Many years ago I had the privilege of officiating a baptismal service that took place in the Jordan River. Being in Middle East where sheep were raised for their wool, I had been introduced to the art of wool dying before this event so the message practically spoke itself. The Word “baptize” is taken from that antient practice which, in the 1970’s, was still being used. In the dying process, the wool is totally emersed in the die for an extended period of time so as to thoroughly penetrate the fibers which colors them permanently. The dyed wool resembles its original appearance ONLY IN ITS PHYSICAL SHAPE.

In the same way, the word “baptize” relative to the believer’s new life means that the baptized one resembles his former self only in his physical form. Relative to the desired effect of the act, “baptism” is the perfect word. Spiritually, the “old (spiritually dirty) man” has died (in the water) and the “new (spiritually cleansed) man” now lives (2 Cor. 5:17). The Lord designed the effect to be both perfect and permanent.

Just as the baptized wool is expected to be totally different and to remain that way throughout its existence, the Spirit-born (not born again), justified and converted disciple is expected to remain totally different from his former self. Having been made righteous through justification (having all past sins removed), he must grow in faith and righteousness until he “equates to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” Eph. 4:13). He must remain in that spiritual state until death in order to receive the promised gift of eternal life upon the arrival of Jesus Christ. As the Apostle John said, IF, not when, someone happens to sin, Jesus will intervene for him (1 Jn. 2:1). The goal, John says about God’s work in the believer, is that he “sin not.”

Not only does the disciple remain spiritually changed from sinner to godly following baptism, his new spiritual status requires that he fulfill the role of “his brother’s keeper.” God’s baptized disciple becomes an “apostle” to his family, friends, business associates and former churchmate’s in that he serves as God’s example of Himself just as Jesus served as the example of the Father during His earthly tenure. In this sense, ALL TRUE CHILDREN OF GOD ARE APOSTLES. Though they are not anointed ministers of God’s Word, they shine as lights to those around them by walking as Jesus walked (1 Jn. 2:6) and overcoming temptation as did He (Rev. 3:21). As Jesus said of Himself: “People who have seen Me have seen the Father,” we are commanded to live (“walk”) in such a way that when people see us they see the Father. Such are the true children of God.

This is brought out by the Apostle Paul in Romans 1:4-6 where he refers to the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. HE HAD LIVED, THEN DIED, THEN ROSE FROM THE DEAD. NOW, CONSISTING TOTALLY OF SPIRIT (HAVING BEEN BORN AGAIN), HE NOW LIVES IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM. As He told Nicodemus, “Flesh and blood cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” Therefore he (Nicodemus) would have to be born again (changed from physical to spiritual bodily composition) in order to enter God’s presence. Jesus, being human, also had to be born again in order to enter God’s presence.

Thought not born again, the believer, having been justified, baptized and converted, can spiritually “walk in heavenly places” while on this earth (Eph. 1:3,20; 2:6). Here Paul notes that the heavenly Father has provided those who are (spiritually) “in Christ” and receiving (spiritual) blessings in heavenly places where they (spiritually) sit with Christ at God’s right hand. God’s Very Elect, after being born again, will one day sit on His throne with Him in the Kingdom of God which will be on earth. Read The Three Resurrections, Born Again and The Kingdom of God. Key words Three, Born and Kingdom respectively.

As promised by the Lord, some of the saint’s spiritual blessings become physical/material blessings on earth. Read Deuteronomy 28 verses 1 through 14. Then read the rest of the chapter. Note that verses 1 and 15 determine whether the believer is blessed or cursed. Notice in verse 1 that ONE IS BLESSED FOR OBEYING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS. Notice in verse 15 that THAT ONE IS CURSED FOR DISOBEYING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS. Notice that THE BELIEVER DETERMINES WHETHER HE IS BLESSED OR CURSED. God does not change: “I am the Lord; I change not” (Mal. 3:6). “He is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). What He wrote then applies to this age.

God’s true saints, having “died” to the flesh and now living in the spirit, are “IN the world but not OF the world.” They serve as His non-ministerial apostles simply by being obedient to Him in their daily lives. The fact of the matter is, someone is watching us whether we know it or not. We usually are not aware of being watched. Notice in Romans 1:5,6 that the Lord’s apostles are to be examples for their disciples by their “obedience to the faith” (Word of God–read the previous series) among people in all nations. Notice in verse 6 that he adds, “YOU (PARISHIONERS) ALSO are called by Jesus Christ” to be apostles of the faith/Gospel of God by their example of obedience to God’s Law. Indeed, we are all to “shine as lights in the world.”

This is brought out in John 9:5 where Jesus told the disciples that, as long as He was in the world, He would be “the light of the world.” Then He told them that they were the “light of the world” (Mat. 5:14). Notice that both He and the 12 apostles were THE (SINGULAR) LIGHT of the world. The “light” that He and the apostles had was the Gospel–the Word/Truth of God. God’s true saints are His walking, talking, living GOSPEL/WORD/LAW/TRUTH/LIGHT IN HUMAN FORM–AS WAS JESUS CHRIST WHILE ON EARTH. God’s true saints serve as God’s apostles as they let their light (God’s Word) shine in the form of their “walk.”

It is only fair that I remind the reader that there is a price to pay for “walking the walk” of Christ–being His fellow light to the world. Recall that Jesus went about doing nothing but good, and was persecuted relentlessly. The Jews who arranged to have Him killed believed that because they were the descendants of Abraham that they were automatically right with God. Therefore, they did not need to obey the Law. By the time Jesus arrived on the scene the Jews had drifted far away from the Lord’s Word. Christ and His apostles’ teaching about obeying the Law was instrumental in their martyrdoms. Also, they told the people that they themselves were God’s people and that they (the Jews) were the children of Satan. That was also instrumental in their martyrdoms. Recall that Saul (later renamed Paul) was a leader among the Jewish religious hierarchy. He said that he paid no attention to the Law until he met Jesus on the Road to Damascus. “Then the Law came and I died.” He had been “riding high” as a spiritual leader (Pharisee) until “the Law came” (became known to him). That was when he realized that he was a walking dead man. Note that while he was the enemy of God for breaking His Law, he was very popular among his fellow Jews. However, when he began living and preaching God’s Law everything changed. Those who formerly liked him were now stoning, beating and berating him.

Concerning the church’s attitude toward God’s people, the only thing that has changed is the extent to which church people can legally punish God’s saints. This will change. Today God’s people are rejected and ostracized by the church community. That is the cross we are required to bear. A good example of this rejection took place a couple of months ago when I prayed for a man whom the doctors and his church’s prayers could not heal. I prayed for him and God healed him.. Recently His wife told me that he was sick again and that the problem would probably require the removal of an internal body part. BUT SHE DID NOT ASK ME TO PRAY FOR HIM. Why? Because she knew my prayer would get results, and that would force them to admit that my God is the true God and theirs is not.

My purpose in writing this is to warn anyone who embraces the Biblical God and rejects the church’s god they will be persecuted: “All who will live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). Whether official or unofficial apostles, one must be willing to be rejected by “the church” for using his light to expose her darkness. Remember, darkness hates light. The brighter our light shines, the more those in darkness hate the light and those who bear it. Read Persecution using that word as the key. L.J.