Hello my dear friends!
For some of you, this piece will sound familiar, take comfort; you are not loosing your mind. I admit up front that much of this message was given in an article I posted several months ago. Nevertheless, I feel compelled to tweak it just a bit and ask each of us to allow the message to move past our minds and straight into our hearts.
Many of us are searching for God's peace. We know He promised it to us, but we just are'nt feeling it. We have bills to pay, we have health issues, we have family members who have not come to know the Lord--whatever the case may be, I pray this study will remind us that peace is not something we need to go searching for, and contrary to popular belief, it's not something we need to pray for. It is something we attained the moment we said yes to Adonay-our Lord Master.
It may be that you knew this at one point, but have lost sight of this truth, whether this is new information or a fresh reminder, today is the day to make this truth your own. It's not God's gift to everyone else--it is His gift to you--that's right, say it out loud:
"Peace is God's gift to me." Still not convinced? Say it again: "Peace is God's gift to me."
With this personal thought in mind, take in the following information as if you were the only person in the world it was written for. Because in a sense it is, If you were the only person in the world who received Christ, Jesus still would have allowed Himself to be nailed to that cross.
~~~~
Yahweh Shalom - "The Lord is Peace". Unfortunately, our English word peace does not adequately describe the full meaning of the Hebrew word Shalom.
On the surface, this might not have a great impact on how we view God's favor toward man. After all, it is probably safe to say that everyone knows the meaning of the word peace.
Unfortunately, putting it into practice is another story.
I recently did a study on the word Shalom. I am blessed and I wanted to pass the blessing on to all who read.
Let us look at these two words a little bit closer.
PEACE= (Man's perspective) Absence of war, to be silent, to be calm in heart and mind.
Although the English word peace can be used to describe internal serenity, more often than not, it speaks to external circumstances. In fact, in the world of gangsters it has become a catch phrase. i.e. "Peace-out man", slang for "stay cool and out of trouble".
SHALOM= (God's perspective) A greeting to pronounce a personal blessing on another in its fullest capacity. i.e. "Hello and may God's favor rest in you and give you a prosperous, satisfied, healthy, perfect and harmonious day."
Okay, I must admit, when I say hello to someone, I do not consciously include all of these well wishes. Sure, I mean it when I say have a great day. It can be assumed I mean all of the things above, but the point is I am not usually making the effort to think these things through or taking the time to be specific when I say have a great day.
I do not want this to be a mere study of words, however, but rather, I hope it opens the door for a second look at what this title is saying about the Creator God.
Yahweh Shalom is God's very name, a title that describes one of His many attributes. It points out that God is not merely one who gives peace, but that He IS peace. He is the sole source of true and lasting peace that is rooted in the internal man. This internal peace, when experienced in its fullness, is the only thing that will bring external peace.
Still, this is only part of why I am excited about Shalom. To be honest, the real reason is my need to feel loved, cared for, and accepted-unconditionally-warts and all. In short, I am human.
Even deeper still, is the fact that God feels this way about you and me! This is the best part because even though others may wish us the absolute best, they have no power to do anything about it--at least not to the greatest degree. By this, I mean we are human and we will fall short and disappoint each other at times.
BUT GOD! (My two favorite words in the entire bible,) He is not like man and cannot lie, nor will He ever go back on His promises. (Titus 1:2)
While studying Shalom, I looked up a few passages of Scripture, they took on a new meaning and I applied them to my life in a bigger way. Following is just one of the many.
"These things I [Jesus] have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things I have said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:25-27
Have you ever stopped to consider what Jesus is really saying when He says "My peace I give to you?" Remembering that the Lord's name is Shalom, what Jesus is saying here is that I give Myself to you!! This tells us that when we receive Jesus, we receive peace. Peace, by the Holy Spirit lives within each and every child of God! This is great news!
So why do we struggle--searching and looking for peace? Perhaps it is because we do not realize it is already inside.
Okay, so what do we do once we realize this truth? We have a choice. We walk in this truth--not by feeling, but by faith. We remember that when Adonay--our Lord Master says I have given Myself to you, we believe it. No matter what our external circumstances may be.
I pray you have been encouraged. Take some time to dig a little deeper. I am including a few Scripture references, look them up, and see just what God desires for us and from us.
Psalm 122:6-8, Isaiah 26:3, Galatians 5:22, Psalm 34:14 – I am making it a point to remember that the Biblical word (Hebrew in the Old Testament) is always Shalom. I will never take the word peace for granted again.
Peace is with you--take hold of Him today!
~~~~
Yahweh Shalom, my Lord and my friend, thank you for this great gift. Forgive me for loosing sight of this truth and allowing my circumstances to blur my vision. Help me today Adonay, remind me that as my Lord and Master, I will believe all that you have promised me. Help me to remember that wherever I go; whatever this life will throw my way--I have Peace living in me and You have promised to never leave me nor forsake me. And now that I am reminded, I can have confidence no matter what comes my way.
Thank you for all the friends and family you have blessed me with that are a direct reflection of your goodness. Help me to focus on the smile that brings warmth to my heart. Calm my fears this day Lord and help me to take a deep breath and surrender to the Peace within.
In the name of my precious Lord Jesus--my master and my peace, Amen
(C) Teresa Ortiz
Showing posts with label Bible Study. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible Study. Show all posts
Aug 25, 2008
Adam and Eve Banished from the Garden: Punishment or Grace
Have you ever wondered why God would banish Adam and Eve from the Garden for one mistake-just one sin, no second chances?
Over the years, I have pondered this, reading the account countless times and always coming to the same conclusion. It was the punishment for disobedience. Clear and simple-why should that be a surprise? We all understand choice and consequence.
So why did I keep coming back to this familiar story? What is God trying to teach me? About a month ago, I was reading a book by Erwin Lutzer. The subject was the fall of man and the need for redemption. He talked about how the grace of God will meet us where we are, but will not leave us in the same state in which we were found. He also talked about what it would be like if we remained in our fallen state for all eternity.
The wheels started spinning and I went back to Genesis and reread the first three chapters.
We are told God created man in His image--created to live forever in peace and harmony with God and the rest creation.
He told Adam and Eve they could eat the fruit of any tree in the garden except the fruit of the tree of knowledge, which by the way, isn't necessarily an apple.
The story goes on to say the Serpent, who was Satan Himself, swayed Eve by appealing to her desires. Some commentators suggest that Eve may have been close to the tree, even gazing at it when Satan came to her. It makes perfect sense to me-this is another lesson. Getting back to the subject at hand, Adam and Eve chose the way of disobedience.
God warned them that if they should eat the fruit of this tree, in the same day they would die. Sure enough, this is what happened. At that moment, they died a spiritual death, thereby separated from God.
God in His mercy calls out to Adam, "Adam where are you?" God restores them spiritually, by sacrificing an animal. (Sin had to be paid for from the beginning. It's interesting to note that God was not satisfied with their attempt to cover their sin by making clothing out of fig leaves--sound familiar?) Nevertheless, the physical effects and consequence of sin remained, thus the need for God to ban them from the garden. This is one of the rare times we are given the privilege to read an account of a conversation that takes place between God the Father, and His Son Jesus:
"God said, "The man has become like on of us, capable of knowing everything, ranging from good and evil. What if he now should reach out and take fruit from the Tree-of Life and eat, and live forever? Never-this cannot happen! So God expelled them from the Garden of Eden and sent them to work the ground, the same dirt out of which they'd been made. He threw them out of the garden and stationed angel-cherubim and a revolving sword of fire east of it, guarding the path to the Tree-of Life." (Genesis 3:22-24 – The Message.)
For the record, I don't believe in anyway that this passage reveals that God is jealous of man for knowing good and evil, as many suggest. Rather, it reveals that God is concerned for man because he knows that knowing the difference between good and evil doesn't mean we will always choose good. I don't think any of us can ague this point.
With this new thought in my mind, I read this passage in a way I never did before. Why wouldn't God want them to live forever if they were created to live forever? I have come to believe the reason is Grace--Sweet Grace.
Once Adam and Eve chose to sin, their physical bodies were corrupted, they immediately started to die--along with everything else. All of creation was subject to death as a result of their choice (Wow! It makes me wonder what the lasting effects of my sin will be).
If Adam and Eve did not obey and stay away from the tree of knowledge, why in the world would they stay away from the tree of life? How much more desirable is living forever? Isn't this what people are striving for today? Why would anyone want to live forever in this body of decay is beyond me.
This brings me to my point and my understanding of God's choice.
