MAX KLEIN BIBLE MINISTRIES
The Seven Baptisms
Written by: Max Klein
Baptism means identification or association:
Introduction:
1. This meaning began in Homer's time. Homer wrote of the one-eyed giant, Cyclops who had trapped Ulysses and his men in a cave and was eating them one at a time. The ingenious Ulysses devised a plan. He had his men sharpen a large log and together they rammed this log into the eye of the one-eyed Cyclops rendering him blind. They identified (baptized) the sharpened log with Cyclops’ eye which changed Cyclops from a seeing giant to a blind giant. Having blinded the Cyclops, they were able to maneuver their way out of the cave. Another example by Homer: Homer's Odyssey, book 9, used baptism for hot metal identified (baptized) with water when a smith dipped a piece of hot iron into water. This is how a blacksmith would temper swords in the ancient world. After this identification, the sword was made stronger and so less likely to bend.
2. Xenophon said that the Spartan military recruits after finishing infantry training would identify (baptize) their spears with pig’s blood. They would run by a barrel of pig’s blood and thrust their spears into this blood. This ritual, identified their spears with killing and the soldier’s readiness for combat with the enemy.
3. Euripides used the word for a ship identified with the bottom of the sea when it sank. Before sinking, the ship was valuable; after sinking it had no value at all.
4. So "baptize" in the classical Greek meant to identify one thing with another so that the characteristics of the original thing were altered. Therefore, the interpretation of the word "baptism" is identification with something that brings about a change.
5. There are a number of cognates related to this Greek word such as bapto, baptizo, baptisma, baptismos, baptistes, and embapto. A few examples follow:
6. John 13:26, “Jesus then answered, ‘That is the one for whom, I shall dip [the future of the Greek word bapto] the morsel and give it to him. So, when he had dipped [the aorist participle of bapto; the sop now takes on a new meaning that of honor] the sop [the morsel], He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.”
To give someone a sop [a special bit of food usually a piece of bread or meat with a tasty sauce] was the highest honor of a banquet. At a banquet a special piece of bread or meat was prepared along with a special sauce for the guest of honor who would then honor someone by giving it to that person. Jesus as the guest of honor took this sop and dipped it into a special sauce and gave it to Judas. In this way, the Lord Jesus Christ honored Judas as a member of the family of God, and for his ministry as an apostle to the Lost Sheep of Israel. This honor should have given Judas second thoughts regarding his plan to betray Jesus to the Sanhedrin.
7. Matthew 3:7, “but when he [John the Baptizer] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism [identification: the Greek word baptisma], he said to them, “You brood of vipers [poisonous snakes], who warned you to flee from the wrath to come [Baptism of Fire: identification with the fire of Torments and then the Lake of Fire]?”
8. Hebrews 6:1-2, “Therefore, leaving behind the elementary teaching about Christ, let us advance to maturity, not laying again the foundation [of the basics such as]: a change of thinking about dead works [just as an unbeliever must have a change of mind about Christ to obtain salvation, so the believer must have a change of mind about legalism (dead works) in order to obtain the spiritual life], and of faith toward God [Faith-Rest Drill], (2) doctrine of baptisms [the Greek word baptismos; a reference to the seven types of baptism as found in Scripture] as well as the laying on of hands [ritual rebound in the age of Israel], and of resurrection from the dead, and of eternal judgment [the Great White Throne Judgment].
9. Matthew 3:1, “In those days John the Baptizer [the Greek word baptistes; when John baptized someone into the Jordan River, the converts were identified with the plan of God and his kingdom.] came proclaiming [as a herald] in the desert of Judea.”
There are two categories of identification in Scripture namely an actual identification or a real baptism and a representative identification or a ritual baptism which uses water.
The four real or actual identifications with something that has significance.
1. The Baptism of Moses: 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 presents the baptism of Moses, "For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; (2) and all were baptized [the Greek word baptizo] into Moses in the cloud [the Lord] and in the sea." This was a real identification in which Moses was identified with the Lord and the open path through the Red Sea and the Jews were identified with Moses. By the way, none of the Jews got wet, only Egyptian unbelievers who were immersed in the water as a means of death.
2. The Baptism of the Cross is found in Matthew 20:22, “But Jesus answered [Salome by addressing her sons] and said, “You [plural: a reference to James and John] do not know what you [James and John] ask. Are you [James and John] able to drink of the cup [bear the punishment of all the sins of the world] that I am about to drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism [the sins of the world identified with Christ followed by the Father judging them] that I am baptized with [identified with]?” They [James and John] said to Him, “We are able. [the dumbest statement that James and John ever made]” [I selected the longer text as did Jerome.]
3. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Retroactive Positional Truth and Current Positional Truth) occurs at salvation for Church Age believers only.
Colossians 2:12. Having been buried [aorist participle] with Him [Jesus Christ] by means of the baptism [God the Holy Spirit identified us with the burial of Jesus Christ as part of our salvation] by means of which [Baptism] you have been raised up [main verb] with Him [in union with Jesus Christ seated at the right hand of the Father] through faith [at the point of salvation] in the operational power from the source of God who has raised Him [the humanity of Christ was given a resurrection body] out from the dead [physical death].
Romans 6:3-9:
Romans 6:3: Or do you not know that all of us who [a correlative] have been baptized into [identified with] Christ Jesus [Current Positional Sanctification: we are in union with Christ in his life in heaven], have been baptized into His death [Retroactive Positional Truth and so identified with his substitutionary spiritual death on the cross]?
