Hello Favourable Christians,

According to some bible scholars, there are up to seven different kinds of baptism and I want us to discuss on its efficacy and application.

1. The Baptism of John the Baptist: As his own water baptism was ONLY unto repentance - Matt 3:1-3
2. The Baptism of Jesus Christ: As it was recorded that he offered water baptism also - John 3:22; Matt. 4:1-2
3. The Baptism of Sufferings: That was offered to James and John by Jesus - Matt 20:20-23
4. The Baptism of the Cloud and Sea: Known as the baptism of Moses given to the isrealites in the desert - 1 Cor 10:1-2
5. The Baptism into Christ and His Body: This is the acceptance of Christ in its entirety - 1 Cor 12:13
6. The Christian Baptism: Also known as the believer's Baptism or great commission - Matt 28:19
7. The Baptism with the Holy Spirit: As promised by Christ - Matt 3:11-12

There is another baptism that is being referred to as Baptism of Fire: As it refers to those who are condemned to eternal torment. John revealed that Jesus, the eternal Judge (Acts 17:30-31), would immerse some in fire. (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16). This submersion of punishment is reserved for those who reject Jesus Christ and will be administered after the day of Judgment. (Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10, 14).

Out of all these, a christian in fulfillment has got to perform three... Namely number 5, 6 and 7 in that order.

A Question now comes forth:
Paul wrote, "There is...one Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians 4:4-5) How is it possible that Paul said there is only "one baptism" when the New Testament writers mention more than one? Three of the baptisms have been performed and will not be performed again. John's baptism, the baptism of Moses and the baptism of Jesus have all fulfilled their purpose and are no longer in force. One baptism, the baptism of suffering, simply refers to periods of "immersion" in suffering, or "cups," that can befall men from time to time. The baptism of fire is reserved for the unfaithful following the Day of Judgment and is yet to be fully realized. That only leaves three types of baptism, number 5, 6 and 7. Is the baptism of the Great Commission, simply called New Testament baptism, under consideration in Ephesians 4 the only baptism to which all men are amenable today?

Another type or kind of baptism found in the scriptures is what the apostle Paul called the “baptism for the dead.”

1 Cor 15:29 – Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?

Was Paul saying we can be baptized on behalf of those who have already died? Is this passage saying there was such a practice among first century Christians?

Matthew 3:11 - I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and [with] fire:


And here was i thinking the fire in this verse of scripture connotes the 'cloven tongues' of fire experienced by the Apostles during Pentecost.Are you sure the fire represent eternal torment for the unsaved?

ledafaze: Another type or kind of baptism found in the scriptures is what the apostle Paul called the “baptism for the dead.”

1 Cor 15:29 – Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?

Was Paul saying we can be baptized on behalf of those who have already died? Is this passage saying there was such a practice among first century Christians?

I don't think that was what Paul meant.Jesus made an emphatic statement for the dead to bury their dead.I believe that scripture has to do with the context.If you read it from 1 cor 15:12, you will notice Paul building a case for Christ who was raised from the dead, I love where Paul says if Christ has not been raised then our faith is futile. That is Christianity will make no meaning at all.Baptism means immersion as we all know,it is spiritual as well as physical in a sense.

I will be waiting for the rabbis in the house to explain that difficult aspect of scripture cos it seems the Catholic have used that aspect of scripture in conducting and justifying the baptism of dead folks.

Bidam: Matthew 3:11 - I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and [with] fire:


And here was i thinking the fire in this verse of scripture connotes the 'cloven tongues' of fire experienced by the Apostles during Pentecost.Are you sure the fire represent eternal torment for the unsaved?

I am thinking here, he meant two things...
1. If you hear me and follow me, I will baptise you with the holy ghost (which some say has passed... will post on this later on)
2. If you do not hear and follow me, you shall be baptised with fire in eternal judgement

Bidam: I don't think that was what Paul meant.Jesus made an emphatic statement for the dead to bury their dead.I believe that scripture has to do with the context.If you read it from 1 cor 15:12, you will notice Paul building a case for Christ who was raised from the dead, I love where Paul says if Christ has not been raised then our faith is futile. That is Christianity will make no meaning at all.Baptism means immersion as we all know,it is spiritual as well as physical in a sense.