IF Adam and Eve had remained in the garden, surely they would have been tempted to eat from this tree of life. It must have been beautiful with fruit so luscious--fruit that probably doesn't exist today.
What would have been the result? They would have lived forever in their fallen state with no chance for physical redemption, no chance for a new Eden-a better Eden. A life filled with pain and heartbreak. Plant's dying, animals dying--animals eating animals--you name it. It would be forever. Everything you are going though would be forever.
God banned them to protect them because He loved them. He also loved the rest of his creation. So now, Adam had to tend to the ground because it was also corrupt. It would no longer yield the fruit and vegetables of its own accord. I believe you get the picture.
Although I easily accepted the thought that they were banned as punishment, God opened my understanding and has shown me a more excellent way--the way of Grace.
The story doesn't end here, this is just the beginning--the Tree-of Life still exists and as of today is still guarded. When the fullness of time comes, there will a day when the fire in front of the tree will go out.
The great news is when that day comes there will be no corruption, everything will be restored and those who have chosen to receive the gift of God's grace through His Son Jesus Christ will have access to this tree.
For further study on the effects of the fall, read the book of Romans. If you would like some assistance in your study, I suggest Kay Arthur, Bruce Bickle and Stan Jantz's Christianity 101 series, and of course, you can always contact me.
© Teresa Ortiz
Over the years, I have pondered this, reading the account countless times and always coming to the same conclusion. It was the punishment for disobedience. Clear and simple-why should that be a surprise? We all understand choice and consequence.
So why did I keep coming back to this familiar story? What is God trying to teach me? About a month ago, I was reading a book by Erwin Lutzer. The subject was the fall of man and the need for redemption. He talked about how the grace of God will meet us where we are, but will not leave us in the same state in which we were found. He also talked about what it would be like if we remained in our fallen state for all eternity.
The wheels started spinning and I went back to Genesis and reread the first three chapters.
We are told God created man in His image--created to live forever in peace and harmony with God and the rest creation.
He told Adam and Eve they could eat the fruit of any tree in the garden except the fruit of the tree of knowledge, which by the way, isn't necessarily an apple.
The story goes on to say the Serpent, who was Satan Himself, swayed Eve by appealing to her desires. Some commentators suggest that Eve may have been close to the tree, even gazing at it when Satan came to her. It makes perfect sense to me-this is another lesson. Getting back to the subject at hand, Adam and Eve chose the way of disobedience.
God warned them that if they should eat the fruit of this tree, in the same day they would die. Sure enough, this is what happened. At that moment, they died a spiritual death, thereby separated from God.
God in His mercy calls out to Adam, "Adam where are you?" God restores them spiritually, by sacrificing an animal. (Sin had to be paid for from the beginning. It's interesting to note that God was not satisfied with their attempt to cover their sin by making clothing out of fig leaves--sound familiar?) Nevertheless, the physical effects and consequence of sin remained, thus the need for God to ban them from the garden. This is one of the rare times we are given the privilege to read an account of a conversation that takes place between God the Father, and His Son Jesus:
"God said, "The man has become like on of us, capable of knowing everything, ranging from good and evil. What if he now should reach out and take fruit from the Tree-of Life and eat, and live forever? Never-this cannot happen! So God expelled them from the Garden of Eden and sent them to work the ground, the same dirt out of which they'd been made. He threw them out of the garden and stationed angel-cherubim and a revolving sword of fire east of it, guarding the path to the Tree-of Life." (Genesis 3:22-24 – The Message.)
For the record, I don't believe in anyway that this passage reveals that God is jealous of man for knowing good and evil, as many suggest. Rather, it reveals that God is concerned for man because he knows that knowing the difference between good and evil doesn't mean we will always choose good. I don't think any of us can ague this point.
With this new thought in my mind, I read this passage in a way I never did before. Why wouldn't God want them to live forever if they were created to live forever? I have come to believe the reason is Grace--Sweet Grace.
Once Adam and Eve chose to sin, their physical bodies were corrupted, they immediately started to die--along with everything else. All of creation was subject to death as a result of their choice (Wow! It makes me wonder what the lasting effects of my sin will be).
If Adam and Eve did not obey and stay away from the tree of knowledge, why in the world would they stay away from the tree of life? How much more desirable is living forever? Isn't this what people are striving for today? Why would anyone want to live forever in this body of decay is beyond me.
This brings me to my point and my understanding of God's choice.
IF Adam and Eve had remained in the garden, surely they would have been tempted to eat from this tree of life. It must have been beautiful with fruit so luscious--fruit that probably doesn't exist today.
What would have been the result? They would have lived forever in their fallen state with no chance for physical redemption, no chance for a new Eden-a better Eden. A life filled with pain and heartbreak. Plant's dying, animals dying--animals eating animals--you name it. It would be forever. Everything you are going though would be forever.
God banned them to protect them because He loved them. He also loved the rest of his creation. So now, Adam had to tend to the ground because it was also corrupt. It would no longer yield the fruit and vegetables of its own accord. I believe you get the picture.
Although I easily accepted the thought that they were banned as punishment, God opened my understanding and has shown me a more excellent way--the way of Grace.
The story doesn't end here, this is just the beginning--the Tree-of Life still exists and as of today is still guarded. When the fullness of time comes, there will a day when the fire in front of the tree will go out.
The great news is when that day comes there will be no corruption, everything will be restored and those who have chosen to receive the gift of God's grace through His Son Jesus Christ will have access to this tree.
For further study on the effects of the fall, read the book of Romans. If you would like some assistance in your study, I suggest Kay Arthur, Bruce Bickle and Stan Jantz's Christianity 101 series, and of course, you can always contact me.
© Teresa Ortiz
Aug 12, 2008
Jesus: A Rebel with a Gracious Cause
Someone asked, "Would Jesus break the law to help someone?" The short answer is yes--not only did He break it, He encouraged others to do the same. In addition, He spoke well of one who broke the law in time past.
I cannot go on without saying that this question is incomplete; the complete question, and perhaps the key in answering more accurately is this:
"Would Jesus break the law to help someone, and if so, which law?"
With this in mind, the short answer is worth further investigation and opens the door for a multitude of discussions. With any kind of luck, it will effect change in our own lives.
So which law did Jesus break? Doesn't this go against His teaching? I thought He said we should obey the laws of the land. These are fair questions, so I'll get to the point regarding these. Yes, Jesus told us to obey the laws of the land, and yes, He would have defied His own teaching, IF the laws of the land were the ones He broke.
In every way, Jesus obeyed the laws of the land--right down to paying those dreaded taxes, never mind how he got the money to pay for them. This is another story.
Instead, Jesus broke the religious laws that the Pharisees set in place. In every sense of the word, He was a rebel-a rebel with an incredibly gracious cause.
In the book of Exodus chapter 34, it is recorded that God Himself wrote the Ten Commandments on two tablets of stone. The forth commandment reads,
"Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest." Ex. 34:21 (See Ex. 20:8 for details).
Such a simple law designed for the health and protection of the people-very simple; rest from labor.
Over the years, however, the religious leaders, known as the Pharisees complicated this law to an extreme degree. There were many other additions; six hundred and some odd laws they invented out of the ten. (Sounds a lot like what modern day churches have done.)
I mention this particular law because it has everything to do with our topic. Let us fast-forward a few thousand years to a scene that shows just how indignant Jesus was to the religious law of His day--In this case, the Sabbath.
"Now it happened on the second Sabbath that He [Jesus] went through the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. And some of the Pharisees said to them, 'Why are you doing what is not lawful to do in the Sabbath?' But Jesus answering said to them, ‘Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how they went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those who were with him, which is not lawful for anyone but the priests to eat?...But if you would have known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would have not condemned the guiltless.'" Luke 6:1-5; Matt 12:7
Jesus went on to explain that He was the Lord of the Sabbath and that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. In other words, if you are hungry eat; there is no law against that. The Labor God is referring to is a job. (By the way, the principle of the Sabbath is for us today.)
As we read on in the book of Luke, we are told that Jesus is in the temple the following week, again on the Sabbath. His heart was moved with compassion when he saw a man who had a withered hand.
"..So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Arise and stand here.' And he arose and stood. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or destroy?' Luke 6:6-9
Jesus went on to heal this man's hand and then he questioned the Pharisees, asking them if one of their sheep were to fall into a well, would they do "work" to get it out? They were so angry and immediately began to plot on how they would destroy Him. I suppose there anger toward Jesus was a result of the conviction they felt.
