Bearer's of the mind sword.

legality of using these articles.

AUTHOR: Rev J.A.McBean Sr

Copyright C 1998 Library of Congress Washington.D.C.20559

P aul taught the "doctrine of baptisms" (Heb. 6:2). There are five different elements people have been baptized or immersed into. The seven baptisms and the five different elements used in baptism are as follows:

1. The baptism "unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea"

(1 Cor. 10:2). This refers to the crossing of the Red Sea when Israel was hid from Pharaoh in the sea on both sides and the cloud in front and back and all over them to protect them from the Egyptians. They were completely covered by the clouds and went through the sea. This was a true baptism in the cloud and in the sea. Cloud and water are the elements used in this baptism.

2. John's baptism in water

(Mt. 3; Lk. 3; Acts 1:5; 19:3-4). This was immersion in water (Mt. 3:16; Mk. 1:10).

3. Christ's baptism in water

(Jn. 3:22-23; 4:1-2). These last two baptisms were not continued, because they were in the name of the Father only and not in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, as Jesus authorized in Mt. 28:18-20. Both John and Jesus did work in the name of the Father only (Jn. 17:31-34; 5:43; 10:25; 17:1-6). Paul rebaptized the disciples of John thus proving that baptism in the Father's name only was not recognized after Christ died (Acts 19:1-7).

4. Baptism of suffering

(Lk. 12:50). This was a baptism that Christ was yet to be baptized with after He spoke of it in this passage. It refers to His sufferings and the element He was to be baptized into speaks of the overwhelming agonies that He was to go through in taking the sins and sicknesses of the race (Isa. 52:14; 53:1-12; Mt. 8:17; Lk. 22:44; 1 Pet. 2:24).

5. Baptism "into Christ" and into His body, the church

(Rom. 6:4; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27; Eph. 4:5; Col. 2:12). These Scriptures have been taken to refer to water baptism but not one of them mentions water as the element the believer is baptized into. If they referred to water baptism it would read "buried with him by baptism into water" but they plainly say "baptism into Christ," "baptized into one body," and "baptized into Christ." In Col. 2:12, Paul says men are saved by being "buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through faith of the operation of God" and not through water administered by man. Whatever baptism this passage refers to, it is one by "the operation of God" and not through the operation of man. It, therefore, could not possibly refer to water baptism by man.

If these Scriptures speak of being "baptized into Christ" and "into one body" the body of Christ, which is the church, then the element the believer is baptized into is not water but Christ and His body. If we take these passages to refer to water baptism we make Christ and His church mere water. Is Christ water? Is His body water? If not, then Christ and His body are the elements believers are baptized into and not water. We must not insert a meaning into any Scripture that is not there, to teach something contrary to what is plainly written. Water baptism does not bring one into Christ or into His body. Man has nothing to do in this operation. It is solely an operation of God by the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, water baptism is not by God, Christ, or the Holy Spirit, but solely by man.

6. Christian water baptism

(Mt. 28:19; Mk. 16:15; Acts 2:38, 41; 8:12-16, 36-38; 9:18; l0:44-48; 16:15, 33; 18:8; 19:1-5; 22:16; 1 Cor. 1:13-17; 1 Pet. 3:21). These 15 passages are all the Scriptures teaching water baptism. The element used is water and the administrator is man. Candidates are supposed to be already saved and disciples of Christ (Mt. 28:19). Water baptism testifies outwardly of an inward work and is merely a "figure" (l Pet. 3:21) and a "witness" of the change previously made in the life of a candidate through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 5:6-10).

Water baptism does not remit sins. This is a work of God and a gift through faith (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 15:8-9). It is faith in the blood of Christ that remits sins, not water administered by man (Rom. 3:24-25; Eph. 1:7; Rev. 1:5; 1 Jn. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:18-23). Men have been and will yet be saved before and without water baptism.

All Old Testament saints before John the Baptist were saved before and without water baptism. Many were saved from sin during the ministry of Christ before and without water baptism (Mt. 9:1-8; Lk. 7:36-50; 18:9-14; 19:1-9; 23:43; Jn. 4:49-53). Since the day of Pentecost many were saved from sin and some even baptized in the Holy Spirit before and without water baptism (Acts 9:17-18; 10:44-48; 11:14-18; 15:7-11). These last three passages state that Cornelius and his house were not saved until Peter preached to them. Then while hearing the Word the Holy Ghost fell on them as at Pentecost and only then was the question of water baptism brought up. Even Christ was baptized in water as a witness and a testimony of His own death, burial, and resurrection. He had no sins to remit by water. He is our example so if water did not remit His sins it does not remit ours (1 Pet. 2:21).

