#541 – Foundation # 4 : Document # 6 ; Introduction to Baptism In Water
Foundations For the Kingdom Priesthood
The Frustration of the Status Quo.
Tolerating the Old Man in the Assemblies.
Being Content With A Nursery For Baby Christians
But, Brother, We Are Still Doing the Best We Can.
February 4, 2013
I have written so many documents about Baptism in Water that I don’t know what more I can share. However, because this foundation is so important, we want to include this “Introduction to Baptism” in this series of reformation events. (This means to Form Again)
When we examine what is presented as “salvation” and then read ALL the scriptures concerning “Bible Salvation” we are shocked at the shallow and casual way these eternal things, concerning our eternal destiny, are shared. When we add God’s Absolute Sovereignty into the Gospel, we begin to understand the seriousness of the eternal salvation “message.”
Then when we finally “see” the Kingdom of God as God’s Ultimate Design for His Ultimate Purpose we are again shocked by the Ultimate Order and Government incorporated in His Eternity! It is this Absoluteness and Sovereignty of His Kingdom that demands this Radical Change that we call “BIBLE SALVATION.”
ultimate >adjective 1 being or happening at the end of a process. 2 being the best or most extreme example of its kind: the ultimate accolade. 3 basic or fundamental. >noun 1 (the ultimate) the best achievable or imaginable of its kind.
If we connected Water Baptism to our eternal destiny it would raise a cry of false doctrine. The “concept” of Water Baptism in the visible church is much different from the Doctrine of Water Baptism presented in the New Testament. The “concept” of baptism can be formed by a one or two scriptures. The “Doctrine” of Water Baptism demands that we use EVERY scripture related to this subject. Since I attempted to do that in the last revision of the Baptism Study, we will include that “revision” in this Foundation Series of studies after I re-edit it again. However, I will add a few thoughts relevant to Baptism in this new “Introduction to Baptism” document.
There is obviously some correlation between the Baptism in Water and the Word of God. There seems to be “some interaction” between the washing in Baptism (wash away your sins) and the Washing with the Water of the Word in the process of perfection for the Church He is Building!
Eph 5:25 ----- just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; 26 that He might sanctify her, ( the Church) having cleansed her (the Church) by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she (the Church) should be holy and blameless.
This scripture reveals that AFTER the church is established as the “called out ones,” it is time for the sanctification and cleansing processes to BEGIN. This further process is called “the washing of water with the word.” The purpose of this “washing” is to present to Jesus the “Glorious Church” that has been brought to perfection so She can be in His Glory and Presence!
Exodus 40:11 “And you shall anoint the laver and its stand, and consecrate it. 12 “Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 13 “And you shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister as a priest to Me. 14 “And you shall bring his sons and put tunics on them;
Every son of Aaron, who was to be a Priest, was required to “experience” certain preparations for the Priesthood. After experiencing the blood sacrifice, they were FIRST washed all over with the water from the Laver AFTER IT was consecrated and anointed. This was just one step in preparation of the priest BEFORE they could put on the priest’s Garments. The TOTAL preparation ( all seven steps) was essential before they could enter the Holy Place to begin the ministry. After they qualified for the priesthood and entered the Holy Place they came out of the Holy Place to begin their ministry. This began a process of continuous washing of the hands and the feet each time they passed the Laver. This “continuous washing” happened in the same Bronze Laver in which they were washed all over in their first experience with the water.
The Ephesians 5:26 Washing is what comes into view following the FIRST Washing!
My theory then is that Water Baptism is integrally linked to the Continuous Washing with the Water of the Word. Why was this additional Washing required? That He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. Why was the continuous washing necessary in the Tabernacle? It was so they would NOT die. Exo 30:21 “So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they may not die; These verses add a seriousness to the continual washing that is ignored by the visible church.
While Water Baptism is connected to our preparation, the Washing with the Water of the Word is linked to our perfection. However, the medium used in both events is “Water.” However, the “water” in the New Covenant is of two different substances and one is visible and the other is invisible. Water Baptism is related to the Outer Man and the “Washing with the Water of the Word” is related to the New Inner Man. Both are related to obedience! The first is related to preparation while the last is related to our perfection.