They were so caught up in the rules and regulations of their religion, they put it above the basic love laws of God. I would recommend a fresh reading of the Gospels to see just how rebelious Jesus was against the religious laws.
One last thought (for now), on the "love" law of God; Today, if Jesus were at a red light and ahead he saw someone in need, I would venture to say he would look both ways and as soon as it was safe, he would "floor it" to reach them. In this respect, yes, Jesus would break a "governmental" law.
I believe we could learn a few things from Jesus and like him, become a rebel with a gracious cause. Are you willing to set aside your religious beliefs to help someone in need? I would like to think I would be willing to get a traffic ticket for a good cause. I have a feeling you would as well.
Come on; say it with me--I want to be like Jesus, I want to be a rebel with a gracious cause.
© Teresa Ortiz
I cannot go on without saying that this question is incomplete; the complete question, and perhaps the key in answering more accurately is this:
"Would Jesus break the law to help someone, and if so, which law?"
With this in mind, the short answer is worth further investigation and opens the door for a multitude of discussions. With any kind of luck, it will effect change in our own lives.
So which law did Jesus break? Doesn't this go against His teaching? I thought He said we should obey the laws of the land. These are fair questions, so I'll get to the point regarding these. Yes, Jesus told us to obey the laws of the land, and yes, He would have defied His own teaching, IF the laws of the land were the ones He broke.
In every way, Jesus obeyed the laws of the land--right down to paying those dreaded taxes, never mind how he got the money to pay for them. This is another story.
Instead, Jesus broke the religious laws that the Pharisees set in place. In every sense of the word, He was a rebel-a rebel with an incredibly gracious cause.
In the book of Exodus chapter 34, it is recorded that God Himself wrote the Ten Commandments on two tablets of stone. The forth commandment reads,
"Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest." Ex. 34:21 (See Ex. 20:8 for details).
Such a simple law designed for the health and protection of the people-very simple; rest from labor.
Over the years, however, the religious leaders, known as the Pharisees complicated this law to an extreme degree. There were many other additions; six hundred and some odd laws they invented out of the ten. (Sounds a lot like what modern day churches have done.)
I mention this particular law because it has everything to do with our topic. Let us fast-forward a few thousand years to a scene that shows just how indignant Jesus was to the religious law of His day--In this case, the Sabbath.
"Now it happened on the second Sabbath that He [Jesus] went through the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. And some of the Pharisees said to them, 'Why are you doing what is not lawful to do in the Sabbath?' But Jesus answering said to them, ‘Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how they went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those who were with him, which is not lawful for anyone but the priests to eat?...But if you would have known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would have not condemned the guiltless.'" Luke 6:1-5; Matt 12:7
Jesus went on to explain that He was the Lord of the Sabbath and that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. In other words, if you are hungry eat; there is no law against that. The Labor God is referring to is a job. (By the way, the principle of the Sabbath is for us today.)
As we read on in the book of Luke, we are told that Jesus is in the temple the following week, again on the Sabbath. His heart was moved with compassion when he saw a man who had a withered hand.
"..So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Arise and stand here.' And he arose and stood. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or destroy?' Luke 6:6-9
Jesus went on to heal this man's hand and then he questioned the Pharisees, asking them if one of their sheep were to fall into a well, would they do "work" to get it out? They were so angry and immediately began to plot on how they would destroy Him. I suppose there anger toward Jesus was a result of the conviction they felt.
They were so caught up in the rules and regulations of their religion, they put it above the basic love laws of God. I would recommend a fresh reading of the Gospels to see just how rebelious Jesus was against the religious laws.
One last thought (for now), on the "love" law of God; Today, if Jesus were at a red light and ahead he saw someone in need, I would venture to say he would look both ways and as soon as it was safe, he would "floor it" to reach them. In this respect, yes, Jesus would break a "governmental" law.
I believe we could learn a few things from Jesus and like him, become a rebel with a gracious cause. Are you willing to set aside your religious beliefs to help someone in need? I would like to think I would be willing to get a traffic ticket for a good cause. I have a feeling you would as well.
Come on; say it with me--I want to be like Jesus, I want to be a rebel with a gracious cause.
© Teresa Ortiz
Aug 10, 2008
Why Did Jesus Come?
Not long ago, there was an e-mail that went around entitled "Gonna Be A Bear" It goes like this:
In this life I'm a woman. In my next life, I'd like to come back as a bear. When you're a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for six months. I could deal with that. Before you hibernate, you're supposed to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that too. When you're a girl bear, you birth your children (who are the size of walnuts) while you're sleeping and wake to partially grown, cute, cuddly cubs. I could definitely deal with that. When you're a mama bear, everyone knows you mean business. You swat anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them too. I could deal with that. If you're a bear, your mate EXPECTS you to wake up growling. He EXPECTS that you will have hairy legs and excess body fat. Yup, gonna be a bear." (Author unknown)
While this story is funny (I certainly sent it to all the girls in my address book), it does beg the question, is this the best one has to hope for in the next life? I certainly hope not. If so, you need to meet Jesus, because without Him, hairy legs and excess body fat will be the least of your worries in the next life!
As Christians, our hope in the next life is sure. 1 John 5:13 says "these things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." This is a wonderful promise; one that we can hang on to when life gets rough.
But still, is being a Christian only about what we have to look forward to? I don't believe so. When I consider Isaiah 61:1-3, I cannot hold back the tears of gratitude and joy I feel because God has allowed me to hear His voice call out to me. Let's read it together:
"The Spirit of the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
WOW! What a testimony of God's love. I am amazed that He would send His Son to a lost and dying world. As we look at two of the things Jesus came to do, we see that they are for this life. When we receive all Jesus came to do, we can count on the promise that came from Him in John 10:9-10 "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and he will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly."
In this passage of Scripture, we also have the promise that without Jesus, the thief, who is Satan, will surely come and steal our life until we are destroyed. The final result would be eternal separation from God in the next life, which is hell. Therefore we would do will to receive the gift of Jesus in this life. There is no other opportunity. Hebrews 9:27 says "And it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment."
As a Christians, we do not have to go through this life feeling defeated and only looking forward to heaven. For the one who receives Christ, heaven begins the day they gave their life to Him.
(VS 1) He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted.
Has life been hard on you? Is your heart broken because you have been let down? Your Father has left you; you are going through a divorce, or perhaps it's been very bad and there has been abuse and you suffer from extreme insecurities and it has caused you to shy away from relationships? The good news is Jesus came to heal your broken heart. What good would healing be if it only came in the next life? It wouldn't do any good at all. But we have a promise from God. If we call out to Jesus and surrender all of our heart and our anger to Him, He will heal us. Granted, healing may not always come instantly, but Jesus, being God, has the power to heal us. Pretty soon, we find our worth in Him and knowing that the God of all creation loves us gives us the security we need to develop real and lasting relationships. What we come to learn is that people, (including ourselves) are not perfect and they will fail us - yet God is not like man and He never breaks His promises. Spend time with Him, get to know Him better and your heart will be healed.
(VS 1) To proclaim liberty to the captives, and opening of the prison to those who are bound.
Have you made some decisions that led you to a place you would have never dreamed of in a million years? Do you find yourself bound by guilt? Do you suffer from addictions that are destroying your life? We are told in this passage that Jesus came to free us for the guilt of our past or from our current situation. He will release us from our personal prison. Sure it may take some time, but when we cry out to Him, we are filled with His Spirit and He will give us the strength to overcome. God has an amazing way of bringing people into our lives who will encourage us to continue in our walk with Jesus. It is His promise. Give it a try.
"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trust in Him" Psalm 34:8
Whether a non believer, new believer, or a seasoned Christian, this brief look at Isaiah 61:1-3 should bring hope, joy and security to our hearts. I pray that you will be encouraged to get to know the Lord in a deeper way.
I am thankful that God took my life and gave me beauty for ashes. He will do the same for you.
Yup, knowing Jesus is better than being a bear.
(C) Teresa Ortiz
In this life I'm a woman. In my next life, I'd like to come back as a bear. When you're a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for six months. I could deal with that. Before you hibernate, you're supposed to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that too. When you're a girl bear, you birth your children (who are the size of walnuts) while you're sleeping and wake to partially grown, cute, cuddly cubs. I could definitely deal with that. When you're a mama bear, everyone knows you mean business. You swat anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them too. I could deal with that. If you're a bear, your mate EXPECTS you to wake up growling. He EXPECTS that you will have hairy legs and excess body fat. Yup, gonna be a bear." (Author unknown)
While this story is funny (I certainly sent it to all the girls in my address book), it does beg the question, is this the best one has to hope for in the next life? I certainly hope not. If so, you need to meet Jesus, because without Him, hairy legs and excess body fat will be the least of your worries in the next life!
