This is a detailed
look at one of the baptisms listed in the New Testament. I discuss the
doctrine of baptisms at the following link and even have info on this baptism.
1 Cor 10: MKJV 1 ¶ And,
brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant that all our fathers were under
the cloud, and all passed through the sea. 2 And all were
baptized
to Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
Let's read about
this baptism:
Num 9: HNV/WEB:ME 9:15 On the day
that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, even
the Tent of the Testimony: and at evening it was over the tabernacle as
it were the appearance of fire, until morning. 9:16 So it was continually.
The cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night. 9:17 Whenever
the cloud was taken up from over the Tent, then after that the children
of Israel traveled; and in the place where the cloud remained, there the
children of Israel encamped. 9:18 At the commandment of the LORD, the children
of Israel traveled, and at the commandment of the LORD they encamped. As
long as the cloud remained on the tabernacle they remained encamped. 9:19
When the cloud stayed on the tabernacle many days, then the children of
Israel kept the LORD's command, and didn't travel. 9:20 Sometimes the cloud
was a few days on the tabernacle; then according to the commandment of
the LORD they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of the
LORD they traveled. 9:21 Sometimes the cloud was from evening until morning;
and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they traveled: or by day
and by night, when the cloud was taken up, they traveled. 9:22 Whether
it was two days, or a month, or a year that the cloud stayed on the tabernacle,
remaining on it, the children of Israel remained encamped, and didn't travel;
but when it was taken up, they traveled. 9:23 At the commandment of the
LORD they encamped, and at the commandment of the LORD they traveled. They
kept the LORD's command, at the commandment of the LORD by Moses.
Being baptized in
the cloud means you follow God when ever or where ever He leads. Earlier
in the baptism of fire, I mentioned the Holiness Camps. Denominations are
born when someone makes a camp upon the last truth God revealed to them,
and decided to stay there instead of continuing on. That's why I like to
say "A broken clock is right twice a day." Stale denominations and churches
still have abundant revelation concerning the specific truth they are camped
on. Even tho they have failed to grow in other areas.
What does that mean
for individual believers? We must not be boxed in by "camp" mentality.
We must consider that others may or may not have blazed other truths we
have not yet grasped in God's Word. We must be teachable. We must also
recognize Jesus as Lord, directing our life, and as King, reigning our
life.
Isa 28: MKJV 9 ¶ Whom
shall He teach knowledge? And whom shall He make to understand doctrine?
Those weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts. 10 For precept
must be on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here
a little, there a little; 11 for with stammering
lips and another tongue He will speak to this people. 12 To whom He
said, This is the rest; cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing.
Yet they were not willing to hear. 13 But the Word
of the LORD was to them precept on precept, precept on precept; line on
line, line on line; here a little, there a little; that they might go,
and fall backward, and be broken and snared and taken.
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I want to go indepth on this baptism, because
it is so very much missed in the church. The lack of this baptism is what
causes divisions between churches, denominations and even close brothers
in the Lord.
We do not operate as pagans and unbelievers
do. If you argue with them they often say that it is the responsibility
of those making a statement to prove their case. This is not so in christianity,
well it is in part. We must remember this truth:
1 Cor 13:12: For now we see through
a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall
I know even as also I am known.
15. Everything I teach and believe is by
faith. God made it so that we need the church and ministers to teach us
doctrine. The Bible is not meant to be a handi-book of easy to read doctrines...
Isa 28:10: For precept must be upon
precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little,
and there a little:
1 Cor 2: LITV 2 For I decided not to know anything
among you except Jesus Christ, and Him having been crucified.
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Our doctrines must be Bible based, but
we live by faith, not by sound proof. Paul taught many things, but he only
knew one thing for certain, and that was Jesus and Him crucified. If someone
preaches a truth that is new and we disagree with it, if they have scriptures
for it, then we must believe it unless we can dismantle it scripturally.
Let me give you an example. Lets say I decided to make a baptism page for
the baptism for the dead. And I use this scripture:
1 Cor 15:29: Else what shall they do
which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they
then baptized for the dead?