Positionally, (in union with Christ) we share His righteousness, heirship, priesthood, destiny, election, eternal life, royalty, sonship etc. All these making us a new spiritual species in Christ Jesus. The plural correlative hosoi (ὅσοι) means that if we were identified with Christ in heaven and we were, then also we have been identified with Christ in his substitutionary spiritual death in which he removed the power of sin nature. Thus, the sin nature should not have power over our lives.
A few more points will be noted:
1. Note that the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation enters the believer into union with Christ at the right hand of God the Father which union is called current positional truth.
2. This verse also mentions identification with Christ in His spiritual death on the cross which identification theologians call retroactive positional truth. Retroactive positional truth also includes identification with Christ in His physical death and burial as well.
3. Identification with Christ in His death, then, has a two-fold connotation namely all personal sins were judged at the cross and since that is the case, God the Father is free to provide in grace, the Recovery Procedure. The second connotation is that good and evil were rejected by Jesus on the cross since good and evil are a part of Satan’s policy and plan. On the cross, Jesus relied on the proto-type spiritual life which operated under the two power options namely God’s power system.
4. So, the old sin nature’s ruling power over the Christian has been broken since all sins were judged on the cross and the Recovery Procedure has been provided. So, Retroactive Positional Truth has destroyed the sovereignty of the old sin nature over the life of the Christian.
5. Also, since Jesus rejected the good and evil policy of Satan so should the believer reject Satan’s policy of good and evil as the believer applies Retroactive Positional Truth.
Romans 6:4: Therefore, we have been buried together with Him through the identification [Baptism of the Spirit] into His death [physical], in order that just as Christ has been raised up from the dead [on Resurrection Sunday], through the glory of the Father [through the Father’s power], [So also we, the dead in Christ, will be raised from the dead by the power of the Father, and those alive at the Rapture, by the power of the Holy Spirit.] in this manner we also might walk in newness of life [Experiential sanctification should reflect our future ultimate sanctification.].
Christ had to die physically “and Jesus having shouted clearly with a loud voice said, Father, into your hands I deposit my [human] spirit, and having said this, he exhaled” (Luke 23:46). This last exhale caused His soul and spirit to depart from his mortal body resulting in physical death. Just as Christ had to die physically in order to obtain his resurrection body, so we must depart from our body of corruption, or mortality in order to receive our eternal body called our resurrection body.
The Newness of Life:
1. The newness of life provided through the baptism of the Spirit includes positional freedom from producing good and evil. Not only are we free from the tyranny of good and evil but we are also free from having to produce good and evil.
2. The believer has no obligation to improve the devil’s world through social action, socialism, welfare state, communism, environmentalism, or any social gospel, social action, getting involved, etc.
3. The human race is protected from Satan’s policy of good and evil through the laws of divine establishment which promote freedom instead of improvement at the cost of freedom.
4. In addition to the Laws of Divine Establishment the believer is insulated from good and evil positionally through the baptism of the Spirit.
5. Divorced from the Old Sin Nature positionally and its useless activity of human good and the function of evil, the life of the believer can be devoted to glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ through maximum knowledge and application of Bible doctrine.
Romans 6:5: For if we have become united with Him [Christ, the new husband] in the likeness of His death [the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ on the cross], and we have, and not only this, but also, we shall be [united in the likeness] of His resurrection [Current Positional Truth: in union with the resurrected Christ].
Romans 6:6: Be knowing this [through Retroactive Positional Truth], that our old man [our former husband, the sin nature dates back to the Garden] has been crucified together [with Him], in order that the [human] body, with reference to its sin nature, [the sin nature located in the body] might be rendered powerless [when we use Recovery Procedure and the two power options], that we should no longer be slaves to the sin nature.
“Our old man has been crucified with Him” meaning that the power of the sin nature has been broken on the cross. Since the power of the sin nature was broken by the work of the cross, we as believers have no excuse for not executing the spiritual life. We will not be able to say to Christ at our evaluation that our sin nature was too powerful for us to execute the spiritual life.
A few points for further clarification:
1. Retroactive positional truth is that phase of the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation which identifies the believer with Christ in His spiritual death, physical death and his burial.
2. In the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ on the cross all the personal sins in human history were imputed to Christ, but at the same time the other two trends of the old sin nature were not imputed for judgment.
3. Good and evil is the policy of Satan as the ruler of this world and the function of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life. In fact, the sin nature functions as the agent of Satan.
4. Good and evil were not imputed for judgment on the cross. Hence, in the spiritual death of Christ on the cross they were rejected to remain an issue in the angelic conflict, rejected to be perpetuated in human history as an issue every believer must face, and either overcome through the intake of doctrine or be entrapped by ignorance of doctrine and therefore lose out in glorifying God in time.
5. We are identified with Christ in His spiritual death, which means that we must understand that our sins have been judged and that good and evil has been rejected.
6. It all adds up to the fact that the sovereignty of the old sin nature over human life has been made powerless through retroactive positional truth.
7. The imputation of all personal sins of the human race to Christ on the cross means that the believer through the rebound technique is instantly forgiven sins, cleansed from all wrong doing which includes Satanic good and evil, restored to fellowship and filled with the Spirit.
Romans 6:7: For we who have died [the Christian is identified with the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ: theologically called Retroactive Positional Truth] have been acquitted [positional deliverance] from [the power of] the sin nature.
A few points for further clarification:
1. A dead person is discharged from the obligations of his former sphere of life. This is why the word “death” is used in this context. It is not a literal, physical death we are discussing but identification with Christ in His death.
2. As unbelievers we were under the authority of Satan as the ruler of this world, and under the authority of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life.
3. Both the power of Satan and the old sin nature have been abrogated through the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation.