As Christians, our hope in the next life is sure. 1 John 5:13 says "these things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." This is a wonderful promise; one that we can hang on to when life gets rough.
But still, is being a Christian only about what we have to look forward to? I don't believe so. When I consider Isaiah 61:1-3, I cannot hold back the tears of gratitude and joy I feel because God has allowed me to hear His voice call out to me. Let's read it together:
"The Spirit of the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
WOW! What a testimony of God's love. I am amazed that He would send His Son to a lost and dying world. As we look at two of the things Jesus came to do, we see that they are for this life. When we receive all Jesus came to do, we can count on the promise that came from Him in John 10:9-10 "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and he will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly."
In this passage of Scripture, we also have the promise that without Jesus, the thief, who is Satan, will surely come and steal our life until we are destroyed. The final result would be eternal separation from God in the next life, which is hell. Therefore we would do will to receive the gift of Jesus in this life. There is no other opportunity. Hebrews 9:27 says "And it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment."
As a Christians, we do not have to go through this life feeling defeated and only looking forward to heaven. For the one who receives Christ, heaven begins the day they gave their life to Him.
(VS 1) He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted.
Has life been hard on you? Is your heart broken because you have been let down? Your Father has left you; you are going through a divorce, or perhaps it's been very bad and there has been abuse and you suffer from extreme insecurities and it has caused you to shy away from relationships? The good news is Jesus came to heal your broken heart. What good would healing be if it only came in the next life? It wouldn't do any good at all. But we have a promise from God. If we call out to Jesus and surrender all of our heart and our anger to Him, He will heal us. Granted, healing may not always come instantly, but Jesus, being God, has the power to heal us. Pretty soon, we find our worth in Him and knowing that the God of all creation loves us gives us the security we need to develop real and lasting relationships. What we come to learn is that people, (including ourselves) are not perfect and they will fail us - yet God is not like man and He never breaks His promises. Spend time with Him, get to know Him better and your heart will be healed.
(VS 1) To proclaim liberty to the captives, and opening of the prison to those who are bound.
Have you made some decisions that led you to a place you would have never dreamed of in a million years? Do you find yourself bound by guilt? Do you suffer from addictions that are destroying your life? We are told in this passage that Jesus came to free us for the guilt of our past or from our current situation. He will release us from our personal prison. Sure it may take some time, but when we cry out to Him, we are filled with His Spirit and He will give us the strength to overcome. God has an amazing way of bringing people into our lives who will encourage us to continue in our walk with Jesus. It is His promise. Give it a try.
"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trust in Him" Psalm 34:8
Whether a non believer, new believer, or a seasoned Christian, this brief look at Isaiah 61:1-3 should bring hope, joy and security to our hearts. I pray that you will be encouraged to get to know the Lord in a deeper way.
I am thankful that God took my life and gave me beauty for ashes. He will do the same for you.
Yup, knowing Jesus is better than being a bear.
(C) Teresa Ortiz
What is in a Name?
I have been reading a book by Ann Spangler. It is entitled "Praying the Names of GOD" I have to tell you, it has brought such warmth and an attitude of gratitude in my heart for the Lord. Over the years, I have studied God's names in sporadic form. Usually when Scripture points out the very meaning of His name, but I have never studied them all together at once and in such depth. If it has been awhile for you, or you have never done this, I encourage you to do so.
I never thought I could fall more in love with my Lord, but I was wrong. Understanding His names (or titles) in a real way, has opened my eyes to His character in a bigger way. God just keeps getting bigger!!! And the love just keeps getting stronger!!!!
One of His names (or titles) is Adonay. It means LORD MASTER - it implies relationship. God, the Creator is Lord and we are His servants. Now this probably sounds basic, most Christians know this, but the challenge comes in practicing this truth.
The examples that Ann gives in her book, brought this challenge to me:
When I call Jesus my Lord, what I am saying is that I am His servant. But do I live as a servant? Am I always ready to do His will at all costs? Do I trust Him in the things that He is asking me to do? Unfortunately, not all of the time.
Understanding this truth has caused me to consider such Scriptures as:
"These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" Matthew 15:8-9
"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord', and not do the things which I say? Luke 6:46
Ouch! Over the years, the Lord has asked me to do many things; things I have put them off -making excuses or waiting for a more "convenient" time to do them. Who then, is my Lord? Perhaps, it is myself? God forgive me!
My prayer is that I would do what my Lord Jesus tells me to do with zeal and excitement. After all, He knows best and my desire is to be more like Him. Yet how can this be, if I continually put my will above His.
What is God calling you to do? Give up some TV time and spend more with Him, turn away from those TV shows that do not glorify God or share His love with someone who you do not normally hang out with?
Whatever it is, if we do not lay our lives down before Him, we have no right to call Him Lord.
God has many names:
Elohim, El Roi, El Shaddai, Yahweh Nissi, and many, many more. As we take a closer look, our hearts will be sure to change.
Thank you Father, that You are Creator, the God who see me, the God who provides for me, The God who redeems me. You gave me Jesus, He is my Lord and I am His servant. Help me to live what I believe! In the name of Jesus, Amen.
If you have never surrendered your life to Christ, I pray you do so now. All of the promises of God are for His children and the children of God are those who believe in and receive Jesus Christ as Savior. (John 1:12-13)
What is in a Name? EVERYTHING!
(C) Teresa Ortiz
I never thought I could fall more in love with my Lord, but I was wrong. Understanding His names (or titles) in a real way, has opened my eyes to His character in a bigger way. God just keeps getting bigger!!! And the love just keeps getting stronger!!!!
One of His names (or titles) is Adonay. It means LORD MASTER - it implies relationship. God, the Creator is Lord and we are His servants. Now this probably sounds basic, most Christians know this, but the challenge comes in practicing this truth.
The examples that Ann gives in her book, brought this challenge to me:
When I call Jesus my Lord, what I am saying is that I am His servant. But do I live as a servant? Am I always ready to do His will at all costs? Do I trust Him in the things that He is asking me to do? Unfortunately, not all of the time.
Understanding this truth has caused me to consider such Scriptures as:
"These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" Matthew 15:8-9
"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord', and not do the things which I say? Luke 6:46
Ouch! Over the years, the Lord has asked me to do many things; things I have put them off -making excuses or waiting for a more "convenient" time to do them. Who then, is my Lord? Perhaps, it is myself? God forgive me!
My prayer is that I would do what my Lord Jesus tells me to do with zeal and excitement. After all, He knows best and my desire is to be more like Him. Yet how can this be, if I continually put my will above His.
What is God calling you to do? Give up some TV time and spend more with Him, turn away from those TV shows that do not glorify God or share His love with someone who you do not normally hang out with?
Whatever it is, if we do not lay our lives down before Him, we have no right to call Him Lord.
God has many names:
Elohim, El Roi, El Shaddai, Yahweh Nissi, and many, many more. As we take a closer look, our hearts will be sure to change.
Thank you Father, that You are Creator, the God who see me, the God who provides for me, The God who redeems me. You gave me Jesus, He is my Lord and I am His servant. Help me to live what I believe! In the name of Jesus, Amen.
If you have never surrendered your life to Christ, I pray you do so now. All of the promises of God are for His children and the children of God are those who believe in and receive Jesus Christ as Savior. (John 1:12-13)
What is in a Name? EVERYTHING!
(C) Teresa Ortiz
Diving Into Baptism: Baptism of the Gentile Part 4
During our study of John's baptism, we noted the importance of his message and that was the message of repentance to prepare the way for the Messiah.
In this study, we will see an important shift in the message--from Repentance to Salvation, and in the timing of water baptism. This baptism is physical and most notably, comes after the message of salvation is received and after the Holy Spirit is given to the one who receives the message.
Looking back for a moment, we remember that John said he baptizes with water unto repentance(which will lead to the remission of their sin) , but He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." And so it was, that each Jew (Israelite) who received the message of preparation, and was baptized in water, later received the Holy Spirit after the death of Jesus.
So why the shift and why is it important? Because this baptism takes place after the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the message of salvation was opened to the Gentiles (Any peoples who are not Jews). Furthermore, in my opinion, it tells us that water baptism is not a requirement to receive the Holy Spirit, thus salvation, as many teach and believe.
