How many people know the difference between John’s baptism and church baptism? How many can distinguish between church baptism and Christian baptism? How many can define justification? How many know the difference between justification and conversion, or between conversion and salvation? How many can define conversion and salvation from a Biblical perspective? Judging from the sermons I grew up hearing and that continue to be preached, the answer to the above-asked questions is “few,” which Jesus warned would be the case in Matthew 7:13,14. This series is designed to reveal God’s answers to those questions. His answers will highlight the difference between His Truth and Satan’s version of His Truth, between light and darkness, between life and death.

The Holy Bible is comprised of approximately 30% prophecy, 10% promises and 50% warning about not qualifying to receive the promises.  A few church members are vaguely aware of the prophesies–the positive ones.  Everyone is well versed concerning one of the blessings–salvation. But very few are aware of what it takes to qualify for receiving God’s promised blessings.  He tells us in plain terms what those blessings are as well as how to fail to receive them in Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26. The problem lies in the church’s rejection of the Old Testament. I have been verbally chastised for referring to it even though the New Testament Church is founded on the teachings of the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles (Eph. 2:20). With that Truth in mind, let us turn to the Book of Acts to see what the Lord has to say about the subject of this posting.

At the end of the 18th chapter of the Book of Acts we learn about a man named Apollos who has been preaching throughout the Christian community for some time, delivering his messages with fervency, zeal and passion. In verse 25 we learn that, though he had been instructed in the things of the Lord, “he knew only the baptism of John.” When a Christian couple named Aquilla and Priscilla heard him speak they realized that he truly wanted to serve the Lord. Therefore they took him aside and “explained the way of God more accurately” (vs. 26).

How could this situation take place? How could a man preach in Christian churches and be filled with zeal for the Lord, but not know “the way of God?” Was Apollos alone in his spiritual condition? Are there people today who are zealous for God and passionate about serving Him, but are totally lacking in the fundamentals of Biblical Christendom? Yes. There are millions, perhaps billions of people who are zealous about God, but who have no Biblical concept of  the Christian “walk”–the lifestyle of a true saint. How can this be? The answer: IGNORANCE OF AND UNBELIEF IN THE BIBLE. The vast majority of professing Christians know more about the t.v. schedule and the internet offerings than about the Holy Bible. They can tell you where the 7th game of the world series was played, but not where the Battle of Armageddon was fought. Hint: the answer is not Armageddon. The church is very much like the woman at the well who claimed to worship the Israelite’s God. To her Jesus said: “You know not what you worship.” Jesus was talking about those in the Institutional Church when He said: “In vain do they worship Me.” Church people indeed worship Him, but their worship is in vain (useless) because they “… teach for (instead of) My doctrines the commandments of men” (Mat. 15:9).  See the Introduction to this website for a list of such commandments. Now back to John’s baptism and its relation to Christian baptism.

In Acts 19:1-5 we find the Apostle Paul in Ephesus where he has located a dozen men who believe in Jesus Christ. It is important to note that they are identified as Christ’s “disciples.” Paul, wanting to be sure of their spiritual status, asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit since they came to believe in Jesus. They replied that they had never heard of the Holy Spirit. He asked them unto what had they been baptized? They replied “Unto John’s baptism.” Note that they believed in Jesus Christ, who He was and what He had done. Today they would be accepted as-is by the church. But Paul, knowing the true from the false, told them: “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they must believe on Him Who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” and received the Holy Spirit.

The question then arises, what is John’s baptism? Are people receiving John’s baptism today? If so, what effect does it have on their lives? Are there church people today, like Apollos and the men Paul spoke to, who believe that they have done all they need to do in order to be right with God? ARE CHURCH PEOPLE WORSHIPPING JESUS CHRIST IN VAIN?  Yes.  Sadly, Satan has deceived church people into believing that they are saved, born again and ready for the rapture. None of which is true, if we can take God at His Word. Can we? Do we? Do those in Catholicism/Protestantism serve Him by knowing, believing and strictly obeying His Word? Or do they serve the devil by obeying his version of God’s Word as did Adam and Eve? Each of us must answer that question for ourselves.  L.J.