BAPTISM
The baptism of John for
Jesus ?
The baptism in the name of Jesus
An other formulation and the
baptism for babies
Confession of faith for the baptism
Our verdant oasis in the middle of the desert is the place of baptism, a symbol of reconciliation and peace with the Eternal. After a long walk on a dry land, we find the main constituent of the human body: water. It has come down from the heights to our oasis in order to regenerate us, we even have the possibility to immerse our whole body in our faith, reminding us of our first condition in the womb before being born into the world. Faith in the Eternal God is also a birth, the new birth, one must be born of water and spirit to enter the kingdom of God.
John
3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be
born of water and of
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Today, we cannot minimize the importance of the practice of baptism, as some religious groups who claim to accept the Bible (from afar) are suppressing many laws and symbols taught by the master and the first believers. It is not old-fashioned to be baptized, the symbol has not aged since it still represents a strong spiritual idea for man, change and union with God. Indeed, the man who wishes to come closer to the Eternal will open himself to Him, sanctify himself by abandoning the old man. And having a good thought towards God or feeling guided by the Eternal does not cancel the practice of baptism, those who had received the Holy Spirit did not forget the practice of this symbol :
Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
Acts 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
Acts 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Acts 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
And why should we stop celebrating the joy of a union between man and woman? The marriage ceremony is a sharing, a testimony, a blessing for the people. Sexual intercourse is a marriage, the feast is the symbol of it. (Luke 20:4) If baptism really comes from the will of the Eternal, from heaven, then we have good reason to put it into practice in our lives. Water is the symbol of renewal, change, consecration, it is a commitment of a good conscience to the Eternal:
1Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
The Baptism is a union with Christ, the accomplished man, the one who fulfills the Creator's thought of making us in His image (Genesis 1:25-26). Let us also have the same thought as Jesus Christ for the understanding of our being and the good of the world. Baptism is not the knowledge that a god or a man died on a cross for our sins, it is an awareness of reality, of faith in the Eternal that leads us to reflect the whole ministry of Christ who saves man from his blindness by his words known throughout the world, because they are simple, just, true. The baptism of Christ and the baptism we practice in Christ is not a religious ceremony, but an earthly, material mark of our spirituality (John 14:16, 1 Peter 1:11, 1 Corinthians 10: 4).
John 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Baptism is not a magical ritual, it is a commitment of a good conscience to the Most High. We can compare it to a marriage, Jesus is often called the bridegroom because believers are like a woman, the church, who unites with him. The ring on the finger does not bring love to a couple, but this gesture testifies to love and union. Thus, Baptism manifests our faith in God, our willingness to take part in God's plan and move toward the new adam that is in Yeshua (Jesus) : 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:24.
Romans 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Let us therefore preserve baptism, it is in this way that we are reconciled in Christ with the Eternal. Jesus was spiritually called Emmanuel because he carries the information of the Most High within him and shares it with those who listen to him. Emmanuel means "with us is God" and therefore we must understand him this way:
"With us (the man Jesus and his brothers who will follow him) is God (the only, Eternal, I AM of Exodus 3:14)". Man fulfills his purpose in Christ, thanks be to the Eternal.
Exodus 3:13-15 And Moses said to God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM. And he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: I AM hath sent me unto you.
His message to Israel, and Pharaoh, whose opposition is foretold and God said moreover to Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: ETERNAL, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you. This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
The
baptism of John for Jesus?
Hebrews
9:10 Which
stood
only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances,
imposed on
them
until the time of reformation. (Numbers
19:18, 2 King 7:14 for example).In
the Gospels, let us note that the practice of baptism does not shock anyone,
it is therefore not an invention of John the Immerger, priest of the
tribe of Levi. In the covenant of Moses, there were already different
baptisms and ablutions for different reasons, John did not create a new
rite and a new religion. Neither was baptism a replacement for
circumcision for the Jews. The Greek word for "ablution" is the same as
for baptism, it is the act of plunging: "baptizein" in Greek and
"tabal" in Hebrew. Naaman would immerse himself in water to wash
himself, a form of repentance.
