Some Only Get Wet, Some Are Forever Sealed: Part Two

The mountain of the Lord has permeated the landscape.
From atop His mountain has His kingdom conquered the kingdoms of men.
His kingdom includes law and order, unique subcultures, and things not in view.

Notice that before a certain 'work' of testimony was decided upon by the bishops during the 3rd and 4th century and put together as the New Testament Bible, many things had occurred.

The Way was being 'lived' and walked by faith before men began to write down, for posterity, the administration of sacraments.

We find the earliest developments of the sacraments in the Gospel journals and the letters, what is Today understood as the New Testament.

The early Church writings (including the New Testament) expound on and explain ordered gatherings, prayer, repentance, baptism, and further manners of the Way for the community of believers (feeding the poor, providing for the defenseless, etc., submitting to secular governments).

To mention the previous covenant, notice the Law prescribed manners for important rituals performed by the Hebrew priesthood.

A yearly acknowledgement of the community's sin, their confessions and forgiveness, is one example of a previous covenant sacrament.

The same is realized and found in the Gospel and letters to the churches.

In them is prescribed manners described as spiritual realities God initiated through the faith of believers.

Both the Law and the faith touch upon things beyond man's limited understanding of expiation.

There is no single prescription with God when looking at the variety of ways He has brought men to faith (as identified in the Gospel and letters and further writings).

In some cases, some people came to faith (and were seen baptized into the Spirit by God) and then were baptized in water.

In most other cases, water baptism was administered and God baptized them into the Spirit after the fact (unseen).

Notice how when the Spirit manifested, as in the case at Pentecost or with the first Gentiles (in Cornelius' house), that spiritual phenomenon was to teach witnesses specific things (besides the obvious revelation of sanctification by God's Right Hand).

Here is an interesting lesson regarding water baptism after the revelation of Spirit baptism:

“Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. 

They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 

So he ordered that they be baptized in the Name of Yeshua Christ. 

Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days. 

- Acts 10: 47-48

As you can see, water baptism is not something to be optioned out of, or a passage described as unnecessary.

A common opinion very often repeated is that water baptism is an outward expression of an inward grace (or similar words conveying this same opinion). 

Notice that such an opinion is not conveyed in the Bible or evidenced in ancient Church practice.

Following the teaching of Messiah, water baptism is rather is an essential component accompanying the fulfillment of all righteousness (Yeshua's lesson to John baptizing Him when John doubted).

Water baptism is so much more, as taught to Nicodemus by Yeshua. (John 3)

The instructions that further elaborate water baptism is interestingly not fully described in the New Testament canon, but detailed in further writings.

Yet we have just enough, written for us in the canon, about water baptism's vital importance.

Burial and resurrection along with Christ, and many other spiritual realities are mentioned.

This isn't a contrast (my opinion), or man's effort to set a methodology onto God's work of salvation.

I am speaking about reflecting what God has revealed for us to follow.

The initial examples we read about in the canon are not the limits of God, but rather only the very beginnings of things utterly amazing.

The writings of the ancient Church (1st century to at least the 3rd) expand on the initial discoveries mentioned in the Gospel and letters.

It is quite sad when men view the further writings with suspicions, or with disdain and reservation.

Why not, instead, build upon and learn about what God continued to do in His Church?

I think religious minds have some fixated aura over what is labeled 'the Bible' and, contentiously, view anything outside this canon as less worthy of their consideration or appreciation.

It can be a form of idolatry to be fixated on the initial inspirations while ignoring their continuation.

There is so much to learn about how the early disciples struggled in keeping the peace despite hostilities (for three centuries).

It is a limiting factor ignoring the lessons from the ancient Church that restrains the walk, which is by faith.

A teaching beckons our attention.

This teaching is to be experienced through faith.

Case in point is how men are baptized by the Holy Spirit and also baptized in water.

Notice Christ compares this supernatural phenomenon to how the wind blows in John's 3rd chapter.

The wind is unseen, yet is alway in motion.

Such is the Spirit: always in motion yet unseen regarding how He works.

The times a baptism by the Holy Spirit was witnessed was, according to the lessons derived, to reveal something.

One such lesson was that God's salvation is open for all - including Gentiles, not only those who can be called 'Hebrews' according to their blood heritage.

Such a display of power and affirmation is not the 'only' way men are sealed and baptized by the Holy Spirit.

Not every time someone believed (came to experience faith), was a supernatural occurrence witnessed.

Those 'signs' were thus purposed and provided a lesson.

Realize that God doesn't put on a show for men to be entertained by.

Since those initial lessons were learned and affirmed, men continue to be baptized by the Holy Spirit (and in water) every day without clear observation by the witness of a supernatural event.

Men only witness the baptism in water... and this is the Way.

Let us also consider that one (water baptism) does not guarantee the other (baptism by the Holy Spirit).

However, where God does bless and seal, one usually either accompanies, or precedes, or follows, the other (as is written in the Gospel, letters, and subsequent journals, letters, and accounts).

Again, the supernatural is unseen (similar to the blowing of the wind).

Let us ponder what we have been given, written for us, His posterity.

We have been gifted the building-block-basics necessary to describe, define, and clearly show the Way.

Better stated: so the Way may be identified and clearly seen as different from the religions of men and the opinions of men coming to their own conclusions (yet, sadly, not following the Way).

In my experience, when men refuse or balk at water baptism, they reveal a lack of humility.

They likely question God's gift, found in a very simple manner... and likely think of repeated opinions formulated many centuries after the ancient Church, revealing their lack of humility towards what God already established.

Christ exemplified such humility, and taught the Way to fulfill all righteousness!

Let us look with faithful and humble eyes at what else has been written and attributed to the Apostles in the 1st century.

Let us consider the instructions not mentioned in the canon, but found before that canon was compiled.

Let us realize what God had revealed to the Apostles and what was brought forth, for it is vital instruction.

Continued in Part Three.

Part One.