The book of Acts is a book commonly referred to as a book of transition. It records for us the transition from the Old Covenant into the New Covenant. Keeping this thought in mind, helps to keep the teaching on baptism in perspective and I believe, clarifies what seems to be a contradictory teaching.
The first of converted or "saved" Gentiles is recorded for us in the book of Acts. Let's go to Acts 8:26, where we pick up the story.
"Now an angle of the Lord spoke to Philip [a disciple], saying, "arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."…And behold a man from Ethiopia, a Eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury had come to Jerusalem to worship…He was reading Isaiah the Prophet…So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" "How can I unless someone guides me?"
The place in the Scripture which he read was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation, His justice was taken away, and who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth." (Acts 8:26-33)
It goes on to say the Eunuch asked Philip of whom the prophet was speaking. At this, Philip began to share Jesus and the message of salvation to him as they walked along the road. The Eunuch responded to the message. Continuing their walk, the Eunuch saw water and asked Philip if there was anything to hinder him from being baptized.
"Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may". And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."…And they both went down into the water, and he baptized him." (Acts 8:37-38.)
We see here that the requirement for baptism is believing with all one's heart that Jesus is the Son of God. This is confirmed repeatedly throughout the New Testament. Interestingly, we never read again about a baptism of repentance. We only read of baptism that follows receiving the message of Christ. This again, is because the death and resurrection accomplished and fulfilled every law under the Old Testament in which the Jews were required to follow.
"But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preached): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made under salvation." (Romans 9:8-10.)
The second example of a Gentile who was saved is in chapter 10 of the book of Acts.
God came to Peter with a vision to prepare him to go and preach to a Gentile. This God did, because he knew the hearts of his people were stubborn and couldn't imagine they should keep company with Gentiles (This is another story with many other lessons), but suffice it to say, unless God made it abundantly clear, Peter would not have gone, nor would have the men he chose to go with him.
Cornelius was a Gentile man who believed in God, prayed, and did the best he could with the information he had. God saw his heart and He chose to send Peter to preach the Gospel of Salvation to Cornelius and his family. (Read chapter 10 for the complete account.)
Peter goes to his home as commanded--where Cornelius was anxiously awaiting his arrival. Once there, Peter began to preach the message of salvation.
"And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He [Jesus] who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins." While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision [Jews], who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also…Then Peter answered, Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." (Acts 10:42-48)
The account of the Eunuch and Cornelius reveal to us the transition that took place between the Old Covenant-which in short, is having faith in the coming Messiah and the requirements that follow, to the New Testament, which in short, is having faith and trust that Jesus was and remains the Messiah.
The Jews had to wait for the remission of their sins until Jesus resurrected; for those who believed after the resurrection, it was instant. It had nothing to do with baptism.
What can we conclude? It seems that water baptism follows a change of heart and putting faith and trust in Jesus. We also see that having faith in God is not enough. God made it clear to this wonderfully righteous man named Cornelius that He needed to receive the Holy Spirit as a seal and guarantee of salvation, by having faith in Jesus, the Son of God.
It also shows us that all who are sincere in their desire to know the truth about God, will be blessed with those who will help them. It was true for me. It is very encouraging to know that God will send us someone to lead the way to Jesus. The question is-will we respond?
These accounts of Gentiles being converted and baptized are a wonderful example of one of the many things God did by sending His Son to pay the price for the sin of mankind-that is he made a new race of people. He did this by breaking down the wall that separates Jews from Gentiles. For in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, only His children--the body of Christ. (Ephesians 2:1-21)
This subject will be addressed in The Baptism Into Christ - part 5 of this series which will follow shortly.
© Teresa Ortiz
In this study, we will see an important shift in the message--from Repentance to Salvation, and in the timing of water baptism. This baptism is physical and most notably, comes after the message of salvation is received and after the Holy Spirit is given to the one who receives the message.
Looking back for a moment, we remember that John said he baptizes with water unto repentance(which will lead to the remission of their sin) , but He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." And so it was, that each Jew (Israelite) who received the message of preparation, and was baptized in water, later received the Holy Spirit after the death of Jesus.
So why the shift and why is it important? Because this baptism takes place after the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the message of salvation was opened to the Gentiles (Any peoples who are not Jews). Furthermore, in my opinion, it tells us that water baptism is not a requirement to receive the Holy Spirit, thus salvation, as many teach and believe.
The book of Acts is a book commonly referred to as a book of transition. It records for us the transition from the Old Covenant into the New Covenant. Keeping this thought in mind, helps to keep the teaching on baptism in perspective and I believe, clarifies what seems to be a contradictory teaching.
The first of converted or "saved" Gentiles is recorded for us in the book of Acts. Let's go to Acts 8:26, where we pick up the story.
"Now an angle of the Lord spoke to Philip [a disciple], saying, "arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."…And behold a man from Ethiopia, a Eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury had come to Jerusalem to worship…He was reading Isaiah the Prophet…So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" "How can I unless someone guides me?"
The place in the Scripture which he read was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation, His justice was taken away, and who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth." (Acts 8:26-33)
It goes on to say the Eunuch asked Philip of whom the prophet was speaking. At this, Philip began to share Jesus and the message of salvation to him as they walked along the road. The Eunuch responded to the message. Continuing their walk, the Eunuch saw water and asked Philip if there was anything to hinder him from being baptized.
"Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may". And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."…And they both went down into the water, and he baptized him." (Acts 8:37-38.)
We see here that the requirement for baptism is believing with all one's heart that Jesus is the Son of God. This is confirmed repeatedly throughout the New Testament. Interestingly, we never read again about a baptism of repentance. We only read of baptism that follows receiving the message of Christ. This again, is because the death and resurrection accomplished and fulfilled every law under the Old Testament in which the Jews were required to follow.
"But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preached): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made under salvation." (Romans 9:8-10.)
The second example of a Gentile who was saved is in chapter 10 of the book of Acts.
God came to Peter with a vision to prepare him to go and preach to a Gentile. This God did, because he knew the hearts of his people were stubborn and couldn't imagine they should keep company with Gentiles (This is another story with many other lessons), but suffice it to say, unless God made it abundantly clear, Peter would not have gone, nor would have the men he chose to go with him.
Cornelius was a Gentile man who believed in God, prayed, and did the best he could with the information he had. God saw his heart and He chose to send Peter to preach the Gospel of Salvation to Cornelius and his family. (Read chapter 10 for the complete account.)
Peter goes to his home as commanded--where Cornelius was anxiously awaiting his arrival. Once there, Peter began to preach the message of salvation.
"And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He [Jesus] who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins." While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision [Jews], who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also…Then Peter answered, Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." (Acts 10:42-48)
The account of the Eunuch and Cornelius reveal to us the transition that took place between the Old Covenant-which in short, is having faith in the coming Messiah and the requirements that follow, to the New Testament, which in short, is having faith and trust that Jesus was and remains the Messiah.
The Jews had to wait for the remission of their sins until Jesus resurrected; for those who believed after the resurrection, it was instant. It had nothing to do with baptism.
What can we conclude? It seems that water baptism follows a change of heart and putting faith and trust in Jesus. We also see that having faith in God is not enough. God made it clear to this wonderfully righteous man named Cornelius that He needed to receive the Holy Spirit as a seal and guarantee of salvation, by having faith in Jesus, the Son of God.
It also shows us that all who are sincere in their desire to know the truth about God, will be blessed with those who will help them. It was true for me. It is very encouraging to know that God will send us someone to lead the way to Jesus. The question is-will we respond?
These accounts of Gentiles being converted and baptized are a wonderful example of one of the many things God did by sending His Son to pay the price for the sin of mankind-that is he made a new race of people. He did this by breaking down the wall that separates Jews from Gentiles. For in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, only His children--the body of Christ. (Ephesians 2:1-21)
This subject will be addressed in The Baptism Into Christ - part 5 of this series which will follow shortly.
© Teresa Ortiz
Diving Into Baptism: Baptism of John Part 3
The focus for part three of this series will be the baptism of John-or rather, the baptism of repentance that he preached.
This study comes with great controversy because of its nature. It is a water baptism and it is literal and by full emersion. As I mentioned in the introduction, this baptism had a specific purpose for the Jew, which is different from the Gentile. (This will be discussed in the study of water baptism for the Gentile.)
I believe this is one of the many reasons there is such confusion as to whether or not water baptism is a requirement for salvation.
