Are you certain you're Baptized?
According to the words of Jesus, not everyone was granted to understand the sacred secrets of the Kingdom of the Heavens. The Apostle Paul also alluded to the words of Jesus in something he had to say about this:
Because so many Bible Interpretations have been in vogue for so many years now, individuals, more specifically, those of a Religious mind are unwilling to accept the fact that many of those interpretations might well be in serious error. Even when you show them from scripture they are believing a falsehood, those interpretations are so thoroughly ingrained in their minds they are unwilling to even give you a listening ear.
Speaking for myself as well, I don't think anyone should take the stand that they couldn't possibly be wrong in a belief. How much would we learn, if we deliberately turned our ears away from listening to someone elses point of view? Or deliberately closed our eyes, to something we recognized as the Truth; but because, humbly addmitting to something, really offends our pride?
Did Jesus and Paul give us reason to seriously gaurd our attitude, when others come forward with beliefs that conflict with our own? Realising in our own hearts we just might be in error? Note the words of Paul first:
9"However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" {1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV}
That should be enough to sober any one of us, should it not?
Look now at the words of Jesus on this matter:
10The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"11 He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: " 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them." {Matthew 13:10-15 NIV}
According to both Jesus and Paul, some would just not see, hear, or understand, it was wilfull blindness, wilfull deafness. They just did not want to understand, according to the words of Jesus.
One of the Bible Subjects that's been in vogue for many, many, years is the subject of Water Baptism. Some will just not accept the fact that it could be done another way, than total immersion in Water after the fashion of John the Baptist's Baptism. Could this be a case of not seeing, not hearing, not understanding? Perhaps because of that caloused heart Jesus spoke about? They'd rather not see it, because they may have to admit they were wrong for so many years? Would rather not be humbled like that?
Is it not true that the Christ was foretold to do a Baptizing work? {Matthew 3:11} {Mark 1:7,8} {Luke 3:16} Those three preceding scriptures say so. Is it also not true, that today we are under the New Covenant? Is it also not true, because of that, the old Law Covenant was set aside? That Christ was the end of the Old Law? {Romans 10:4} Is it also not true that under the New Covenant there was only one Baptism? Wasn't the reason John came Baptising in water, was that the Christ might be revealed to Israel? {John 1:31} That John's Baptism was not for the Gentile Nations? Only for those who had sinned while under that Law? Wasn't John's Baptism a Baptism of repentance, for Israel? Isn't it also true the Gentile Nations were never at any time under that Old Law so could not have sinned while under it hence had no need of repentence to show for sinning while under it, by submitting John's Baptism? {Amos 3:1,2} {Psalm 147:19,20} {Romans 3:1,2}
The Apostle Paul was Apostle to the Nations but tells us he was not sent to Baptize, anyone, and for good reason. {1 Corinthians 1:17} {Romans 11:13}
Who poured out the Holy Spirit at Pentecost Baptizing the Apostles in Holy Spirit and fire? The account is in Acts Chapter two. Notice it was the first Baptism done by the Christ from the Heavenly Spirit Realm. No water was used and none even metioned. The Christ could do that then due to his ascension to his exalted position to the right hand of his Father. Receiving the Holy Spirit as he did. {Acts 2:33}
So, the one Baptism began at Pentecost in 33 CE with no water used. Paul describes it next:
"There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;" {Ephesians 4:4,5 NIV}
There's only ONE Baptism now, and only ONE to do it. The One Lord! Our Jesus Christ!
We can be assured, if the Apostle to the Nations was not sent by the Christ to Baptize, then for certain sure no one else has been sent today. All those that involve themselves in that work today, merely prove true the words of Jesus, and Paul. They have no eyes to see with, no ears to hear with, no minds to conceive or understand with; in point of fact, they are spiritually Blind.
17"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." {1 CorinthiaNS 1`:17 NIV}
So! What do we have? We have 2.1 Billion Baptized Christian's who are not Christian's. 1.1 Billion Catholics that think they are Baptized Christian's but are not Christian's. We have 7 Million Jehovah's Witnesses that think they are Baptized Christian's but are not Christian's. Now I don't know the body count of all of them lumped together, but one thing I do know, is, none of them are Baptized Christian's. Unless you're Baptized by the Christ, you're not Baptized. Deal with it!
Keep this one thought ever forward in your minds! Today we are under the New Covenant. It was under that Covenant the Christ was to do his ONE Baptism for very good reasons. That was to put Jehovah's Laws within us, and write them on our hearts; so that all will know Jehovah, from the least of us to the greatest of us. Those Laws are put within us by the power of the Holy Spirit in the hands now of the Christ. Read these following scriptures and learn just how those Laws are put within us, and written on our hearts. {John 14:15-17,26} {John 16:13} {1John 2:27} {Acts 2:33} {Galatians 1:11,12} {Ephesians 3:3} ¨Jeremiah 31:31-34
Without that Baptizm the knowledge we need put within us and written on our hearts is not possible to gain, because only Jesus is in control of the Holy Spirit now, used for Baptizing. If we have not been baptized by him, say what you will, but you are not a Baptized Christian! You delude yourself! Wannabe