The "water" of the new birth of Jn. 3:5 does not refer to literal water, but to spiritual water of the Word, as proven in Jn. 16:3; 17:17; Eph. 5:26; 1 Pet. 1:18-23; Rom. 1:16; Jas. 1:18. These passages state that the new birth is by the Spirit and the Word of God. Water is used in a spiritual sense in Jn. 4:14; 7:37-39, etc. Since it is used in a spiritual sense and since Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus of a spiritual birth and of "heavenly things" it is very clear that the water of Jn. 3:5 could not refer to literal water.

7. Baptism in the Holy Spirit

(Mt. 3:11-16; 20:20-23; Lk. 24:49; Jn. 1:31-34; 3:34; 7:37-39; 14:12-17; Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-4, 33, 38-39; 5:32; 8:14-22; 9:17; 10:38, 44-48; 11:14-18; 19:1-7; Rom. 15:29; Gal. 3:1-3, 14; Eph. 3:19; 2 Tim. 1:7; Heb. 6:2; Isa. 11:2; 28:9-11; 42:1-7; 61:1; Joel 2:28-29; Hab. 1:5).

XI. Three Baptisms for Believers

There are three baptisms for believers in Christ. They are the last three of the seven mentioned above. The first four are not for Christians today for they have been done away with, for reasons we have stated above. Note the following facts concerning the three baptisms:

1. The Agents, Elements, and Candidates

The three agents who administer the three baptisms are: the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, and the minister. The three elements are: Christ, the Holy Spirit, and water. The candidates in all three baptisms are: the believers of the gospel.

The Holy Spirit is the agent that baptizes the believer "into Christ" and "into one body," the church, which is the body of Christ: "For by one Spirit [the agent] are we all [believers] baptized into one body [the element], whether we be Jews or Gentiles" (1 Cor. 12:13). This is called being baptized "into Christ," not into water or into the Holy Spirit, and refers to the saving of the soul by the Spirit and the Word of God and of making one a member of Christ and His Body, the church (Rom. 6:4; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12).

This is the "one baptism" of Eph. 4:5 for it is the only one of the three baptisms for believers that saves the soul and brings us into the one body of Christ that Paul is speaking of in Eph. 4. This baptism "into Christ" by the Spirit is the only one absolutely essential to the salvation of the soul. A person must obtain this baptism before he is a fit candidate for the other two baptisms, the baptism into the Spirit and the baptism into water. This baptism is solely a work of God by the Spirit and by the water of the Word of God, and not of man. It is the same as the new birth of Jn. 3:5.

Christ is the agent that baptizes the believer into the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist said, "He [Christ, the agent] shall baptize you [believers] with the Holy Ghost" (the element, Mt. 3:11; Jn. 1:31-34). Ministers are the agents who baptize believers into water (Mt. 28:19). This kind of baptism is solely a work of man, and not of God.

2. Scriptural Order of the Three Baptisms

The Holy Spirit baptism can take place both before and after water baptism, but always after baptism into Christ and His body, the church. It is only for saved men (Lk. 11:13; Jn. 7:37-39; 14:17; Acts 2:38-39; 5:32) It can be received whether one is baptized in water or not, as proven in the cases of Paul and the Gentiles (Acts 9:17-18; 10:44-48; 11:14-18; 15:7-11). Others received this baptism after baptism in water (Mt. 3:16; Acts. 1:4-8; 2:1-4; 8:12-25; 19:1-7). It is, therefore, proper to baptize one in water before or after he is baptized in the Spirit, but never before he is baptized into Christ and is a member of the body of Christ by the new birth.

3. The Purpose of the Three Baptisms

The purpose of the baptism into Christ and into the body of Christ is to save the soul. It is the only baptism essential to salvation. The purpose of baptism into water is to witness to the reality of salvation and is essential only to obedience and to testimony after one is truly saved.

The sole purpose of the Spirit baptism is to endue men fully with power to do the works of Christ, and even greater works than He did (Jn. 14:12; Lk. 24:49; Acts 1:4-8); to carry on the work that Jesus began "both to do and to teach" (Acts 1:1-2, 4-8; Mt. 28:20); to confirm the Word of God among men (Mk. 16:15-20; Heb. 2:3-4); to give men the Spirit of God without measure and in all fulness (Jn. 7:37-39; 14:12; Rom. 15:29; Eph. 3:19); to anoint men fully to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and the recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord (Isa. 61:1-2; Lk. 4:16-21); to cast out devils, to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people, and to take God's salvation to the ends of the Earth (Mt. 10:7-8; 11:2-6; 12:17-21; Mk. 16:15-20; Jn. 14:12; Acts 1:8); and the blessings enjoyed by men in Old Testament times who had the Holy Spirit only by measure (2 Cor. 3:6-11; Heb. 8:6; Jn. 14:12; Rom. 15:29; 1 Cor. 1:7; 2:4-5; 4:18-21; 2 Cor. 10:3-11; Eph. 3:19; 6:10-18; 1 Thess. 1:5; Heb. 2:3-4; Mk. 16:15-20; Acts 1:4-8).