It is easy to be confused if we take a few passages of Scripture as proof texts for this teaching without investigating all texts regarding the subject of water baptism and salvation. It is important for us to remember that this particular baptism was designed for the children of Israel and that this was before the death and resurrection of Jesus, so they were still under the Old Testament Law.
With this in mind, I hope that you will join me in this study and in the end, see that water baptism has two purposes: preparation for the Jew and salvation from a bad conscience toward God for the Jew and the Gentile (not salvation of our soul). In no way, does it cleanse our sin--only the blood of Jesus can do this. (1 Peter 3:21)
The first step in understanding this baptism is knowing who John was and what his purpose in preaching was.
John was the promised son of Zachariah, the priest and Elizabeth. We find the detailed account of John in the Gospel of Luke, with other references and summaries in Matthew, Mark and John.
"But the angel [Gabriel] reassured him, 'Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer has been heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John….He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him [Jesus] in the spirit and power of Elijah…to make ready a people prepared for the LORD." (Luke 1:13, 16b.)
So Gabriel tells Zacharias what John's purpose will be and a bit later, Zacharias explains that John will be a prophet of the Most High and that he will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways and to give knowledge of salvation to God's people by the remission of their sins. Furthermore, Zacharias, says that John will guide their feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:76-70.)
As we read on, we see that John grew strong in the Spirit while in the desert, awaiting the appropriate time to begin his ministry of preparing the people to receive the Messiah.
"…the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins…I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."( Luke 3:3, Matthew 3:11)
This passage of Scripture tells us that this water baptism had nothing to do with salvation, but it was a physical act of repentance, which prepared them to receive Jesus, who would later baptize them with the Holy Spirit, which is salvation. In the Gospel of the Apostle John, we read again how John the Baptist emphasized that his baptism was only to prepare them for Jesus.
When John sees that the Pharisees and Sadducees where coming to be baptized, he rebukes them because he sees that they thought all they had to do was get in the water. They were relying on the fact that they were Jews, and not on the fact that they needed to repent and live a changed life. (Matt. 3:7-9) (This will be discussed in our study on the baptism of fire, which is final judgment.)
As we continue in the Gospel of John, we read the words of Jesus, where he tells us that he will give them the Holy Spirit when He departs and returns to heaven. However, he did seal his disciples with the Holy Spirit, before His ascension- John 20:21-23, (Which is different from the baptism of the Holy Spirit- Acts 1:4-8).
This leads to the most controversial passage on baptism in the Bible. Jesus spoke these words after His resurrection:
"And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 15-16.)
What are we to make of this passage? At first glance, it contradicts everything I just said. However, I think a closer look reveals differently. In my opinion, the verses that follow are the key to understanding this passage.
"And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues." (Mark 16:17)
Two important details come to mind:
1) Jesus did not say, "But he who does not believe and is not baptized will be condemned". He only said, "But he who does not believe will be condemned."
2) Jesus did not specify water baptism.
Verse 17 tells us that signs will follow the one who believes. Most Christians would agree that power to cast out demons or the ability to speak in tongues comes from the Holy Spirit.
So what can we conclude? It would seem to me that Jesus is speaking of another baptism. On the other hand, He could be referring to water, but his second statement makes it clear that it is belief that brings freedom from condemnation. Furthermore, if water baptism were necessary for salvation, then the thief on the cross could not have been saved. Yet we read in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 23:39-43, that after professing faith and remorse for his sin, Jesus told him that he would be with Him in paradise that same day.
This passage should be viewed in light of all the other passages of Scripture that talk about salvation. It is a gift of God, made available by grace through faith, as taught in the book of Acts through the book of Revelation. Paul discusses this at length throughout the entire book of Romans, Ephesians and Colossians.
The literal baptism of repentance for the children of Israel is a picture of our need to acknowledge our sin before Almighty God, receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, thereby being sealed with the Holy Spirit as our promise for eternal security. (Eph 2:8-9.)
There are many lessons to learn from this story and much more to be discussed. I invite you to share your biblical perspective on this subject.
Father, continue to give us wisdom and understanding of your word. Open our hearts to the truth, especially when it goes against our pre-conceived ideas or what we have been taught to believe. Help us to be as the Bereans and search your word for ourselves. Lord, forgive me when I put the traditions of men above your word and give me a discerning spirit so that I would recognize it when I do. In the name of Jesus, Amen
Part four – Water baptism for the Gentile, will follow soon.
© Teresa Ortiz
This study comes with great controversy because of its nature. It is a water baptism and it is literal and by full emersion. As I mentioned in the introduction, this baptism had a specific purpose for the Jew, which is different from the Gentile. (This will be discussed in the study of water baptism for the Gentile.)
I believe this is one of the many reasons there is such confusion as to whether or not water baptism is a requirement for salvation.
It is easy to be confused if we take a few passages of Scripture as proof texts for this teaching without investigating all texts regarding the subject of water baptism and salvation. It is important for us to remember that this particular baptism was designed for the children of Israel and that this was before the death and resurrection of Jesus, so they were still under the Old Testament Law.
With this in mind, I hope that you will join me in this study and in the end, see that water baptism has two purposes: preparation for the Jew and salvation from a bad conscience toward God for the Jew and the Gentile (not salvation of our soul). In no way, does it cleanse our sin--only the blood of Jesus can do this. (1 Peter 3:21)
The first step in understanding this baptism is knowing who John was and what his purpose in preaching was.
John was the promised son of Zachariah, the priest and Elizabeth. We find the detailed account of John in the Gospel of Luke, with other references and summaries in Matthew, Mark and John.
"But the angel [Gabriel] reassured him, 'Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer has been heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John….He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him [Jesus] in the spirit and power of Elijah…to make ready a people prepared for the LORD." (Luke 1:13, 16b.)
So Gabriel tells Zacharias what John's purpose will be and a bit later, Zacharias explains that John will be a prophet of the Most High and that he will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways and to give knowledge of salvation to God's people by the remission of their sins. Furthermore, Zacharias, says that John will guide their feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:76-70.)
As we read on, we see that John grew strong in the Spirit while in the desert, awaiting the appropriate time to begin his ministry of preparing the people to receive the Messiah.
"…the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins…I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."( Luke 3:3, Matthew 3:11)
This passage of Scripture tells us that this water baptism had nothing to do with salvation, but it was a physical act of repentance, which prepared them to receive Jesus, who would later baptize them with the Holy Spirit, which is salvation. In the Gospel of the Apostle John, we read again how John the Baptist emphasized that his baptism was only to prepare them for Jesus.
When John sees that the Pharisees and Sadducees where coming to be baptized, he rebukes them because he sees that they thought all they had to do was get in the water. They were relying on the fact that they were Jews, and not on the fact that they needed to repent and live a changed life. (Matt. 3:7-9) (This will be discussed in our study on the baptism of fire, which is final judgment.)
As we continue in the Gospel of John, we read the words of Jesus, where he tells us that he will give them the Holy Spirit when He departs and returns to heaven. However, he did seal his disciples with the Holy Spirit, before His ascension- John 20:21-23, (Which is different from the baptism of the Holy Spirit- Acts 1:4-8).
This leads to the most controversial passage on baptism in the Bible. Jesus spoke these words after His resurrection:
"And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 15-16.)
What are we to make of this passage? At first glance, it contradicts everything I just said. However, I think a closer look reveals differently. In my opinion, the verses that follow are the key to understanding this passage.
"And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues." (Mark 16:17)
Two important details come to mind:
1) Jesus did not say, "But he who does not believe and is not baptized will be condemned". He only said, "But he who does not believe will be condemned."
2) Jesus did not specify water baptism.
Verse 17 tells us that signs will follow the one who believes. Most Christians would agree that power to cast out demons or the ability to speak in tongues comes from the Holy Spirit.
So what can we conclude? It would seem to me that Jesus is speaking of another baptism. On the other hand, He could be referring to water, but his second statement makes it clear that it is belief that brings freedom from condemnation. Furthermore, if water baptism were necessary for salvation, then the thief on the cross could not have been saved. Yet we read in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 23:39-43, that after professing faith and remorse for his sin, Jesus told him that he would be with Him in paradise that same day.
This passage should be viewed in light of all the other passages of Scripture that talk about salvation. It is a gift of God, made available by grace through faith, as taught in the book of Acts through the book of Revelation. Paul discusses this at length throughout the entire book of Romans, Ephesians and Colossians.
The literal baptism of repentance for the children of Israel is a picture of our need to acknowledge our sin before Almighty God, receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, thereby being sealed with the Holy Spirit as our promise for eternal security. (Eph 2:8-9.)
