“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” (1 Cor. 1:17 KJV)
These words of from Apostle Paul, are for the gentiles living in our current dispensation time period called the Dispensation of grace. Yet, we have many sincere Bible teachers telling people that water baptism is still a REQUIREMENT for Salvation. This is blown away by Paul in one verse written above. If water baptism were required for us living in today’s age of grace, why would Paul write this? In fact, Paul is the ONLY Apostle that can even state this. All the other Apostles in the Gospels, and shortly after the event of Jesus’ crucifixion, all used water Baptism. Jesus also had his disciples water baptize during His ministry to the Jewish people. If so, how can Paul state such a thing?
This is important to understand. And this seeming contradiction, like so many others on the topic of Salvation by pulpits and Bible teachers, disappears when we understand that the Word of God, the Holy Bible, is divided into different dispensations.
There Is Only One Gospel; Belief On The Messiah, The Foretold Christ
Let me be crystal clear about this. There are some teaching Bible dispensations as if the way to heaven is different before and after the cross. That before the cross works were a requirement of salvation and after the cross works were not a requirement. That is not what I am talking about when I mention Dispensations. There is only ONE GOSPEL in both the Old and New Testament. There are differences though in how the Holy Spirit relates to us in these different dispensations.
OLD TESTAMENT BELIEVERS
Old Testament believers looked forward to a coming promised Messiah who would be a final payment for sins. But because Christ had not come, those living under the Law of Moses had to make an animal sacrifice of an ‘unblemished’ animal as a temporary covering of their sins until Messiah came (Hebrews 9 and 10). The Holy Spirit was UPON BELIEVERS of the foretold Messiah, but were not indwelled and sealed as Church Age believers are today. They looked forward to the day when The Messiah would come and eradicate sin forever. This belief did not mean they were immediately indwelt by the Holy Spirit, though the Holy Spirit was UPON THEM.
King David himself prayed that God would not take the Holy Spirit from him following his sin with Bathsheba as we read in Psalm 51:11. This is showing that even they did not believe so. To them, they never even knew about the Holy Spirit indwelling a person and becoming one with God as Jesus prayed in John 17.
Old Testament believers were never promised that the Holy Spirit would be sealed within them as a guarantee of their eternal destiny in Heaven. They needed to keep believing that the Messiah would come and be the final sacrifice for all sin. That by doing animal sacrifices they are covered until the Messiah will come and accomplish it.
CHURCH AGE BELIEVERS (The Bride Of Christ)
In the dispensation of grace we now live within (The Church Age between the cross and Pre-Tribulation Rapture), the Holy Spirit indwells and seals a person from the moment of belief on Christ (Eph. 1:13-14) and His blood atonement for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) and His rising from death (1 Cor. 15:1-4, Colossians 2). This belief seals a person and is our ‘earnest’ which means it guarantees our eternal destiny in Heaven. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is unique to The Bride of Christ (Church Age believers in Christ).
TRIBULATION PERIOD BELIEVERS
Israel, the Jewish people, as a group, have still not accepted Jesus as Messiah. They are still looking for the Messiah to come and unfortunately when Antichrist comes to power, many will believe he is the Messiah come. Yes, some Jewish people have come to salvation in Christ just as in the early church and to this day. Jew or gentile, a believer in Christ is saved and indwelt by the Holy Spirit in the Church Age (Galatians 3:28). But Israel as a nation/group have not been indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
Once Church Age believers are Pre-Tribulation Raptured, all left on Earth are unbelievers. I cannot find Scripture that makes an eternal security promise by an indwelling Holy Spirit for Tribulation believers. Scripture indicates that those who come to believe that Jesus, and not the Antichrist, is Messiah and who reject worshiping the Antichrist with the Mark of the beast must ‘endure until the end’. Endure how? Endure Antichrist persecution while not taking the mark, without which no one will be able to buy nor sell. This enduring is enduring in belief because they do not have the sealed indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will work as in Old Testament times, ‘UPON THEM’ , not sealed within them. The indwelling Holy Spirit will have already left when the Church Age believers were Raptured before the Tribulation Period starts.
