Elementary Teaching 3
Milk Part 3
"Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms," Hebrews 6:1-2
Baptisms
Lost on this narrative about the elementary teachings is the letter s.
Yes for there are teachings with an s, as the Lord permits (we are on part 3 right now and counting).
Another lost s is on baptisms, baptism + s = meaning there might be more than one kind of baptism. And the bible tells us so.
Water Baptism
Recorded in the Book of Acts, after Paul and his group have left Corinth, Ephesus and the nearby cities, a native of Alexandria came to Ephesus. He was a Jew named Apollos. Paul left two of his disciples, Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus.
Let us follow the narrative in Acts 18
"Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately."
Yes, Apollos only knew of one baptism (meaning there is at least one other kind of baptism). And Priscilla and Aquila had to explain this to him.
Apollos knew a lot about the faith, he even preached it. But one thing he lacked (he only knew of one baptism) and it had to be taught to him.
Baptism of John
The baptism of John, this Apollos knew, this is one of repentance.
This is the only way to Jesus for this is the way to welcome the Messiah, the Savior -- only when we have come to the point when we have acknowledged that we are sinners, on the path of destruction, or worse if we have arrived at that destination.
Then repentance is that act of putting on "I need help" on the destination box of our internal GPS, google maps, mapquest, waze or whatever app we use when we acknowledge we are lost at our current location or situation. Asking for directions works out too.
Repentance is often times as much as a 180 degree turn (a u-turn) from our current direction, back towards our Creator.
John's baptism is that public act of typing help on our GPS. It is when we get immersed under water; in John's time, in the River Jordan. The symbolism being dying and getting buried under the water but once we come out and up from the water, the old us has been buried and out comes a new person -- reborn, ready to take our first baby steps and baby talk with our new life in Christ Jesus.
Baptism of Fire
When John was baptizing in the Jordan River, he said in Matthew 3:11, "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."
In the Book of Acts, Jesus was recorded to have appeared to many people for a period of 40 days.
"On one occasion, while he [Jesus] was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
In Acts 2, the first record of this baptism took place.
"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."
This is a second kind of baptism.
How many are there? These two are enough for us for now. The question really is are we like Apollos who only knew one, or have we not even heard of John's baptism, if we haven't then today could be your day of salvation, and the start of your walk with God.
What is Salvation
Salvation is in Jesus
"Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms," Hebrews 6:1-2
Baptisms
Lost on this narrative about the elementary teachings is the letter s.
Yes for there are teachings with an s, as the Lord permits (we are on part 3 right now and counting).
Another lost s is on baptisms, baptism + s = meaning there might be more than one kind of baptism. And the bible tells us so.
Water Baptism
Recorded in the Book of Acts, after Paul and his group have left Corinth, Ephesus and the nearby cities, a native of Alexandria came to Ephesus. He was a Jew named Apollos. Paul left two of his disciples, Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus.
Let us follow the narrative in Acts 18
"Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately."
Yes, Apollos only knew of one baptism (meaning there is at least one other kind of baptism). And Priscilla and Aquila had to explain this to him.
Apollos knew a lot about the faith, he even preached it. But one thing he lacked (he only knew of one baptism) and it had to be taught to him.
Baptism of John
The baptism of John, this Apollos knew, this is one of repentance.
This is the only way to Jesus for this is the way to welcome the Messiah, the Savior -- only when we have come to the point when we have acknowledged that we are sinners, on the path of destruction, or worse if we have arrived at that destination.
Then repentance is that act of putting on "I need help" on the destination box of our internal GPS, google maps, mapquest, waze or whatever app we use when we acknowledge we are lost at our current location or situation. Asking for directions works out too.
Repentance is often times as much as a 180 degree turn (a u-turn) from our current direction, back towards our Creator.
John's baptism is that public act of typing help on our GPS. It is when we get immersed under water; in John's time, in the River Jordan. The symbolism being dying and getting buried under the water but once we come out and up from the water, the old us has been buried and out comes a new person -- reborn, ready to take our first baby steps and baby talk with our new life in Christ Jesus.
Baptism of Fire
When John was baptizing in the Jordan River, he said in Matthew 3:11, "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."
In the Book of Acts, Jesus was recorded to have appeared to many people for a period of 40 days.
"On one occasion, while he [Jesus] was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
In Acts 2, the first record of this baptism took place.
"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."
This is a second kind of baptism.
How many are there? These two are enough for us for now. The question really is are we like Apollos who only knew one, or have we not even heard of John's baptism, if we haven't then today could be your day of salvation, and the start of your walk with God.
What is Salvation
Salvation is in Jesus
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