; One Lord [the Lord Jesus Christ], one faith [the information given to Paul – one doctrine], one baptism,

What is that one baptism?  The Church of Christ believes that one baptism is water.  But we know from scripture that there are as many as 12 types of baptism.  We know from Ephesians 4:5 that there is only one type of baptism for the church the body of Christ, so what is it?  Is it water?

If baptism is a part of salvation for the grace believer, why would Paul say this:

1 Corinthians 1:17

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.

Paul says that Christ sent him “not to baptize.”  Paul is the only apostle who can say that.  Peter, James, John and the rest of the 12 apostles to Israel were sent out to baptize.

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:

Mark 16:15-16

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Even as late as Acts 2, Peter tells Israel to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.

Acts 2:38

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

So water baptism was a part of Israel’s program and it was a part of the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom.  But as you know, the gospel of that earthly kingdom of Christ on the earth has nothing to do with Paul’s gospel.  We can see that when we rightly divide the word of truth.

Acts 20:24

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus [he received it in Acts 9], to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

Paul’s gospel in this dispensation of grace is called the gospel of the grace of God.  That is not the same as the Gospel of the kingdom.  You have to rightly divide the word.  Paul’s gospel has nothing to do with water baptism.  That is why Paul is the only apostle who can say that Christ sent him not to baptize.  Peter couldn’t say that.  When Peter went out to preach the gospel of the kingdom, water baptism was a part of it (Acts 2:38).

Even as late as Acts 10 when Peter spoke to Cornelius he says:

Acts 10:47

Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost [past tense] as well as we?

Peter’s gospel of the kingdom included water; but that is not what God is doing today with gentiles.

Romans 11:13

For I [Paul] speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

So you need to rightly divide the word of truth.  We saw in 1 Cor. 1:17  that Christ sent Paul “not to baptize,” but to preach the gospel.  No other apostle could say that Christ sent him to preach the gospel, but not baptize.

If water baptism, as you think it is, is the one baptism, what about 1 Corinthians 12?  When Paul says that Christ sent him not to baptize, he is talking about water baptism.

1 Corinthians 12:13

For by one Spirit are we [believers today in the dispensation of grace] 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.

Notice that this is not something man does; it is something God does.  This baptism is by the Spirit of God.  It is not even the baptism John spoke about in Matthew 3:11.  John said that the Messiah would baptize Israel.  The baptism in 1 Cor. 12:13 is not done by the Messiah, rather the Spirit of God performs a spiritual baptism.  Water is not the issue today.

If you believe that the one baptism of Ephesians 4:5 is water, what do you do with this verse which says for by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body? That is not something man does; but rather something the Spirit of God accomplishes.

So I agree with you; I believe that baptism is essential for salvation.  But where I disagree with you and the Church of Christ is that the one baptism is not water; it is the Spirit. 

You asked how someone can have their sins washed away without water baptism.   You wrote, “The water in baptism symbolizes the blood of Christ washing away our sins.”  Well, that is not true.  It did do that for the nation of Israel before the cross when the water baptism that God required for Israel symbolized the blood of Christ washing away their sins; but water does not wash away our sins today.  Let me show you what does wash away our sins.  It is not water that only symbolized the blood; it is the actual blood that was shed at Calvary.

When you rightly divide the word, and more importantly when you get into Paul’s epistles where believers in the dispensation of grace need to be, you will see these things.  What Israel possessed symbolically with water, we in the body of Christ have in truth as a present possession. 

You wrote that water symbolizes the blood of Christ, but let’s look at what Paul says in Titus.

Titus 3:5-7

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Notice that it is according to the washing of regeneration.  What is that?

Colossians 1:14

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

So in time past before the cross, before the Lord Jesus Christ shed his blood, Israel had water baptism.  They had to be washed; but now according to the Apostle Paul, you and I don’t need a symbol of the blood of Christ washing away our sins; we actually have the shed blood.

Ephesians 1:7

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Notice that his grace is his blood shed on our behalf.  We don’t need a water baptism ceremony because now we have the blood of Christ.

Romans 3:25

[Christ] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

What we see is that now we have what water baptism once symbolized (the blood of Christ) because he shed his blood on the cross.  That is Paul’s message.  Go back with me to 1 Corinthians 1and it will begin to make sense to you that Christ did not send Paul to baptize.

1 Corinthians 1:17-18

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel [What Gospel?  The cross]: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

Now we don’t have to preach water baptism; we preach the cross of Christ.

…For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;

Those who perish, those who are lost, think that the cross by itself is foolishness; they think they need to add something to it.

…but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

We are saved by the cross of Christ and nothing else.  That one baptism of Ephesians 4:5 is not water; but it is a spiritual baptism that water once only symbolized – our death, burial and resurrection with Christ (our identification with Christ).  But now the Spirit of God identifies us with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ without water.

I believe that baptism is essential for salvation – Spirit baptism; but if water baptism is essential for salvation, then how did Cornelius and his house get saved before they were water baptized?  There is a dear brother in the Lord who came from the Church of Christ who was convinced by this verse.

Acts 10:44-47

While Peter yet spake these words [about Jesus Christ and his death, burial and resurrection], the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

So the Spirit of God fell on all those gentiles.

And they of the circumcision [the Jews with Peter] 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. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

(Now mind you, these gentiles received the Holy Ghost before they were baptized; but Peter said this to the Jews in Acts 2:38. They were supposed to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost after they were water baptized; so why did these gentiles in Acts 10 receive the Holy Ghost before they were water baptized?  According to your doctrine, it only happens afterwards.)

What I want you to see is that this is the first time in the water baptism program of the earthly ministry of Christ that anyone received the Spirit of God before they were baptized.  This event in Acts 10 is after Paul’s salvation in Acts 9 when God changed the program.  For the first time in human history someone received the Holy Ghost (gentiles, no less) before being water baptized.  I am showing you that water baptism was not a requirement after Paul.  These gentiles received the Spirit of God before they were water baptized.  Peter didn’t know that water baptism was no longer required and that is why he still water baptized them; but notice that he did it after they were saved and not before. 

Today in the dispensation of grace we don’t need water baptism – a ritual performed by man.  What men needed to do in Israel as a symbol of the blood of Christ before his death on the cross, we now have through the Spirit of God and the preaching of the blood of Christ on the cross—Paul’s gospel of grace.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Acts 20:24

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

Hopefully this helps!  

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