#2 and #3 Peter commanded them to be baptized because Jesus commanded His disciples to baptize. As far as why Peter said specifically in the name of Jesus Christ, again, no clue. My only guess is that they may have already been baptized under John's baptism, which would be under God, and by being baptized they would receive the Holy Spirit effectively baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
It is not baptism that saves but rather faith and God's grace. Baptism is a command given by Christ and is the first command that one follows after salvation. Even though baptism does not save, I always question one who chooses to not be baptized. Do you really want your first act as a Christian to disobey a command from your Lord and Savior that you just gave your heart to?
#6 Because Peter was saying that when they are baptized they will receive the Holy Spirit. The people's baptism had not yet taken place so therefore, they would receive the Holy Spirit when they were baptized in the future, whether that was in 5 seconds or 5 years.
Dear spiritfilledjm,
I want to comment on some of your statements and ask you one question at the end of this post.
You said:
#2 and #3 Peter commanded them to be baptized because Jesus commanded His disciples to baptize. As far as why Peter said specifically in the name of Jesus Christ, again, no clue.
There is strong evidence that Mat 28:19 was originally written as "in my name" and not "in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit" (I will let you do your own research if you have a mind to). For that reason, in Acts 2:38, Peter said to be baptized in Jesus name along with this very clear statement:
Acts 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
The name of "Jesus" is the only name whereby we can be saved. After I learned this truth many years ago, I was re-baptized in water in the name of Jesus instead of "the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit" as I had done earlier in my adult life. Don't misunderstand me, I agree that water baptism has never saved anyone. Only the Baptism of the Holy Spirit will save us.
One other point on this topic: the Doctrine of the Trinity is a false doctrine. Simply put, there is only one God who is the God and Father of all that there is. At some time before this creation began, He created His only begotten Son, Jesus. Then through Jesus, this creation was made. From that perspective, it is correct to say that Jesus is our God and Creator. Just keep in mind that the Father, who is the God of Jesus and is greater than Jesus, is also our God and Creator.
John 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
John 13:16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
John 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come [again] unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
1Cor 1:3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
1Cor 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
2Cor 11:31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 4:4-6 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
The Holy Spirit is God the Father's Spirit which He gave to Jesus and He in turn, gives to us. By having God's Spirit within us, we become "one" with the Father as Christ is "one" with the Father. In other words, we become part of God the Father's family when we have His Spirit indwelling us. It really isn't any more difficult than that.
You said:
It is not baptism that saves but rather faith and God's grace. Baptism is a command given by Christ and is the first command that one follows after salvation. Even though baptism does not save, I always question one who chooses to not be baptized. Do you really want your first act as a Christian to disobey a command from your Lord and Savior that you just gave your heart to?
#6 Because Peter was saying that when they are baptized they will receive the Holy Spirit. The people's baptism had not yet taken place so therefore, they would receive the Holy Spirit when they were baptized in the future, whether that was in 5 seconds or 5 years.
As you said, water baptism does not save. Water baptism is a symbol for the spiritual baptism that must occur later if we are to be saved by Christ in this age.
Spiritual baptism is broken down into TWO parts. You kind of hit upon this when you said
"they would receive the Holy Spirit when they were baptized in the future, whether that was in 5 seconds or 5 years".
When Christ first comes to us and gives us the earnest amount of the Holy Spirit, it is at this moment that we accept Christ as our Savior and call Him "Lord". This event is called the
Early Rain of the Spirit. It is the same event that Saul/Paul experienced on the Damascus Road. When this happens to an unbeliever, they are "called out from the world" and enter the "church" (the called out ones). But because the new believer is left spiritually blind and carnally minded, the new believer cannot "see" the truth of Christ. Christ remains "veiled" from them. Because of these deficiencies, Satan, who masquerades as Christ, comes to them and deceives them. He offers them his "truth" (lies) which they readily accept because it is pleasing to their carnal minds. Here is where Jesus taught this truth about our spiritual condition upon receiving the Early Rain:
Mat 12:43-45 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation
Unclean (Evil) spirits represent Satan's false truth. Since a new believer remains
spiritually blind (
Mark 8:21-25) after receiving the Early Rain, they cannot replace their worldly false beliefs with God's truth. One "evil spirit" leaves but comes back with seven more (represents the
spirit of anti-Christ) since our house remains void of God's truth. Now, instead of "one evil spirit" within us, we now have EIGHT. The number EIGHT spiritually represents a
new spiritual condition. In this case, our new spiritual condition is "worse than the first". Paul calls this worsened spiritual condition the
Man of Sin.
