NM04 Baptism

NM4 Baptism: Physical & Spiritual

Real Christian Baptism
Water Baptism v. Spiritual Baptism
Spiritual Baptism
Baptized in the Name
In the Name of Christ?

NM4 Abstract

In this paper we learn that there are two kinds of baptisms. One is the physical and is only symbolic. The other is Spiritual baptism in which we are put into the Name of the true God. John the Baptist who only baptized with water predicted the Spiritual baptism.

Real Christian Baptism

nm57» The baptism of Real Christians is the baptism of the Spirit of God. Baptism means to dip, immerge, or submerge. To be baptized with the Spirit is to be submerged into the Spirit. To be baptized with the Spirit is another way of saying you are sealed with the Spirit or that you have received the Spirit, or that you have put on the New Mind, or that you have received the Promise, or that you have the New Life, etc. When you are baptized with the Spirit, you have the New Mind of Love that thinks the positive thoughts of the Spirit of the True God. When you are baptized with the Spirit you are in the body or assembly of Jesus Christ, you are a part of the BeComingOne, which is the True Oneness. When we are baptized with the Spirit our old life is put to death and we are raised up into the New Life (see Rom 6:4). Baptism with the Spirit is different from baptism with water. Baptism with the Spirit is a gift from the True God given to those in this age who were predestinated before the world began to receive the Spirit or New Mind in this age (see "Predestination Paper" [NM  8]). All will eventually be Spiritually baptized (see "All Saved Paper" [NM  13]).

Baptism With Water versus Baptism With Spirit

nm58» It was John the Baptist who baptized with water. In John's own words: "I indeed baptize you in water to repentance. But He [Jesus] who is coming after me is mightier than I ... He shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire" (Matt 3:11). Again John's words: "I baptize with water" (John 1:26). John baptized with water, but it was He who was coming after John who would baptize with the Spirit (John 1:26-33). And in Jesus Christ's own words after He was resurrected from the dead: "And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but said, Wait for the promise of the Father which you heard from Me. For John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days after this" (Acts 1:4-5). And while Jesus Christ's followers were waiting in Jerusalem the Promise did come in the form of the Spirit (Acts 2). Now the Promise is the Holy Spirit: "the Promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father" (Acts 2:33). This Promise was not only to Christ but to "as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:39). It is the baptism with the Spirit that counts, not baptism with water. "Water" is merely a symbolic representation of Spirit. When Christ spoke of water he meant the Spirit (see John 7:38-39). Remember here and remember always: look at the higher or Spiritual meaning.

nm59» John the Baptist's baptism with water prefigured Christ's baptism with the Spirit. As water cleans the body, so does the Spirit clean the body. Water cleans in a physical way, but the Spirit cleans in a Spiritual way. When we are cleansed with the Spirit our minds are cleansed from the dirt of the other-mind, that old twisted mind of the old age. The baptism of John was the baptism with water. This water baptism does not bring with it the Holy Spirit, or the New-Mind (note Acts 18:24-19:6). The Spirit of God comes with the baptism of the Spirit. When one is submerged into the Spirit, he takes on the Spiritual reality. When one is baptized in physical water, he is only cleansed physically. We are to look to the higher and Spiritual meaning in the Bible in order to learn the Truth. Water can only clean physically, but the Spirit cleans Spiritually.

nm60» Now we see in certain verses in the New Testament of the Bible where some of the early disciples used water to baptize (Acts 8:36-38). Even after some received the Holy Spirit Peter had some baptized with physical water (Acts 10:44-48). The reason for this was because at that time they did not understand fully the power of God and that it is the Spiritual reality that counts not the physical types of the Spiritual reality. The early leaders gradually learned that physical rituals such as water baptism and circumcision were not the important things (see "Freedom and Law Paper"[NM  17]). The old laws of the Old Testament were done away with. They were merely types of the True Reality (Heb 10:1; see the "Freedom and Law Paper" [NM  17]).

