servantofChrist,
My replies are bold
You said to JustAChristian, with regard to his quotation of Mk. 16:16, "Where is the water in this verse? It is not there!!!!"
Well, where is it? Show me within the context of the last words of Christ where the water is.
Then you turned right around and did exactly the same thing! Watch:
You quoted 1 Cor. 1:17 in this manner:
"For Christ sent (after the cross) me not to (water) baptize, but to preach the gospel.... 1 Cor. 1:17 (KJV)"
You added "water" to the verse when it is not mentioned in the verse at all!
Do you disagree That Paul is referring to water baptism?
Secondly, you distorted the teaching of Matt. 28:19 (as you do countless other verses) by saying:
"It is clear the apostles are being instructed to teach and the teaching of the word will baptize them."
The context is teaching! Unless you would have us believe the eleven were commanded to personally water baptize "all nations".
Jesus gave His apostles 3 commands to carry out in Matt:18:19... (1) make disciples (2) baptizing them (3) teaching them to obey everything He had commanded [and He had just commanded baptism!]. He did NOT "clearly" say at all, as you assert, that the baptism here would come from, and be done by, the word that they taught. Again, you contradict yourself by accusing JustAChristian and others of adding "water" to baptism passages, but then you come along and add into Matt. 28:19 that Jesus is "clearly" saying that the baptizing He is speaking of is being done by/with the "word."
1-Making disciples by the process of teaching.
2-You can't be serious, the eleven, all nations????
3-Teaching, Yes!
Again, Jesus never command the disciples to "water" baptize anyone and He surely did not command the eleven to water baptize "all nations"!
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63 (KJV)
But there are "some of you that believe not". For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. John 6:64 (KJV)
These words are in reference to the new testament for remission of sins and this testament superceded water baptism for remission of sins. We no more need two means of remission than we need two baptisms. That's ONE baptism (Ephs 4:5) not two. You need to "believe" the words of Christ when He said "the flesh profiteth nothing". These "words" of His death "quickeneth" or "give life" in the sense when we believe we are born again "from above".
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:6 (KJV)
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2 Cor. 3:17 (KJV)
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, "by the word of God", which liveth and abideth for ever. 1 Pet. 1:23 (KJV)
We are born again by the words of the new testament which are faith in His blood for remission not born again by remission of sins in water baptism. The Spirit "baptism with the word" is an operation of God when we "believe" it is the "spirit that quickeneth" and the "flesh profitheth nothing".
Matt. 28:19 states no such thing, let alone "clearly"! That is YOUR addition to the words of the Lord, sir!
Apostles never water baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost no more than they water baptized all nations! Would you care to disprove it "without adding words" to verses with context.
As concerning Paul in 1 Cor. 1:17. You said, "Why would Christ send Paul NOT to water baptize if the GREAT COMMISSION was... You apostles go water baptize?"
If you would read the ENTIRE contextual setting around v. 17 - vv. 10-17 - instead of extracting just the one verse (17) and lifting it from its context, then you could understand the meaning of Paul's words. And you would also see that they do NOT conflict at all with Jesus' command to the apostles to go and be "baptizing" people, to mean baptizing them in WATER .
Paul was NOT saying in this verse that he did not believe baptism is not baptism in water, or that baptism in water is not necessary in order to be saved. If you keep his words in the context in which they were delivered you will see that his words meant that baptizing people was not Paul's PRIMARY work in carrying out the Lord's will, rather, preaching the gospel and planting the Lord's church from place to place was.
"PRIMARY" ,show me primarily not to baptize in context please. It is clear, Paul was sent NOT to baptize. In context Paul said "lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect". Paul knew that if they "believed" water baptism was "for remission of sins" then the new testament of "the shed blood of Christ form remission of sins" would be made of none effect.
Compare to:
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men". Mark 7:7 (KJV)
For laying aside the commandment of God, "ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups": and many other such like things ye do. Mark 7:8 (KJV)
And he said unto them, Full well "ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition". Mark 7:9 (KJV)
For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: Mark 7:10 (KJV)
But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, "that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free". Mark 7:11 (KJV)
And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Mark 7:12 (KJV)
"Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition", which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
Mark 7:13 (KJV)
I have a question for you, HopeofGlory, concerning this verse:
You place such emphasis on just the words of Paul that say that Christ did not send him to baptize... but Paul said that he did baptize some of those there in Corinth. If, as you say, the baptism of Christ is not water baptism but "Spirit baptism" (your words), then how is it that of all those Paul preached the word to, he said, "I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius...Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanus. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other"?
Wrong, I place all emphasis of the words of Christ Jesus and judge all words of mere men by them. It is clear Paul did water baptize some and it is also clear that afterward Paul was sent NOT to water baptize.
If you are correct, that the baptism the N. T. speaks of is "Spirit baptism," and that baptism comes from preaching the word, then how is it that of all those Paul preached the word to, he specifically said himself that he only baptized these few individuals? That would mean that of all the people in the great city of Corinth, he only preached the word to these few individuals.
Within the context of the bible all men progressively understand the gospel of Christ and your question is answered in the above.
This is the necessary consequence of your view of baptism , which, again, shows that your view is completely contrary to the teaching of God's word.
It is your view of baptism that is contrary to God's view.
For John truly baptized with water; but (on the contrary) ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. Acts 1:5 (KJV)
In Christ
Craig