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To be baptized does nor save anyone What makes a difference is knowing the gospel. Paul said For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, (1 Cor. 1:17), therefore baptism is not the gospel. the gospel is preached by one to the recipient for them to believe, to be baptized is done by one who already believes. Paul tell us the content of the gospel he preached -1 Cor. 15:1-4 and baptism is not mentioned. Oneness Pentecostals who believe in a Jesus only baptism use an argument from their misinterpretation of Acts 19:1-6 And finding some disciples he said to them, " Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, " We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied .” Vs. 2: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They reply they have not as much heard whether there is a Holy Spirit. Years afterward, and they had not heard that the one John was preparing them for had come, Jesus. Nor that Pentecost had occurred. These were Jews that had not heard of Christ’s death and resurrection, nor of Pentecost. Paul finds them as disciples still of John. Which means they probably left before Jesus was identified to them as the Messiah. This is why Paul said “that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." John’s baptism could not give them the Holy Spirit. Only by believing on Christ, his death and resurrection, the gospel. What this shows is that water baptism is different from Spirit baptism, since they were already water baptized by John they did not have the Spirit which comes from Christ the baptizer. John’s baptism could not give them the Holy Spirit as it does when they believed on Christ death and resurrection, the gospel. What this shows is that water baptism is different from Spirit baptism, since they were already water baptized by John and did not have the Spirit which comes from Christ the baptizer. So the baptism argument is dead in the water. |
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