There are many lessons to learn from this story and much more to be discussed. I invite you to share your biblical perspective on this subject.
Father, continue to give us wisdom and understanding of your word. Open our hearts to the truth, especially when it goes against our pre-conceived ideas or what we have been taught to believe. Help us to be as the Bereans and search your word for ourselves. Lord, forgive me when I put the traditions of men above your word and give me a discerning spirit so that I would recognize it when I do. In the name of Jesus, Amen
Part four – Water baptism for the Gentile, will follow soon.
© Teresa Ortiz
Diving Into Baptism: Baptism of Israel Part 2
In this study, we will see that the baptism of Israel into Moses was a metaphor and picture of what it would mean to be in Christ. Their physical deliverance from slavery by following God is an example of how each of us can have spiritual deliverance from the bondage of sin by following Jesus.
Anytime we study the Bible, we need to prepare our hearts to receive the message God has for us (Psalm 119:33-35).Therefore, I believe it is necessary to seek to the Lord's wisdom and ask His Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth-and so I do:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your faithfulness to give us your word that we would know you and what your will for our life is. I ask your blessing on this and each of the studies that will follow. Teach us what we need to know. You promised that those who seek you with their whole heart will find you and this is what we are doing now. So Father, open our hearts and minds to receive a greater understanding of your word and give us a greater measure of your Spirit that we will come through a changed people because we have answered your call. I pray for those who are new in Christ, or haven't fully surrendered to you, yet find themselves following this study. Bless them Lord and bring them to a place of sweet surrender that they may know you and the power of the resurrection in their lives. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
~~~~~
The Background:
The Israelites found themselves slaves in Egypt. Some 430 years prior to this event, they were welcomed in the land of Goshen, just outside of Egypt because Joseph, Israel's [Jacob] favorite son was second in command over all of the land. However, the latest king of Egypt had other plans...
"Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, 'Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and It happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.' But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew, so the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor." (Exodus 1:8-10, 12-13.)
God at work behind the scenes:
"Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives...and he said, ‘When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, then she shall live'. But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them but saved them alive…and so it was because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them." (Ex.1:15-1, 21.)
Enter Moses:
"So the woman conceived and bore a son…But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him and put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank…and the Pharaoh's daughter found the child…and he became her son and she called him Moses." (Ex. 2:2-3,10.)
The Cry:
"Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God remembered His covenant with Isaac, and Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel and God acknowledged them." Ex.2:23-24.)
God's plan revealed:
As we read on in Exodus, we see how God was bringing all things together to work for good. Moses grew and left the care of Pharaoh's daughter. He made a bad decision which led to murder and the need to flee Egypt. While in Midian, God called to Moses and told him of His plan to use him to deliver the children of Israel from the hand of Pharaoh, resulting in the 10 plagues.
These plagues were brought on by God for three reasons; to punish them for their wicked treatment toward His people, for their idol worship and rejection of the Creator God, and to show the Egyptians that He makes a distinction between His children and the wicked (Ex. 8:22).
After the 10th plague, the death of the first-born Egyptian male--man and cattle, Pharaoh agreed to let the children of Israel go. However, God knew that Pharaoh would change his mind and pursue His children so He led them to the Red Sea.
The baptism of Israel
By this point, the children of Israel had seen the hand of God deliver them; they witnessed His mighty power displayed in his protection for them throughout each plague, especially in the Passover. As long as they followed God's instructions to put the blood of the spotless lamb over the door posts of their homes, they were under the blood, thereby protected and passed over by the death angel. (Ex. 12.)
Nevertheless, it only took one incident to send them into a panic and doubt. Let's pick up the story in Exodus chapter fourteen, verse ten:
"And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold the Egyptians marched after them, so they were very afraid and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord…And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today…The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.' And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward." (Ex. 14:10,13-15)
"And the Angel [Jesus] of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one [Egypt] and it gave light by night to the other [Israel], so that the one did not come near the other all that night." (Ex. 14:19-20.)
"So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left." (Ex. 14:22.)
"So the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses". (Ex. 14:31.)
How is this baptism?
Fast-forward to the New Testament book of 1 Corinthians chapters nine and ten.
In this corrective letter, Paul is warning the Corinthian believers of the dangers of carnal and compromised living; they were following the culture of their environment while professing a faith in God-sound familiar? At the end of chapter nine, we see that Paul was admonishing them to discipline their bodies and he goes on to give them encouragement on how they can do this and in this, we find our explanation for our journey through Exodus:
"Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the red sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted." (1 Cor. 10:1-6.)
This passage leaves no room for doubt or dispute that the children of Israel had been baptized. It was a baptism into Moses because Moses was their leader.
Remembering the meaning of baptism, we see that they surrendered to the will of God; they trusted Moses and followed him all the way through the walls of water. There was no other way. They could not go around, but they had to go through, trusting God to keep the way open for them and trusting in the fact that they were engulfed in His protection. It was not their own plan that spared them; it was God's.
As Paul tells us, this ultimately points to the fact that the pre-incarnate Son of God was present with them. (Just one of many.) It was a picture of how future generations would need to trust in the coming Leader. The Messiah who is Christ Jesus--the Eternal King.
What can we learn?
We see that trusting God and obeying His voice, despite leadership demands, will give us favor with God and He will provide for us just as He did the midwives.
God's instructions are specific and have a purpose. If we do not follow them, then we have chosen to take ourselves out of His protection. If the children of Israel did not go all the way through to the other side, they would have been over-taken by the enemy. So it goes with us today. Are we going to choose God's way of deliverance and surrender our will to Christ, or are we going to do it our own way and suffer the consequences. The choice is ours.
Partial baptism is not only impossible, it is also ineffective. Each person had to go all the way through; one could not go through for the other. The same goes with a commitment to God. Jesus said, "You are either for me or against me." (Matt. 12:30.) There is no in between . One cannot have faith for another--one cannot speak on behalf of or be baptized for another. Each person must walk for themselves.
It is God's desire that we follow the example of the baptism of the children of Israel. The learning curve is endless; take this information and build upon it. Read the entire book of Exodus and Chapter 10 of 1 Corinthians. Ask the Lord what He would have for your personal walk with Him.
Please share your thoughts, as I desire to build upon my understanding.
May the Holy Spirit be with all who desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus and remember, He will stand between you and the things that desire to over take you.
Part three - The Baptism of John to follow soon.
© Teresa Ortiz
Anytime we study the Bible, we need to prepare our hearts to receive the message God has for us (Psalm 119:33-35).Therefore, I believe it is necessary to seek to the Lord's wisdom and ask His Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth-and so I do:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your faithfulness to give us your word that we would know you and what your will for our life is. I ask your blessing on this and each of the studies that will follow. Teach us what we need to know. You promised that those who seek you with their whole heart will find you and this is what we are doing now. So Father, open our hearts and minds to receive a greater understanding of your word and give us a greater measure of your Spirit that we will come through a changed people because we have answered your call. I pray for those who are new in Christ, or haven't fully surrendered to you, yet find themselves following this study. Bless them Lord and bring them to a place of sweet surrender that they may know you and the power of the resurrection in their lives. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
~~~~~
The Background:
The Israelites found themselves slaves in Egypt. Some 430 years prior to this event, they were welcomed in the land of Goshen, just outside of Egypt because Joseph, Israel's [Jacob] favorite son was second in command over all of the land. However, the latest king of Egypt had other plans...
"Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, 'Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and It happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.' But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew, so the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor." (Exodus 1:8-10, 12-13.)
God at work behind the scenes:
"Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives...and he said, ‘When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, then she shall live'. But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them but saved them alive…and so it was because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them." (Ex.1:15-1, 21.)
Enter Moses:
"So the woman conceived and bore a son…But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him and put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank…and the Pharaoh's daughter found the child…and he became her son and she called him Moses." (Ex. 2:2-3,10.)
The Cry:
"Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God remembered His covenant with Isaac, and Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel and God acknowledged them." Ex.2:23-24.)
God's plan revealed:
As we read on in Exodus, we see how God was bringing all things together to work for good. Moses grew and left the care of Pharaoh's daughter. He made a bad decision which led to murder and the need to flee Egypt. While in Midian, God called to Moses and told him of His plan to use him to deliver the children of Israel from the hand of Pharaoh, resulting in the 10 plagues.
These plagues were brought on by God for three reasons; to punish them for their wicked treatment toward His people, for their idol worship and rejection of the Creator God, and to show the Egyptians that He makes a distinction between His children and the wicked (Ex. 8:22).