The Gospels explain that John's baptism is only a baptism for repentance, we find no other meaning to establish the covenant (Matthew 3:11; Acts 19:4). If Jesus comes before him at the Jordan River, it is because he really had to take this baptism, a truth that Christianity has distorted by teaching a perfect divine Jesus who does not need the baptism of repentance. Jesus did not pretend, he did not baptize himself to set an example "to sinners". But then, did Jesus need to repent and change? YES.
Matthews 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
If the anointed one of the Lord would not have needed the baptism of repentance, he would have clearly demonstrated this to us by not participating in it! Then we would all have agreed on this point. But things did not happen that way, Jesus will voluntarily take the baptism of repentance, just like us. To avoid this disturbing situation of the Messiah submitting to the baptism of repentance of the prophet John the Diver, some people have imagined that Jesus' baptism had an unusual meaning, but no verse supports this theory. John proposed only the baptism of water of repentance:
Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptise you with water to repentance, but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not fit to bear; he shall baptise you with the holy spirit and fire
First of all, if John was bothered by the fact that he had to baptize Jesus, it does not mean that he thought Jesus did not need water baptism. John simply recognised that Jesus was greater than he was. The messiah's ministry and his baptism were more important than John's, because he is the chosen, promised Messiah of the Scriptures (Luke 3:16).
Mateus 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
Mateus 3:14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
Mateus 3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
Next, Jesus is the image of a lamb without blemish who pays the price of sin. Jesus does not take sins upon Him as many churches teach, this would make Him an unclean lamb for the sacrifice, in contradiction to the law. Moreover, this kind of belief is not rational, one does not take the sins of mankind upon oneself. The word "sin" should be understood and translated as "the wages of sin", that is how we should translate it in 2 Corinthians 5:21. The true sacrifice is to lay down one's life for one's friends and loved ones, those are the sinners who believe in Him who repent through love. Basically, Eternal asks for a transformation of the heart of man so that he stops practicing evil, sacrificing animals for forgiveness as a custom is not an outcome. Jesus' "sacrifice" is much greater than other sacrifices. But we are out of the point since we have seen that John baptizes does not lay sins on Jesus' head, he proposes a baptism of repentance that Jesus must also take. So what is the right explanation to understand why Jesus also had to baptize Himself with water and the spirit?
It's simple, but hard to admit for "distorted Christianity"! Jesus is completely a man, and he will move toward perfection as he grows spiritually (Luke 2:40, Hebrews 5:7). This means that he did not possess the holiness of the Lord from the beginning of his existence, the most beautiful of the sons of Man (the title attributed to Jesus) is dependent on the Most High, the only one who has immortality and perfection by nature. Jesus was not eternal and begins his existence with a penchant for good and evil, because he is first and foremost the soul of Adam (see his genealogy). Jesus took the baptism of repentance in a very humble way, even the righteous know that only the Eternal One is perfectly pure. Eternal will never be a man born of a woman (Job 15:14).
1 Timothy 6:13-16 I enjoin thee before God who preserves all things in life, and Christ Jesus who witnessed before Pontius Pilate the good confession, that thou keep the commandment spotless, irreproachable, until the appearing of our lord Jesus Christ; which in its own time the blessed and only Ruler shall shew, the King of those that reign, and Lord of those that exercise lordship; who only has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen, nor is able to see; to whom be honour and eternal might. Amen.
1 Corinthians 15:45-47 Thus also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul; the last Adam a quickening spirit. But that which is spiritual was not first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual: the first man out of the earth, made of dust; the second man, out of heaven.