XII. What the Baptism of the Spirit Really Is

It is the immersion or burial of the believer in the Spirit at which time he receives the Spirit in his life "without measure" and not just "by measure" as men received before Pentecost. It is the full anointing of the Spirit that Christ received and demonstrated on Earth (Isa. 11:1-2; 42:1-7; 61:1-2; Mt. 11:4-6; 12:18; Lk. 4:16-21; Jn. 3:34; 14:12; Acts 10:38).

It is the Spirit coming in, upon, filling, overwhelming, infusing, anointing, and enduing with full and complete power to do the works of God among men, and not just a measure, as in Old Testament days. It is the Spirit taking full possession of the believer to live, speak, and work through him in the same degree that was manifested through Christ and the apostles. It is the fulness of what men had in part before Pentecost. It is more than a mere "filling." It is a baptism as well as a filling of the Spirit.

XIII. A "Filling" and a "Baptism" Illustrated

The difference between a "filling" and a "baptism" in the Spirit, or the Spirit "by measure" and "without measure" may be illustrated by a glass and a pitcher of water. To the extent water is poured into a glass it is filled. A person can fill a glass by pouring different measures into it at different times, or he can fill it at one pouring. He can keep pouring until the glass is full and running over and still it is not baptized. It is only full and running over. But if a person takes the glass and immerses or buries it in the fulness of water it is both filled and baptized. This explains how the disciples were all "filled" (Acts 2:4) as well as "baptized" in the Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 1:4-5). A filling always accompanies a baptism, but a baptism does not accompany a mere filling.

A poison so "filled" and "baptized" must keep that way, for the minute he gets out of the "fulness" of the Holy Spirit and lives in self, or lives as he lived before, he is not baptized in the Spirit any more than the glass would be baptized in water if taken out of the water. Like the glass, it is possible to get un-baptized and still retain a "measure" or be more or less "filled" with the Spirit as before being baptized in the fulness of God. Christ kept himself baptized in the Spirit by prayer and daily yielding to God for more virtue and power to bless all who came to Him (Mt. 14:23; Lk. 5:16; 6:12; 9:18). The disciples also lived in prayer and received new infillings and anointings from time to time (Acts 4:21; 6:4). They gave themselves continually to the ministry of the Word and prayer (Acts 6:2-4).

XIV. The Biblical Doctrine of Interpenetration

The Bible does not teach that Satan, the Holy Spirit, Christ, or God ever comes into and dwells in any man in the sense of incarnation. This means that they always exist as separate persons outside of man and never enter bodily into him to dwell. They all have their own separate and personal bodies, souls, and spirits, and could no enter into anyone bodily. They all dwell in man in a different sense entirely. They dwell in man only in the sense of union with him to a common purpose in life. They are all spoken of in Scripture as dwelling in man, but the idea is that of union with, consecration to the same end, and becoming one in life, working together to accomplish a mutual purpose and plan.

Men are spoken of as being "in Christ" and Christ being in them (2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 1:27; Rom. 8:10). Both man and the Holy Spirit are spoken of as being in each other (Rom. 8:9). Both Christ and God are spoken of as being in each other (2 Cor. 5:17; Jn. 14:10-11, 20). Man is spoken of as being in both the Father and the Son (1 Jn. 2:24). Both sin and Satan are spoken of as being in man and as dwelling in each other (Rom. 7:7-25; Lk. 22:3; Jn. 13:27: 1 Jn. 4:4; Col. 3:7; Rom. 6:1; 8:9).

The word "inter-penetrate," or dwelling in each other, could not possibly mean getting on the inside of each other bodily. It means "to penetrate within or between;" "to permeate;" "to penetrate each other." It is a word used to describe the union of two persons so that they are considered as being in and dwelling in each other. Since the idea could not be that of bodies getting on the inside of each other, it must mean the union of spirits, natures, wills, ideals, purposes, plans, acts, thoughts, and desires. It means the blending of persons together who are consecrated to the same end in life (Eph. 3:17; 1 Cor. 6:17; Heb. 2:11).

