REPENTENCE, BAPTISM BY WATER, BAPTISM BY FIRE AND THE HOLY GHOST

One of the more important doctrines of the true Christian Faith is  "Baptism by Water."  All the denominations of the Christian Faith have a doctrine of Baptism that involves a literal dunking or sprinkling of water in some form; whether it be from a religious basin or performed either in a river or a pond.  However; does the scripture command or demonstrate a literal use of physical water (in the flesh); and by extension provide for a  washing away of sin and automatic connection with the Holy Spirit by means of a magical church ritual like "dunk the baby?"  The answer to this is emphatically NO!  However, like much of Bible's doctrines, and it's idiomatic speech, in order to understand what Baptism truly is, it requires some study of the text deeper than the surface level; and it also helps to include other first century sources explaining was taught by the Apostles.    

It is true, the account of Christ's Baptism shown in the New Testament, was lead by John the Baptist, and it occurred in the River Jordan by a literal dunking of water.  This act was symbolic of Christ's cross over from a life living as another Jew in Judea into the True Prophet spoken by Moses, prepared for God's good works, who is the Son of God and Kinsman Redeemer of Israel.       

Matthew 3:13-17:  "Then cometh Yeshua from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.  But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?  And Yeshua answering said unto him, suffer it to be so now: for >>thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.<< Then he suffered him.  And Yeshua, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 

The book of Luke has added detail of the same account showing John the Baptist appointed to "Prepare the way for the Messiah;" he began to Baptize Gentiles who came to him, and eventually Yeshua came to him:

Luke 3:3-9  "And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; As it is written in the book of the words of Isaias the prophet (Isaiah 40:3-5), saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;  And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.  Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." 

John makes it clear here that Baptism follows some form of repentance, but spiritually the underlying motive for turning away from the things of this world and turning towards God has to be a type that will please Him and will be acceptable, and it will also fall in line with prophecy.   This Baptism is also not a passive form of getting wet, nor one that involves an entitlement of some kind, such as an inheritance by genealogy; nor is it a magic wand of superstition invocated by a Priest and "Presto!" you are a new creation in Messiah.  

John goes on to say:

Luk 3:16-17  "...unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable."

This Baptism comes with the Holy Spirit!  It is a form of spiritual cleansing; perhaps closer to how a fire refines and purges out the dross from silver and gold.  Yeshua is also an active participant in this Baptism and his purpose is to separate the true believers who come to him with a humble and contrite spirit from those who seek to enter into the Kingdom their own way.  Baptism is simply not something that any church can ritualize and dole out in the flesh and gift to their congregants by proxy--it is God's process of sanctification that requires the believer to first fall on their knees and truly mourn for their soul!   When a soul is truly in its lowest most humbled state, grace can work to convict people's hearts to want to follow God--His Way.

If Baptism is symbolic of a type of spiritual cleanse, where do we find examples of this?  For starters, all throughout the Bible there are hundreds of verses using key words like water, wells, quenching thirst, washing: including such washing as washing hands with water, washing the head with oil, and washing feet and so forth.   God literally cleansed the whole world with a global flood, Moses lead Israel across the Red Sea by the parting of water, Joshua lead Israel across the Jordan by the parting of water,  Isaac dug a well, Jacob dug a well, Moses met the daughter of Jethro at a well, among the examples.   

In John Chapter 4: Yeshua met a Samaritan woman at a well and tells her in verse 10 "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water"...and "Whosoever drinketh of this water that I 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."    Christ goes on to say later in the conversation in verses 23-24: "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." 

In Exodus 17 Moses led Israel through the wilderness of Sin and the people needed water to drink.  While the heart of the people was without faith in God, as if they would doubt that God would provide, they murmured putting God to grief, God nevertheless commanded Moses to smite the rock so that a river of water gushed out of it to quench the thirst of the people.  The water from this Rock is symbolic of the living water Christ promised the Samaritan woman.  It is also no coincidence that Israel wandered through a wilderness called Sin, like most people who spend decades living in the world under sin, God is able to show up to a people who cry out unto him who thirst for righteousness.  Horeb is also the place where God spoke to Israel his Holy Covenant by his voice (Exodus 19 / Deuteronomy 5) after Moses had Israel fast and wash their clothes, forming a pattern for sanctification after repentance, then leading into Covenant.   Scriptures make it clear over and over that God's righteousness can be our righteousness by His Holy Covenant, which is the 10 Commandments (Deuteronomy 6:25).   