Finally, the man Yeshua was a servant (Matthew 12:18), he always knew that he is not perfectly good on his own (Mark 10:18). He depended on God (John 5:30; John 8:28) and had to learn to dominate over the inclination to evil. Jesus is "without blemish and without spot" because He did not err against the precepts of the Eternal after being able to choose between good and evil (Isaiah 7:15). The story in the book of Job is revealing of the perfect man in the making, Jesus and Job touched upon the mystery of godliness and perfection. Both knew that they needed the baptism of repentance before the One, the Most Highly Blessed One. They were conscious that they had to first bear the nature of the sinner, the soul of Adam, before being raised to spirituality and to the throne (glory) of the Eternal One.
Job 9:1 Then Job answered and said,
Job 9:2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? (See Job chapter 25 and 26).
The Baptism for
repentance will take on its full meaning by being combined with the
ministry of Jesus regaining life in God, so we are to be baptized in
the name of Jesus. After repentance, we are invited to follow a new
spirit that sanctifies us, the spirit of freedom that Jesus Christ
carried. To confirm this point of perfection of the baptism of
repentance, believers were baptized a second time in the name of Yeshua. The baptism
of Jesus encompasses the baptism proposed by Iehuhanan (John the
Baptist) and the way of resurrection.
Acts 19:3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
Acts 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the lord Jesus.
The person administering the baptism must understand the Bible and the ministry of Jesus, I give important points of faith to know at the time of baptism (pardon the formalism, it is necessary for the bases of faith) in the last chapter of this theme. The one who baptizes does not need to be part of a high religious hierarchy, but must understand the Bible, know the Father (the creator God) and the Son (the man Jesus who is not God). We must not be baptized in the name of an archangel or an unknown god. Philip told of true faith to a eunuch on the way.
Acts 8:35-38 : And Philip, opening his mouth and beginning from that scripture, announced the glad tidings of Jesus to him. And as they went along the way, they came upon a certain water, and the eunuch says, Behold water; what hinders my being baptised? and he commanded the chariot to stop. And they went down both to the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptised him.
The water of baptism represents the heavenly water that cleanses and buries the old man and brings forth a new being who lives by faith. Water carries what is evil to the depths and also water our being (John 4:14). Note that our body is composed largely of water; we constantly absorb and reject a great quantity of it. The spirit of the Eternal is the true water of life:
Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you 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 spirit, and with fire:
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.
I strongly advise a second baptism for those who have been baptized in the name of an archangel (witness's jeova) or an unknown god (Jesus the God, the Trinity...), in order to testify in heaven and on earth. Paul's function was not to baptize and the churches and pastors of his day were much closer to Reality than today's religious appointments. So join the oasis of the desert assembly to be baptized in the name of Yeshua. In messianic baptism, believers enter spiritually into the body of Christ, they have died and risen in Him. We are baptized in the name of Yeshua. We are baptized in the person who built the covenant, the ministry. Baptism is done "in the name of Jesus", there is identification with Yeshua (1 Corinthians 10:2, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Ephesians 5:20...).
Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Acts 19:3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
Acts 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the lord Jesus.
The person administering the baptism must understand the Bible and the ministry of Jesus, I give important points of faith to know at the time of baptism (pardon the formalism, it is necessary for the bases of faith) in the last chapter of this theme. The one who baptizes does not need to be part of a high religious hierarchy, but must understand the Bible, know the Father (the creator God) and the Son (the man Jesus who is not God). We must not be baptized in the name of an archangel or an unknown god. Philip told of true faith to a eunuch on the way.
Acts 8:35-38 : And Philip, opening his mouth and beginning from that scripture, announced the glad tidings of Jesus to him. And as they went along the way, they came upon a certain water, and the eunuch says, Behold water; what hinders my being baptised? and he commanded the chariot to stop. And they went down both to the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptised him.
The water of baptism represents the heavenly water that cleanses and buries the old man and brings forth a new being who lives by faith. Water carries what is evil to the depths and also water our being (John 4:14). Note that our body is composed largely of water; we constantly absorb and reject a great quantity of it. The spirit of the Eternal is the true water of life:
Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you 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 spirit, and with fire:
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.
