Lesson 2457

(Lesson 2457)(10-06-18) Mark 10:35-45 “And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

   In today’s quote, after being aske a favor by James and John; “Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized”.
    It is very important to note that, in that statement, a grammatical variation of the word baptize is applied six times, and not one of those six applications are, in any way, a reference to the dipping within, sprinkling upon, or total immersion into, water.
    I point that out to dispel the erroneous contention that, in the New Testament, every application of a variation of the word baptize refers to some form of cleansing ritual that requires water.
     The baptism that is required to save the eternal soul has nothing to do with water, but rather, is an immersion of that eternal soul into the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
“For by GRACE are ye saved  THROUGH FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Water baptism is a “work” of  “man”. ~