Jesus, at the Last Supper, says clearly, “This is my BODY” and “This is my BLOOD” -— and the literalists who persecuted the early Church, therefore, called us cannibals!
There is no reason why one can NOT be Baptized by the Holy Spirit AND by Water, AT THE SAME TIME! What in the world makes them exclusive?
They are the SAME!
Another problem with Millerites, SDA, and Jehovahs: FEW of them, from the early days, knew any other language but English, and their English skills were POOR at that. Then, these uneducated people do not understand the shortcomings of any translation, and they try to concoct theory that was not at all what the speaker or the author, in original Scripture, had in mind.
Listening you you types is like watching a cheap spaghetti western or a cheap Godzilla movie, and knowing that what the actors are SAYING is NOT what the “translator” is saying, in the captions.
Your leaders were uneducated frauds. They made lots of mistakes. Since that time, your faith has been preoccupied by damage control and fixing your past mistakes.
John's words: Mat 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 Ghost, and [with] fire:
Jesus said: Act 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Paul's words: Eph 4:4 [There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all.
So...what say YOU? Water or spirit?