I strongly advise a second baptism for those who have been baptized in the name of an archangel (witness's jeova) or an unknown god (Jesus the God, the Trinity...), in order to testify in heaven and on earth. Paul's function was not to baptize and the churches and pastors of his day were much closer to Reality than today's religious appointments. So join the oasis of the desert assembly to be baptized in the name of Yeshua. In messianic baptism, believers enter spiritually into the body of Christ, they have died and risen in Him. We are baptized in the name of Yeshua. We are baptized in the person who built the covenant, the ministry. Baptism is done "in the name of Jesus", there is identification with Yeshua (1 Corinthians 10:2, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Ephesians 5:20...).
Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
The formula "in the name of
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit" is used quite early in the
practice of baptism, the Didachè¹ is an ancient document which is often
mentioned to evoke the way Christians were baptized at the beginning of
our era. Some think that the text is contemporary to the disciples, but
I agree with those who explain that it is much later.
Some phrases and customs do not seem to fit with the spirit of the gospels; we see in them the mark of the councils of the church of Rome. The formula "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" is found in the didachè and practically all our translations (Matthew 28:19), however, several testimonies tell us that it is an invention to support the dogma of the trinity.
Historians such as Eusebius of Caesarea, the Shem Tov2 version, Catholic scholars, biblical dictionaries and encyclopedias have questioned the authenticity of this formula.
Let us mention three examples of what we generally hear in debates around this formula:
- Canney's Encyclopedia of Religion, page 53:
"The early church always baptized in the name of the lord Jesus until the doctrine of the trinity was developed in the second century".
- Hastings' Bilical Dictionary, volume 2, page 377 and page 378:
"Christian baptism was administered using the words "in the name of Jesus".
"The use of the Trinitarian formula is not found in the history of the early church".
- Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 2, page 263:
"Catholics admit that baptism was changed by the Catholic Church".
In conformity with the Gospel of Mark, here is how the verse according to Eusebius should be read:
"Matthew 28:19 Come, make disciples of all nations, and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you every day, even unto the end of the world".
And in case of doubt, let us remember that the disciples always baptized in the name of the man Yeshua. Another verse indicates the way we must do things:
Colosians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
To conclude this chapter, let us quickly talk about the baptism of babies: we had already written that there were several baptisms or ablutions (Hebrews 6:2; 9:10) in Moses' covenant, they were used for different circumstances, for a specific purpose. If John the Baptist's baptism was exclusively for repentance, it does not fit the repentance of babies by immersion or sprinkling.
Therefore, we cannot ask babies to repent and believe in God. When it is written that the whole house (oikos) is to be baptized (Acts 16:31), we are talking about people who can manifest their faith (wife, cousin, grandmother, widows...) in the house. Newborns are under the protection of the Lord and the head of the family, so there is no need to baptize them.
We need a bit formalism to show what we believe, the baptism is in a faith that corresponds at least with what we teach:
1) We did not come by chance, there is a Creator who gave us life and freedom to do good and evil. All men are equal.
2) The creator is One, he is One, Eternal is alone, who has always possessed Immortality.
3) Before the foundation of the world or at the beginning of the book of Genesis, the Son of God Jesus is not literally next to the creator as God or archangel, he is at the head of the plan.
4) The saving Messiah was only to be a man by nature (first nature), man is never pre-existing before being created and born the first time on earth.
5) The holy spirit is not a person, it is the spirit of Eternal, his holy breath.
6) Eternal bringeth life to righteous men from henceforth and for the world to come. In this sense the Messiah is the resurrection, the way, the truth, and the life for all that follow him.
Observation: In secondary doctrines (not required for baptism), a topic was created in December 2019 for more information : https://www.desertpath.net/Religions&philosophies.html
Here are some of them:
- we do not believe that "satan" is a specific angel or jinn of evil.
- we do not believe that the current state of Israel created in 1948 is the fulfillment of a prophecy by the hand of the Eternal.
- we are not saved by believing only in a knowledge: Jesus shedeth his blood on a cross for forgiveness, but by faith and obdeience in the words and deeds of Eternal and Christ manifested in our lives.
