There is but One Baptism, well sort of. . .
While it is absolutely correct there is but ONE 'Baptism into the body of Christ' “Baptism” (Ephesians 4:4-5 NIV), there is nonetheless the completely distinct 'baptism' of the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost if you're a KJV fan) “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” (vs. 2) and “...the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied....” (vs. 6) Acts 19:1-7 NIV
As for a Baptism by fire, this is one of those areas of the Christian Faith that is oh so very subject to broad and varied interpretations. Matthew 3:11 Amplified Bible (AMP) – “I indeed baptize you in (with) water because of repentance [that is, because of your changing your minds for the better, heartily amending your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins]. But He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
Depending on how we look at any one or a series of any of the various ENGLISH Interpretations ** / Translations ** of God's (Christ's) Holy Word, we can see up to as many as five (5) distinct ‘baptisms’:
1) Baptism of repentance
2) Baptism into the body of Christ
3) Baptism in water
4) Baptism into the Holy Spirit
5) Baptism with fire
[http://robertwells.tripod.com/baptism2.html]
Personally, I believe that there is a strong basis for amalgamating:
#'s 1, 2 & 3 – “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...” Matthew 28:19 NIV (see also Matt 3:11 NIV)
and
#'s 4 & 5 “...baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
Additionally, the baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire ought to be accompanied by signs, speaking in tongues (of angels) - Acts 2:3-4 NIV, “...tongues of fire...”
“Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.” I Corinthians 14:22 NIV
But of course one must also remember I Corinthians 13:1 AMP – “If (we)... have not love... (we are) a noisy gong...” (Emphasis in parenthesise mine)
The second (amalgamated #'s 4 & 5) should also be accompanied by various and numerous ‘signs and wonders’!
And yes it is vital to remember in whose name one is Baptized, this is certainly true. Many of the quasi-christian cults, use the “name” jesus christ, and even speak of god's son, but the jesus they preach is NOT the Jesus Christ / Yeshua Hamashiach of the Holy Bible. Further, although all (both) of the ‘baptisms’ noted above are vital and important parts of a vibrant Christian life, that said neither is / are pre-requisite nor any sort of requisite to “being a Christian”.
*** NOTE *** Please note, I am not saying that baptism is NOT important or valuable (even 'needed') for vibrancy within our Christian walks. Rather that neither / none of the baptisms noted above make one a Christian, please review the Core Tenets of the Christian Faith. There are many who dearly love, and most certainly KNOW, Jesus / Yeshua who have never been baptized. Their Salvation is assured by Romans 10:9-10 NIV
“Know Jesus, know peace whereas no Jesus, no peace”
How does one get to “know” Jesus? Simple, invite Him into your heart, as Jesus says: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” [Revelations 3:20 NIV] How can we be assured that this Jesus stuff means anything, well because the Bible tells us so, as the Apostle Paul wrote:
“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” [Romans 10:9-10 NIV]
And for those of you who say to me, I can’t be bothered reading the Bible, “it’s confusing” or “it’s a waste of my time”, may I draw your attention to what the Bible says about wisdom: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” [Proverbs 9:10 NIV]
If nothing else, PLEASE read two chapters from the Bible – (don’t own one, sorry NO excuse, if you’re reading this, you can access this: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203:16&version=NIV) John 3 and John 14!
John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
And John 14:6 says: “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Well that’s it, that’s Da Bauz’s take on, but One Baptism – this 15th day of February 2012 © 2012, All Rights Reserved. wr (Da Bauz, Christian Zionist)
** RE: “Interpretations ** / Translations ** of God's (Christ's) Holy Word” Like it or not folks, every single rendering of the Word of God / Holy Bible in the English language is to some extent an interpretation. An interpretation by a human being (albeit a very scholarly and skilled one or set of schollars), and as such there are subtle nuances, variances and differences in many of the “non-essential” transliterations, passage-to-passage, between the numerous English versions available. That said, the KEY message of the Holy Bible, God’s (Christ’s) Holy Word from Genesis through Revelations remains intact and unchanged from the original texts, and is every bit as powerful and relevant to this very day, as when first penned.