Spiritual Baptism

nm61» Real Christians are baptized with the Spirit (Acts 1:5) (1Cor 12:13). "For by one Spirit also we were baptized into one body" (1Cor 12:13). Real Christians are in the body of Christ. On the Pentecost the first Christians were filled with the Holy Spirit "suddenly" (Acts 2:2,4). And again later, "Even while Peter was speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those hearing the word" (Acts 10:44). "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them also, even as on us in the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord saying, John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 11:15-16). God saves people through "the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior" (Titus 3:5-6). It is the Spiritual washing of the Spirit of God that Spiritually cleans people, not the physical water. In the True Church of God there is no need or requirement for water baptism. Water baptism is merely a physical ritual that represents a Spiritual truth. As water baptism cleans the physical body, so does Spiritual baptism clean the Spiritual body in a Spiritual way. Physical ritual doesn't free anyone from the mad cosmos we live in. It is the Spiritual gift from God, the Spirit of God, that gives us the freedom. There is no certain set of words (magic) that gives us True Life (such as, "I baptize you in the name of the ... "). There are no physical rituals that give us Life. True baptism is Spiritual baptism not water baptism.

Baptized into Christ's Name & Spiritual Body

nm62» When real Christians are Spiritually baptized they are baptized into Christ's body (1Cor 12:13). They are baptized into Christ (Rom 6:3; Gal 3:27). They are baptized into his Name (Matt 28:19-20; Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:48, 19:5).

Baptized Into The Name of Christ?

nm63» What does it mean to be Spiritually baptized into the Name of Christ? In the Bible many times a name signifies something about that person. Thus, "Jesus" signifies that Christ is the Savior, for "Jesus" means, savior. When one is baptized into the Name of Christ he takes on the Name of Christ. Since a name describes characteristics of someone, then if one is put into a name, he is actually being put into the characteristics of that person. Allegorically, when a woman marries, she is married into a name. She becomes a part of the family. If the family is rich she shares in the riches. A person baptized into Christ's Name takes on the Name and characteristics of Christ. The person is married into Christ's Name in a sense. In fact women are allegorical to the Church (Eph 5:21-32). Christ is going to marry this woman (Church) allegorically at his physical return (Rev 19:7). Those baptized into the Name of Christ take on his Name and some of his characteristics. They become Christians; they receive his Spirit. You are a Christian only when you have the Spirit of God (Rom 8:9,14).

Baptized into the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

nm64» "Baptize them into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt 28:19). When you are baptized are you baptized into three names or one Name? When you are in Christ, you are in his Father because Christ is in his Father (John 14:11). Since Christ's Father is God, when you are in the Father you are in God - you are a child of God. When you are in Christ's Name you are in the Name of God because Christ came in the Name of God (Matt 21:9; Luke 13:35, 19:38; John 5:43, 10:25, 12:13, 17:11). When you are Spiritually baptized into Christ, you are baptized into the Name of God the Father, for Christ is in God the Father (John 14:11). You thus become a part of the Coming Oneness (see, God Papers).

nm65» The Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ are the same thing, "for in one Spirit are we all baptized into one body ... and have been made to drink into one Spirit" (1Cor 12:13). This one Spirit is the Spirit of God. But when you are baptized you receive the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8; Acts 1:5, 2:38, 10:47, 11:16). The Holy Sprit is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ. Everyone who is a Christian has the Holy Spirit of God. When one is baptized into the Name of Christ, he receives the Spirit of God, that is, the Spirit of Christ, that is, the Holy Spirit, for Christ is God ( ) and has God's Name (Matt 21:9; Luke 13:35, 19:38; John 5:43, 10:25, 12:13, 17:11; see God Papers). "The Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit are one" (1John 5:7) because they are the same One Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God the Father. You are not baptized into three names, but into the very Name of God.

In the Name of Christ?

nm66» Acts 2:38 is one place where it speaks of being baptized in the Name of Christ. The word translated "in" is a Greek word that can mean, in or among. Thus it could as easily be translated, "and be baptized every one of you among the name of Jesus Christ." When one is baptized into the Name of Christ he is also baptized among those belonging to Christ.

nm67» Notice that those "in the name" or "among the name shall cast out demons" (Mark 16:17). Those who have the Spirit of power, God's Spirit, will be in the body of Christ, will be among the others who are in Christ. And it is those in Christ or among his body members that will cast out the demons, or the other-minds. (Some have that power now; the others will do it at the Messiah's return when all demons will be cast out of mankind's mind.) Paul speaking to Christians said, "you are the body of Christ, and members in particular" (1Cor 12:27). When people do things "in the name of Christ," they do these things while they are among or in Christ. That is, they do these things because they have the Spirit which puts them in the Name of Christ.

nm68» When you are in the Name of Christ:

• you are saved (Acts 4:12);
• you have life (John 20:31);
• you are justified (1Cor 6:11);
• you preach boldly (Acts 9:27,29);
• you may do signs and wonders (Acts 4:30);
• devils ['other minds'] are subjected to you (Luke 10:17); etc.