APOSTLE PAUL TAUGHT DISPENSATIONS IN THE BIBLE
Timothy was a very close person in Paul’s ministry. So close he refers to him as a son, though he was not a real son. Timothy was running the church in Ephesus and it seems that there were problems in that church because of false teachers creeping in. They seem to be the Judiazers just as we see in Galatians. These false teachers were mixing the grace of God with Law keeping as an added requirement for salvation. It is a false teaching that Paul fought hard against in Galatians. We see Paul write this,
“Thou therefore, my son, be strong in THE GRACE that is in Christ Jesus…Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David WAS RAISED from the dead according to MY GOSPEL…Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2 KJV)
Paul wrote about being strong in the -GRACE- that is in Christ Jesus. That Jesus -WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD-! The Judiazers were teaching more than this grace was required to be saved and that following the Law was also required; a very wrong teaching, as it is wrong today as well. A very dangerous teaching. False salvation teaching!
Paul also writes something that so many believers today have not grasped. Paul wrote “MY GOSPEL”. We know that after the Jews rejected Christ, that they refused again and a while after Jesus rose again we see that the Jews stoned Stephen. Saul of Tarsus was there, the chief persecutor of Christians at that time. Christians greatly feared this man. The Apostles continued to preached to the Jewish people in the early church under great persecution but after the stoning of Stephen, we see God put Israel aside and sent Apostle Paul to the Gentiles (non Jews). Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus had an encounter with the risen Jesus and He believed and became a Christian himself! It is very much like God to send the biggest persecutor of Christians (Saul of Tarsus) to save the gentiles! Why? God is showing us the new -Gospel of GRACE- Through Christ Crucified and rose again. It is the same Gospel of belief on the Messiah but there is something different about it because Christ has already come and died on the cross. Jesus already paid for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). On the road to Damascus, Paul meets the risen Christ and believes the truth and from this conversion is sent to save the Gentiles. And that includes you and me today!
A New Dispensation began that the Jewish people failed to recognize was going to start. They knew about Daniel’s prophecy of 70 weeks. They mostly knew that they were living at the end of the 69th week as well which is why the Jews were looking for their Messiah. Many felt like it was not the right time because nothing seemed to be happening except being ruled under the harsh Roman Empire. They were living under bondage of the Roman Empire and were looking for the Messiah to come and start Daniel’s 70th week, after which the Kingdom Age would start. This is the Kingdom the Jews sought after. It is the only Kingdom they knew about. But they failed to understand that Daniel’s prophecy stated that the Messiah would be cut off. This happened when the Jews, rejected Jesus as Messiah and crucified Him. This event did not take God by surprise! He foretold to them that it would happen through Daniels prophecy right?
When Paul started this new Gospel message, to the Jews, we see Paul calling it MY GOSPEL. Eventually he met with Apostle Peter and they agreed that Paul was sent by God. The Apostles agreed that they would continue to preach to Israel, the Jewish peoples, and Paul would preach to the Jews, but mostly to the gentiles. So what was different in the message? Why does Paul call it MY GOSPEL?
Those living under the Law before the event of the cross, never heard about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They never heard such a thing and did not understand that. They never heard about human beings becoming one with God through and in Christ (John 17, Colossians 2). What they knew is that animal sacrifices were needed to cover the sins of the people UNTIL Messiah came to be the final sacrifice for sin. These animal sacrifices never paid for their sins, and it was only a temporary covering for their sin as they looked forward to the coming of the Messiah. They were to follow the Law of Moses, the Ten commandments and the Levitical laws which equate to 613 Laws. And animals without blemish had to be sacrificed.
“But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins EVERY YEAR. For it is NOT POSSIBLE that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but A BODY THOU HAST PREPARED ME: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.” (Hebrews 10:3-6 KJV)
That is why when Jesus died on the cross and paid for the sin of the whole world the Bible says He SAT DOWN. It was FINISHED! He became the final, once for all, blood sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.
“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which CAN NEVER take away sins: But this man, after he had offered ONE SACRIFICE FOR SINS FOR EVER, SAT DOWN on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For BY ONE OFFERING HE HATH PERFECTED FRO EVER them that ARE sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:10-14 KJV)
And what do we see today in the large major of, so called, Christian religious organizations and denominations? Still preaching condemnation to BELIEVERS! Still preaching they must have more good works than bad works to be saved. That a person can lose salvation because of their works and deeds. It is all the same FALSE TEACHINGS of the Judiazers my brothers and sisters in Christ. Do not be fooled! Christ paid it all! Apostle Paul,
“For BY GRACE are ye saved THROUGH FAITH; and that NOT OF YOURSELVES: it is the GIFT OF GOD: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast. For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED In CHRIST JESUS UNTO good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV)
Whenever Paul mentions Jesus as ‘Christ Jesus’ it is speaking about the crucified Christ, and how He paid for the sins of the world on the cross. Paul also shows here that those teaching that works are required to become saved or remain saved are actually BOASTING in THEMSELVES and not the finished work of Christ! God forbid it brothers and sisters in Christ! Do not fall for this lie of ‘works for salvation’. It will only bring people to hell in the end; lost forever. Jesus
warned sternly about this in Matthew 7:22-23 and Paul in Galatians.