4. This passage, then, emphasizes the annulling of the power and the authority of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life.
5. Positionally, the power of the sin nature has been broken. Experientially, the old sin nature controls to the extent that we fail to understand and utilize the provision and support of logistical grace.
Romans 6:8: Now if we have died with Christ, and we have [retroactive positional truth], we also believe that we shall live in association with Him [the instrumental of association; a reference to Current Positional Truth].
In this verse, the 1st Class conditional sentence shows the relationship between Retroactive Positional Truth with Current Positional Truth. The protasis, the ‘if’ clause states the reality of Retroactive Positional Truth and the apodosis, the concluding clause states the doctrinal inference and the reality of Current Positional Truth. While Retroactive Positional Truth presents positional rejection and separation from good and evil as the policy of Satan and the function of the old sin nature, Current Positional Truth relates the believer to the function of the royal family of God. In other words, they have separate functions.
Romans 6:9: Knowing that because Christ has been raised from the dead [He received a resurrection body], no longer can He die; [physical] death is no longer a master over Him.
Analysis:
1. Retroactive positional truth destroys the sovereign authority of the old sin nature over human life. Current positional truth, on the other hand, destroys the limited authority of physical death in human life.
2. Instead of being ruled by the old sin nature located in the cells of the human body and influencing our souls toward sin, good and evil, we now have a new sovereign, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are identified with Him in His deaths, in His burial, resurrection, ascension and session.
3. Before salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit our lives were under the absolute rule of Satan who is the ruler of this world and under the rule of the old sin nature which is the ruler of life, and under the limited rule of physical death. All of that, of course, has been changed since salvation.
4. Now both retroactive and current positional truth have abrogated the authority and power of these former rulers. The power of Satan over our lives has been broken through identification with the rejection of good and evil namely Satan’s policy and plan and through our position in union with Christ. The power of the old sin nature is broken through retroactive positional truth and the power of physical death is broken through current positional truth.
5. Therefore, having studied these things by principle and by implication we are now ready for application, verses 12 & 13 specifically.
6. Having been positionally liberated from the sovereignty of the old sin nature as an absolute ruler, and the authority of physical death, we must recognise and apply doctrine for the experiential victory commanded in verses 11-13.
Galatians 3:25-28, “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under the authority of [have need of] a school bus. (26) For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For all of you who were baptized into Christ [identified with Christ through union with Him] have clothed yourselves with Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek [no racial distinction], there is neither slave nor free man [no social or economic distinction], there is neither male nor female [no gender distinction]; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. [All Christians have the same privileges and opportunities to execute the spiritual life.]”
Current Positional Truth, Elaborated:
In the Church Age, Current Positional Truth establishes our relationship with Christ as opposed to religion. It refers to the Church Age believer in union with Christ and is the key to understanding the Church Age and how the royal family came into being. Therefore, it is the basis for distinguishing between Christianity and religion. Christianity is a relationship with God without merit whereas religion is a system of works to gain the approbation of God. Never shall the twain meet!
The mechanics of Current Positional Truth is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, whereby the Spirit enters us into union with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13, “For also by agency of the one Spirit we are all baptized [identification resulting in becoming a new spiritual species] into one body [in union with Christ], whether Jews or Greeks [racial distinctions are removed], whether slave or free [class and economic distinctions are removed], even all were made to drink [the aorist passive, the voice of grace] the one Spirit [The Holy Spirit did not ask us whether we wanted to be put into union with Christ or not.].” Ephesians 4:5, “One Lord [becomes our Lord positionally at Salvation]), one faith [faith alone in Christ alone; Acts 16:31], one baptism [Baptism of the Holy Spirit takes place at salvation].”
Current Positional truth guarantees that there will be no judgment for believers in eternity, Romans 8:1, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Thus, the condemnation which occurred at the first birth was removed at the 2nd birth. As a result of being born with the sin nature and the imputation of Adam’s Original Sin, we were condemned to the Lake of Fire for all eternity, but now that has been removed. Romans 5:12, “For this reason just as through one man [Adam] the sin [nature] entered into the world [procreation], and so spiritual death through the sin [the imputation of Adam’s Original Sin to the sin nature], and so spiritual death spread to all mankind, because all sinned when Adam sinned [since we were all genetically in Adam when he sinned, we will receive Adam’s Original Sin].” However, at our spiritual birth, the 2nd birth, our pre-salvation sins were all forgiven including Adam’s Original Sin. After which, the Spirit entered us into union with Christ where there is now no condemnation (Romans 8:1).
Current Positional truth qualifies the believer to live with God forever. To live with God forever, the believer must have eternal life and God’s perfect righteousness, 1 John 5:11-12, “And this is the deposition [testimony] that the God [the Father] has given to us, eternal life, and this life is in his son [Since we are in union with Christ, we share this life.]. (12) and he who has the son [a relationship with the Son] has the life [eternal life] and the one who does not have the son of God [relationship with the Son] does not have the life [eternal life].” 2 Corinthians 5:21, “And He [the Father] made Him who knew no sin [perfection] to be a sin offering [imputation of sins on the cross] as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [current positional truth].” To live with God forever means you must have His life, and you must be as righteous as He is.
Positional truth guarantees the believer’s eternal security, Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death [nothing in death] nor life [nothing in life] nor angels nor principalities [ruling angels] nor powers [human organizations] nor things present nor things to come (39) nor height [nothing in heaven] nor depth [nothing in Hades] nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Eternal life in Christ is for all eternity!
