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By Bob Trescott
Modified, Corrected or Updated 11/18/09
1Corinthians 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
Where's the water? Water Baptism is not for the Body of Christ! Paul tells us, in 1Corinthians 1:17 Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel. Water baptism is a Jewish ritual under the Mosaic law and it will be part of the great commission, brothers and sisters in Christ we are not under the law, therefore water baptism is not for us.
Rightly divide the word of truth and keep things in their proper dispensation we will see that water baptism is not for the body of Christ. Again Paul says Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel. Do not believe the misguided person that says that Paul had his helpers baptize in his place.
You may say, but Jesus was baptized and I want to follow Jesus. But Jesus was baptized to fulfill the law, but you can not fulfil the law, because you are not under the law. God did not tell us to follow Jesus as the twelve did in His earthly ministry; actually He told us not to follow Jesus in his earthly ministry;(2Cor.5:16) He said, follow Paul as he followed the Lord Jesus Christ in His heavenly ministry. Therefore we must stay in our own dispensational settings. The Lord Jesus and His twelve apostles were under the law; the twelve followed Jesus and Jesus followed the law. Today no one can follow the law the law was set aside by god until the tribulation.
Water baptism is a Jewish ritual therefore it was a commandment not an option for the Jews. During the tribulation water baptism will be reinstated and it will be carried out when the kingdom gospel is preached in all the world. (Matt. 28:19). Paul was not just making small talk or delegating authority to others when he said, "Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel." (1Cor,1:17).
The Lord Jesus showed the apostle Paul that water baptism is not for the body of Christ. But it will required for kingdom believers and tribulation believers. But to be sure water baptism will return during the tribulation, but again it has no place in the church the body of Christ!
It just seems to hard for some folks to except the inspired words of the apostle Paul and by faith follow him as he followed the Lord Jesus Christ without water baptism. Even Peter said, something's of the apostle Paul were hard to be understood, but Peter's ministered to the Jews only under the law. Don't forget the agreement made at the Jerusalem council:
Galatians 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
We must understand that every word the apostle Paul wrote, came directly from the risen and glorified Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul is our pattern for everlasting life. (1Timothy 1:16) Therefore we must follow Paul as he followed Christ. (1Corinthians 11:1). Paul followed the risen and glorified Lord Jesus Christ from heaven and not His earthly ministry to the Jews only.
Here is another matter for our deep concern the fact that the Holy Spirit tells us if Paul's gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost. (2Cor 4:3,4).
2Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
2Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Please, correct me if I am wrong, but that honestly sounds like we can not be saved out side of the gospel that Paul preached. When Paul says our gospel he is speaking of the gospel that the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to him alone and that gospel is called the gospel of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery: also the gospel of the grace of God. And Paul calls it my gospel.
I have a very big nagging question: In light of 2Coirintnians 4:3-4 how can a Jew or a Gentile be saved today and completely reject the one man that God appointed as the pattern for everlasting life? (1Timothy1:16). Paul wrote thirteen letters to the body of Christ, he wrote six letters before he received the complete revelation of the mystery and seven letters were written after he received the complete revelation of the mystery. I hope you can understand that Paul's gospel the mystery was a progressive revelation. That is probably why Paul did baptized some Jews.
On the other hand Peter, a kingdom apostle was commissioned to baptize under his program, he baptized some Gentiles, in the house of Cornelius, but these were the only Gentiles that Peter ever baptized. Peter most likely followed the same procedure that will be followed during the tribulation when the Kingdom Gospel is preached in all the world. But we will not be here, the body of Christ was not chosen for wrath we will be with the Lord Jesus Christ in the heavenlies.
Down through the ages God has given us a few outstanding non scripture writers. And we would do well to listen to what they have to say. The first man wrote a little over 500 years ago: his name was Miles Coverdale. The second man wrote a little over 50 years ago: By the name of William R. Newell. And here's what these two men had to say!
"It shall greatly help you to understand Scripture if you mark not only what is spoken or written, but of whom and to whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering what goes before and what comes after."
Sadly I have seen a great resistance to Paul's gospel in almost every church that I have attended. And I really do not understand why, if we have heard the gospel and we believe the scriptures then why can't we accept the fact that Paul is our only apostle according to (Romans 11:13). Then according to 1Timothy 1:16 Paul is our pattern for everlasting life; therefore we do not baptize, because our apostle was not sent to baptize. Understand, Paul is the masterbuilder of this new church, called the body of Christ.(1Corinthians 3:10).
We certainly should understand that the gospel of the grace of God, is Christ's gospel and it is the the same gospel that Paul calls my gospel. Furthermore this gospel is the only gospel for the body of Christ today. The apostle Paul called for anathema on anyone preaching any other so called gospel. (Galatians 1:8,9). This clearly brings to mind.
Romans 15:4.
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
The unsaved world will be judged by Paul's gospel at least the world starting with Paul's ministry will be judged by Paul's gospel. (Romans 2:16). Our doctrine can only come from Paul's writings because he was the only apostle commissioned to write to the Gentiles. Before the apostle Paul was saved and appointed as the apostle of the Gentiles (Romans11:13) we were with out God in this world and we had no hope.(Ephesians 2:12).
Christ's earthly ministry was not to the Gentiles, it was to the Jews only. (Matthew 15:24). The Lord Jesus Christ commanded the 12 apostles go not into the way of the Gentiles. (Matthew10:5). The only way that we can please God, is by faith; believe what he says. (Hebrews11:6). So by faith let's follow our apostle and our pattern for everlasting life just like God said, we should do. (2Thessalonians 3:7,9).
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