James
Melton wrote that this command was only to the
Jews. This false teaching is not in the Bible. What is its source?
Zwingli gave birth to the Baptist church which did not exist before.
Sure, people called themselves BAPTISTS because they baptized people
old enough to believe and who believed that Christ ordained baptism
as the time and place to dispense His grace. There could not have
been "baptists" before because their form of baptism did not
exist.
Peter says that it
was to everyone. Why did
Peter say that? Why, because he heard Jesus final command where Jesus
said it. And Jesus said it because He as Spirit of Christ prophesied
one gospel to ALL NATIONS.
The
common question was WHAT
MUST WE (I) DO?
"Repent
every one of
you FOR the remission of sins."
>
Do
these sinfull people repent BECAUSE
their sins are forgiven? NO!
"Be
baptized (Each of you) for the
remission of sins."
>
Are
they baptized BECAUSE
their sins are
remitted? Of course
not.
The
washing of
water is never a symbol that the dirt is already
removed because one had faith in their faith
rather than washing.
Washing
of water is the time
and place where we ask God to sprinkle our hearts while our bodies
are washed.
>
Does
God ever SPRINKLE one's heart from sin simply
because they believe? No.
"FOR"
here means that we are BAPTIZED in order to ENTER INTO the
remission of
sins.
The
sins of a "nations"
makes no sense: individuals sinned and individuals must repent
and
every one must be baptized for the remission of sins. This was not a
Jewish or national sermon but:
And
he said unto
them, Go ye into
all
the world, and preach the gospel
to every creature. Mk 16:15
He that
believeth and is
baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned. Mk 16:16
He
cannot be baptized if he
DOES NOT believe and is therefore CONDEMNED ALREADY.
He
cannot minimize baptism
without "rejecting the counsel of God for his life."
It
seems that James Melton
has identified BOTH the command of Jesus and the understanding of
Peter and the practice believed ALMOST UNIVERSALLY until about AD
1500) as, Satan's
Favorite
Verse.
Is that
safe?
Lets
go back to Abraham.
Because of the musical
idolatry at Mount
Sinai, God removed the Book of The Covenant of Grace and imposed the
Law of Moses as HARD BONDAGE. Animal sacrifices were to pay for their
own sins of the body. Therefore, there was nothing in the LAW OF
WORKS "ADDED BECAUSE OF TRANSGRESSION" which could or was intended to
justify.
Paul
will leapfrog the MOSAIC
period which was the Israelite's choice to give up grace and accept a
law. God turned them over to worship the starry hosts which included
Saturn whose Chaldee number is 666. During this FALL FROM GRACE both
Jew and Gentile were judged on the basis of their own right living
and the practice of social justice. The LAW of Moses "hangs" on
loving God and loving mankind but it must be enforced for a lawless majority.
When Paul discusses baptism
in Galatians 3 he connects it as the ACT of accepting the promised
grace by baptism as their act of faith.
Faith
versus
Works is the same as
The
Christian
Faith
System
versus the Mosaic
Law--
enforced
system.
Obedience
to a direct
command of God is NEVER a work of human merit.
Refusing
to obey a direct
command OR to minimize it is to put more faith in a supposed
"predestination" to be proven by SIGNS than the clear statement of
Jesus. Baptism by faith without trying to "get by without it" is
based 100% on faith that Jesus Christ was not a liar by commanding
water baptism.
"WORKS"
means that one
WORKS to put GOD in
DEBT in order to receive a WAGE for which he can BOAST. Many
Calvinists go through intensive works and suffering of the Law before
"Christ" comes and dies for them personally. Rather than trust, this
puts God under obligation to GIVE A SIGN that one has been
predestined. Baptism simply TRUSTS the already-finished work of
Christ. "Believer's baptism" depends on a FUTURE work of
Christ.
For
if Abraham were
justified by works,
he hath whereof to glory;
but not before God.
Rom 4:2
For
what saith the
scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted
unto him for righteousness. Rom 4:3
Now
to him that worketh is the reward
not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Rom 4:4
But
to him that
worketh
not
(the LAW),
but believeth on him that
justifieth the
ungodly, his faith is counted
for righteousness. Rom 4:5
In distorted Calvinism FAITH is normally the
PRODUCT of
human WORKS to force God to give them a supernatural sign
that He
predestinated them and therefore OWES
them Salvation. And
they too often BOAST about their selection to heaven as a
birthright.
God approved Abraham's FAITH because true faith
means the same as OBEDIENCE. God did not
remove the requirement to obey the righteous laws of God which were
NOT RELATED to the Law
of
Moses. For
instance, God defines HOW
Abraham was justified BY FAITH hundreds of years before the
Law of
Moses "which was not good."
And
I will make thy
seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed
all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the
earth be blessed; Gen 26:4
Because
that Abraham obeyed my
voice,
and
kept my charge,
my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
Gen 26:5
Therefore, WORK is never
defined as
KEEPING GOD'S COMMANDS. Work is the WORKS of the law of which
circumcision became a WORK OF MERIT. A work of merit is also pleading
with God to give them the sign.
These signs are often induced by manipulation of the nerve
endings.
