Baptism

Is It Still Required After 70 AD ?

After I have put my article about the Lord’s Supper on Planet Preterist and The Preterist Archive, I have been getting e-mails from people agreeing and some that disagree with me. I have also been asked about Baptism and what were my thoughts on the subject. Just like the Lord’s Supper article there will be some that will agree and disagree and that is OK.  I might be considered radical in my reasoning, but I am trying to use scripture in context. As in my other articles, I am not a Greek scholar. No one has told me yet, which one of the examples of the so call “Lord’s Supper” text is binding and which one are not. Again, if you feel that a scripture is taken out of context, please let me know. So far not one person has told me of a scripture that is pulled out of context. I have gotten comments that they disagree with me and gave me “NO” scripture, just feelings.

In today “churches” (denominations, which includes the church of Christ), baptism is used in a way to joined or to add to the membership of a certain denomination. Yes, the preacher goes through the motions and says the right words and the person gets wet and then becomes a member of that denomination. Here is an example that has happened to me about two years ago.

My family and I were visiting a Baptist congregation about two years ago. After a month or two I asked the preacher (“Pastor”), the usage is unbiblical) what is involved in placing membership. He asked me if I was baptized. I replied, “Yes”. He then asked me, “From what “church” ? (It sounded like from what club) I told him, “the church of Christ”. He then told me, “That was unacceptable”. He continued, “You need to be re-baptized according to the Southern Baptist Convention by-laws.” I went home and told my wife all that was said. It just reinforced my views about baptism in the so call “church”. You want to join a “church”, be baptized in that denomination.   

****Please note: I am not putting down Baptists, churches of Christ or any other 40,000 denominations, lets seek truth and not half truths.

This article is not to make fun of or to point fingers at any one. We are in the Presence of God everyday and our worship to Him are our very lives, but that is another subject. Now let us begin with this study of BAPTISM.

Romans 6:1-14 “What then will we say? Do we continue in sin so that grace shall abound? Absolutely not! We who died to sin, how will we still live in it? Or do you* fail to understand that we, as many as were baptized [or, immersed] into Christ Jesus, were baptized into His death? Therefore, we were buried together with Him through the baptism [or, immersion] into death, so that even as Christ was raised up from [the] dead through the glory of the Father, so also _we_ should walk about [fig., conduct ourselves] in newness of life. For if we have become planted together [fig., united] [with Him] in the likeness of His death, certainly we also will be [in the likeness] of the resurrection; knowing this, that our former person was crucified together [with Him], so that the body of sin shall be made useless [or, pass away], [so that] we [are] no longer to be serving as a slave to sin. For the one having died has been justified [or, set free] from sin. But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live together with Him,  knowing that Christ, having been raised up from [the] dead, no longer dies; death no longer exercises lordship over Him. For what [death] He died, He died once for all [time] to sin, but what [life] He lives, He lives to God. So also _you*_, be considering yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but living to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, stop letting sin reign in your* mortal body to be obeying it in its lusts [or, evil desires], and stop presenting your* body parts [as] instruments of unrighteousness to sin, _but_ present yourselves to God as living from [the] dead, and your* body parts [as] instruments of righteousness to God. For sin will not exercise lordship over you*, for you* are not under law _but_ under grace. (ALV)

(Please read the article “Does Satan Exist Today” first and then come back to this article.)  

After you have finished the article, go back to Romans 6. Look at verse 5. “For if we have become planted together [fig., united] [with Him] in the likeness of His death, certainly we also will be [in the likeness] of the resurrection;”

It is talking about the resurrection of Jesus and the resurrection of oneself from being dead through the “law” (sin) to life. Did the resurrection happen in 70 AD or not? Yes, so the application could not apply to us today under the New Covenant. You cannot say there is a double meaning, because the Bible has only ONE meaning and only one. If that has a double meaning then other thing could have a double meaning and one will start liberalizing teachings.  

Look at verse 6  (ALT)  knowing this, that our former person was crucified together [with Him], so that the body of sin shall be made useless [or, pass away], [so that] we [are] no longer to be serving as a slave to sin.  