It is the same idea as when a man and woman become "one flesh" when "joined together" (Gen. 2:24; Mt. 19:5); when thousands of people become "one people" (Gen. 11:6); when many bodies become "one body" (Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 10:17; 12:12-28); when many minds become "one mind" (Rom. 15:6; Phil. 2:2); when many spirits become "one spirit" (1 Cor. 6:17; Phil. 1:27); and when many men become "one man" (Eph. 2:14-15; 4:13).

No person loses his own personal body, soul, and spirit in order to become "one" with, or to be "in" others. Being "in" each other does not depend on bodily contact, neither is it made ineffective by distance. Two or more people can live in each other and the union may be complete regardless of bodily contact or distance from each other. Paul said of the Philippians, "I have you in my heart" (Phil. 1:7). and of the Corinthians, "ye are in our hearts to die and live with you" (2 Cor. 7:3). Are we to understand such to mean that all the Philippians and Corinthians were in Paul bodily? If we understand what dwelling in each other means in connection with man, let us understand the same truth when it speaks of Satan, the Holy Spirit, Christ, and God as being in man.

Men control each other to the extent of oneness with each other, or consecration to the same end in life. So it is with man and God, or man and Satan who control men to the extent of union with them to the same end in life. Union with either God or Satan results in fulfilling the end to which both are consecrated.

Thus it becomes clear how the Holy Spirit dwells in man, and how one can have God in a measure or in all fulness. To the extent a man is consecrated to God and is one with Him, to that extent he is filled with the Spirit. To the extent one is filled with the Spirit he is in union with the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit dwells in him. Thus if one has only a measure of the Spirit he is not fully possessed by the Spirit, or baptized in all the fulness of God. When one is baptized in the Spirit the union and oneness of man and God are complete. The whole life of such a man is wholly surrendered and yielded to God and totally consecrated to do the whole will of God. He is fully sanctified (set apart unto God) and prepared unto every good work (2 Tim. 2:21). His bodily members, his soul passions, feelings, desires, and appetites, and his spirit faculties are members of righteousness and instruments of divinity to accomplish the works of Christ among men.

XV. Bible Evidences of the Spirit Baptism In the Life of Christ

The evidences of the Spirit baptism are very clear from prophecy, promise, and history. First, we will sum up the entire body of evidence by recognizing them in full as they existed in the life of Christ, the first to be baptized in the fulness of God. Since Christ is our example in all things, we should not ignore the biblical evidences of the Spirit baptism in His life if we really want to understand them. We should accept His Spirit baptism and all its evidences as the true biblical pattern for all men who seek to be baptized in the Holy Spirit.

As human beings, it is natural to hide our failures and lack of power behind the fact that Christ was God manifest in the flesh. It is argued that He naturally had more power with God than any “normal” human being could ever have. We are prone to attribute all Christ's anointing and power to the fact that He was a member of the Divine Trinity. After all, it is argued, He had, as a natural attribute, all this power to begin with. Furthermore, many assume that He did not need to have the help of God or God’s anointing in His life to do the works that He did.

This is one of the greatest deceptions used by the Devil and his agents to rob Christians of the truths that will not only set them free, but will give them mastery over the devil and his demonic forces. The Bible teaches that, apart from the baptism of the Spirit, Christ was as helpless as any human being. It is this same Spirit baptism that all men can have through the gospel. Note the following facts that abundantly prove this:

1. Christ laid aside His God-form, including the natural and all-powerful attributes of God and all the glory He had with the Father before the world was created, and limited Himself by taking human-form and all its limitations during the days of His flesh (Phil. 2:5-11); He was made of a woman (Gal. 4:4), in the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom. 8:3), and became God's Son. His sonship always refers to humanity and never to deity (Lk. 1:32-35; Jn. 1:14; Mt. 1:18-25; Ps. 2:7, 12; Heb. 1:5-7; 5:5-10; 10:5-14). He was made lower than the angels and took on Him the full nature of man. "In all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren," to live like they should live, and be anointed with the Holy Spirit like they should be, so as to prove to all men that by the same means of grace and anointing of the Spirit they could live like Him and do His works (Heb. 2:9-18; 5:8-9; 1 Pet. 2:21).

2. Jesus was born with no more power, wisdom, knowledge, or divine power than any other newborn baby.

He was virgin-born and grew in knowledge and wisdom and in every way as any other child (Isa. 7:14-16; 11:1; 50:4-11; 53:1-12; Ps. 119:97-104; Lk. 2:40, 52; Heb. 1:5-7; 2:9-18; 5:8-9).

