In the Bible, we can see how God used physical examples of what was yet to come spiritually. Those things were called, the shadow of things to come. They are physical examples of what is now spiritual.
While there are many examples, the one that I will give in more detail about today is baptism.
The physical baptism of those who were plunged into the water was called “John’s Baptism” or “the Baptism of John.” I believe we needed to have physical examples to understand what the spiritual ones really mean.
The baptism of John the Baptist was a shadow of things to come. We see in the physical, water baptism that the person was dunked in the water, and as the person is under water, they symbolically bury the “old man.” Then as that person comes out of the water, they are raised a new man unto Christ who now walks in the Spirit.
This is the same illustration, but this is done in the Spirit. Water does not really hold any power. Many will agree that a water baptism is only symbolic. I am here to tell you that there is a real baptism of the Spirit where we die to self. We bury the “old man” and receive a new life in Christ. We now walk in the Spirit and not the flesh anymore. The flesh is just dead weight and baggage to our Spiritual man. When we allow our carnal, sinful self to die, then we are truly born again.
“ Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 PETER 1:23
We see in the New Testament that Jesus Christ fulfilled all righteousness and he was baptized so that we may receive his perfect life in our place. He fulfilled all things that needed to be fulfilled. Christ then put us in HIS place, and took our place on the sinner’s cross. When the Father sees us, he will see Jesus Christ in us and his perfect righteousness.
We see a lot of water baptisms continuing today, but there isn’t very many that teach about the true baptism of the Spirit. In the New Testament after Jesus Christ fulfilled all things physical, he then gave us the new spiritual way. We now have a spiritual temple within us, and not one made of bricks and stone. We have the first fruits fulfilled in Christ (article coming soon). We have the law fulfilled and now we have grace. We now have a Spiritual baptism, not of water anymore but of the LIVING WATER.
There is only ONE baptism now, and that is the baptism of the Spirit.
“One Lord, one faith, one baptism,” EPHESIANS 4:5
Paul and the others went to seek after the other disciples to tell them of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They had not heard about it yet and were only baptized with John’s baptism (which was of water and repentance), but now that the Messiah had already come and fulfilled all things, there was now a spiritual baptism they did not know about. Paul went to help them realize there was a new Spiritual baptism that they needed to be a part of. (Read Acts 19:1-4)
“For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” ACTS 1:5
How do we receive the Holy Spirit? SisterLisa showed me this good verse and it shows that we are to ask the Father for the Holy Spirit.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. MATTHEW 16:16-20
Some false preachers will teach that signs and works of God are dormant, or that they are not for this present time, or only for Apostles. The Bible says these signs shall follow them who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, who are truly baptized, and the Lord shall be with them. They will be able to do these miraculous things. God gave us this to use for his glory and we are taught they don’t exist anymore. That is not true! Jesus said that there are greater works we shall do! (John 14:12).
As I study the Bible more, I'm seeing that God has given us the spiritual things. Why do we keep searching for the physical things? He is beyond that. It is our carnal nature to seek things we can see and touch. God is none of those things. We will find Him in the Spirit and be able to walk with him in the Spirit alone.
One of the most exciting things about this whole experience is how God keeps giving me (and others around me) revelations about the truth that is in his Word. It is outside of everything we have ever been taught and "indoctrinated" with. Truth is at the very source, from the Spirit of God himself speaking to us with his Word. It's enthralling to have the Living God moving inside of us and revealing things to us that our finite and carnal minds cannot grasp on it's own.
I attended two organic church gatherings and bible studies this week. A question was raised by some people asking about baptism. Personally, I never questioned baptism. I grew up with the belief that after we are saved, we go to be baptized with water to represent our new life in Christ. We die, leave our flesh in the water, and we are born again in the spirit.
But someone recently questioned this verse saying there is only one baptism:
"One Lord, one faith, one baptism,"Ephesians 4:5.
Okay, so?
But the bible speaks of two baptisms, one of water and one of the Spirit.
But that's two kinds of baptism, and the Bible says there's only one! We know the Bible doesn't contradict itself, so there must be an explanation.
And there is.
John the Baptist was a prophet of repentance. He preached repentance in the wilderness and baptized many in the water. When Jesus came to him to be baptized, John was stunned and said,
"I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?" Matthew 3:14
Imagine, the long awaited Messiah, the Son of God coming and asking YOU to baptize him. Who is worthy? Yet, Jesus replied:
"Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." Matthew 3:15
Jesus Christ said this needed to be done for now, because he has come to fulfill all righteousness!