After the 10th plague, the death of the first-born Egyptian male--man and cattle, Pharaoh agreed to let the children of Israel go. However, God knew that Pharaoh would change his mind and pursue His children so He led them to the Red Sea.
The baptism of Israel
By this point, the children of Israel had seen the hand of God deliver them; they witnessed His mighty power displayed in his protection for them throughout each plague, especially in the Passover. As long as they followed God's instructions to put the blood of the spotless lamb over the door posts of their homes, they were under the blood, thereby protected and passed over by the death angel. (Ex. 12.)
Nevertheless, it only took one incident to send them into a panic and doubt. Let's pick up the story in Exodus chapter fourteen, verse ten:
"And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold the Egyptians marched after them, so they were very afraid and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord…And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today…The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.' And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward." (Ex. 14:10,13-15)
"And the Angel [Jesus] of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one [Egypt] and it gave light by night to the other [Israel], so that the one did not come near the other all that night." (Ex. 14:19-20.)
"So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left." (Ex. 14:22.)
"So the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses". (Ex. 14:31.)
How is this baptism?
Fast-forward to the New Testament book of 1 Corinthians chapters nine and ten.
In this corrective letter, Paul is warning the Corinthian believers of the dangers of carnal and compromised living; they were following the culture of their environment while professing a faith in God-sound familiar? At the end of chapter nine, we see that Paul was admonishing them to discipline their bodies and he goes on to give them encouragement on how they can do this and in this, we find our explanation for our journey through Exodus:
"Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the red sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted." (1 Cor. 10:1-6.)
This passage leaves no room for doubt or dispute that the children of Israel had been baptized. It was a baptism into Moses because Moses was their leader.
Remembering the meaning of baptism, we see that they surrendered to the will of God; they trusted Moses and followed him all the way through the walls of water. There was no other way. They could not go around, but they had to go through, trusting God to keep the way open for them and trusting in the fact that they were engulfed in His protection. It was not their own plan that spared them; it was God's.
As Paul tells us, this ultimately points to the fact that the pre-incarnate Son of God was present with them. (Just one of many.) It was a picture of how future generations would need to trust in the coming Leader. The Messiah who is Christ Jesus--the Eternal King.
What can we learn?
We see that trusting God and obeying His voice, despite leadership demands, will give us favor with God and He will provide for us just as He did the midwives.
God's instructions are specific and have a purpose. If we do not follow them, then we have chosen to take ourselves out of His protection. If the children of Israel did not go all the way through to the other side, they would have been over-taken by the enemy. So it goes with us today. Are we going to choose God's way of deliverance and surrender our will to Christ, or are we going to do it our own way and suffer the consequences. The choice is ours.
Partial baptism is not only impossible, it is also ineffective. Each person had to go all the way through; one could not go through for the other. The same goes with a commitment to God. Jesus said, "You are either for me or against me." (Matt. 12:30.) There is no in between . One cannot have faith for another--one cannot speak on behalf of or be baptized for another. Each person must walk for themselves.
It is God's desire that we follow the example of the baptism of the children of Israel. The learning curve is endless; take this information and build upon it. Read the entire book of Exodus and Chapter 10 of 1 Corinthians. Ask the Lord what He would have for your personal walk with Him.
Please share your thoughts, as I desire to build upon my understanding.
May the Holy Spirit be with all who desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus and remember, He will stand between you and the things that desire to over take you.
Part three - The Baptism of John to follow soon.
© Teresa Ortiz
Diving Into Baptism: Introduction Part 1
What comes to mind when you hear the word baptism? The first thought most people have is water. However, the Bible speaks of other baptisms--in fact, there are seven specifically mentioned.
Many people never give this much thought. There was a time when I didn't. However, over the years, God has opened my eyes to these treasures of truth. Since then, I continue to study them. I am of the opinion that each of these baptisms play a significant role in increasing our understanding of God's plan for humanity and they serve as explanations for the whys are wherefores of life. For this reason, I am sharing what I have gleaned thus far in hopes that it will clarify some of the misnomers on baptism.
The Seven Baptisms of the Bible:
1. The Baptism of Israel.
2. The Baptism of John (Water for the Jew).
3. The Baptism by water (For the Gentile).
4. The Baptism Into Jesus Christ.
5. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
6. The Baptism of Suffering.
7. The Baptism of Fire.
It is important to note that the word baptism means, "to be completely submerged in". In this respect, you can baptize just about anything in just about anything.
The Old Testament is full of examples of articles being "baptized". There were strict ceremonial cleansing laws; not only for themselves, but also for their clothing and cooking utensils. The Jews were very aware of the importance of preparation by cleansing. This becomes important when we get to the baptism of John, or what I like to call the baptism of the Jews. This helps me to keep things straight as I study the difference between the baptism of the Jew and the baptism of the Gentile.
As we study, we will see that there are times when baptism is literal and when it is metaphorical or "spiritual", or both--meaning, the literal act of baptism has a spiritual application.
Baptism is also a well-known concept outside of the Christian world; Egyptians, potters, fabricators and the like use this term. I say this to remind us that there is more to baptism than we tend to think.
I have three goals that I pray will be reached by the end of this series:
1. We will see that biblical baptism will always represent the truth as it relates to salvation, which is that we become a child of God by surrendering our will to his and placing ourselves completely in Christ, thus being born-again.
2. That we will slow down and read the Bible as if reading for the first time (or maybe start reading), so that we will not miss out on the little phrases, realizing that each story has a purpose.
3. That the body of Christ will not put so much emphasis on water baptism and apply the lessons found in all of the other baptisms to our lives so that we will be able to "give an answer for the hope that lies within" and encourage others in the faith.
I hope you will join me on this journey through baptism. I ask for forgiveness up front, as I know I will fall short in explaining all that this perspective has to offer. I will post each study in the order listed above. I look forward to your participation--as the word of God says, "Iron sharpens Iron".
Soon to follow, The Baptism of Israel: What can we learn - Part 2 of 8.
I'm praying for you, please pray for me.
© Teresa Ortiz
Many people never give this much thought. There was a time when I didn't. However, over the years, God has opened my eyes to these treasures of truth. Since then, I continue to study them. I am of the opinion that each of these baptisms play a significant role in increasing our understanding of God's plan for humanity and they serve as explanations for the whys are wherefores of life. For this reason, I am sharing what I have gleaned thus far in hopes that it will clarify some of the misnomers on baptism.
The Seven Baptisms of the Bible:
1. The Baptism of Israel.
2. The Baptism of John (Water for the Jew).
3. The Baptism by water (For the Gentile).
4. The Baptism Into Jesus Christ.
5. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
6. The Baptism of Suffering.
7. The Baptism of Fire.
It is important to note that the word baptism means, "to be completely submerged in". In this respect, you can baptize just about anything in just about anything.
The Old Testament is full of examples of articles being "baptized". There were strict ceremonial cleansing laws; not only for themselves, but also for their clothing and cooking utensils. The Jews were very aware of the importance of preparation by cleansing. This becomes important when we get to the baptism of John, or what I like to call the baptism of the Jews. This helps me to keep things straight as I study the difference between the baptism of the Jew and the baptism of the Gentile.
As we study, we will see that there are times when baptism is literal and when it is metaphorical or "spiritual", or both--meaning, the literal act of baptism has a spiritual application.
Baptism is also a well-known concept outside of the Christian world; Egyptians, potters, fabricators and the like use this term. I say this to remind us that there is more to baptism than we tend to think.
I have three goals that I pray will be reached by the end of this series:
1. We will see that biblical baptism will always represent the truth as it relates to salvation, which is that we become a child of God by surrendering our will to his and placing ourselves completely in Christ, thus being born-again.
2. That we will slow down and read the Bible as if reading for the first time (or maybe start reading), so that we will not miss out on the little phrases, realizing that each story has a purpose.
3. That the body of Christ will not put so much emphasis on water baptism and apply the lessons found in all of the other baptisms to our lives so that we will be able to "give an answer for the hope that lies within" and encourage others in the faith.
I hope you will join me on this journey through baptism. I ask for forgiveness up front, as I know I will fall short in explaining all that this perspective has to offer. I will post each study in the order listed above. I look forward to your participation--as the word of God says, "Iron sharpens Iron".
Soon to follow, The Baptism of Israel: What can we learn - Part 2 of 8.
I'm praying for you, please pray for me.
© Teresa Ortiz
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