In John chapter 1 Christ is described as the "Word was beside God"...and He is the "Word made Flesh"..."full of grace and truth"..."For the law was given by Moses, but grace and Truth came by Yeshua Messiah."  John goes on to say in verse 31 "he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore I come baptizing with water.  In verse 33 he says, "but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost."   

In John chapter 14 Christ says "I am the the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."   He also goes on to say the words he speaks the Father gave him.   He goes on to say: 

"If you love me, keep my commandments.  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;  >>Even the Spirit of truth; << whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.  Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and >>make our abode with him.<<  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.  These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.   But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: >>not as the world giveth, give I unto you.<< Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." 

In Ephesians 5, Paul describes a Husband and Wife under a Covenant marriage, looking at the Hebrew wedding model,  to describe how God / His Son and a new believer can be married together by Covenant (The two become one flesh) and this happens by obedience to the Word who gives the living water:

Ephesians 5:25-27  " Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;  That >>he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,<< That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." 

One key section of scripture is in Acts,  illustrating how Baptism worked by the Apostles, and is not by literal water.  The narrative describes how a group of servants attempted to baptize by literal water and failed.  

Acts 19: 2-6:  "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.<<  And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, >>Unto John's baptism.<<  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.  >>When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Yeshua Messiah.<<  And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied."  

Acts 19 shows you the baptism comes by repentance and by Christ, which is in line with John 14, where we "keep his commandments".   This also connects to what Moses wrote of the True Prophet, that was spoken by God: 

Deuteronomy 18:15-19  "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;  According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.  And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that >>whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name,<< I will require it of him." 

Multiple times in the book of Acts it tells you that John baptized by water, but those servants will be baptized by the Holy Ghost.  We see this manifest in Acts chapter 2, when tongues of fire descended upon those in the upper room and the people started speaking in different languages and prophesying.  

Now there is an example in Acts of another literal baptism in chapter 8 with the Ethiopian Eunuch and Phillip.  However, notice that Philip gave the Eunuch understanding about reading Isaiah, in a key section of scripture about Messiah.  Philip preached unto him Yeshua (assuming he gave him the gospel and Covenant, even though the text does not word it as such) he then convinces the Eunuch to declare Christ is the Son of God and takes him down to baptize in literal water.  

In John 7: 37-39 Christ says "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Yeshua stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. >>He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.<< (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 Yeshua was not yet glorified.)

Yeshua Rebukes the Pharisees for being Hypocrites and putting on clean appearances in the flesh, but spiritually they are corrupt:

Matthew 23:23-28  "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and >>have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith:<< these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.  Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! >>for ye make clean the outside of the cup<< and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."   

Iniquity here means "transgressing the law".  This is the definition of  Sin in the scripture found in 1 John 3:4:  "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."  

Baptism is all about the cleansing of Sin from a person's soul, which is done from the starting point of repentance of Sin, then followed by obedience to the 10 Commandments, followed by the receiving of the Holy Ghost by Faith and relationship in Christ.  This is exactly what is described as a characteristic of the saints in Revelation 12:17, 14:12 and 22:14.  This is the process described by the 3-Fold invocation of " I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit."  The Father's Word spoken by his voice brought the Holy Covenant; The Son brought a magnified version of it and a gospel of repentance with grace and truth,  and by obedience to them the door is open for the Holy Spirit to dwell with you.  Amen!   

Baptism by water is idiomatic of this cleansing by the Word.  This concept is confirmed by first century writings of the Apostles and related disciples like in the book Recognitions of Clement.   Clement describes how Peter taught Baptism.   Peter used the phrase "3 - Fold Invocation"  Peter quotes the scripture about the "washing of the inside of the cup".   

Chapter 39 tells you that Baptism was instituted in place of temple sacrifices and this was God showing mercy and the purification was by "the wisdom of God."  Peter describes how the church brought various schisms on this Baptism doctrine.  He goes on to describe Baptism as something that is part of being born again and it is of the utmost necessity and urgency for people to get in Covenant.  