Jesus Christ walked a perfect man on this Earth and fulfilled ALL LAWS. He ALSO fulfilled righteousness. He fulfilled BAPTISM!!!
Now there is one baptism, which is the one of the Spirit.
When the guards put a spear through the body of Christ on the cross, it sprinkled blood AND water mixed TOGETHER (John 19:34). We are baptized of Christ in blood AND water, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
John baptized with water, but Jesus Christ baptizes with the Holy Ghost! (John 1:26, 33)
All physical things have been done away, and now Christ has brought spiritual things. Christ tore down the physical sanctuaries and created a spiritual temple within us by fulfilling the law. Christ fulfilled the physical water baptism and created a spiritual baptism by fulfilling righteousness.
Water is also an illustration of the spirit in the Bible. John 7:38, 39 reveal this.
"He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified."
We are now baptized with the living water, which is the Spirit of God.
Behold, Jesus Christ has made all things new. Praise HIS name!!
Some of you follow me on Facebook and have witnessed that I have lost a friendship with a Sister in Christ over disagreements about the law. It's been difficult, because we do love and care for her and her family. I will remember them in my prayers, and think fond things of them, but I must still stand for the truth.
The Truth Is: If we choose to follow the law, we are choosing to have a yoke of bondage. We are choosing to reject grace, and then Jesus Christ has died in vain. He fulfilled the law while he walked on Earth and his death brought us liberty.
Jesus Christ followed the 613 laws of the Torah completely. He perfected the laws while he walked on Earth as a man. When we receive him as our Saviour, we are receiving his perfect righteousness. Jesus Christ took our place and received our punishments. We traded places with him and became heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. When the Father looks at us, he sees his Son in us. He sees Christ's righteousness in us! He sees all 613 laws of the Torah completed in us!
I was driving this afternoon and worshiping God. I was in awe of Him and I told Him that I have nothing to offer. I have failed. When we break one law, we're guilty of breaking them all. Even at my best, I am not good enough.
If we were good enough, we wouldn't need Christ. We wouldn't need him to leave Heaven and die for us. We wouldn't need a Saviour.
I need Him.
I'm still gonna fail,
All my righteousness
Is worthy of hell
You looked down and saw me dying, Lord
You came down from Heaven with love
And you took my place
And you took my place
You died the sinner's death for me
And you let me take your place
And you let me take your place
And now the Father sees the Son in me
by, Charlene
There has been a struggle with Christians, and even myself, to grasp the whole concept of grace and how it is separate from the law. Many of us can get the wrong conception. We either think we receive salvation through Christ but seek righteousness from following the law, or we think that since we are saved, we can do whatever we want.
Jesus Christ fulfilled the law, and it was fulfilled once and for all (Matthew 5:17 and Luke 24:44). The law of sacrifices, sanctuary, tithes, mainly ceremonial laws focused on forgiveness of sins and that was fulfilled by Christ. Hebrews 9 is a great glance at that, with the old way and the new way. He became our high priest, created a sanctuary within us, shed his blood to cease the animal sacrifices. In fulfilling the law, he took it’s place instead of canceling it. When we receive him, we are also receiving the fulfillment of the law in Christ,without works of ourselves.
The commandments are the standards of right and wrong, and they are not void. They are separate from the ceremonial laws, because Christ became our salvation. He was born under the law and walked in the law until the time came for his death to bring the fulfillment. He couldn't change the law until AFTER he died. He completed the law in perfection, and became the law. When we choose to live under the law, we will become bound by them. We have liberty in Christ, otherwise his death would have been in vain."I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." Galatians 2:21
If you're still trying to be righteous through the law:
Remember, our righteousness are as filthy rags. There is nothing we can even present before God to be worth anything. Absolutely nothing. Our highest level of self- righteousness still puts a gulf between us and the righteousness in Christ.
The Bible says that if we seek justification through the law, then we are fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4)
The Bible warns us to be entangled under the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:2 shows that if we follow the law, then Christ will profit us nothing.
And we are justified by the faith of Jesus Christ, and by the works of the law, no flesh shall be justified. (Galatians 2:16)
The Bible warns us about the trappings of the enemy who tries to get us to believe we must follow the law to be righteous, and it is not from God. read Galatians 5:8.
Beware of legalism in seeking justification in the law. Even though many of us believe in salvation through the blood of Jesus, we may live otherwise.
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legalism_(theology)
Yet, do not abuse the liberty we have in Christ.
We are not called unto liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but to love and serve one another and all the law is fulfilled in this. Read Galatians 5:13,14.
*Big thanks to Mike for helping me with this!!! His blog is HERE.