            (ASV)  knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin;  

                        (BBE)  Being conscious that our old man was put to death on the cross with him, so that the body of sin might be put away, and we might no longer be servants to sin.  

                        (CEV)  We know that the persons we used to be were nailed to the cross with Jesus. This was done, so that our sinful bodies would no longer be the slaves of sin.  

                         (ISV)  We know that our old selves were crucified with him so that our sinful bodies might be rendered powerless and we might no longer be slaves to sin.  

                         (YLT)  this knowing, that our old man was crucified with him , that the body of the sin may be made useless, for our no longer serving the sin;

Look how the different version puts it with the phrase “done away with” or “might destroy”, useless. The Greek meaning for this phase is: Strongs: καταργέω, katargeō:  From G2596 and G691; to be (render) entirely idle (useless), literally or figuratively: - abolish, cease, cumber, deliver, destroy, do away, become (make) of no (none, without) effect, fail, loose, bring (come) to nought, put away (down), vanish away, make void.

Thayer Definition is this: 1) to render idle, unemployed, inactivate, inoperative

                                 1a) to cause a person or thing to have no further efficiency

                                 1b) to deprive of force, influence, power

                                    2) to cause to cease, put an end to, do away with, annul, abolish

                                 2a) to cease, to pass away, be done away

                                 2b) to be severed from, separated from, discharged from, loosed from any one

This sounds much like Satan, the law and death.

If Jesus did away with sin by sacrificing himself as Hebrews 9:26 states:

(ALT)  otherwise, it would had been necessary [for] Him to suffer often from [the] laying of the foundation of [the] world, but now once for all [time], at [the] completion of the ages, He has been              revealed to put away sin through His sacrifice.  

                       (ASV)  else must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once at the end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.  

                       (BBE)  For then he would have undergone a number of deaths from the time of the making of the world: but now he has come to us at the end of the old order, to put away sin by the offering of himself.  

                       (CEV)  If he had offered himself every year, he would have suffered many times since the creation of the world. But instead, near the end of time he offered himself once and for all, so that he could be a sacrifice that does away with sin.  

                        (ISV)  Then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now, at the end of the ages, he has appeared once for all to remove sin by his sacrifice.  

                      (KJV+)  For then¹⁸⁹³ must¹¹⁶³ he⁸⁴⁶ often⁴¹⁷⁸ have suffered³⁹⁵⁸ since⁵⁷⁵ the foundation²⁶⁰² of the world:²⁸⁸⁹ (kosmos) but¹¹⁶¹ now³⁵⁶⁸ once⁵³⁰ in¹⁹⁰⁹ the end⁴⁹³⁰ of the³⁵⁸⁸ world¹⁶⁵ hath he appeared⁵³¹⁹ to put away^{1519, 115} sin²⁶⁶ by¹²²³ the³⁵⁸⁸ sacrifice²³⁷⁸ of himself.⁸⁴⁸  

                        (YLT)  since it had behoved him many times to suffer from the foundation of the world, but now once, at the full end of the ages, for putting away of sin through his sacrifice, he hath been manifested;  

 And “sin” is taken away through the cross and with his second appearing brought salvation, Hebrews 9:28.  

(ALT)  so also Christ, having been offered once to bear [or, take away] the sins of many, will appear a second time without [reference to] sin to [bring] salvation to the ones eagerly waiting for Him!  

(ASV)  so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation.  

(BBE)  So Christ, having at his first coming taken on himself the sins of men, will be seen a second time, without sin, by those who are waiting for him, for their salvation.  

(CEV)  So Christ died only once to take away the sins of many people. But when he comes again, it will not be to take away sin. He will come to save everyone who is waiting for him.  

(ISV)  so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people. And he will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly wait for him.  