>
For
in Jesus Christ neither circumcision
availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh
by love. Ga.5:6
>
Circumcision
is nothing, and
uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the
commandments of God. 1Co.7:19
>
For
in Christ Jesus neither circumcision
availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. Ga.6:15
>
No
one is said to become a new creature or experience
a new birth by faith only.
Those
who believe that Acts
2:38 is a favorite verse of God are the only ones who are baptized as
a REQUEST
for the free
grace of God.
You don't
work to earn something for which you request as a gift.
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. 1 Pet 3:20
The
like
figure whereunto even baptism
doth also now save
us
(not the putting
away of the filth of the flesh, but the REQUEST FOR A good
conscience toward God,)
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 1 Pet 3:21
The
same Peter who heard Jesus
command belief followed by baptism and commanded believers on the day
of Pentecost to repent and be baptized is the same Peter who says
that BAPTISM NOW SAVES US. Reject that at your peril: call it Satan's
favorite verse and you speak against the Spirit of Christ Who
continued to guide Peter.
But
the sinners were DROWNED by
the waters of the flood and not saved by them. That is true because
baptism destroys the SINFUL part by "drowing" it in the water. Adam
as the new generation DID NOT GET WET. In the same way, by turning
our old nature over to death and grave the NEW MAN or new generation
or a new, holy spirit DOES NOT GET WET. God does the inner cleaning
but only when we leave the old "sinner" outside to die.
But,
isn't this the "holy
spirit" baptism? Only in the sense that God gives or overwhelms us
with a NEW holy spirit of our own.
Elect
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace
unto you, and peace, be
multiplied. 1Pe.1:2
It
is OUR spirit which needs to
be sanctified. As baptism in 1 Peter 3:21 is the time and place where
we REQUEST the sprinkling of the blood on the inner man or spirit,
Paul keeps us from DENYING that this is WATER BAPTISM rather than "holy
spirit baptism" in
the sense of a third God person giving us supernatural powers:
Let
us draw near with a
true
heart
in
full
assurance of
faith,
having
our hearts
sprinkled from an evil
conscience, and our bodies washed
with pure water. Heb
10:22
ARE
THERE TWO CHRISTIAN
DISPENSATIONS?
False
doctrine is normally
validated by inventing added doctrine because the false doctrine of
FAITH ONLY has no legs to stand on. Those who call Acts 2:38 Satan's
favorite verse CONFESS that both Jesus and Peter meant what they
commanded. How then can one support FAITH ONLY? The favorite way has
been to falsely teach that Peter lived under a JEWISH DISPENSATION
and Paul lived under a GENTILE DISPENSATION. Therefore, there is not
one but two gospels.
Here
is the way a NEW, NEW
COVENANT has been invented out of thin air to make everyone believe
that Acts 2:38 must have been put into Peter's mind by Satang:
>
There
is the Old
Covenant
>
The
New Covenant to the Jews [salvation
AFTER baptism] an to the Gentiles until 1525.
>
The
New Covenant to the Gentiles
[salvation BEFORE baptism] which began by confession of its
inventer.
We
have noted that Zwingli
claimed that he invented that theory in 1525. He further said that
ALL of the doctors were wrong before Zwingli. Now, do we trust the
clear statements of Jesus and Peter and Paul or do we trust Zwingli
who certainly had a high view of his UNIQUE view of FAITH
ONLY?
This
view is used to prove
that those who follow Acts 2:38 are cults
speaking SATAN'S FAVORITE VERSE. Furthermore, the view is injected to
claim that AFTER the death of Christ there WAS a distinction between
Jews and Gentiles. This makes the death of Christ WITHOUT
MERIT.
James Melton: Another factor which is
commonly ignored
is the JEWISH
factor. Every person in
Acts 2 is a Mosaic law observing Old Testament Jew. In fact, they are all
gathered
together to observe a JEWISH FEAST called Pentecost (verse 1). A fair
reading of the whole chapter (especially verses 4, 14, and
36) will clearly reveal
that no Gentiles
(non Jews) are present. Since this involves Jews, it involves a
NATION (verse 36!!),
not individuals.
No
one
asked, "What must
I do to be saved?" The
question asked
concerned the NATION
of Israel:
"Men
and brethren, what shall
we do?" (verse 37) Not,
"What shall
I do," but rather, "What
shall
WE do?"
All
of those commissioned to
GO and PREACH as vocational preachers were Jews also. One can bet
that Baptist preachers don't want to use the RULE OF EXCLUSION on
that one!
First,
let's look at Acts
2:14 as the proof that only Jews were present;
But
Peter, standing
up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men
of Judaea,
and all ye that dwell at
Jerusalem, be this
known unto you, and hearken to my words: Acts 2:14
But
look at Acts
2:10
Phrygia,
and Pamphylia, in
Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews
and proselytes, Acts 2:10
Proselytes
are not national
Jews!
Peter
preached to the
collective "we" as a group but the "I" had to respond. Not all of the
"we" were baptized.
Paul
was not preaching but refuting the Jew's
claim that the apostles were
drunken street preachers.