Positional truth belongs to all categories of believers whether they be apostate, mature, immature, spiritually adult, or carnal. Since Current Positional Truth occurs at the point of salvation before experience in the Christian life begins, it doesn’t depend on that experience. 1 Corinthians 1:2, “to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus [at salvation], called saints together with all who call upon the person of Our Lord Jesus Christ, their [Lord] and ours.” So, even though you may be carnal or in reversionism, you still have positional truth. Being in union with Christ has nothing to do with what you do [experiential righteousness], or don’t do [failure to execute God’s plan]. Current Positional sanctification is completely the work of God the Holy Spirit and so is not based upon our volition, but on the sovereign decision of God. We make the decision to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, but we don’t make the decision to enter into union with Christ “all were made to drink the one Spirit” as per 1 Corinthians 12:13. God the Holy Spirit graciously did that for us and so it cannot be undone.
Current Positional truth creates a new spiritual species in Christ as per 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ and he is, he is a new spiritual species. The old things have lost their power; behold, new things have come to pass.” You become a new spiritual species at salvation by being put into union with Christ. It is what God does for you, and therefore it is grace. It is not what you do after salvation, such as the self-righteous works of legalism. The “old things” have to do with spiritual death and those things related to that death; the “new things” refer to things you receive at salvation such as the 40 assets and the unique spiritual life.
Positional truth should motivate the production of divine good and a pattern of life compatible with royalty as per Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his creation, having been created in Christ Jesus [a new spiritual species with many assets] for the purpose of divine good production [via experiential sanctification] which the God [the Father] has prepared in advance [in eternity past, God the Father provided election and predestination as part of our Portfolio of Invisible Assets], that we in the sphere of them [election and predestination] may pattern our lives.”
Even though a Christian may die the Sin on to Death, he will not lose his position in union with Christ (1 John 5:18-20), and so cannot lose his salvation. In order for a believer to lose his position in Christ, he would have to sin in that status, but since the believer cannot sin in union with Christ, he cannot lose his position in Christ and so cannot lose his salvation. Thus, it is comforting and reassuring to a believer to know that even though a loved one may have died the ‘sin on to death’, he has not lost his salvation.
Because we are in union with Christ, we share His:
1. Eternal life, 1 John 5:11, “And this is the deposition [testimony] that the God [the Father] has given to us, eternal life [At salvation, God the Father imputes this life to the human spirit], and this life is in his son [The Christian also shares the life of Christ through union with Him]. (12) and he who has the son [a relationship with the Son] has the life [eternal life] and the one who does not have the son of God [relationship with the Son] does not have the life [eternal life].”
John 14:6, “Jesus said to him [Thomas], ‘I am the way, the truth and the life [eternal life]; no person [in human history] comes face to face with the Father [having an eternal relationship with the Father] except through Me.’”
2. Perfect righteousness, 2 Corinthians 5:21, “And he (God the Father) made him [Jesus] who knew no sin (perfection) to be a sin offering as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in him [positional truth]. Sharing the righteousness of Christ, we become the objects of God the Father’s love as per Romans 8:39.
3. Election, Ephesians 1:4, “just as He [the Father] has elected us for Himself in Him [Jesus Christ] before the creation of the world [in eternity past], that we may be set apart [experiential sanctification] and blameless [ultimate sanctification] in the presence of Him [Father].”
4. Destiny, Ephesians 1:5, “By means of love, He has predestined us for the purpose of adoption as adult sons to Himself through Christ Jesus our Lord according to the grace purpose of His will.”
5. Sonship, Galatians 3:26, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
6. Heirship, Romans 8:16-17, “The Spirit Himself testifies together [bears witness] with our [human] spirit, that we are the children of God. (17) Now, if we are children and we are, also heirs, on the one hand heirs of God [the Father], and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed [if it is true that], we suffer with Him [pass all three stages of undeserved suffering], that also we might be glorified with Christ.”
7. Sanctification, 1 Corinthians 1:2, “to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints together with all who call upon the person of Our Lord Jesus Christ, their [Lord] and ours.”
8. Priesthood, Hebrews 7:12-19, “For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change in the Law also. (13) For the One [the Lord Jesus Christ] concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe [the tribe of Judah] from which no one has officiated at the altar. (14) For it is evident that our Lord has descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests, (15) and this is clearer still, if another priest arises similar to Melchizedek, and there has, (16) who has become a priest not on the basis of physical requirement [a reference to the Levitical Priesthood] but on the basis of indestructible life [the Lord’s priesthood is forever]. (17) For this reason, it is witnessed, ‘You are a priest forever similar to the order of Melchizedek.’” [We are in union with Christ. Therefore, we are royalty and priests forever. We represent ourselves before God as royal priests.] (18) For, on the one hand, there is a rescinding of the former commandment [the Mosaic Law that authorized the Levitical priesthood] because of its weakness and uselessness (19) (for the Law brought nothing to completion), but on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope [the second door of hope for the Church Age believer—a personal sense of destiny—by which we enter the adult spiritual life] through which we draw near to God.”
Hebrews 7:26-28, “For it is fitting that we should have such a high priest, impeccable integrity, the One who cannot do evil, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; (27) Who does not need daily, like those Levitical priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for their own sins, and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He [Jesus] offered up Himself. (28) For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of His [God the Father’s] oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, who has become perfect forever [Jesus Christ is a perfect high priest].”
9. Royalty, 1 Peter 2:9, “ But you and only you are an elect [elect by God the Father] race [as a new spiritual species], a royal priesthood [since Jesus is a king-priest], a holy nation [God’s entity: a nation of priests: every Christian is a priest], a people for God’s own possession [a protected people], so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him [Christ] who has called [in eternity past] you out of darkness [spiritual death and the Cosmic Systems] into His amazing light [his plan];”
10. New Spiritual Species, 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ and he is, he is a new spiritual species. The old things have lost their power [Old Covenant]; behold, new things have come to pass [This would include the New Covenant to the Church.].”