In Chapter 11 of book 2, Peter says: 

"For truly, if the mind be purified by the light of knowledge, when once it is clean and clear, then it necessarily takes care of that which is without a man, that is, his flesh, that it also may he purified. But when that which is without, the cleansing of the flesh, is neglected, it is certain that there is no care taken of the purity of the mind and the cleanness of the heart. Thus therefore it comes to pass, that he who is clean inwardly is without doubt cleansed outwardly also, but not always that he who is clean outwardly is also cleansed inwardly-to wit, when he does these things that he may please men."   

Peter describes the usefulness of fasting prior to being Baptized.  He also acknowledges it is useful for a man, once in a while, to take a bath outwardly, with emphasis on the inward cleansing by doctrine.  The book also describes a scene where Peter baptizes 10,000 people in a forum and there is no mention of it happening with literal water, but only by giving them the doctrine of Christ and the speaking of the "3-Fold invocation".  

In Luke 11:20 Christ is quoted as saying "But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you."   That same finger of God wrote the 10 Commandments on two tables of Stone, which is the same called the Holy Covenant spoken at Horeb by God's Voice and it is the same Covenant that the prophets repeatedly tell you how the children of God will write them upon "the tables of their heart," and is the same Rock that is Christ, who will manifest himself upon those that "love him and keep his Commandments!"      

God sent his only Son to come and teach the 10 Commandments, even magnify the law and make it honorable, but he also became the final sacrifice for the atonement of sin on earth, which did away with the sacrificial law system.  As mentioned earlier by Peter, Baptism was put in place of the practice of sacrificing animals to atone for sin.  This Baptism of repentance, which is by water, is done in the name of Christ, who shed his blood for the remissions of sins.  John describes it this way: 

1John 5:1-12  "Whosoever >>believeth that Yeshua is the Christ is born of God:<< and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him (born of water).   By this we know that we love the children of God, >>when we love God, and keep his commandments.<< For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Yeshua is the Son of God? Testimony Concerning the Son of God  >>This is he that came by water and blood, even Yeshua Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. <<  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.   And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.   If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.  He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." 

• If you have never been in Covenant, the first step is one must realize they are without God and in need of his presence--the scripture calls these people "poor;" and this prompting is often given by God's grace.   
• Once you understand you are poor then you will mourn.  Once you mourn, then you will be comforted and your prayers may be more readily accepted by the Father.  Grace will prompt you to repent from the ways of the world and be ready to learn the ways of God.  
• You can also fast and pray for a close relationship with the Father and Son.  This fasting can be done by means of a 3 day food fast or the Key of David fast with focus on deep prayer.  In Recognitions of Clement, Peter recommended this to at least one person.  The Bible also refers to a number of servants who mourned by putting on "sack cloth and ashes."  While no one needs to literally put on sackcloth and ashes,  this exemplifies how deep and serious this mourning can be.  God will not accept vain oblations or mourning that isn't pure and true in full faith.  
• Then you will seek after God's righteousness.  You may need to find someone (Or, better yet, a group) to help explain the scriptures. A servant intercessor or group that helps you understand doctrine will also give you the gospel.  The gospel includes getting into Covenant, which is the 10 Commandments.  Per John 14,  obeying God's Law allows the Holy Spirit can come upon you to mark you and begin to teach you all things.  In the book of Acts, the servants also laid hands upon those making this Vow, speaking the 3 fold invocation over them in prayer, saying  "I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit."
•  When the time is right, you will be prompted by the Spirit or by the servants to make a Vow of servanthood.  When you agree in full faith, this will please God and you can ask him "Lord, how best can I serve you?"  You will begin to fulfill the Royal Law and edify others.   
• His Word you will now make your daily bread and you will read it like your life depends on it to gain the knowledge of God, even the deeper sayings and understanding of prophecy.  If you put full faith into His Word he will give you wisdom and understanding.  
• When you are walking and living in God's righteousness, what people did for you to walk beside you and bring you closer to the Kingdom, you will now do for others and be "peacemakers", showing others God's mercy and judgement; and you too will be called "Blessed," even if you fall under persecution.  
• You will walk as Christ walked and talk as Christ talked as a child of God.  The Word with the Holy Spirit will wash you, your Sin will be wiped clean, your heart will be circumcised, the Commandments will be written on the heart, and you will be born again refreshed as a new creation.