Since scripture is silent on this baptism,
and we have no idea what it is, I couldn't create a page on it. The Mormons
have this baptism, but they get their information from extra-biblical information.
These are books that are NOT in the Bible. They make their case thru NON
scriptural support. While there is 1 scripture on it, we do NOT know through
scripture what this was. We cannot make doctrines from prophecies or other
sources:
Rev 22:18: For I testify unto every
man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man
shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are
written in this book:
Deut 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the
word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it,
that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command
you.
I go into detail why we cannot trust prophecy,
visions, or spirits alone here:
A strong sign of who is wrong about doctrinal
disputes is the one who gets defensive and is offended. These are traits
of soulishness. When the soul gets attacked or is under threat it begins
to defend itself. The soul must be denied to be saved. I discuss this here:
For the soul to be saved it must receive
with meekness the engrafted word:
James 1:21 MKJV Therefore putting aside all filthiness
and overflowing of evil, receive in meekness the implanted Word, which
is able to save your souls.
This goes BOTH directions. We need to remain
correctable and be in meekness and humble of heart to save our soul. We
also need to be meek when we correct others. I go into this in detail at
the following link and this link goes hand in hand with this page, because
it discusses the New Wine, which is basically the same truth as the Baptism
of the Holy Spirit
If someone is brow beating someone into
submission, this is wrong. This could be because they stand in error doctrinally
or the doctrine could be correct but their heart is wrong. I have been
guilty of this. When my wife came to America I tried to get her to understand
the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. She didn't wanna believe it, no matter
how many scriptures I gave her. I literally ripped pages from my Bible
in front of her as demonstration of her attitude in ignoring scripture.
My attitude was wrong. The outcome? She may have gotten false tongues soon
afterwards, because she now cannot speak in tongues. She may never got
the baptism of the Holy Spirit because I did not go in meekness.
I also discuss on that page that some folks
are addicted to the old wine and do not want the new wine. Many people
get comfortable in their walk. They are satisfied with less than God's
best. Disturbing them into more work or sanctification does not interest
them. Some get offended, some get caught up for many different reasons.
Luke 16: 16: Then said he unto him, A certain
man made a great supper, and bade many: 17: And sent his servant at supper
time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18: And they all with one consent began
to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground,
and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19: And another said, I have bought
five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20: And another said, I have married
a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21: So that servant came, and shewed
his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to
his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and
bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22: And the servant said, Lord, it
is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23: And the lord said unto the servant,
Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my
house may be filled. 24: For I say unto you, That none of
those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
Some are offended because of religious
pride:
Mark 7:13: Making the word of God of
none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such
like things do ye.
2 Tim 3:5: Having a form of godliness,
but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Sometimes people refuse to believe because
of the messenger. This could be individually or corporately. Look at Peter.
Jesus called him the devil. Peter denied Jesus 3 times. Peter ignored or
wrongly handled the gentiles and Paul had to correct him. Yet God used
Peter to write some scripture. There are some charismatics and protestants
who refuse to believe any Catholic doctrines because of errors and even
blasphemous ones found in Rome. Remember a broken clock is right twice
a day.
Some people who know me or don't know me,
refuse to listen to my teaching because they see error in my life. No one
is perfect, and if they were, wouldn't God rapture them? We are marred
vessels. Some errors folks see in me are true, some are not error and is
of God:
Rom:14:16: Let not then your good be
evil spoken of...
That comes out of the famous Rom 14 chapter
where folks sometimes use passages to try and stop someone from an action
that offends them.
If something offends you remember Jesus
is the Rock of offence.
Rom 9:33: As it is written, Behold,
I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth
on him shall not be ashamed.
1 Pet 2:8: And a stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient:
whereunto also they were appointed.
Now there are 2 types of offense. I discussed
those of the soul above, there is also that of the spirit. A person can
commit a blaspheme. But before you judge a teaching or spiritual act as
such, check your attitude. Are you hostile about it? Are you responding
in love or hate? If your response is not correct, perhaps you are wrong,
but not necessarily. If they do their act or believe their doctrine which
is Bible based, then you have no right to judge it as blasphemous. Well
perhaps they are misinterpreting scriptures. If that is true, then YOU
have the responsibility to dismantle every scripture they use before you
make that judgment.