Current Positional Truth changes our relationship with Angels.
1. Through current positional truth the believer is higher than angels positionally.
2. Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, and so superior to all angels. By virtue of being in union with Christ, every believer is now positionally superior to angels.
3. Positional truth has fulfilled the believer’s triumph with Christ in the angelic conflict. We are victorious with Him already.
4. Furthermore, positional truth demands compatibility with experiential righteousness. Therefore, the believer’s walk on this earth must be compatible with positional truth since we have perfect security in Christ, we have the freedom to choose for Jesus Christ, to love Jesus Christ, to respond to His love, and to fulfill our purpose on this earth.
What positional truth is not?
1. It is not an experience, emotions or ecstasies.
2. It is not progressive; it cannot be improved in time or eternity.
3. It is not related to human merit or ability.
4. It cannot be changed by God, man or angels. It is eternal in nature.
5. It is not obtained gradually as you grow in grace, but in toto at salvation.
6. It is not known apart from the metabolization of doctrine.
7. From understanding the doctrine of positional truth, we progress in our spiritual life, but we cannot improve it since it is perfect at salvation.
8. We are not in Christ because of what we do (execution of the spiritual life) or fail to do (fail to execute the spiritual life), but because of what God has done.
A few points of explanation:
1. The conclusion from positional truth, whether retroactive or current, is that the Christian must apply these doctrines to his spiritual life.
2. In Romans 7:1-4 where we have an illustration of a woman whose first husband has died freeing her to marry another. This is what actually happens to us as believers at salvation. The old sin nature is the husband up to the point of salvation, but at the moment we believe in Jesus Christ positionally the sin nature is dead, as it were, the first husband has died and we have a new husband through union with Christ. Retroactive Positional Truth removes our first husband, the sin nature whereas Current Positional Truth enters us into union with Christ, our new husband.
3. The old sin nature-husband is still around, still seeking to regain his control over his former wife, the believer. But union with the second husband, the Lord Jesus Christ, has broken the first husband’s authority over the former wife.
4. The Baptism of Fire:
Matthew 3:11, “On the one hand I [John the Baptizer] baptize you [believers] by means of water because of a change of thinking [about Christ], but the one coming after me is mightier than I whose sandals I am not worthy to lace [loosen, remove]. He himself will baptize by means of the Holy Spirit [a reference to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age] and by means of fire [a reference to the Baptism of Fire at the 2nd Advent].”
Baptism of Fire: The baptism of fire (identification with fire) is defined as the judgment of unbelievers both Jew and gentile at the Second Advent. They will be removed from the earth and placed in fire for 1000 years until the Last Judgment, Luke 3:16-17; Mathew 25:31, 33. The analogy to the Baptism of Fire is found in Matthew 24:36-41. The one left in the field is the mature believer; the one taken is the unbeliever.
Parables of the Baptism of Fire:
1. The wheat and the tares (the unbelievers), Matthew 13:24-30, 36-40.
2. The good and bad fish (unbelievers), Matthew 13:47-50.
3. The ten virgins: five wise, five foolish (the unbelievers), Matthew 25:1-13.
4. The sheep and the goats (the unbelievers), Mathew 25:31-46.
5. The talent test, Matthew 25:14-30. The one talent man represents the unbeliever.
If Jesus Christ had not been rejected by the Jewish people, then the age of Israel would have continued until its completion (the Tribulation completes the age of Israel). (However, they did reject Jesus Christ as Savior and Messiah and so the client nation was destroyed, and the Church age was intercalated that is inserted before the age of Israel was complete.) After the completion of the age of Israel at the end of the Tribulation, comes the wrath of God namely the Baptism of Fire when the Lord removes both Jewish and gentile unbelievers from the earth and identifies them with fire forever. After which, the Millennial reign begins.
The Three Ritual Baptisms. None are extant at the present time. They are representative identifications in which water is used as a training aid to represent some principle of doctrine.
1. The Baptism of John is found in Matthew 3:2-6, “Saying, ‘Change your thinking [regarding Christ] for the kingdom of heaven is near.’ [The future king was already on the earth] (3) For this is what was communicated through Isaiah, the prophet saying, ‘The voice of one [John the Baptizer] proclaiming loudly in the desert [of Judea]. Prepare [the aorist tense is a one time-decision] the way of the Lord [an idiomatic expression for salvation]. Keep on making upright [the use of the Recovery Procedure followed by the development of experiential righteousness] His paths!’ (Isaiah 40:3) (4) Now, John himself kept on having a garment of camel’s hair [very uncomfortable] and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. (5) Then [after John went where God wanted him to be] Jerusalem kept on going out to him [face to face] and all Judea and all the districts around the Jordan. (6) and they were being baptized [identified with the kingdom] by him [under John’s authority] in the Jordan River [where Israel crossed when they entered the land], and they kept on confessing their sins [post-salvation confession of sins].”
MAX KLEIN BIBLE MINISTRIES
Four Pentecosts
Written by: Max Klein
The Pentecost and the three others that the Scriptures mention:
Though there are only four such events mentioned in Scripture, it does not imply that only four existed. There could have been hundreds even thousands of such events. Until these events occurred there was no Filling of the Spirit which would imply that there was no exhortation ministry of the Spirit. This would explain why there had to be the temporary Gift of Exhortation.