I
don't know how a
NATION
asks a
question. Undoubtedly
some murmuring went on and someone spoke up as asked the question.
Nations cannot hear, believe or be baptized.
John thought that Jesus
came as a SINGLE
LIGHT to light every born person.
John could just as easily
say that he that
BELIEVES is therefore A SON of God. But, Paul said that FAITH gives
one the
POWER
to become.
That means FUTURE TENSE.
That
was the
true
Light,
which lighteth
every
man
that cometh into
the world.
John 1:9
He
was in the world, and the
world was made by him, and the world knew him not. John 1:10
He
came
unto his own,
and his own received him not. John 1:11
>
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become
the sons of
God,
>
even to them that believe on his name: John 1:12
Believe here is parallel to RECEIVING Christ as Son of God.
Receive in the Greek
is:
Lambano
(g2983) lam-ban'-o; ... to take... to act., to
get hold of..
And
when he had
received
meat,
he was
strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which
were at Damascus. Ac.9:19
He
first BELIEVED in the mind
but FAITH ONLY cannot avail. Believing in the meat gave him power to
TAKE HOLD of or RECEIVE the food and eat it.
Therefore,
to BELIEVE is to
RECEIVE which is to GET HOLD OF and do with it what believing
demands.
Which
were
born
(generated), not of blood, nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of
the will of man, but of God. John 1:13
And
the Word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory,
the glory as of the only
begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:14
The
prophecy was to ALL
NATIONS.
James Melton: Acts 2 presents a NATION of people who come to
realize that they have
murdered their blessed Messiah and they're asking what THEY must do.
It's a question concerning NATIONAL salvation. Isaiah
66:8
says,
". . . shall a nation be
born at once? for as soon as
Zion travailed, she brought
forth her children." The
"nation" is Israel! Romans 11:26 says, "And so all
Israel shall be saved: as it is
written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn
away ungodliness from Jacob." Acts 2:38 is dealing
with NATIONAL
salvation. The
Messianic Kingdom is still available to the Jews (until Acts 7:60
when they kill Stephen), so national salvation remains an issue until
then.
All
who mocked and crucified
Jesus were forgiven because He prayed for them before He
died:
And
when they were
come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him,
and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the
left. Luke 23:33
Then
said Jesus,
Father, forgive them;
for they know not what they do. And they parted his
raiment, and cast lots. Luke
23:34
Therefore,
unless the prayer
of Jesus was not heard, those implicated in His murder were ALREADY
forgiven long before Baptism. Therefore, baptism is more than the
remission of a collective national guilt. Baptism removes the sinful
nature and gives one A new or holy spirit. This clear consciousness
opens the eyes to see the kingdom which exists within the
believer.
Many
of those listening to
Peter were from Gentile nations, they would return to the Gentile
nations, Jerusalem would be destroyed and the nation would cease to
exist as indeed they already lived under Gentile rule. Preaching to
the Gentiles would happen all over the nations of the Dispora by
Jewish converts.
Therefore,
baptism was to clean their spirit of spiritual blindness which is
caused by sin such as minimizing the specific words of Jesus
Christ.
Peter's
most important
promise that only at Baptism did they call upon God specificially in
connection with receiving A holy
spirit. The same Peter restated this core fact in 1 Peter 3:21. Only
at water baptism are we promised A clear conscience. Only by asking
God to wash away our sins are we free of guilt so that we can SEE
AFAR:
Suneidesis (g4893)
soon-i'-day-sis; from a prol. form of 4894;
co-
perception, i.e. moral
consciousness; - conscience.
That
meas A holy spirit so that we
can hear God through His
Word:
Suneido
(g4894) soon-i'-do; from 4862 and 1492; to see completely; used (like
its prim.) only in two past tenses, respectively mean. to understand
or become aware, and to be conscious or (clandestinely) informed of:
- consider, know, be privy, be ware of.
The
baptized believers came
to be about 5,000 and the city during festivals may have had more
than a million people. When they were baptized it was NOT back into
fellowship with the Jewish nations--soon to be scattered--but into
the KINGDOM OF CHRIST which was a HEAVENLY KINGDOM within each
one.
The
quoted Isaiah 66:8 has
66:19 attached to it which says;
And
I will set a
sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the
nations, to Tarshish, Pul,
and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan,
to the isles afar
off,
that have not
heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall
declare
my glory among
the Gentiles. Isa 66:19
Hear
the word of
the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that
scattered Israel will gather him,
and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. Jer 31:10
All
people were God's
people: the Jews were
chosen for a SPECIAL PURPOSE and utterly failed because they
substituted FAITH in their system for OBEDIENCE to the Word of
God.
Behold,
God is my salvation; I will trust,
and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH
is my strength and my song;
he also is become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2
Therefore
with joy
shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:3
And
in that day
shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among
the people, make mention that his
name is exalted. Isaiah 12:4
For
the kingdom is the Lords:
and he
is
the
governor among the nations. Psa 22:28
Those
who had the Word of God
were the EVANGELISTS; the GENTILES were the audience of
that preaching.
