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PREAMBLE
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Christ spoke of His death under the Imagery of a BAPTISM. Not, BAPTISM IN WATER as an Imagery of His Death:
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But I have a BAPTISM to be BAPTIZED with; and how am I straitened (under pressure) till it be accomplished! Luke 12:50
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Christ asked:
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CAN YE drink of the CUP (of death) that I drink of? And be BAPTIZED with the BAPTISM That I am (to be) BAPTIZED with? Mark 10:38
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And they said unto Him:
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WE CAN.
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Christ responded
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YE SHALL indeed drink of the CUP that I drink of; and with the BAPTISM that I am BAPTIZED withal shall ye be BAPTIZED--Mark 10:39
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The following Baptism Study by Russ Schaefer has been upgraded and enlarged in this issue of Scripture Research. Progressive Revelation of Truth is a
Biblical fact. The historical time of its revelation - its implementation, must determine its place in Scripture and in practice. Theology, to be correct, must be right
chronologically. RHS
One would hardly suspect under these simple terms of CUP and BAPTISM would be marshaled some of the very greatest truths of Scripture.
For who would suppose a reference to a CUP would involve death - and BAPTISM would involve a certain kind of death for certain reasons with effects and results
that would bring God into the very life-stream of humanity and man into the very presence of God.
Under the metaphor of a "BAPTISM" lies the destiny of a universe, and more. Some would limit its
meaning and application to a watery tank, unfortunately, to most, the word only means water in one
form or another. That it should embrace all that can possibly be inferred by redemption, reclaiming,
restoring, reconciling - is to touch only the beginning of its meaning. That the Creator should die for
man, the creature's sin, that an entombment and a rousing from the death-sleep would be the triumphal pattern through which death would be abolished is a GLORY revealed in this ONE
BAPTISM.
BAPTISM
To those who hold dear the verity of the Word of God, the exploration of great Bible themes should
be undertaken with a joyous determination to understand what the Bible teaches about the great
doctrines. To affirm belief in a certain doctrine without having thoroughly studied that doctrine is
folly, not faith, and a bold unbelief is better in such cases. God has been pleased to reveal His will
in the Sacred Scriptures; these being complete, He remains silent. It is unfortunate that the original
autographs have been lost; critical translations however are available, as well as good reference books. The Canon of Scripture having been closed, there is no need for additional inspired
Scriptures with their Apostolic interpreters; and while the possibility of error is proportionate to the
seriousness of the theme under consideration, still God has shut us up to His Word alone, despite all claims to the contrary.
In the following study on BAPTISM much related data will be given. Evaluate the information and
draw your own conclusions, even should they differ from those of the author.
In this study there is no desire to review the great baptismal controversies that once raged and
caused endless denominational fractures and splits. In these oft divisive and pitiless debates, the
emphasis was almost without exception upon WATER BAPTISM. In Scripture the mode and manner of water baptism is left to inference; in these debates the mode became the test of orthodoxy and
inexorably was raised to excommunicative levels. The heart-breaking deadlines of the issue was further aggravated by those deducing WATER BAPTISMAL REGENERATION from certain texts; i.e.,
that water baptism was instrumental to and a necessary part of regeneration, that this regeneration was possible only when the rite was authentically performed by certain recognized persons
authorized by certain denominational church-bodies. Once the issue of regeneration and water-baptism was bonded, the rite itself became sacrosanct. Instead of merely a local church
membership requirement, it was henceforth the doorway to heaven and to God. Instead of merely
a symbol of something, it became life itself. Once water baptism became an essential part of
regeneration or salvation, then the role and credentials of the one ministering that rite came into sharp focus, for here then, at the hands of a mere man would be resolved the issues of life and
death; he would be the one opening the very door into the presence of God. Some see in this
watery ritual priestly functions of a vicarious and efficacious nature to be performed for persons in
generations long dead. While most of the controversy has revolved around water baptism (nearly
all texts mentioning BAPTISM are made subservient to a watery ritual), still the truth that there are many and varied baptisms in Scripture has received little attention.
THE QUESTION
IS THERE A SCRIPTURAL BAPTISM OPERATIVE NOW, CONCURRENT WITH THE DISPENSATION OF GRACE FOR ALL PEOPLE, AND CONSISTENT WITH THE DECLARATION OF SALVATION BY GRACE
THROUGH FAITH, NOT OF US, NOT OF WORKS?
If there is such a baptism, then it must needs be aside from whatever one person can perform upon
himself or upon another, and it must needs be as universal as is the grace of God, always and ever
the same. It must needs be an "operation" of God, without ritual, form, or ceremony - for man
inevitably quarrels about these. It would have to be available whether the person were in a space
ship, on the desert, in the frozen arctic, under the earth, or nailed to a cross. If the total validity of
the Baptism is to be forever beyond dispute or question, the baptism must be completely efficacious
, and therefore perfect in what it accomplishes, the Baptizer must be no less than God Himself, and the Baptismal element, Christ Jesus.
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A Simple Outline
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1
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The Baptizer
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Or
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Who is the Baptizer?
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2
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The Baptized
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Or
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Who are the Baptized?
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3
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The Baptism
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Or
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What is the Element?
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4
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The Result
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Or
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What is the Result?
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Scripture Research - The Baptism Edition 