The Church Age began with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Indwelling, the Filling of the Spirit and the distribution of Spiritual gifts (and other Church Age assets not mentioned in Acts) to Jewish believers in Jerusalem circa June 7, 30 AD (Acts 2:1-7; 2:37, 38). Though the Church Age began on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem, believers not in Jerusalem on that day were not baptized into Christ, did not receive the Indwelling nor the Filling of the Holy Spirit nor did they receive their spiritual gifts etc. Before they could be brought into the Church Age, they had to be identified with an apostle or in the case of Paul’s conversion, he was identified with a mature believer. How many of these identifications took place in the world in that generation we do not know. We just have four mentioned in Scripture representing the four categories of believers namely the Jewish Pentecost Acts 2:1-7ff, the Samaritan Pentecost (half Jew and half Gentile) believers of Acts 8, the Gentile Pentecost of Acts 10 and the Jewish Old Testament Pentecost, Jewish believers who were not in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 19:1-6),
The Jewish Pentecost occurred on the Day of Pentecost circa June 7, 30 AD: Acts 2:1-7, 37, 38. This was a spectacular event, being accompanied by a loud violent wind, and since there were many Jews speaking gentile languages in Jerusalem at that time (These were the diaspora which had gone on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feast days.) all the disciples were given the gift of speaking in a gentile language in order to communicate the gospel to these pilgrims. We might call this the “Jewish Pentecost.”
Acts 2:1-3, “And when the day of Pentecost was being observed [had fully come], they [120 believers: Acts 1:15] were all together in the same place [in one large hall in Jerusalem]. (2) And suddenly [the Jewish age was ‘suddenly’ interrupted by the Church Age] there came from heaven a sound like a violent rushing wind [the advent of the Holy Spirit], and He [God the Holy Spirit] filled the entire hall [house] where they [the disciples] were sitting. [This explosive sound gained the attention of all in Jerusalem, and so, they came out to find out what was happening and at that time (9 AM: Acts 2:15) would have been met by the disciples with the gift of gentile languages.] (3) And languages [γλῶσσαι: glossai: sometimes translated as tongues] like fire [looking like fire] appeared to them, being distributed [plural: the languages were distributed by the Holy Spirit]; and He [God the Holy Spirit: the verb is in the 3rd person singular] rested upon each of them [the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Indwelling of the Spirit, the Filling of the Holy Spirit, and Sealing].”
The Holy Spirit prepared these disciples to deal with this large crowd of Jewish unbelievers. Inside the room where the disciples were located, the Holy Spirit was distributing the gift of languages to the disciples; outside the Holy Spirit was gathering the Jewish people via the violent sound of rushing wind (like a tornado). As these people poured into downtown Jerusalem, they were met by the disciples - a great evangelistic moment in history. This large group of Jews was composed of two main groups: the Jews who lived in Jerusalem and spoke Aramaic, and the Jews who came from other regions to Jerusalem to celebrate certain feast days beginning with the Passover and culminating with the Feast of Pentecost. These pilgrims spoke only gentile languages, so the gift of foreign languages (Tongues) was essential for the communication of the Gospel message to them.
Fire represents judgment, and this is why the gift of languages took the appearance of fire. Earlier in Jewish history the Jews had been evangelized in either Hebrew or Aramaic, but Isaiah prophesied that the day would come when they would be evangelized in gentile languages (Isaiah 28:11, 12 cf. 1 Cor. 14:21, 22), serving as a warning that the 5th Cycle of Discipline explained in Leviticus 26:27-33 was coming to Israel. This judgment occurred 40 years after the introduction of the Gift of Languages (Gift of Tongues) in August of 70 A. D. when Israel was completely wiped out as a national entity. (Whenever God warned Israel about their apostasy, it was usually a 40-year warning.) For more information on this subject please read the booklet “Tongues” by R. B. Thieme, Jr.
Acts 2:4-7, 37, 38. And they [the disciples] were all filled with the Holy Spirit [The omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit provides the power for the spiritual life of the Church Age.], and began to speak in other [than their native] languages, as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out [the ability to communicate in a gentile language without ever having studied that language]. (5) Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, religious men [religious and moral, but they did not have eternal life] out of every nation under heaven. (6) But this sound occurring, the multitude [the unbelieving Jews from all over the world who had gathered in Jerusalem during these feast days] came together and were confounded, because each one of them was hearing them [the disciples] speaking in his own dialect [one disciple would be speaking the Elamite language, another Parthian and still another would be speaking the Cappadocian language etc.] (7) And they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, are not these who speak [many different foreign languages] all Galileans [the uneducated Jews who knew only Aramaic]?” (37) “Now when they heard this [the Gospel message], they were pierced in their heart [in the mentality of their souls: John 16:8-11] and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Men, brothers [fellow Jews], what shall we [the pilgrims] do? (38) Then Peter said to them, “Change your thinking [about Christ and believe in Him], and [after salvation] let each of you be baptized [water baptism as a pre-Canon teaching aid in understanding retroactive and current positional truth] in the person of Jesus Christ [the basis of salvation] because of the remission of sins [pre-salvation sins are all forgiven at the point of salvation; this forgiveness must come before the Filling of the Spirit] and [after the remission of sins as a part of your salvation package] you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [the Holy Spirit providing a human spirit as part of Regeneration, Sealing, Baptism of the Spirit, the Indwelling and Filling of the Spirit].”