I will be waiting for the rabbis in the house to explain that difficult aspect of scripture cos it seems the Catholic have used that aspect of scripture in conducting and justifying the baptism of dead folks.

29 If the dead will not be raised, what point is there in people being baptized for those who are dead? Why do it unless the dead will someday rise again?

I think what Paul was trying to say was that.... There were some New Testament Pegan (probably believers) that also engages in baptisms and they then baptise on behalf of someone dead. Proving their works to be vain because in as much as after someone dies it is judgement, it is useless doing it because the dead will not rise again... I think

Addition...
Looking at this this way, the pegans might be saying why are Christians being baptised in the name of a dead saviour So the point he raised about the authenticity of the resurection of Christ before mentioning this... so as to affirm that it will be void if the dead did not rise ... but actually, Christ arose and the baptism as supposed to be on behalf of the dead is being done really on behalf of the Living Master of all... Jesus Christ.

ledafaze:

I am thinking here, he meant two things...
1. If you hear me and follow me, I will baptise you with the holy ghost (which some say has passed... will post on this later on)
2. If you do not hear and follow me, you shall be baptised with fire in eternal judgement

You may be right for the number 2.Here is a verse of scripture that Jesus says he came to send fire to the earth.

Luke 12:49-50 - I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

Bidam: You may be right for the number 2.Here is a verse of scripture that Jesus says he came to send fire to the earth.

Luke 12:49-50 - I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

Gbam!

Guys,I said something earlier about Baptism with(of) the Holy Ghost... but do you think it is still being given? Some really believe it has passed while some believe it is still ongoing...

Matt 3:11 – part of the message John the Baptizer preached was this: 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.

As curled from a post concerning the Baptism of the Holy spirit,

1. There is a lot of confusion in the religious world about the “baptism of the Holy Spirit.” Many believe that this form of baptism still exists today. Does it?

2. Shortly before Jesus was to be taken and crucified, He met privately with His disciples (the apostles) and promised them He would not leave them helpless.

a. John 14:16-17 – Jesus told His apostles, And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever — 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

b. John 16:13 – Jesus also told His apostles, However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

c. It’s very important to notice that these promises were not made to ALL of Jesus’ disciples – ONLY the apostles – and certainly not to us today. (How true?)

3. However, then the apostle Peter preached on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) following the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he quoted from a prophecy of Joel.

a. Acts 2:16-18 – But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.

b. In these verses Peter said that God promised, “I will pour out OF My Spirit on all flesh…” (v. 17). God did not promise that He would pour out the SPIRIT HIMSELF, but rather pour out OF the Spirit.

c. The word “OF” used by Peter in this verse is the Greek word “apo” which means “the point from which something originates.” Therefore, the Spirit would be the point from which this pouring out originated.

d. Notice also, while the Spirit would be poured out “on all flesh,” not every believer received a miraculous power to prophesy or perform other spiritual gifts. This power could only be conveyed by the laying on of the apostle’s hands.

(1) Acts 8:14-17 – Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

e. Therefore, the phrase in Acts 2 – that God would “pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh” – doesn’t mean that the Spirit is literally poured out, nor does it mean that every believer received something from the Holy Spirit.

f. Therefore, the phrase “all flesh” means the Spirit would be given to both Jews and Gentiles alike – Jewish flesh and Gentile flesh.

(1) The Spirit was poured out on Jewish flesh on the day of Pentecost when the twelve Jewish apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2)

(2) The Spirit was poured out on Gentile flesh during the conversion of Cornelius and his household. (See: Acts 10:44-48)

4. This promised miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled during New Testament times, and is therefore past.

a. In Acts chapter 2, on the Day of Pentecost (33 CE), all those who were present witnessed two baptisms – the baptism of the Holy Spirit as He poured out power on the twelve apostles, and a baptism in water for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) when 3,000 were baptized into Christ.

b. In Acts chapter 10, during the account of the conversion of Cornelius and his household (44 CE), all those who were present also witnessed two baptisms – the baptism of the Holy Spirit as He poured out power on Cornelius and his household, and a baptism in water for the remission of sins (Acts 10:47-48).

c. However, in Ephesians chapter 4 (64 CE), the apostle Paul said there is now only “one baptism.” (Eph 4:5) The baptism of the Holy Spirit had already been fulfilled – the Spirit had been poured out on “all flesh” – Jew and Gentile alike.