Gowy
(h1471) go'ee; rarely (short.) goy go'-ee; appar. from the same root
as 1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence a Gentile;
also (fig.) a troop of
animals, or a
flight
of
locusts: - Gentile,
heathen, nation, people
Romans
11:26 also has other
verses connected to it:
For
if thou wert
cut
out of the olive
tree
which is wild by
nature, and wert graffed
contrary to nature into a good
olive tree: how
much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be
graffed
into their own
olive tree? Rom 11:24
For
I would not,
brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should
be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to
Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. Rom 11:25
And
so
all
Israel shall be saved:
as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and
shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: Rom 11:26
All
Israel is not all Jews. The
new nation born on Pentecost was the nation of Israel because it was
the promise made by Christ the Spirit to Abraham. Israel means "he
will rule as God."
The
PROMISE was to all
nations
James Melton: The Bible says the
gospel is to go to
the Jew FIRST (Rom. 1:16), so
they are the
FIRST to receive the gospel
in the book of
Acts (chapter 2), but they are not the last to receive it. Acts
doesn't end with chapter 2, so we should be cautious of anyone who
develops their doctrine in Acts 2 while practically ignoring the next
26 chapters! If God didn't stop in Acts 2, then why does anyone else?
Could it be that the later chapters in Acts contain information which
the cultists want hidden from us?
Could it be that there are
other scriptures in Acts which do not agree with the wording of Acts
2:38? Could it be that Peter himself, the one preaching in Acts 2:38,
says something different when speaking to individual Gentiles like
you and me? One only has to read Acts chapter 10 to get the answer.
Peter is preaching again in Acts 10, except only to individual
Gentiles, and something very interesting occurs.
The
very last words recorded
of Jesus:
The
DIRECT STATEMENT of
Jesus shows that the SAME GOSPEL was to be preached to ALL CREATURES.
But
ye shall
receive
power,
after that the
Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both
in
Jerusalem, and
in
all Judaea, and
in
Samaria, and
unto
the uttermost
part of the
earth.
Ac.1:8
Most
of the apostles did not
remain in Jerusalem but went to Babylon, India and other places north
and south. They received the same instructions used on the day of
Pentecost and departed
to
the uttermost parts of the earth or the ends of the earth.
The
UTTERMOST part of the
world is:
Eschatos
(g2078) es'-khat-os; a
superl. prob. from 2192 (in the sense of contiguity); farthest, final (of place or
time): - ends of, last, latter
end, lowest, uttermost.
The
UTTERMOST part of the
world meant Gentiles:
For
so hath the
Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be
for salvation
unto
the ends of the earth (Eschatos g2078).
Ac.13:47
Paul's
command was not new:
Jesus had given it to the Jews to begin at Pentecost.
The
Gentiles:
Ethnos
(g1484) eth'-nos; prob. from 1486; a race (as of the same habit),
i.e. a tribe; spec. a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually by impl.
pagan): - Gentile, heathen,
nation, people.
Jesus
said that Great
Commission was to EVERY CREATURE
And
he said unto
them, Go ye into
all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark
16:15 (creature does not mean Jews)
He that
believeth and is
baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16
So
then, after the Lord had
spoken unto them, he was received up into
heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. Mk.16:19
>
Eis or into
does not mean that Jesus was received BECAUSE of heaven.
Point
One:
Jesus
preached only
ONE
faith
and
ONE
baptism which included
the Gentiles.
Point
Two:
The first preaching on the day of
Pentecost was to ALL CREATURES. The fact that preaching
began at a Jewish festival is
simply the fact
that the gospel HAS to begin somewhere: Jerusalem, Judae and to the
uttermost parts of the world.
Point
Three: Salvation resulted when believers
repented and were baptism. Who could doubt that they would
not have baptized a Gentile?
Point
Four: Jesus said nothing about a WE OR A
NATIONAL SALVATION. HE that
believes and is baptized.
Point
Five:
following Melton's theory Jesus didn't
authorize baptism for SHES.
NO!
Acts 2:38 is dealing
with ALL NATIONS.
However,
the Bible says that
after FAITH CAME, everyone is under the same system of faith. Again
we quote:
And
the
scripture, foreseeing that God
would justify the
heathen through faith, preached before the
gospel unto
Abraham, saying, In
thee shall all
nations be blessed. Gal
3:8
Ethnos
(g1484) eth'-nos; prob. from 1486; a race (as of the same habit),
i.e. a tribe; spec. a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually by impl.
pagan): - Gentile, heathen,
nation, people.
Of
Faith:
So
then they which
be of
faith
are blessed with
faithful Abraham. Gal 3:9
Of
the works of THE
Law:
For
as many as are
of
the works of the
law
are under the
curse: for it is written,
Cursed is every one
that continueth
not in
all things which are written in the book of the law to do
them.
Gal 3:10
The
FAITH of Abraham did not
exclude the obedience of faith which began as God's Law in the garden
of Eden:
And
I will make thy
seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed
all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the
earth be blessed; Gen 26:4
Because
that Abraham obeyed my
voice,
and
kept my charge,
my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
Gen 26:5
Baptism
is of faith: it is
the grandest gift of Grace one can imagine.