Peter answered the question of the unbelieving Jews (verse 37) by commanding them (the verb is in the imperative mood) to change their thinking regarding Jesus Christ (Since Jewish unbelievers had some information about Jesus Christ, they were told to change their minds about Him.). They had been given the Gospel very clearly in their own languages and had been convinced that the information was true under the Common Grace ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8-11). Now, their volition was being challenged and they needed to make a decision regarding that information. Would they have a change of mind and believe in Him or not! (For the ones who did believe, the Holy Spirit took their faith and made it efficacious which is known in theology as Efficacious Grace.)
A syntactical break is used between a “change of thinking” and “being baptized” in order to separate the two. The syntactical break includes the following: going from plural to the singular, from the 2nd person to the 3rd person and from the active voice to the passive voice. Thus, the second verb (to be baptized) is a command to be obeyed after the first verb (change your thinking) is executed. After a person had believed and had gained some knowledge of his salvation, he would execute the ritual of water baptism to demonstrate that he understood retroactive (identification with Christ on the cross) and current positional truth (identification with Christ in heaven).
This passage in Acts describes the Jewish Pentecost, but there was also the Samaritan (half Jew, half gentile) Pentecost as found in Acts 8, the gentile Pentecost as found in Acts 10 and finally in our passage the Old Testament believer-Pentecost (Acts 19). The Jews no longer had a monopoly over the spiritual modus operandi such as the priesthood, the temple, feast days etc.
Galatians 3:28. There is neither Jew nor Greek [gentile], there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Samaritan Pentecost: Acts 8:14-17:
Acts 8:14-15. Now the apostles in Jerusalem hearing that Samaria had received the Word of God [had responded to the gospel and so had been regenerated] they sent Peter and John to them; (15) who when they [Peter and John] had come down [for the purpose of investigation], prayed concerning them [the new converts] that they might receive [potential: the apostles were not sure that the Samaritans would receive the same assets which were given on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem] the Holy Spirit [Sealing, Indwelling, the Filling of the Spirit and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit].
(Note: On the Day of Pentecost 30 AD and possibly for the next 20 years or so spiritual gifts were given by the Lord Jesus Christ as per Ephesians 4:7, 8. After which time, the Holy Spirit sovereignly distributes all spiritual gifts according to 1 Corinthians 12:11.)
Peter and John at this point did not understand the potential of the Church age; they did not know that all races of peoples would be allowed to receive the same assets that Jews received on the Day of Pentecost.
Acts 8:16: For as yet He had not fallen on any of them [the same as receiving the Holy Spirit], they were baptized [water baptism] only in the name of the Lord Jesus.
The ritual identification with Christ (water baptism) followed by the reality of being entered into Christ etc. after the laying on of hands. Though the normal order of events in the early Church were first salvation and all the assets which pertain to it and then ritual baptism, the Samaritans after salvation through regeneration, received ritual baptism and then the laying on of hands and then received the remaining assets of the Church Age. The laying on of their hands indicated that what happened on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem in 30 AD was happening in Samaria.
Acts 8:17. Then they [Peter and John] laid their hands on them [the Samaritan converts], and they received the Holy Spirit [Sealing, Indwelling, Filling of the Spirit, and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit].
The Gentile Pentecost: Acts 10:44-47, 11:14-16
Acts 10:44-47. While Peter was still speaking these words [relating to the gospel], the Holy Spirit fell upon [see Acts 8:14-17] all those who were listening to the message [because they had responded by believing in Christ, in other words, they had responded to Common Grace resulting in Efficacious Grace]. (45) All the circumcised believers [Jewish believers] who came with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. (46) For they were hearing them speaking with languages [they were all given the gift of languages as on the Day of Pentecost in 30 A.D.] and exalting God. Then Peter answered, (47) ‘Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized [water baptism in the early Church] who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did [on the Day of Pentecost circa June 7, 30 A.D.], can he?’
Acts 11:14-16 relates the Gentile Pentecost to the Jewish Pentecost, “and he [Peter] will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and your entire household. (15) And as I [Peter] began to speak [the presentation of the gospel to which Cornelius and his household responded by believing in Christ], the Holy Spirit fell upon them [the six things which the Holy Spirit provides for Church Age believers at their salvation: Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Regeneration, Indwelling and Filling, spiritual gifts and Sealing] just as he did upon us at the beginning [of the Church Age at the Feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem]. (16) And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, `John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'"
The Old Testament believer-Pentecost probably late in 53 A.D. (Acts 19:1-6):
When Paul arrived in Ephesus, he bumped into an unusual group of believers. These believers had not yet received the assets of the Church Age, the 40 things which the person receives when he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Three of which were specifically mentioned in the “Jewish Pentecost” namely the Indwelling and Filling of the Spirit and the distribution of a spiritual gift.) So, though living in the Church Age, they were operating under the assets of the Old Testament. This situation occurred because they had believed in Christ before the Church Age?
Ephesus was at the crossroads of the Roman Empire for it linked the orient with the west. Between its harbor and the main city was a boulevard seventy feet wide with beautiful pillars along its sides. Also, the city was famous for an open-air theater carved out of the side of a mountain and seated 25,000 people. The Temple of Artemis with 120 pillars, one of the Seven Wonders of the World was also located in this city. (Each of these pillars, studded with gold, silver and various precious gems, was dedicated by a king or a famous prince and had been engraved with his famous deeds and accomplishments.) Ephesus was also the Roman headquarters for the province of Asia. Thus, there was a Roman garrison, governor and court there, and most importantly, it became the greatest church in the first few centuries of the Church Age.
Acts 19:1. And it came to pass that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul [53 A.D.] having passed through the upper coast [the highlands] came to Ephesus [from the northeast] and found certain disciples [Jewish Old Testament-believers who had believed in Christ under the ministry of John the Baptist].