Perfection means; (Completion, Maturity and Development for His Purpose)
Exodus 30:18 “You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base of bronze, for washing; and you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it. 19 “And Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet from it; 20 when they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they may not die; or when they approach the altar to minister, by offering up in smoke a fire sacrifice to the LORD. 21 “So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they may not die; and it shall be a perpetual statute for them, for Aaron and his descendants throughout their generations.”
While the First Washing was connected to preparation, the Continual Washing was to prevent DEATH. This is NOT a question of which is more important! Why? Because, BOTH are required. Ephesians 5:25 to 27 is not optional! It should be easy to see that Ephesians 5 is integrally linked to Exodus 30. Why? BOTH are preparing for the Priesthood and the perfection of the Church.
If our theory that Water Baptism of the outward man and the Washing with Water of the Word of the inward man are linked together, then it should be easy to see that neither “washing” can possibly be an option. Why?
The Bride / Perfected Church / Kingdom of Priests all speak of the same goal and are all in view in both Exodus 30 and Exodus 40 but in type. It should be clearly stated that the priesthood of Aaron, the High Priest, AND his sons make up the Priesthood that could NOT bring anyone to perfection. However, in the New Covenant we are focusing upon an Eternal Priesthood, after the Order of Melchizedek, that CAN bring the church to perfection.
Christ Jesus, our High Priest, and His Sons make up the Kingdom of Priests for the Government of the World yet to come! This “perfection” is seen in Ephesians 5. It is THIS Priesthood that is appointed to bring the Church to perfection.
It is AFTER we realize that “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;” that we have to rethink Calvary and this term “Eternal Salvation!” This will place some doubt upon the concept and the modern idea that “saving souls” is synonymous with the “Glorious Church without spot or wrinkle, Holy and blameless.”
Since the “ministry of saving souls” is just associated with what is known as evangelism and NOT “with the perfection of the church,” it is assumed that limiting Calvary to forgiveness of sins is all that is required. “Jesus did it all and NOTHING can be added” is the Matra.
Therefore, Water Baptism is treated as a ritual that has lost its value and is unimportant. Why? The Matra is that when Jesus said “it is finished” then nothing more is needed. Evangelism, as it is now defined, means “saving Souls.” However, the calling for the Evangelist in Ephesians 4 is for the “perfecting of the saints.” Is this ministry of evangelism just limited to the First Veil, to repentance, and to Calvary, and to “forgiveness of sins?” That is the “concept” that has evolved over the last 100 years. However, the Bible goes back to the heart of God!
In the Kingdom Dimension of Eternal Salvation, we recognize that the “saving of Souls” is also related to the Second AND the Third Veil, as well! This limited application of Calvary to “forgiveness of sins” has produced a “concept” that changing of the Garments is irrelevant and Baptism is no longer a required experience! Since God loves us just as we are, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit and the Consecration Offering has no relevancy today.
“Conceptual Preaching” today concludes that since we believe in Jesus that we are ALL sons of God and kings and priests. No preparation is necessary because “Jesus Paid It All!” Calvary, then becomes the Completion of God’s Purpose rather that the doorway into it.
Of course the Tabernacle of Moses clears ALL this confusion up because it clearly reveals the necessity for the “SEVEN PREPARATIONS” of the priests! However, today the Book of Hebrews has been assigned just to the Jews and is “not for the church” so God’s Pattern revealed in the Tabernacle is ignored as irrelevant today.
Act 7:44 “Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen.
Heb 8:1 Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
Heb 8:2 a minister in the sanctuary, and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. 4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; 5 who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “SEE,” He says, “THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN.”
Heb 9:11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
AFTER we actually read the Book of Hebrews, there is no way to dismiss its revelation and understanding of the Tabernacle of Moses as some Old Testament irrelevancy. It clearly tells us the Tabernacle of Moses is a type and shadow of heavenly things and is a COPY of heaven itself. Therefore, it is ESSENTIAL that we use the Tabernacle as a picture of the preparation of the saints, the Bride, the Priests, the Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek and the Kingdom of Priests. Our High Priest is the fulfillment of the priesthood of Aaron. The Sons of Aaron are types of the Sons of Our High Priest. The preparation of the priesthood after the order of Aaron is a copy and shadow of the Preparation of the Eternal Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek.