- We do not want additional laws from o Eternal in the faith of Christ (the yoke of circumcision...), but the law of the Eternal remains good for new converts, "God-fearing" (Acts 15 and 21).
May the Eternal guide us.
Some phrases and customs do not seem to fit with the spirit of the gospels; we see in them the mark of the councils of the church of Rome. The formula "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" is found in the didachè and practically all our translations (Matthew 28:19), however, several testimonies tell us that it is an invention to support the dogma of the trinity.
Historians such as Eusebius of Caesarea, the Shem Tov2 version, Catholic scholars, biblical dictionaries and encyclopedias have questioned the authenticity of this formula.
Let us mention three examples of what we generally hear in debates around this formula:
- Canney's Encyclopedia of Religion, page 53:
"The early church always baptized in the name of the lord Jesus until the doctrine of the trinity was developed in the second century".
- Hastings' Bilical Dictionary, volume 2, page 377 and page 378:
"Christian baptism was administered using the words "in the name of Jesus".
"The use of the Trinitarian formula is not found in the history of the early church".
- Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 2, page 263:
"Catholics admit that baptism was changed by the Catholic Church".
In conformity with the Gospel of Mark, here is how the verse according to Eusebius should be read:
"Matthew 28:19 Come, make disciples of all nations, and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you every day, even unto the end of the world".
And in case of doubt, let us remember that the disciples always baptized in the name of the man Yeshua. Another verse indicates the way we must do things:
Colosians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
To conclude this chapter, let us quickly talk about the baptism of babies: we had already written that there were several baptisms or ablutions (Hebrews 6:2; 9:10) in Moses' covenant, they were used for different circumstances, for a specific purpose. If John the Baptist's baptism was exclusively for repentance, it does not fit the repentance of babies by immersion or sprinkling.
Therefore, we cannot ask babies to repent and believe in God. When it is written that the whole house (oikos) is to be baptized (Acts 16:31), we are talking about people who can manifest their faith (wife, cousin, grandmother, widows...) in the house. Newborns are under the protection of the Lord and the head of the family, so there is no need to baptize them.
We need a bit formalism to show what we believe, the baptism is in a faith that corresponds at least with what we teach:
1) We did not come by chance, there is a Creator who gave us life and freedom to do good and evil. All men are equal.
2) The creator is One, he is One, Eternal is alone, who has always possessed Immortality.
3) Before the foundation of the world or at the beginning of the book of Genesis, the Son of God Jesus is not literally next to the creator as God or archangel, he is at the head of the plan.
4) The saving Messiah was only to be a man by nature (first nature), man is never pre-existing before being created and born the first time on earth.
5) The holy spirit is not a person, it is the spirit of Eternal, his holy breath.
6) Eternal bringeth life to righteous men from henceforth and for the world to come. In this sense the Messiah is the resurrection, the way, the truth, and the life for all that follow him.
Observation: In secondary doctrines (not required for baptism), a topic was created in December 2019 for more information : https://www.desertpath.net/Religions&philosophies.html
Here are some of them:
- we do not believe that "satan" is a specific angel or jinn of evil.
- we do not believe that the current state of Israel created in 1948 is the fulfillment of a prophecy by the hand of the Eternal.
- we are not saved by believing only in a knowledge: Jesus shedeth his blood on a cross for forgiveness, but by faith and obdeience in the words and deeds of Eternal and Christ manifested in our lives.
- We do not want additional laws from o Eternal in the faith of Christ (the yoke of circumcision...), but the law of the Eternal remains good for new converts, "God-fearing" (Acts 15 and 21).
May the Eternal guide us.
Please
respect the work done and mention the link of the website :
http://www.desertpath.net
¹ The christian text "the Didache" uses the formula of Matthew 28:19, chapter 7.
2
Shem
Tov, the Hebrew new covenant without the formula in Matthew 28:19.
www.desertpath.net
Kevin FOUQUERE
also
surnamed Yohanan
July 2017
(Update
for May 2020 in the last chapter for details request)