Apollos left Ephesus before Paul’s arrival and returned to Ephesus after Paul’s departure. The Lord led Paul to Ephesus after Apollos had left for Corinth since the Lord was going to use Pricilla and Aquila to help Apollos, not Paul (Acts 18:27-19:1). When Paul left Ephesus at the end of his 2nd missionary journey to return to Antioch, Syria, Pricilla and Aquila remained behind (Acts 18:19). A short time later Apollos, a Jewish Alexandrian came to Ephesus and began to teach boldly and eloquently in the synagogue. After hearing him, Pricilla and Aquila realized that Apollos was not up to date on church age doctrines. So, they pulled him aside privately and brought him up to date on these doctrines. It was not necessary for Apollos to meet Paul at this time, but it was very important for him to have met Pricilla and Aquila.
The Holy Spirit led Paul in such a way as to avoid the cities of the Lycus Valley. When Paul came back to Ephesus on his 3rd missionary journey, he did not travel on the main highway which ran from Galatia to Ephesus, the most direct route from Galatia to Ephesus. (This would have taken him through the Lycus Valley in which were three cites: Colossi, Hierapolis and Laodicea. (It was God’s will that his ministry to those in these cities would not be face to face, but would be handled through written epistles such as Colossians and Philemon.)) Rather, after departing Galatia he traveled northwest, and so when he was directed by the Lord to go to Ephesus, he merely came down the Cayster Valley from the northeast which is described by the phrase in this verse as, “the upper coast.” (The Cayster River flowed into the harbor at Ephesus.)
Acts 19:2. he [Paul] said to them, “Having believed did you receive the Holy Spirit [the Indwelling and the Filling of the Spirit]?” And they said to him, “We did not so much as hear whether there was [a ministry related to the] Holy Spirit.
After Paul had a brief conversation with them, he became aware of their disorientation to the Church Age although the Church Age had begun some 23 years earlier. So, he asked a discerning question regarding whether or not they had been indwelt and filled with the Holy Spirit at the point of their salvation. This Indwelling and Filling would have been accompanied by the distribution of spiritual gifts.
Acts 19:3. And he [Paul] said to them, ‘Therefore, on what basis did you receive [water] baptism?’ And they said, “On the basis of John's baptism [A baptism before the Church Age to be distinguished from the pre-canon- baptism of the early church.].
In the pre-canon period of the Church, in order to help Christians understand Spirit Baptism (identification retroactively with the cross and currently with Christ in heaven as he is seated at the right hand of God the Father), a ritual was performed: believers were immersed into water illustrating their identification with Christ on the cross; coming out of the water represented their identification with Christ in heaven. Of course, once the epistle of Romans had been written, a new Christian no longer needed the ritual of water-baptism as a teaching aid since he could learn about Spirit Baptism through the teaching of Romans 6.
Regarding water baptism, if some pastor wants to use it as a teaching aid in explaining retroactive or current positional truth, it is quite okay. However, for a pastor to teach that water baptism is a requirement for salvation is just as blasphemous as to teach that circumcision or any other work is necessary for salvation.
Acts 19:4. Then Paul said, John baptized with a baptism characterized by [a cognate accusative with the genitive] a change of thinking [John only baptized those who had changed their mind about Christ and had believed], saying to the people that they should believe in the One coming [Jesus] after him [John, the Baptizer], that is, in Jesus.
Acts 19:5: And having heard [what Paul had said], they were baptized [by God the Holy Spirit] into the person of the Lord Jesus [Spirit-Baptism: entered into union with Christ in heaven].
The fulfillment of Acts 1:5. For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit not many days from now.
Just as this prophecy was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem so it was fulfilled with these twelve disciples in Ephesus at a later date. These believers had to be entered into union with Christ namely positional sanctification before their experiential sanctification i.e. the Filling of the Spirit and the function of their spiritual lives etc. could become operational. Thus, verse 6 follows verse 5.
Acts 19:6-7. And as Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with foreign languages [communicated the gospel in some foreign language] and prophesied [about the content of truth and material not yet put into book form: a communicational gift necessary since the Bible had not yet been completed and circulated]. (7) And there were in all about twelve men.
Since they had believed in Christ in the Age of Israel and so had not received the assets that a believer in the Church Age receives at the moment of his salvation, there had to be some protocol (In this case, the laying on of hands by some apostle.) by which they would be incorporated into body of Christ with all the assets of the Church Age believer.
The order as found in Acts 19:5, 6 is as follows:
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They received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
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They were identified with Paul through his laying his hands upon them.
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They received the Filling of the Spirit.
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Their spiritual gifts became operational in this case, the Gift of Languages and the Gift of Prophecy.
As soon as Paul, an apostle of the Church identified himself with these men, they received the Filling of the Spirit which was necessary for the function of the two spiritual gifts in context: the gift of a foreign language and the gift of prophecy. Based on this passage, identification with an apostle either by the laying on of his hands (Acts 8:17, 19:6) or by his presence (Acts 2, 10:44) was the protocol in receiving the Filling of the Spirit (This would include the indwelling as well.) in that first generation of church age believers.
The Filling of the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts are two different things. At salvation the Holy Spirit provides six different things which are as follows: Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Regeneration, Indwelling and Filling, a spiritual gift and Sealing. It just happens that when a person first receives the Filling of the Holy Spirit at salvation, he is also given a spiritual gift. For example, on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem there were many Jewish unbelievers speaking gentile languages. So, the gift of languages was given to all the disciples in order to handle this situation. In Ephesus, both the gift of language and the gift of prophecy were both needed, so both were distributed.
