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>> It [baptism] is a SIGN. A sign to who? <<

Ah, the problem if reading posts backwards... I thought you were Catholic from your second post.

The Catholic Church teaches that the sacraments are a sign instituted by Christ to give grace. Baptism is not some sort of symbol of something; it is a real thing in itself. We may “get a little bit wet” physically, but it marks our souls permanently.

We can be fooled by thinking we have been “baptized in the Spirit.” How do we know? How do we know the fruits we take to be of that are not the fruits of something else? But the sacraments are actual and true: we *know* they have happened no matter what our feelings might be.

And thus we have a sacrament for that: Confirmation.

But the sacraments are actual and true: we *know* they have happened no matter what our feelings might be.

Your sacrament means nothing. It is a sign to who? the church? people. You can be fooled by that also. You are not going to tell me because you had water baptism, you are saved, are you?

The true baptism is in the Spirit. Be sure of that. You MUST be born again. How do you know you are born again, baptized in the Spirit? The answer to that is a serious discussion with God and his Word. I repeat, being baptized in the Spirit is not speaking in tongues.

There are four groups of people:

Those that think they are saved and ARE NOT. (The biggest group)

Those that think they are saved and ARE.

Those that think they are not saved and ARE NOT

Those that think they are not saved BUT ARE.

Do not place your faith in WATER BAPTISM. It is a sign, NOT THE REAL THING. Get the real thing.

How do you know you are baptized in the Spirit? God’s New Covenant is a personal relationship with Him. Not an institutional relationship, not a prescription of rules and sacraments.

He tore the curtain, destroyed the temple, removed the priestly system, removed the old sacrificial system.

Man rebuilt the old system. Why?

Act 19:3 “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.”
Act 19:4 Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the One who would come later, meaning Jesus.”
Act 19:5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Act 19:6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them,

Do you have a personal relationship with God through his Word, or an institutional relationship through his “church”.