2 Pet 1:20: Knowing this first, that
no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
You cannot say that they are wrong just
because you have a different interpretation, even if you have others agreeing
with you. As I said above, we are not as the pagans, we do not have to
prove our statements to the point of full proof. As wee see the truth darkly.
We walk by faith. If the offence is being used by scriptures, then they
are operating in faith. Examples:
Infant Baptism and Sprinkling. Those who
practice infant baptism have NO scriptural support. Those who practice
infant baptism or sprinkling may be offended by full submersion by those
who profess their faith and are of age to do so. This does NOT negate baby
dedications nor for the praying of children, that is scriptural, but must
not be confused with baptism.
Speaking in Tongues. There are many who
say speaking of tongues has perished because the perfect has come, which
they say is the Bible. Not true:
Eph 4: 8: Wherefore he saith, When he ascended
up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 12: For the perfecting of the saints,
for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13: Till we all come in the unity of
the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man,
unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14: That we henceforth be no more children,
tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the
sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Are we manifesting the perfect described
in verses 12-14? The fact we have division in the church even over the
issue of tongues shows we have not attained this yet. Therefore those who
speak in tongues have scriptural support.
To claim error or blaspheme, you are required
to dismantle their doctrinal stance on scriptures until they have fewer
than 2 to stand on. In a general stance you cannot make a doctrine on 1
scripture, such as the baptism for the dead.
We are going to be obligated before God
for ignoring truth, commitment, and sanctification. But this is to a point.
It is true we shouldn't settle for less than God's best. But their are
cases that are otherwise, but even these, are levels of sanctification.
One example is marriage verses celibacy. Marriage is holy and is a gift.
Yet there are those who God calls to be single. And if they operate in
this gift correctly, they will be rewarded more than those who are married.
Math 19: 10: His disciples say unto him, If
the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. 11: But he said unto them, All men
cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. 12: For there are some eunuchs, which
were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which
were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves
eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it,
let him receive it.
1 Cor 7: 1: Now concerning the things whereof
ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 8: I say therefore to the unmarried
and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. 32: But I would have you without carefulness.
He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how
he may please the Lord: 33: But he that is married careth for
the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. 34: There is difference also between
a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord,
that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married
careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 38: So then he that giveth her in marriage
doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.
And what is the reward? Well, if such a
person is single and follows the baptism of the Cloud and continues after
the New Wine, this is their reward:
Rev 14: 1: And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood
on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having
his Father's name written in their foreheads. 2: And I heard a voice from heaven,
as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I
heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 3: And they sung as it were a new song
before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man
could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which
were redeemed from the earth. 4: These are they which were not defiled
with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb
whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits
unto God and to the Lamb. 5: And in their mouth was found no
guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
Verse 4 shows they were baptized in the
cloud: "...These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever
he goeth..."
But there is a warning with this.
1 Cor 7: 2: Nevertheless, to avoid fornication,
let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 9: But if they cannot contain, let
them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. 28: But and if thou marry, thou hast
not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such
shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you. 36: But if any man think that he behaveth
himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age,
and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them
marry.
This very well could be entered into the
debate over predestination vs free will. But we cannot argue these points
here:
Math 19: 12: ... and there be eunuchs, which
have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that
is able to receive it, let him receive it.
1 Cor 7:37: Nevertheless he that standeth
stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his
own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin,
doeth well.
This is a whosoever will. The power to
stay as such is a power of faith. A lack of faith in this area is NOT sin,
1 Cor 7 tells us so. While a lack of faith in Rom 14 tells us is sin. But
getting married is by faith, if done in faith, is scriptural and therefore
faith is restored, and thus is NOT sin.
Another similar example of these principles
I once argued about on a forum is martyrdom vs. surviving torture through
miracles or being raised from the dead. John is the only disciple who supposedly
did NOT die for his faith. I used this with a catholic to show how John
had a greater faith than Peter who supposedly was crucified upside down.