After the new believer devolves into a Man of Sin, their deadly head wound that came from the sword of Christ at the time of the Early Rain
is healed. The blow by the Sword of Christ was intended to slay their carnal nature (Old man) but because of their spiritual blindness and Satan’s deceptions, the wound is healed and their Old Man continues to live.
Rev 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
As a result, the believer is still represented by the Seven-Headed Beast of Revelation. In case you are unaware, the Seven Headed Beast is a symbol for
mankind in our spiritually flawed and carnally minded condition. After our deadly head wound is healed, we have truly "fallen away" and become a Man of Sin who follows the ways of Satan instead of Christ. We are trying to serve two masters. This is the one and only sin (works) that leads to our spiritual death (
1John 5:16). From this death, we cannot be renewed by repentance (
Heb 6:4-6). It is for this reason that Christ must come to us a second time if we are going to be saved in this age. When He comes (Day of the Lord), He brings the
Latter Rain of the Spirit (Baptism of the Holy Spirit), which is what the Apostles received on the Day of Pentecost and what Paul received after being in Damascus for three days.
The Doctrine of Free Will is the most common belief that causes us to "fall away". We use this false belief system to justify why unbelievers are worthy of "hell" and why we are not. We falsely believe that we must be wiser or smarter or simply less evil than those who reject Christ. And because of this belief, we take credit for making the right "choice" to accept Christ. But in truth, the credit is not ours. It was Christ's work within us that caused us to accept Him as "Lord". In our spiritually flawed and carnally minded condition we have from birth, no man will even seek to know God (
Rom 3:10-11, Rom 8:7), much less accept Him as Lord.
Scripture clearly says that unless Christ gives us the Holy Spirit, we cannot call Him "Lord".
1 Cor 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.
Only after Christ comes to us and gives us the Early Rain of the Spirit can we call Christ “Lord”. Paul’s Damascus Road experience is the part of the “pattern” (
1Tim 1:16) whereby we all must follow in order to be “called out from the world”. Christ came to Paul on the Damascus Road, uninvited by Paul, and gave Paul the Early Rain. Paul had no choice in the matter as to whether to accept the Spirit or to reject the Spirit. The Spirit was
given to Him and after it was, Paul fell to his knees and called Christ “Lord”.
After a Called Out believer has “fallen away” and is no longer saved, Christ must come to them a second time with the Latter Rain of the Spirit (Baptism of the Holy Spirit). If He doesn't, they will die in their sins and receive their “portion” with the unbelievers. If the Called Out believer is one of the “few” (
Mat 22:14) and has been "chosen from the foundation of the world", Christ will come to them a second time. And when He comes, He brings salvation with Him.
Heb 9:28 So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Christ “appeared” the first time in the flesh and took away the sins of the world on the cross. When He comes to an unbeliever with the Early Rain, He does not “appear” to them but remains hidden from their understanding (spiritual blindness). The Early Rain event is not an “appearance”, it is a visitation. When Christ comes to a Called Out believer with the Latter Rain, He “appears” to them at this time. When He comes, He fully heals their spiritual blindness and the Light of His appearing will destroy the Man of Sin whom they have become. It is at this point when the new child of God is born.
As James says, it takes both the Early AND Latter Rain to produce a new child of God:
Jam 5:7-8 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
My question to you is, do you understand and accept the "
Great Mystery of Christ and His church" (
Eph 5:32) which I have just explained above? It is the most hidden teaching in scripture.
When you said that we must wait on the Lord (5 secs or 5 yrs.) to spiritually baptize us after we first make our confession of faith and are water baptized, I thought that maybe you might be one of the "few" who understand this greatly hidden truth.
Joe