Abraham
was justified when he
OBEYED the commands and laws of God.
This
is the meaning of
justification by FAITH rather than the law of Moses.
Baptism
is not a WORK of the
Law of Moses and therefore is not a human work.
Christ
hath
redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for
us: for it is
written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: Gal 3:13
Abraham
WAS NOT a
Jew:
That
the
blessing of Abraham
might come on the
Gentiles through Jesus Christ;
that we might
receive the promise of
the Spirit
through faith. Gal 3:14
>
Eis or on
does not mean blessing BECAUSE of the
Gentiles.
Eis
(g1519) ice; a prim. prep.; to or into (indicating the
point reached or
entered), of
place, time,
or (fig.) purpose
(result, etc.); .. expressing motion (lit. or fig.).
Click
for studies of EIS:
Number
One,
Number
Two,
Number
Three
People
could not be
justified by the law (works) because:
Now
to Abraham and
his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to
seeds, as of many; but as of
one, And to thy seed,
which is Christ. Gal
3:16
Why
could people not be
justified by law (works)?
Wherefore
then
serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should
come to whom the
promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the
hand
of a
mediator. Gal
3:19
The
FAITH ONLY error in total
opposition to GRACE of the FAITH SYSTEM is based on identifying
obedience
to Christ as
LEGALISM. But the law
(works) was a system of HARD BONDAGE and not a system of REST in
Jesus Christ.
Wherefore
the law was our schoolmaster to
bring
us unto
Christ, that we might
be justified by faith
Gal 3:24
But
after that faith is come, we are no
longer under a schoolmaster. Gal 3:25
For ye are all the children of God by faith
in Christ
Jesus.
Gal 3:26
For as many of you as
have been baptized into
Christ have put on Christ. Gal 3:27
>
Eis or into
does not mean BECAUSE of:
We
are children of
God, not by our own works, but by faith in the finished work of
Jesus. "By faith" to Paul meant "For those who have been baptized."
Even then, FAITH as a work does not replace faith leading us to
baptism. It is not faith in faith which saves.
Baptism
does not rest on
one's personal power to believe. It rests on the faith that as Jesus
was resurrected we also might be made alive for now and for eternity.
There is no FAITH ONLY connection with eternal life.
>
Faith only does not
picture or identify with the
crucifixion of Christ.
>
Faith only cannot be FAITH OF THE OPERATION
OF GOD
unless one puts their body into a FORM
of Christ's burial and the POWER of God to resurrect us because He
resurrected Jesus.
If
James Melton is correct,
just when did the RESPECT OF PERSONS by God begin and end? In
relationship to BAPTISM Paul said:
Christ
hath
redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for
us: for it is
written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: Gal 3:13
That
the
blessing of Abraham
might come on the
Gentiles through Jesus Christ;
that we might
receive the promise of
the Spirit through
faith. Gal 3:14
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. Gal 3:28
And
if ye be
Christs, then are ye Abrahams seed, and heirs according to
the promise.
Gal 3:29
Baptized
Jews at Pentecost were
not FORGIVEN JEWS. Rather, they leapfrogged the Law and became
ABRAHAM'S SEED or they would not have belonged to Christ Who was THE
seed of Abraham.
Did
God respect the Jews and
command Baptism in order to identify with Jesus? Then did He treat
the Gentiles differently by NOT requiring them to be baptized. Where
exactly is that remote hint found?
Abraham
was
justified:
Because
that
Abraham obeyed
my voice, and kept my
charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
Gen 26:5
Therefore,
those who become
spiritual Israelites are justified by faith WHEN they obey the direct
commands of Jesusl
Paul
does not speak of WORKS
versus GRACE but "the Law of Moses" versus "the system of faith" or
the Gospel. The Law was added because of transgression and could not
save. Therefore, by GRACE Jesus provided a way to have our sins
remitted so that we can BOLDLY COME INTO HIS PRESENCE.
Paul
discounts the period of
THE JEWS and leapfrogs back to Abraham.
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The Faith of
Abraham
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The Fall
- Law of Moses - Monarchy
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The Christian
System
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The Limited Commission of the 12 to the
Jews
These
twelve (Jews)
Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of
the Samaritans enter ye not: Matthew
10:5
But
go rather to
the lost
sheep
of the
house
of
Israel. Matt
10:6
And
as ye go, preach, saying,
The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matt 10:7
Heal
the sick,
cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have
received, freely give. Matt 10:8
Provide
neither
gold, nor silver,
nor brass
in your purses,
Matt 10:9
The
commission of the 70
allowed them to take their "begging bag" into which they could
collect handouts of food or possibley money. But this does not
authorize evangelism as a profession.
Jesus
specificially
commanded that after Pentecost and Acts 2:38 they were to go to both
Jews and Gentiles.
The
Jews were baptized with
John's Baptism and their sins were forgiven.
And
all the people
that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with
the baptism of John. Luke 7:29
But
the Pharisees
and lawyers rejected the
counsel of God against
themselves, being not
baptized of him. Luke
7:30
And
one of the Pharisees
desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into
the Pharisees house, and sat down to meat. Luke 7:36
>
Eis or into
does not mean that he went "BECAUSE the Pharisee
house."