As catholics believe Peter was the greatest disciple, yet it was John whom
scripture said was the one whom Jesus loved.
Jn:13:23: Now there was leaning on Jesus'
bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
Jn:19:26: When Jesus therefore saw his
mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his
mother, Woman, behold thy son!
Jn:20:2: Then she runneth, and cometh
to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith
unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know
not where they have laid him.
Jn:21:7: Therefore that disciple whom
Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard
that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,)
and did cast himself into the sea.
Jn:21:20: Then Peter, turning about,
seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his
breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
John also was the only disciple who went
to the cross. John supposedly was thrown into a boiling pot and lived!
I am not saying it doesn't take faith to die for Christ, it does. Nor am
I saying it is a sin, it is NOT. In fact martyrs will be rewarded, see
Rev 6:11. But standing in faith to live through such persecution is greater.
And thus John was the one who had the revelation to write Revelation. Okay,
I don't wanna chase a rabbit here. Marriage is honorable and holy. But
staying single is greater and requires more faith. This satisfaction for
lesser (marriage) will not be punished for. It is quite possible though,
but am uncertain, their may be a punishment for NOT accepting the Baptism
of the Holy Spirit. I am NOT advocating the United Pentecostal's stance
that it is needed for salvation. But it MAY be needed for the the rapture.
See here:
However, it is my belief, that God may
only require the 2nd baptism for the rapture. While the 2nd baptism is
that of water, He will be looking for the born again experience itself,
which is what the baptism into water is for. Being Born Again is different
than simply believing in Christ for basic salvation:
The reason for this is because the crossing
of the Jordan is symbolic of this as well. And is not the rapture to take
us out of Egypt into the Promised Land? By taking part of the Laver, you
then have access to the Candlestick where the extra oil is. Also the river
of Life is now flowing out of you. You are now born of water and spirit.
This flowing water may be the extra oil, rather than the oil of the candlestick.
But I am NOT sure, and wouldn't stake missing the rapture on such. I would
seek the Holy Spirit Baptism and be certain.
If someone is in error, it is our duty
to correct them in meekness, if they are willing, but we must 1st dismantle
their stronghold.
2 Cor:10:4: (For the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong
holds;)
As I describe in the New Wineskin page,
that weapon is the Word of God. But meekness is required by both parties
to be effective, the corrector and the one getting correction. The one
getting correction will not leave the stronghold until it is dismantled.
And if that stronghold is made of misinterpreted scriptures, you thus have
to show this. It is our responsibility. We are our brother's keeper.
If I am in error, it is your responsibility
to tell me. God will hold you accountable if you refuse. God went to Adam
1st, he passed the buck to Eve, He then went to Eve, and she passed the
buck to satan.
When I speak of I and you, there are measures
of rule here which must be respected. It is NOT my calling or duty to correct
every webpage out there that preaches against the rapture. I have no measure
of rule there. I have no relationship with them. That relationship is in
the previous baptism. The baptism into the Body. It is our duty to minister
to those who we are connected to. My example of me and you, is an example
only, a hypothetical one. However, I am not against developing spiritual
relationships over the internet. But it would need to be developed before
correction should occur.
Since being a brother's keeper is a legitimate
ministry, so is the opposite. If our brother has a truth, we our responsible
to see if it's true for ourselves. If it shakes our understanding, maybe
we need to throw out the old wine skin. God wants us to follow him. This
is discipleship. I discuss discipleship here:
4. Luke 14:27 "Whoever does not...follow
Me cannot be My disciple."
He is Lord after all, and we must follow.
Follow His example, follow His commands, follow His Word, follow Him. We
must go where He goes. We must walk where He walks. This also is walking
in the Spirit. Pray for guidance in choice of job, city, church, spouse,
and so on. I don't have to pray to know to be kind, nor to read the Bible.
These are things we KNOW to do. Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords.
Let Him rule over your life. If He doesn't rule your life, you aren't a
disciple.
I highly recommend the following page.
It will help you to become baptized in the Cloud:
