Someone named "SteppingStone" wrote at another sites:
Something I'm still looking into but it appears that the Baptism shifted from Water to Holy Ghost Fire in the book of Acts when the words of Christ were recalled..
Acts 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
At this point below they were still realizing that the Holy Ghost was being given prior to water baptism yet Peter was still commanding water baptism as well.
Acts 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Acts 11:16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
From this point fwd it appears that Peter may or may not have realized that Baptism shifted from Water to Holy Ghost Fire because he was recalling the words of Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
And here above Paul appears to be declaring that the power of God is in the cross, meaning death, burial, and resurrection is simply receiving the Holy Ghost. Otherwise why would he be trivializing water baptism and saying he doesn't teach it anymore?
1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
The message is from natural things to Spiritual things. John prepared the way of the Lord with the baptism of water repentance but the one greater did come and He did verily Baptize with Holy Ghost Fire..
Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
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Hebrews 6:1-2 lists the "principles of the doctrine of Christ." KJV
other versions call them:
"the elementary teachings about Christ" NIV
"the elementary teaching about the Christ" NASB
"the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ" The Message
"the basic teachings about Christ" NLT
"the elementary principles of Christ" NKJV
"the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ" Amplified
These 6 basic or fundamental doctrines are listed as:
repentance from dead works
faith toward God
baptisms (plural)
laying on of hands
resurrection of the dead
eternal judgment
I've considered Hebrews 6 and it could possibly be that water baptism was only intended until the Holy Ghost came on Pentecost.
I also noted in my original post that it appears that it took them a while to recall this because they were still doing both water and Spirit baptisms.
It's almost as if the water baptism of John was still under the time period of, "The Law & The Prophets."
Then grace came on Pentecost..
AJS writes:
I do not believe that it is necessary for a believer in Christ to be water baptized at all.
..
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism – yes… the early disciples did at the beginning baptize their converts in water,
…but I believe that God does NOT NOW count man's physical water baptism as essential at all.
Everything Jesus did was for mankind, thus by his own baptism everyone…. has been baptized into Christ…because he was the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world (John 1:29)
The whole human race died and was buried (baptized) by the Messiah's baptism.
Any water baptism done now by a believer, it is simply getting him wet.
Thus, we should be teaching - the complete end of physical water baptism.
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