Before
Pentecost
the Jews were commanded to REPENT and then BE BAPTIZED. Refusing to
be baptized was fatal because it REJECTED THE COUNSEL OF
GOD FOR THEIR
LIVES.
Christian
baptism has the
added component of giving A holy spirit or A clear conscience. Why
then would not REJECTING baptism still reject the command of
God?
There
is no FAITH ONLY way
to get a new, holy spirit.
The
Spirit would not speak
the Word of Christ until Jesus returned as the COMFORTER (John
14:18)
He
that
believeth on me, as the
scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living
water. John 7:38
(But
this spake he
of the Spirit,
which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was
not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Jn.7:39
The
gift of A holy spirit is
connected to faith AND baptism.
WHO
knows Whom was baptized
at Pentecost?
Acts
2:10 says that
there were STRANGERS, JEWS
and PROSELYTES.
(For
all the Athenians, and strangers which were there, spent
their time in nothing else,
but either to tell or to hear some new thing.) Ac.17:21
STRANGERS
really means all that
MADE THEIR home in Jerusalem and that included MANY Gentiles.
Proselytes did not become proselytes without water baptism and
CALLING ON THE NAME of God. Gentiles ceased to be reall strangers
when Jesus died on the cross for Gentile sins.
>
"At the latter ceremony
two disciples of the wise stood by to tell him more of the light and
heavy commandments. When he came up
after the immersion, those assembled
addressed him saying:
'Unto
whom has thou
given thyself? blessed
art thou, thou hast given thyself to God;
the world was created for the sake of Israel, and only Israelites are
called the children of God... After his baptism he was
considered (reckoned to be dead
and now alive) to be a
new
man,
'a little child newly born'; a
new name
was given him." (Int Std Bible Ency, Proselyte).
>
"The effect of this baptism was held to
be complete
regeneration; he was
born
anew.
He was called a
little
child
just born, the
child of one day. All
his sins were remitted
because God cannot punish sins committed before he was born."
(Barclay, William, Romans, p. 84)
Jesus
Christ paid all debts on
the cross. Therefore, there was nothing the murderers of Jesus had to
do that Gentile sinners did not have to do. Paul says that the
difference between Jews and Gentile strangers was destroyed AT THE
CROSS.
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;
Eph
2:11
That
at that time
ye were without Christ, being aliens
from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no
hope, and without God in the world: Ep.2:12
But
now, in Christ Jesus, ye
who sometimes were far
off
are made
nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:13
For
he is our
peace, who hath made
both one, and hath
broken down the middle
wall of partition between us; Eph 2:14
Having
abolished in
his
flesh
the enmity, even
the law
of
commandments contained
in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making
peace; Eph 2:15
And
that he might
reconcile
both unto God
in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: Eph 2:16
And
came and
preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. Eph 2:17
For
through him
we both have access by one Spirit
unto the Father. Eph 2:18
1.
Of Baptism at Pentecost:
For
the promise is unto you (Jews),
and to your children (Jews),
and to all that are afar
off (Gentiles), even as
many as the Lord our God shall
call. Acts 2:39
2.
"One
spirit" does not speak of a person but the same mental or mind set.
Two who are opposed are of one spirit when they agree.
3. Isn't claiming that
Jesus had TWO faiths and TWO
baptism denying that the Jews CEASED to be Jews in a national sense
BY THE CROSS?
4. There could not be "one
spirit" or sameness for Jew
and Gentile Ephesians speaks of baptism for "spiritual circumcision"
required for both.
So,
the same Paul defines
how "identity" or the same spirit and spiritual circumcision is at
the time and place of the one baptism.
And
ye are complete in him,
which is the head of
all principality
and
power:
Col 2:10
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: Col 2:11
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. Col
2:12
And
you, being dead
in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he
quickened together with
him,
having
forgiven you all
trespasses; Col 2:13
Being
quickened means that
we have a NEW or A holy spirit.
>
Faith only never asks
for the spiritual circumcision
available only in baptism.
When
Peter preached he told
them what Paul will say in different ways.
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. Acts 2:38
For
the
promise is unto you (Jews), and to your children (Jews),
and to all that are afar
off (Gentiles), even as
many as the Lord our God shall
call. Acts 2:39
Paul
used the same Scripture
Peter used:
For
the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Romans 10: 11
For
there is no
difference between the
Jew and the Greek:
for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon
him.
Romans 10: 12
(There are not two gospels)
For
whosoever shall
call
upon the
name of the Lord
shall
be
saved.
Romans 10: 13
Calling
upon the Name is
only at the time and place of baptism as we will prove.
And
now why tarriest thou?
arise, and
be
baptized, and wash
away thy
sins,
calling on the name of the Lord. Acts 22:16
After
Pentecost, those
baptized with John's Baptism must receive Christian
Baptism.
He
said unto them,
Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto
him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
Acts 19:2
And
he said unto
them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto
Johns
baptism.