NO ONE was able to keep every Law and the animal sacrifices covered their sins before Jesus came. Only Jesus did that as God in a human body.They looked forward to the Bible prophecies that one day there would be a FINAL Messiah who would save all the people. Jesus is that Messiah. When He finally came, He preached that to be saved, they needed to believe He is the foretold Messiah. We see this in John 3:56 and 14-18. At the time, Christ had not yet gone to the cross and was living under The Law. Jesus fulfilled ALL THE LAW and that required water baptism. This is why John the Baptist used water baptism UNTO salvation. Not FOR salvation. John the Baptist said,
“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:”(Matthew 3:11 KJV)
Today we are baptized by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells a believer from the very moment of belief on Christ as the Messiah and Christ who paid for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) with His once for all final blood atonement on the cross (Hebrews 10:10).
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also AFTER THAT YE BELIEVED, YE WERE SEALED with that HOLY SPIRIT Of PROMISE, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14 KJV)
The ‘purchased possession’ is our bodily resurrection when Christ will come and Rapture all believers from our current dispensation of grace. And so, this verse means for ever. A believer is forever SEALED IN CHRIST from the very moment we believe on Christ and His finished work on the cross, rising again. In Colossians 2, we see what really happened on the cross that the Jews did not see nor understand.
“And YE ARE COMPLETE –IN HIM–, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried WITH HIM in baptism, wherein also YE ARE RISEN WITH HIM through the faith of the operation OF GOD, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, HATH HE quickened together WITH HIM, having forgiven you ALL trespasses; BLOTTING OUT the handwriting of ordinances that WAS against us, which WAS contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to HIS CROSS;” (Colossians 2 KJV)
This is the difference. When Paul writes, MY GOSPEL, it is the Gospel Jesus sent Paul to preach to those living in this new dispensation of grace that we now live within. The perspective has changed because the Messiah came already. Jesus was the final blood sacrifice and “…there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins…” (Hebrews 10:26) except to believe. That is the wilful sin the writer of Hebrews was talking about; the sin of unbelief and adding the Law to what Christ already accomplished and completed on the cross. Jesus paid for ALL the sins of the whole world.
The Jews never had the indwelling Holy Spirit before Jesus came. Once Jesus came, something changed! The indwelling Holy Spirit is only for the dispensation of grace that we live within today. Jesus is gathering from this dispensation a special group of people who He calls His Bride. We see Jesus telling Nicodemus that the requirement for the Jews to be saved now is “Whosoever believeth in Him” as the foretold Messiah.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18 KJV)
Notice that nothing else is mentioned. No Law of Moses following because the Law cannot save a person except for SHOWING THEM they have sin. No water baptism is required. Jesus was preparing the Jews for the soon coming Gospel of Grace Through Christ Crucified And Risen.
When the Messiah (Jesus) was ‘cut off’ God paused Daniel’s prophecy 70 weeks, right at the end of the 69th week. And then God turned to save the Gentiles and the new dispensation began which is the dispensation of grace as Paul wrote. In the dispensation of grace in which we live, a person is indwelt by the Holy Spirit from the moment of belief on Christ, sealed in salvation from the very moment of belief on Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14). Our salvation is not by our good works nor by Law following. Salvation is a GIFT to be accepted or rejected and as a gift it is never EARNED! That is the GOOD NEWS, the Gospel truth. Those who come to believe on Christ in this dispensation have become the Bride of Christ, in union with Christ forever.
Christ is one with the Father and the Father is one with Christ and the Holy Spirit (John 17). Believers today are IN CHRIST and so we are also one with the Father and Holy Spirit. Oh, if the Christian community today would embrace this great truth! What would we do for Christ IN US, the hope of glory!