(KJV+)  So³⁷⁷⁹ Christ⁵⁵⁴⁷ was once⁵³⁰ offered⁴³⁷⁴ to bear³⁹⁹ the sins²⁶⁶ of many;⁴¹⁸³ and unto them that look for⁵⁵³ him⁸⁴⁶ shall he appear³⁷⁰⁰ the⁽¹⁵³⁷⁾ second time¹²⁰⁸ without⁵⁵⁶⁵ sin²⁶⁶ unto¹⁵¹⁹ salvation.⁴⁹⁹¹  

(YLT)  so also the Christ, once having been offered to bear the sins of many, a second time, apart from a sin-offering, shall appear, to those waiting for him--to salvation!

Why get baptized? What is the purpose today, besides getting wet? Are you “waiting for him”? Today denominations use baptism in “joining” their denomination and accepting their teachings wither right or wrong. Baptism today is a way you join a club. Baptism IS NOT required under the New Convent, after 70 AD. What are we "saved" from today? Many would say from death. How can you be saved from death, if "death was destroyed in 70 AD?  

In John 1:31 it says. “John says that he (John) baptized with water and the one after him (Jesus) would baptize with the Spirit and fire.”

Zoom over to Acts 2:1-4 and let’s read it. “And when the Day of Pentecost [had] come, they were all with one mind at the same [place]. And suddenly [there] came from heaven a sound like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And [there] appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and [one] sat on each one of them. And they were all filled of [or, with] [the] Holy Spirit, and they began to be speaking with different tongues [foreign languages], just as the Spirit was giving them to be declaring boldly. Now [there] were Jews dwelling in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation of the [ones] under heaven. Now this sound having occurred, the crowd came together and was bewildered, because they were each one hearing them speaking in his own language. Then they themselves were all being amazed and were marveling, saying to one another, "Listen! All these [who] are speaking are Galileans, are they not? "And how [is it that] we each hear in our own language in which we were born? (ALV)

Now go to Mark 16:16-18: And He said to them, "Having gone [or, Go] into all the world, proclaim the Gospel to all the creation. "The one having believed and having been baptized will be saved, but the one refusing to believe will be condemned. "Now these signs will accompany the ones believing: they will cast out demons in My name; they will speak with new tongues [known languages]; they will take up serpents, and if they drink anything poisonous, it shall not harm them; they will lay hands on infirm [or, sickly] [people] and they will be well."  

Do you see the point I am trying to make? Preachers use the same scriptures that I am using, but out of context. For example, the text above. They quote Mark 16:16, but not verse 17 or 18. When Jesus spoke those words, he spoke them with changing the meaning he was trying to point out. True, not everyone who was baptized had those “miraculous gifts”, everyone did have “gifts”. Galatians 5:22-ff. We have those gifts without being baptized.

Look at baptism in Colossians 2:11-12.  is labeled as being “circumcision done by Christ”.

(ASV) in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;

(BBE) In whom you had a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;

(LITV) in whom also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made by hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

(MKJV) in whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ,

(RV) in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;

(YLT) in whom also ye were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh in the circumcision of the Christ,  

This does not use water for joining a club (denomination). This baptism IS NOT taught. This type I agree with, but the other one where people quote Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16 and others, they are all taken out of context. The Bible is so easy to understand, why do we look only at part of it and not the whole picture?

Now turn to Mark 16:16-17. You must take verse 17 with verse 16. You can not separate them. Tell me, can you do what verse 17 says you can do after your baptism. No. Please read the following articles:

Let me tell you another story. In another Baptist congregation, it is taught that a person is saved without baptism. All you have to do is say the “Sinners prayer”, which is unbiblical, see the article called The Sinner's Prayer: Is it Biblical? After a short time or training session then you are baptized. During the baptism the Pastor (Preacher) says, “After this baptism, you will become a new creature”. My question is, if your are saved without baptism, why get baptized in the first place and if you are not baptized the are you a new creature or not? To me they are teaching one thing and practicing another.  

According to the creeds and by-law from denominations, if you want to join a certain denomination and you were baptized in another denomination, you must be re-baptized in the denomination you want to join. Where in scripture is that taught?

You also have to ask yourself some questions. If baptism saves you, it saves you from what? Is our salvation the same as in the first century? For whom is Salvation for? Is salvation that the first century people were looking for the same salvation today?