Acts
19:3
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. Acts 19:4
>
When they heard this, they were
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts 19:5
Tongues
were only in the
presence of an apostle. It was to MARK or identify them as the only
official spokespersons for God's Word:
And
when Paul had
laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake
with tongues, and prophesied. Acts 19:6
Tongues
were the 70 minor
dialects of the area.
The
prophecies was that
Messiah would come for ALL NATIONS (Gentiles included) because the
JEWISH distinction was artificial. Their claim to fame is that God
selected them to evangelize and they became the example of sin and
death.
For
instance, Abraham, and
not
the
law,
is the model of
the Christian system. Abraham was justified by FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE
without
the Law of
Moses
because he lived
Before the law of Moses.
Neither Abraham nor
any of the ISRAELITES were Jews. Moses was not a Jew. Therefore, to
whom does God come?
There
never was more than
ONE TYPE OF PEOPLE.
Jesus adopted the Israelites and wanted to make them be His
evangelists to bless the world. They never did.
Who
are
Israelites; to whom pertaineth the
adoption, and the glory, and the
covenants, and the giving of
the law, and the service of
God, and the
promises; Romans 9:4
Whose
are the fathers, and of
whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God
blessed for ever. Amen. Romans 9:5
Not
as though the
word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which
are of
Israel: Romans 9:6
Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children:
but, In
Isaac shall thy seed be
called. Romans 9:7
That
is, They which
are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but
the children of the promise
are counted
for the seed. Romans 9:8
Christ
died only once and
shed His blood only once for all people, past, present and
future:
Then
said he, Lo, I
come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may
establish
the
second. Heb 10:9
No
one was baptized until Jesus
had ESTABLISHED THE SECOND.
That means that the Law was nailed to the cross. That means that on
Pentecost all were baptized into CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. Therefore, there
is NO DIFFERENCE between Jewish salvation and Gentile salvation. The
PROPHECY was that Jerusalem began a SINGLE process which would flow
out to the Gentiles without modification:
And
said unto them,
Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ
to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: Luke 24:46
And
that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in
his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Lu.24:47
Ethnos
(g1484) eth'-nos; prob. from 1486; a race (as of the same habit),
i.e. a tribe; spec. a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually by impl.
pagan): - Gentile, heathen, nation,
people.
And
ye are witnesses of these
things Luke 24:48
And,
behold, I send
the promise
of my Father
upon you: but tarry
ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued
with power from on high. Luke
24:49
They
tarried in Jerusalem and
many WENT INTO the world as recorded only in secular history.
Saul's
persecution scattered
Philip into Samaria which was the next step of the ONE PLAN to preach
the ONE GOSPEL:
Philip
preached among the
Samaritans who were not true Jews by blood.
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 8:12
Then
Simon himself
believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with
Philip, and wondered, beholding
the miracles and signs which were done. Acts 8:13
It
was not possible for others
to be supernaturally aided in continuing to spread the ONE GOSPEL
without help from God:
Now
when the
apostles which were at Jerusalem
heard that
Samaria had received the
word of God, they sent
unto them Peter and
John:
Acts 8:14
Who,
when they were
come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
Acts 8:15
Receiving the Word is shorthand for saying that they
had the POWER to be baptized and they
WERE
baptized.
The
Apostles returned to
Jerusalem but preached to the Samaritans along the way knowing that
they were not pure Jews:
And
they, when they
had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to
Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the
Samaritans. Acts 8:25
Philip
was sent to Baptize
the Ethiopian eunuch who was a GENTILE by birth.
He
WAS NOT a
national Jew. People of all nations often lived under the Laws of the
Jews although they were not either Jews nor proselytes.
And
he arose and went: and,
behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace
queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and
had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Acts
8:27
Then
Philip opened his mouth,
and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Acts 8:35
You
HAVE NOT preached Jesus
unless some asks to be baptized if they believe.
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? Acts
8:36
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. Acts 8:37
Unbelievers
are in a state of
the lost already. However, Faith gives one the power and authority to
be baptized IN ORDER TO be saved.
And
he said unto
them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature. Mark 16:15
He
that believeth
and is baptized shall be
saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16
By
his faith the Eunuch had the
POWER to salvation. Just as at Pentecost, Philip preached the same
Jesus, the same Faith and the same baptism because the Eunuch WAS NOT
HINDERED:
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 8:38
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.
Acts 8:39
Same
Philip from Pentecost,
same gospel to a Gentile. New spirit of rejoicing when he did not
have when he JUST BELIEVED.
Most
of those baptized at
Pentecost returned to their homes and continued to preach the same
gospel so that Christianity spread throughout the world before
missionaries were sent out from Jerusalem
Faith
only does not remit
sins.
Now
when they heard
this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to
the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Acts
2:37
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. Acts 2:38
To
him give all the prophets
witness, that through
his name whosoever
believeth in him shall
receive remission of
sins. Ac.10:43
Acts
2:38 shall receive is
FUTURE TENSE
Acts
10:43 shall receive is
FUTURE TENSE
THE
faith which Paul
preached was the same FAITH which Peter preached.
Paul
was an apostle and Jesus
the Spirit promised to guide him into further truth as it was
needed.