How does all this relate to the Church He is Building and to the believers today? The best view we have of how God views and evaluates Salvation from the perspective of eternity can ONLY be found in the Bible. So many of these Progressive Truths need not be only received as another speculation. Why? Because it is revealed how “saved we are” at the Bronze Altar in comparison to how “saved we are” at the Ark of the Covenant. This should be obvious when we view the Tabernacle graphically.
If we stood the Tabernacle up vertically as a copy of Heaven, then the Bronze Altar would be on New Earth and the Ark of the Covenant would be in the New Jerusalem. We could assume that New Earth is the First and Lowest Heaven while the New Jerusalem is the Third and Highest Heaven. The New Heaven then would be the Second and intermediate Heaven. If EVERYBODY was going to the Highest Heaven and the Throne of God just because they believed something about Jesus, then all this talk about Baptism, Garments, Preparation and Maturity could be ignored. Nevertheless, the Bible refutes this silly claim.
However, since we MUST be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God and worthy of the Resurrection and the age yet to come, it seems clear that multitudes will NOT be counted worthy. Why? They may have arrived at first base but camped out there for the rest of their life!
Luke 20:34 And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, 35 but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage; 36 for neither can they die anymore, for they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
Since ONLY those who do the Will of God can participate in the Kingdom of God, it seems clear that multitudes will be assigned in some other section of heaven. Of course there is the possibility that those who never advance beyond the Outer Court will be assigned to the New Earth but these can NOT be Priests. Since Water Baptism is a basic Outer Court experience, we can easily discern how far that carries us into the Kingdom Dimension.
For example; The Book of Revelation identifies those who got as far as the Laver (the sea in Solomon’s Temple) Rev 15:2 And I saw, as it were, a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had come off victorious from the beast and from his image and from the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. 3 And they *sang the song of Moses the bond-servant of God and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the nations.
The Song of Moses was sang after they crossed the Red Sea! That was their FIRST stop
out of Egypt. The Red Sea crossing is a picture of water baptism and is described that way in 1Corithians10. It was there they were baptized into Moses and his authority. Therefore, these “souls that were won” from Egypt got as far as (the Red Sea) Water Baptism but the Bible records 23,000 “new souls” that died very soon afterwards! They never even made it as far as Mount Sinai and to Pentecost; the Baptism with the Holy Spirit! There were only two of those 20 years and older that came out of Egypt that ever completed their journey to Canaan or to the Kingdom dimension of their calling.
ONLY those who overcome will be counted worthy to sit with Jesus on His Throne. It is to this group that we are addressing this Foundation Series of Studies. Why? These are the ones who will pay whatever price is necessary to achieve to the High Calling of God, the First Resurrection and the Age yet to Come. It appears that ONLY a very few will advance to the Kingdom dimension of Eternal Salvation. The proportion given in the type of those who entered into Canaan is TWO out of maybe FOUR MILLION souls.
While this certainly does NOT sound like “good news” to the casual Christian, it is “Good News” to those who can hear the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and the voice of the High Calling.
It is clear that “the washing” precedes the putting on of the priests garments in the picture given us in the type from Exodus. The first “washing” compares with water baptism in the New Testament! AFTER the priests garments were added and the priests completed the OTHER preparations they were permitted to enter into the Holy Place. AFTER they entered into ministry the “continual washing” began while they were clothed IN THE PRIEST’S GARMENTS.
Gal 3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Or has put on Christ as a garment)
Baptized means “immersed” so having “immersed ourselves in Christ” means “we have clothed ourselves with Christ.” In reality this means that have “PUT ON CHRIST AS OUR PRIESTLY GARMENTS.”
This is what prepares us for the next Foundational Experience which is the anointing or the Baptism with or in the Holy Spirit. “Baptism” here still means “immersed” or it means being immersed in the Holy Spirit. This refers to the Spirit being upon us or surrounding us which refers to our first anointing which is the outward anointing.
In other words; It is Water Baptism ( the Washing) that usurers in the Garments, the Anointing and the Consecration Offering and opens the WAY to our approach to the Second Veil, the Veil of Truth!
