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To: smvoice
"I would like to ask a question. DOes anyone here know why circumcision was required? What it represented? ANd water baptism. Why was it required? ANd what did it represent? Without knowing the answer to these two questions, there can be NO UNITY OF THE SPIRIT, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM, or ONE BODY that Paul speaks of in Ephesians 4:4-6.

I count four question marks (and it appears there should be a fifth), yet you mentioned "a question" and "two questions". What is your concern exactly?

41 posted on 03/01/2013 2:56:51 PM PST by Dutchboy88
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To: Dutchboy88; metmom; CynicalBear; boatbums; mitch5501
lol..I DID go beyond the one question, didn't I...My concern here is that all the "rules" and "regulations" that keep us all arguing can ALL be found in the BIble. And answered with Scripture. But it all depends on WHO said it, WHEN they said it, and WHO they were saying it to. There truly IS ONE BAPTISM in this dispensation. ANd it has nothing to do with water. Just like there is a circumcision in this dispensation. But before Israel was blinded and set aside, there were more than one baptism. By fire, by water, with the Holy Spirit, etc. And they ALL have to do with covenants God made with Israel. Not the Church, the Body of Christ, which we are apart of now. "TIme Past", "But Now", and "The Ages to Come" of Ephesians, CHapter 2.

The Gospel of the kingdom and the Gospel of the Circumcision are based on covenants GOd made with the Jews. Both were bound up with ordinances and signs. Circumcision was the sign of the Abrahamic COvenant (Gen. 17:11). And water baptism was the sign of the Davidic Covenant (Ex. 29:4, cf. Ex. 19:5,6, Isa. 61:6, Matt. 3:1-6). But WE are gentiles, STRANGERS FROM THE COVENANTS. (Eph. 2:12). We are in the "But NOW" of GOd's plan. If we are strangers from the covenants, are we supposed to keep them? Whether it be circumcision, water baptism, dietary rules, etc. Water baptism can NOT be the One Baptism Paul writes of for us today. "For BY ONE SPIRIT are we all baptized INTO ONE BODY.,.."1 Cor. 12:13. Not physically, Spiritually. Just like we are circumcised by the Holy Spirit. Not physically, Spiritually. THAT is the One Baptism of the dispensation of the grace of God.

Unless a person still desires to be Israel today. WHereby he would be circumsised in fullfillment of the Davidic Covenant and water baptized in fullfullment of the Abrahamic COvenant. Of course, it would do no good, since Israel is now blinded and set aside and God is dealing with individuals, not nations, on an equal basis.

46 posted on 03/01/2013 3:28:27 PM PST by smvoice (Better Buck up, Buttercup. The wailing and gnashing are for an eternity..)
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