He quoted me with this piece of scripture…
Matthew 3:11 “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire”:
Now, I want to be sure if this statement proves water baptism had ended with John the Baptist, or not. Should I abandon water baptism?
Ans.
In those verses you can find nowhere John has said, for this case now you can abandon the water baptism and stick only with holy spirit baptism… only canal people have translated those verses in that way, but that is not what scriptures instructed.
Thanks God all the answers are in the bible. And today we will look at one apostle, who understood that verse very well and interpret it correctly to the people.
When we read the book of Acts of apostles chapter 10 we find a story of one man named Cornelius, this man was very Godly and loyal in all of his offerings, but one day an angel appeared to him and instructed him to go and find Peter, whom will tell him what he is supposed to do.
When Peter responded to the call and go, after the vision he saw few minutes prior their arrivals, about their coming, he went to the house, and we see, as soon as he begun to preach the Holy spirit descended upon every one of them who was in the house, and all started to speak in another tongue.
But wait…
That wasn’t the end of it. Peter did say now it’s finished, you have already received the Holy Spirit now everyone can go and continue to their services, rather he instructed every one of them to go baptised into the water in the name of Lord Jesus Christ…
Acts 10:44-48 King James Version (KJV)
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
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.
Now as we are heading to the peak of the questions asked…If you want to know that Peter, knew that verses very well, even more than we do. See when he gets back to Jerusalem to meet Jews, telling them everything which was going on there, I want you to hear closely what he told them.
Acts 11: 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
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.
17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
Read again verse 16, Peter quoted John Baptist words saying…John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost…see? that statement proves he knew Holy spirit baptism was necessary for salvation but water is also required to accomplish the whole salvation process.
Even now everyone who is claiming to have the Holy spirit must have been baptised also by water. Jesus said. 6 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (Mark 16:16)
Therefore, there is no salvation without water… go and find correct water baptism for your salvation according to Acts 2:38
Shalom.
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