The real mystery is why so much of the visible church has totally ignored these obvious preparations for the Priesthood ministry. Of course it is the “leaders, the pastors and the preachers” that are responsible for this ignorance in the assemblies. Since the “natural man” cannot understand or receive the things of the Spirit of God is seems these “leaders” are just natural men. Paul identified the problem with the Corinthians! He said “ you are just walking like mere men.” It is certainly obvious that ALL these Corinthians were “saved according to the Gospel of the Bargains” but never “went on.” These were believers but they stopped and never advanced through the prescribed foundations. What was the result? They were still hanging around the bronze altar and never advanced to become Spiritual Men. They still had on the Carnal Garments of first Adam. Where are these old garments removed? Just AFTER the bronze altar and the blood sacrifice. They are removed before “the first washing” can begin.
1Cor 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
1Cor 1:4 I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you----
To suggest that the Corinthians were not yet “saved, according to the gospel of the give-a-ways” is ludicrous. That is unless we finally concede that true “Salvation” is much more that just a beginning. Since the greatest majority of “assemblies” are still stuck in the same rut that the Corinthians were in, we should ask why is this possible in the New Covenant times?
We are strongly suggesting that the evidence or lack of fruit clearly indicates that the seven Foundations were never laid as “experiences.” But, Paul did confirm that he had laid “A” foundation in Corinth?
1Cor 3:10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.
Paul started the work in Corinth and he laid the first foundation which was Christ. Still, the sequence of other foundations were also needed to complete the full basic preparations.
1Cor 1:14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 that no man should say you were baptized in my name. 16 Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void. 18 For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
It appears that Paul DID baptize the very first believers in Corinth but baptism after that should have been carried out by the “leaders.” However, we are NOT suggesting that water baptism will solve all the problems with carnality and the works of the flesh in an assembly. We are only pointing out that Water Baptism is one of the foundations but that ALL the Foundations are essential to solve these other serious and numerous problems that prevent our ultimate Outer Court maturity.
Wherever we stop in experiencing these Foundations will be the extent of our dealing with these Adamic and destructive elements that will prevent us from participating the Kingdom of God and His Eternal Purpose! Without ALL seven of these corrective Foundations there will be NO WAY to participate in the Priesthood Ministry or become part of the Church He is Building.
It may appear that we are putting too much emphasis upon the beginning experiences and ignoring the “love or community aspect of the Gospel.” Our basic search over these last 12 years is to find a workable solution to these pitiful conditions that are obvious in the church. After preaching hundreds of irrelevant “messages” in various countries and over a period of 30 years, it seemed like a waste of time to continue. Why? Because we never saw a priesthood ministry develop. We never personally developed a Holy Place ministry and in all my travels I never participated in any “assembly” that could qualify as the Church He is Building.
I have fellow shipped in assemblies where the “Love and Community” message was the foremost topic and I never witnessed any change in the life or vision of those assemblies. I could name several other emphasis that never produced anything eternal either. I have personally focused upon “my message” of the high calling of God, the bride of Christ, Mount Zion, the New Jerusalem, the Manifested Sons, the Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek and even on the world yet to come and I can testify that VERY LITTLE ever changed.
It just seemed to be stupid to continue in that vein of ministry and expect anything different to be the result. In the year 2000 God finally got my attention and I realized I had to find the answer to this dilemma or to quit trying! Just to continue to preach more irrelevant messages was foolish. I might as well eat, drink and be merry and enjoy my retirement if there was no workable solution for the church. I have MANY other things I could be doing. Sitting on the beach in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic or Miami comes to mind.
It breaks my heart to see hundreds of pastors wasting their life following the same “human pattern of church” that we inherited from our forefathers and accomplishing nothing to establish believers in the Kingdom Dimensions of God. God’s Pattern of the Tabernacle, revealed to Moses on the Mountain, appears to be a much better choice for ministry. What amazes me is that nearly every pastor I know has rejected the foundations and have focused upon building cisterns that hold NO WATER.
Jer 2:13 “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns, That can hold no water.
I will attach the “Why Baptism” study (the revision) later to compliment this “Introduction to Baptism” document. It may be called Document # 4A .