John 3: 22-36
John the Baptist's Testimony About Jesus
22After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. 24(This was before John was put in prison.) 25An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew[i] over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."
27To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ[j] but am sent ahead of him.' 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30He must become greater; I must become less.
31"The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God[k] gives the Spirit without limit. 35The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."[l]
John 4: 1-3
1The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, 2although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.
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A few questions for my PAJC friends:
1. If baptism is necessary because we must re-enact in obedience the burial of Christ and it also remits/ washes away sin ...
Why did Jesus and/or his disciples baptize prior to HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION? And how could the blood be applied in these baptisms if no blood had been shed yet? Was this a pre-baptism?
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2. Notice that verse 25 of chapter 3 notes that to the Jewish believer baptism has always been traditionally viewed as a
ceremonial washing ...
Why do you view it as act that mitigates grace by resulting in salvation?
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3. When John the Baptist, who was filled w/ the Holy Ghost, had the opportunity to clearly answer his disciples questions about the nature of Jesus' baptism ... yet he doesn't go into the standard Water & Spirit Jesus name 3 step process of salvation doctrine ... or assert that the Jesus' baptism would cause salvation ...
but rather reiterates the same point Jesus made to Nicodemus in verse 18 of chapter 3
Jesus said:
18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
John said:
36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."[l]
Why didn't he give his disciples an intro to the 3 step process? But rather states that belief in the Son results in eternal life?
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4.
It seems counterproductive, under the PAJC view of salvation, for Jesus and/or his believers to baptize believers years prior to the outpouring of the baptism of the Holy Ghost in Acts 2 ... no? Wouldn't these "pre-baptized" saints' souls be in jeopardy during the interim having not been "filled" because they hadn't spoken in tongues yet? ? If they died w/o speaking in tongues would they fall under the old or new covenant?
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5.
This one is for Elder Epley --
In the past you have asserted the keys Jesus gave to Simon Peter were the keys of
Acts 2:38 salvation ...
Do you think Peter officiated over any of these baptisms in John 3 and 4? Did he get the keys prior to Matthew 16 ...? If he participated in officiating in any of these baptisms did he let the "cat out of the bag" so to speak? Did he share the keys w/ the other disciples in John 3 and 4?
I need an 'on fire' PAJCer to explain these baptisms to me. Please.
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