Lesson 2563

(Lesson 2563)(12-28-18) Luke 49-50
    “ I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!”

    Because it is so important to correct the misapplications and misunderstandings of the term “baptize” and it’s grammatical variations. Today’s lesson is a continuation of yesterday’s.
    As has already been established, and contrary to the thoughts of many, RARELY does the term baptize or it’s variations, imply that water is, or should be, the medium into which a person is to be baptized in order to achieve eternal salvation. In fact, of the few times that the New Testament attributes the use of the term baptize, or one of it’s grammaticall variations to Jesus, ONLY ONCE does the term possibly refer to water as the medium. That being when Jesus referred to “the baptism of John”. And then ONLY because water immersion WAS A PART of the “baptism of John”, certainly NOT it’s full intent. That phrase, “the baptism of John”, actually refers to the message that John taught moreso than it does to the traditional ritual water immersions that John performed, which were solely to prepare his Jewish brethren for the coming of the Messiah. The ritual of water cleansing, by total immersion in water, was written into ancient Hebrew law and has nothing to do with the baptism that saves the eternal soul. ~
NOTE: We will return to this lesson again tomorrow.