There is only one baptism. For someone to ask the question is it spiritual or water, presupposes there are two baptisms.....one spiritual and one water.
To ask such a question reflects a total lack of understanding concerning baptism. But I am not surprised that someone who refers to it as “water activities” would ask such a question.
Btw, having a post contain 90% quotes from the Bible and then insulting the Christian Faith is still insulting the Christian Faith.
The Scriptures always refer to baptism as baptism........false teachers will use the term water baptism. Here’s a fun exercise, try and find the term water before baptism anywhere in the Scriptures ( don’t limit yourself to Ephesians ).
I would try your fun excercise challenge to me, but since the term water baptism is not in the Bible ( in Ephesians or anywhere else ) I would be wasting my time.
I would point you to Ephesians 5:26 which shows how Christians are regenerated.
I have never heard anyone compare baptism to the law and to say Matthew 28 doesn’t apply to Christians is just bizarre. The reference in Acts to baptizing in the name of Jesus means by the authority of Jesus. Christians have always used the Trinitarian formula contained in Matthew 28.
Once one abandons historical orthodox Christian beliefs, all kind of weird and bizarre interpretations can be invented.
You speak of a vibrant overcoming Body of Christ. Yet if one took your beliefs and tried to find anyone in history that would have agreed with you, it would be the same number as references to water baptism in the Bible. ZERO. So much for vibrant overcoming Body of Christ.
But hey, it’s so much more fun to make of Christianity than it is to actually believe and practice it, right?
“Yet if one took your beliefs and tried to find anyone in history that would have agreed with you, it would be the same number as references to water baptism in the Bible.”
Hmmmm...
“And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.”
It appears the Ethiopian eunuch found that water in baptism that you’ve searched for!
God mentions the water 4 times to help those with hydrophobia be convinced water exists in baptism.
What does Paul mean by this verse?
1 Corinthians 12:13 (KJV)
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
To ask such a question reflects a total lack of understanding concerning baptism...
I may lack understanding, but I do have Wisdom. The former comes from the reasoning of men and the religious, the latter comes from God via His Word.
Christian Faith is still insulting the Christian Faith.
If your "Christian faith" contradicts with God's Truth, it is religion. I will never cease from studying God's Word, BECAUSE most of what is popularly called Christianity is nothing more than religious tradition. I would encourage everyone not to rely on theologians and the reasoning of men. There is no excuse for not knowing God's Truth. You can take people out of religion, but its much harder to get the religion out of the people. Thank God there is an antidote which you kindly mentioned - Ephesians 5:26. Thanks for the segue.
Ephesians 5:25-27 (KJV)
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 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.
Believers are sanctified, or set apart, by the washing of the WORD. Not religion, not ceremonies, not rituals, but by God's Word. Literal water cleans the flesh, but never touches the spirit. How do we KNOW that the water refers to the Word - Water = Word - see (John 3:5, 15:3; Ephesians 5:26, James 1:18, 1 Peter 1:23, and also John 4, 7:37-39, 17:17-19)
Matthew 28 doesn’t apply to Christians is just bizarre.
Its only "bizarre" to those who do not know God's Word, or fail to rightly divide it. I gave a very brief explanation which obviously you ignored. The Apostles NEVER baptized using the three names commanded in the third commission recorded in Matthew 28 in Acts. Centuries later, the religious started doing it. Did the Apostles disobey Jesus? Once you answer that question, you are on your way to understanding why they did not use the three names, and what was the purpose of the 3rd commission.
Once one abandons historical orthodox Christian beliefs, all kind of weird and bizarre interpretations can be invented.
When people fail to rightly divide the Word they get weird and bizarre ideas like replacement theology, that has led to the persecution, torture, and genocide of millions of Jews. Yep, those "historical orthodox Christian beliefs" are something special.
You place more faith in "historical orthodox Christian beliefs" than you do God's Word! The devolution of Christianity was well underway while Paul was still writing his letters. Paul told Timothy to preach the Word, and warned of the coming time when - For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2 Timothy 4:3-4) This was happening in both their lifetimes. (2 Timothy 1:15, 4:10) By the end of the 1st century, Paul's revelation of the Mystery was largely abandoned and forgotten. Revelation was replaced by the reasoning of men. Preaching became a profession, instead of answering the Call of God and teaching under His Anointing. Christianity became religion, with all of its associated challenges, traditions, and failures. God's Word became secondary to the reasoning of theologians, who often failed to rightly divide the Word, allowing the enemy to sow confusion, strife, and division into the Body.
What emerged in subsequent centuries was something very different than what the Holy Spirit teaches in Paul's letters to the Body of Christ. Carefully compare even the Didache, Clement, Shepherd of Hermas, Ignatious - to Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians and its night and day. They teach Salvation by works, failing to understand Paul's Revelation and God's Wonderful Grace! It should be no surprise that after putting tradition ahead of God's Word for so long, that Believers who finally received Paul's Revelation and attempted to share the Good news with others, were tortured and murdered by the religious leadership who claimed THEY were the ones who followed Christ! If "historical orthodox Christian beliefs" breeds heresy hunting, simony, torture, genocide, and murder, you can have it. You'll know them by their fruit, right? I'll stick with God's Word and dump every shred of religious nonsense I can. I would advise you to do the same.
You speak of a vibrant overcoming Body of Christ. Yet if one took your beliefs and tried to find anyone in history that would have agreed with you, it would be the same number as references to water baptism in the Bible. ZERO. So much for vibrant overcoming Body of Christ. But hey, it’s so much more fun to make of Christianity than it is to actually believe and practice it, right?
Romans 3:3-4 (KJV)
3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
If it weren't for God's Word and a handful of Believers who kept the Light on through the centuries, some paying the ultimate price for their desire to know the Truth, there would be no Christianity. It would have been long ago dumped on the scrapheap of history the way most pagan religions have been abandoned. The last 2,000 years of Christendom, sure does not in anyway resemble the Body of Christ as Paul taught now does it? Even a casual scanning of history shows something went really catawampus after Jesus was replaced as the Head of the Body by religious monarchs in smart outfits.
Jesus made it so easy for people to be set free, to give spiritual life to folks and place them in the family of God. And then there is the religious among us, who continue to set up barriers, rituals, ceremonies, denominations, doubt, unbelief, and religious bondage to make it harder for someone to enjoy this freedom in Christ. Do you think your "historical orthodox Christian beliefs" make it easier to know Christ, or harder? And, do they ALL agree with His Word when it is rightly divided?