3. He was still limited in knowledge when a grown man

(Mk. 13:32). It was not until after His exaltation that He had His original glory restored to Him and received the Revelation to give to us (Jn. 17:5; Rev. 1:1). He received all power from God only after His resurrection (Mt. 28:18).

4. Jesus claimed no personal divine attributes or powers while in the days of his flesh.

All He claimed was that He had the full anointing of the Spirit to do His miraculous works (Mt. 12:28; Lk. 4:16-21). This is all that the apostles claimed for Him (Jn. 3:34; Acts 10:38). The prophets predicted this would be the source of His power (Isa. 11:2; 42:1-7; 48:16; 61:1). History records that He received the Holy Spirit and exercised the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit in all fulness (Mt. 3:16-17; 12:22-32; 20:22; Lk. 4:16-21; Jn. 3:34; Acts 10:38; Rev. 5:6).

5. Jesus did no miracle until His anointing with the Holy Spirit and power when he was thirty years old

(Jn. 2:11; Lk. 4:16-21; Acts 10:38). God "gave" Him the Holy Spirit "without measure" and made Him responsible to do the will of God (Jn. 3:34-35). God committed all judgment to Him (Jn. 5:22), gave Him self-existent life (Jn. 5:26-27), and power over all flesh (Jn. 17:2). He did all His works in His Father's name or by the authority of God, and not by His own authority (Jn. 5:43; 10:25; 17:6-8, 26). He said that He was not as great as His Father (Jn. 10:29; 14:28; Compare 1 Cor. 11:3). He said that He was sent by God and did not come of Himself (Jn. 3:14-18, 34; 4:34; 5:17, 30, 36; 6:29, 38-40, 57; 7:16, 28; 8:16, 28-29, 42; 10:36; 12:44-45; 17:4, 8).

6. Jesus claimed that His works were not of Himself, but were of the Father

(Jn. 5:17, 19; 10:32; 14:10); that He could do nothing of Himself (Jn. 5:19, 30); that He did nothing of Himself (Jn. 5:28), that His doctrine was not His own (Jn. 5:20; 7:16; 8:26, 28; 10:18; 14:31; 15:15); that He did not speak of Himself (Jn. 8:38, 40; 12:49; 14:1); that He sought God's glory and not His own (Jn. 8:50); that He was a servant of God and perfectly obedient to Him (Jn. 8:35); that His works were proof enough that God was with Him and was doing the works by the Spirit, and therefore they were not works of His own divine natural attributes and powers (Jn. 3:2; 5:31-36; 9:4; 10:25, 38; 11:42; 14:10; Compare Acts 10:38); and that He was simply using the same means of grace by prayer, faith, and yieldedness to the Spirit that all believers after Him must use if they wanted to do His works (Lk. 11:1-13; 24:49; Mk. 11:22-24; Acts 1:1-2, 4-8; 10:38; Jn. 14:12-15).

7. Not only did Jesus make the above claims concerning His own life, but He repeatedly taught His disciples that neither He nor they could do anything of themselves

(Jn. 15:1-7; Mk. 9:23; 11:22-24; Lk. 24:49; Acts 1:4-8). Jesus made it clear to His disciples that He was sending them into the world to confirm the gospel and continue what He "began both to do and to teach" and that this was to be the New Testament program throughout this age (Jn. 17:18; Mk. 16:15-20; Mt. 28.19-20; Acts 1:1-2, 4-8). This was the program with which His disciples were sent out when He first called them (Mt. 10:1-20; Lk. 10:1-20; Mk. 6:7-11). This is the kind of program the disciples carried out after Pentecost (Mk. 16:15-20; Heb. 2:3-4; Acts 2:43; 3:6; 5:15-16; 6:3-8; 8:1-22; 9:32-43; 10:44-48; 15:12; 16:14-20; 19:11-12; 20:9-10). This is the kind of ministry Jesus promised every believer, not only preachers, but also all laymen: "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to my Father" (Jn. 14:12-15). "These signs shall follow them that believe" (Mk. 16:15-20).

We conclude, therefore, that the true biblical evidence of the Spirit baptism is to do the works of Christ, as He promised, and as He demonstrated among men; that anything short of this would not be a demonstration of the fulness of God; and that a demonstration of only a measure of the power that He had proves one has only a measure of the Spirit, as Old Testament saints and the disciples had, before the giving of the fulness of God at Pentecost. This we will prove more fully in the next two points.

<<<<<< THE END >>>>>>

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A window is opened, a bird eye view is given, a voice is heard, a man is enlightened a soul is saved.

Bearer Of The Mind Sword.

The author of this article.

Rev. James McBean. Sr Was born in Jamaica west Indies. Bachelor In Theology. Masters in Christians counseling.

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