And
I went up by
revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach
among the Gentiles, but privately to them
which were of reputation,
lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. Gal 2:2
But
contrariwise,
when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me,
as the
gospel
of the
circumcision was unto Peter; Gal 2:7
(For
he that
wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision,
the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) Gal 2:8
This
does not mean two
gospels.
In
fact, when
Peter, James, and John, who were known as the pillars of the church,
saw how greatly God had
used me in winning the Gentiles, just as Peter had been blessed
so greatly in his preaching to
the Jews-
for
the
same
God
gave
us each our
special
gifts-they
shook hands
with Barnabas and me and encouraged us to keep right on with our preaching to the Gentiles while they continued their work
with the Jews. Gal 2:7
THE faith
which Paul preached was the same FAITH which he
attempted to destroy: can anything better refute the BAPTIST added
dispensation?
But
they had heard
only, That he which persecuted us in
times past now preacheth the
faith which once he destroyed. Galatians 1:23
Paul
DID NOT PREACH a
Different Faith!
So,
as much as in me is, I am
ready to preach the
gospel to you that are
at Rome also. Romans 1:15
For
I am not
ashamed of the
gospel of Christ: for it is
the
power (dynamite) of God unto
salvation
to
every one that
believeth; to the
Jew
first,
and also to the
Greek. Romans 1:16
For
therein is the righteousness of
God revealed from faith to faith: as
it is written, The
just shall live by faith. Romans 1:17
Paul
often went to the
synagogue because "that's where the people were." When he usually
failed because the Jews rejected Christ, he turned to the Gentiles.
At times on the same day. Therefore, Paul preached the SAME gospel to
both Jew and Gentile throughout his life.
For
if he that cometh
preacheth
another
Jesus,
whom we have not
preached, or if ye receive another spirit,
which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear
with him. 2 Cor 11:4
For
I suppose I was
not a whit behind the
very chiefest apostles.
2 Cor 11:5
Baptists preach a
different Jesus
Whose once
for all times is not
adequate. As the Mass demands the daily death of Jesus Christ,
"Believer's baptism" demands that Jesus die for ME personally.
Faith
Only is the principle
BY WHICH people must live continually but faith only does not ask God
to regenerate our spirits.
CONCLUSION:
THE PROPHECY WAS
THAT MESSIAH WOULD COME TO REDEEM ALL PEOPLE. HE DID NOT REDEEM THE
JEWS IN ONE WAY AND GENTILES IN ANOTHER. IN BOTH GROUPS THE REMISSION
OF SINS IS ATTACHED ONLY TO BAPTISM.
ACTS
2:38
James Melton: "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."
(Acts 2:38)
The
above verse of scripture is
a favorite among many religious groups. One can hear it several times
on Sunday morning radio programs, as well as from the pulpits of
numerous groups, and it can be found in much religious literature.
The verse is a favorite because, on the surface, it seemingly states
that one must be baptized in order to be saved, and without baptism
one is not saved. So, those who believe that water baptism is
essential for salvation make it a regular habit of using Acts 2:38 as
scriptural support.
The
problem is that Acts 2:38
isn't the only verse in the Bible which deals with salvation. While
many claim to "speak where the scriptures speak and remain silent
where the scriptures are silent," they practically ignore most of the
New Testament teaching on salvation.
This
is clear from what follows
Acts 7. In Acts 8, an individual from Africa is saved (before
baptism).
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 8:12
Then
Simon himself believed also:
and when he was
baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the
miracles and signs which were done. Acts 13
The enuch was a
disciple of the Word of God.
Here is some of what he heard:
Yet
it pleased the
Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make
his soul
an offering for
sin,
he shall
see
his
seed,
he shall prolong
his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Isaiah 53:10
He
shall see of the travail of
his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:11
>
FAITH ONLY does not bear iniquities or
remit sins.
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. Acts 2:38
Therefore
will I
divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil
with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered
with the transgressors:
and
he bare
the sin of many, and made intercession for
the
transgressors.
Isaiah
53:12
For
thou shalt break forth on
the right
hand
and on the left;
and thy seed shall inherit
the Gentiles, and make the desolate
cities to be inhabited. Isaiah 54:3
The response to
the GOSPEL was to want to be
baptized.
>
FAITH ONLY does not take away
iniquities. Only lack of FAITH hinders one from being
baptized.
If
you are
hindered from obeying Acts 2:38 then you do not have the faith
defined by the Great Commission.
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? Acts
8:36
And
Philip said, If thou
believest with all thine heart,
thou mayest
(be
baptized). And he answered and said, I believe that
Jesus
Christ
is the Son of
God.
Acts 8: 37
Remember
that Jesus
made baptism a response to faith IN ORDER to be saved by the
authority of the NAME:
He
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mk 16:16
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:
38
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. Ac 8:39
On
the day of Pentecost the
burden was some personal guilt for killing Jesus. However, the death
of Christ was power to remit sins past, present and future. There
fore, Christ died for MY sins and I stand guilty:
But
those things,
which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that
Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Acts 3:18
Repent
ye therefore, and be
converted, that your
sins may be blotted
out, when the times of
refreshing shall come
from the presence of the Lord; Acts 3:19
