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NASB | Acts 19:4 Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Acts 19:4 Paul said, "John performed a baptism of repentance, continually telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, [to confidently accept and joyfully believe] in Jesus [the Messiah and Savior]." |
Bible Question:
Was John's Baptism a one time thing? I know there times in Acts that there were those who had believed and were only familiar with John's baptism. In Him, lionheart |
Bible Answer: A one time thing... Well, I thought about that a bit, it is a new one to me, thanks! Repentance is certainly repetitive experientially, and knowing the emptiness of life without the Savior, I would suppose that some went to John more than once. I have known groups of believers (in Jesus as the Messiah) who have required baptism to join their number, even if the person was already baptized. And sadly, some who felt it necessary to be baptized a number of times, thinking the first few didn't take. What does God see? What picture is baptism, and is it once? Well, the sea was parted. The ark went before them three days journey to find a resting place (Num 10:13). In Joshua 2:22 the spies escape death for for three days in the mountain. But the example our Lord uses with power and condemnation is that of the prophet Jonah, who went below the waters, then was recovered to do God's will. All these picture events were singular, and the reality as walked by the Messiah, treading where no man could go, was unique to all time. Jesus in Mat 12:40, proclaims the sign given to them, the sign of Jonah. So clearly the intent of the baptism in the name of Jesus is for a persons conversion path, a public proclamation and association with the death burial and resurrection of Him. And having done it, repetition seems unwarranted, as it references a singular event. Even in the context of "... 'ceremonially cleanse' them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" (where I use the term baptism loosely), it would have an association with the resurrection, which need happen once, even though cleansing is throughout ones life. For John, who was perhaps baptizing as a ministry of spiritual cleansing, in parallel with the law, one could make a case for the repeated application. Again, thinking back to repentance, a necessary activity throughout ones life. So I would presume, with no proof whatsoever, that there was a contingent who went to John more than once, and that his followers baptized some repeatedly in the name of John. Whether that was overt, or on the condition of the repenter, I have no clue. It may have never happened as well, all speculation. Furthermore, you have raised a fascinating point in my own heart. What about the baptism of fire? We receive the Spirit once, and the experience of which is singular and life changing. Yet John said fire as well. And I mentally, and in experience have felt the times in my life of 'going through the fire', as such it would appear we are immersed in the fire repeatedly. Well, we are immersed in the Holy Spirit experientially as well on multiple occasions, even having received the 'baptism of the Holy Spirit' once 'officially'. So perhaps in the realm of the Spirit, and not the symbolic, we are continuously returning for the cleansing. Thank you for such a question, may the cleansing Spirit and refining fire penetrate deeply in your own walk. |
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Questions and/or Subjects for Acts 19:4 | Author | ||
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danielf | ||
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newoldstock | ||
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twiggy62 | ||
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lionheart | ||
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Searcher56 | ||
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CarlosDF |