5. Therefore, this could not have been the baptism Jesus and His apostles commanded either.


http://www.searchingthescriptures.net/main_pages/sermon_outlines/baptisms_of_the_bible.htm

■Another type or kind of baptism found in the scriptures is what the apostle Paul called the “baptism for the dead.”
1 Cor 15:29 – Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?
Was Paul saying we can be baptized on behalf of those who have already died? Is this passage saying there was such a practice among first century Christians?

Read carefully and you will find Paul's meaning differs entirely from that which you assume. There is no different type of baptism in all of what He said and no baptism of the dead either.

12 We tell everyone that Christ was raised from death. So why do some of you say that people will not be raised from death?
13 If no one will ever be raised from death, then Christ has never been raised.
14 And if Christ has never been raised, then the message we tell is worth nothing. And your faith is worth nothing.
15 And we will also be guilty of lying about God, because we have told people about him, saying that he raised Christ from death. And if no one is raised from death, then God never raised Christ from death.
16 If those who have died are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
17 And if Christ has not been raised from death, then your faith is for nothing; you are still guilty of your sins.
18 And those in Christ who have already died are lost.
19 If our hope in Christ is only for this life here on earth, then people should feel more sorry for us than for anyone else.
20 But Christ really has been raised from death—the first one of all those who will be raised.
21 Death comes to people because of what one man did. But now there is resurrection from death because of another man.
22 I mean that in Adam all of us die. And in the same way, in Christ all of us will be made alive again.
23 But everyone will be raised to life in the right order. Christ was first to be raised. Then, when Christ comes again, those who belong to him will be raised to life.
24 Then the end will come. Christ will destroy all rulers, authorities, and powers. Then he will give the kingdom to God the Father.
25 Christ must rule until God puts all enemies under his control.[a]
26 The last enemy to be destroyed will be death.
27 As the Scriptures say, “God put everything under his control.” When it says that “everything” is put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself. God is the one putting everything under Christ’s control.
28 After everything has been put under Christ, then the Son himself will be put under God. God is the one who put everything under Christ. And Christ will be put under God so that God will be the complete ruler over everything.
29 If no one will ever be raised from death, then what will the people do who are baptized for those who have died? If the dead are never raised, then why are people baptized for them?
30 And what about us? Why do we put ourselves in danger every hour?
31 I face death every day. That is true, brothers and sisters, just as it is true that I am proud of what you are because of Christ Jesus our Lord.
32 I fought wild animals in Ephesus. If I did that only for human reasons, then I have gained nothing. If we are not raised from death, “Let us eat and drink, because tomorrow we die.”[c]
33 Don’t be fooled: “Bad friends will ruin good habits.”
34 Come back to your right way of thinking and stop sinning. Some of you don’t know God. I say this to shame you. - 1 Corinthians 15 vs 12 - 34

Matthew 3:11 - I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and [with] fire:

And here was i thinking the fire in this verse of scripture connotes the 'cloven tongues' of fire experienced by the Apostles during Pentecost.Are you sure the fire represent eternal torment for the unsaved?

i am afraid the fire doesn't. Given that Jesus Christ never said that fire would appear on those who His spirit alights on.

There are 3 possible baptisms-- 3 witnesses --- in Jesus Christ and all 3 can be obtained before the end by those Who follow Him.

The first is baptism of Water, the new foundation of life i.e born of Water. The second is being born of Spirit I e the Holy Spirit of the old Law. After one has gone further along in the process, and one has been refined by the fire, through the knowing of the truth, one is then baptized or set free from slavery to sin by the Truth of God, the Holy Spirit of the New Covenant.