Our blog will share 30 different Bible Contrasts that show distinctions that matter when studying God’s Word. It is important to understand this perspective or we may get confused.
We see a number of dissimilar wordings within God’s Word. Some have seen them as contradictions in the Bible. We prefer the term “contrasts.” The main reason for these differences is that God is setting forth two separate programs (intimated even in Genesis 1:1). The first deals with the earth and Israel. The other concerns the heavens and Christ’s Body Church. It was given to the Apostle Paul to lay out these differences. He is God’s “apostle of the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13).
So then we must recognize such Bible divisions if we’d truly understand God’s Word and be approved by Him (II Tim. 2:15). Then we must follow the last directives given by God through Paul as “the commandments of the Lord” for this present time (I Cor. 14:37).
Today is Part #23:
MANY BAPTISMS were practiced through most of the Bible. The Old Testament religious system required “divers washings [various baptisms, in the original Greek language]” (Heb. 9:1,10). The Jewish religion of Christ’s time held to the “washing [baptism, in the Greek text]” of many things (Mark 7:4,8). When John the Baptist came to “baptize…with water,” he also spoke of Holy Ghost and fire baptisms (Matt. 3:11). Both Jesus and Peter at Pentecost taught water baptism as necessary to “be saved”—”for the re¬mission of sins” (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). Later Peter water baptized Cornelius obviously after his salvation (Acts 10:43-48). Death and risking martyrdom are also called baptisms (Luke 12:50; I Cor. 15:29). Christendom today practices many different baptisms.
“ONE BAPTISM” alone is now God’s rule (Eph. 4:5). That one baptism is a spiritual one “for by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body” (I Cor. 12:13). The Apostle Paul also calls this baptism “the operation of God” (Col. 2:12). This one baptism happens the moment a person trusts Christ after hearing the gospel of salvation (Eph. 1:12,13).
For more information and understanding, we recommend doing the PMA “Understanding your Bible” our 8 part lesson series available for free download at Free Bible Correspondence – Prison Mission Association
(These points come from Pastor David Adams, booklet, Bible Contrasts used by permission)