When it comes to baptism, our hope is that many will hear and obey the instructions given to the apostles by our Savior when he said:
Matthew 28:18-20
“… All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Ruach Ha’Qodesh (Holy Spirit): Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amein.”
Unfortunately, due to poisonous doctrines of men creeping in over the centuries, there seems to be a general malaise – a slackness if you will, in regard to our Messiahs commands. Due to centuries of apostate teachings, most seminary-trained teachers perpetuate a lie and likewise the most believers, that obeying the messiah’s commands are not necessary; baptism included. Brothers and sisters, I’m here to sound the alarm and give the call with urgency, that it is time to be baptized now, and in the proper way, according to our messiahs command and the teaching of his 12 Apostles – instructions that you may have never heard before.
John 3:5
“Yahusha answered, I tell you the TRUTH, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of Elohim.”
I want to briefly go over a story and lesson we can learn from the book of 2nd Kings. This is the record of Naaman, a commander in the Assyrian army who had become a leper. After finding no way to cure this terrible outbreak, he had heard from his female servant (a Hebrew) telling him that there was a prophet in Israel who could heal him. In desperation, he travels to Israel and gains permission to seek his audience. Upon arrival, the prophet Elisha told Naaman to go bath in the river Jordan 7 times. When hearing this, Naaman was furious, as he exclaimed that he was hoping the prophet would do this great thing or wave his arms in the air and be miraculously healed. He was upset that it was the Jordan river; inferior to some of the others in his homeland. According to the scriptures, here’s what happened next, when Naaman’s servants spoke some wise words to him:
2 Kings 5:13-14
“And his servants came near, and spoke unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid you do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? how much rather then, when he says to you, Wash, and be clean?Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of Elohim: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean”
Brothers and sisters, what an excellent example for us; our messiah commanded us to get baptized.. such a small request to get into some water– will we listen and obey and be reborn?
Before we get to the passages that include the instructions you’ve never heard, let us review some recognizable scriptures:
Acts 2:37-38
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahusha Ha’Mashiach for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Ruach Ha’Qodesh.
Acts 22:16
And now why do you wait? Get up, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of Yahuah.
1 Peter 3:20-21
“Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of Elohim waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward Elohim,) by the resurrection of Yahusha Ha’Mashiach”
These are but a few examples of many more available, but let’s get to the portions you may have not seen before. We will be reading passages from The Recognitions of Clement and The Clementine Homilies. Clement was Peter’s traveling companion and scribe who recorded their travels, speeches and details pertaining to the establishing of the early ecclesia’s (churches). At each stop, the message of the good news was clear: Believe in Yahuah, the Elohim of Israel who sent his son Yahusha, the prophet of Truth (spoken about by Moses), repent and be baptized and continue the walk by learning of and keeping the Torah. For some of you, this Torah talk may be shocking, but know this, we have all grown up with lies and false teachings.
Jeremiah 16:19
“Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.”
If you have more questions about our duty to walk in faith and obedience, please see this video titled, John 3:16 – What you Need to Know
(Commentary regarding The Clementine literature)
“The authorship, the date, and the doctrinal character of these books have been subjects of keen discussion in modern times. Especial prominence has been given to them by the Tübingen school. Hilgenfeld says: “There is scarcely a single writing which is of so great importance for the history of Christianity in its first stage, and which has already given such brilliant disclosures at the hands of the most renowned critics in regard to the earliest history of the Christian Church, as the writings ascribed to the Roman Clement, the Recognitions and Homilies.”(2) The importance thus attached to these strange and curious documents by one school of theologians, has compelled men of all shades of belief to investigate the subject; but after all their investigations, a great variety of opinion still prevails on almost every point connected with these books. (Biblestudytools.com)
We leave our readers to judge for themselves in regard to the doctrinal statements, and confine ourselves to a notice of some of the opinions in regard to the authorship and date of the Recognitions.” (Biblestudytools.com)
While this book was quoted by Origen and Eusebius, (3rd century theologians) opinions regarding the authenticity of The Clementine literature is debated, but there should be no surprise in this, as we hear similar commentary respecting books that used to be part of the cannon, but were removed in the 1800’s, called the Apocrypha. Nevertheless, at this time, I still do not read these with the same authority as the aforementioned books, nor the standard canonical books, however, when I was led to read these, I came across some scriptures that I could not just sit on, and am here to share with you today.
Chapter XXXV. —False Apostles.
“…let neither prophet nor apostle be looked for by you at this time, besides us. For there is one true Prophet, whose words we twelve apostles preach; for He is the accepted year of Elohim, having us apostles as His twelve months. But for what reason the world itself was made, or what diversities have occurred in it, and why our Adonai, coming for its restoration, has chosen and sent us twelve apostles, shall be explained more at length at another time. Meantime He has commanded us to go forth to preach, and to invite you to the supper of the heavenly King, which the Father hath prepared for the marriage of His Son, and that we should give you wedding garments, that is, the grace of baptism; which whosoever obtains, as a spotless robe with which he is to enter to the supper of the King, ought to beware that it be not in any part of it stained with sin, and so he be rejected as unworthy and reprobate.
Here Peter equates baptism with the receiving of the wedding garments, let us go back and review that parable:
Matt 22:9-14
Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
And he saith unto him, Friend, how did you come in here not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
For many are called, but few are chosen.
Truly, not one of us would want to be that servant without that wedding garment. Why would any of us want to take a chance of not being included because of failing the simple command to be baptized.
Next is a scene where the apostles were conducting a public debate with the High Priests, Pharisees and other Jews in leadership, shortly after the death of Messiah Yahusha
Chapter LV.—Public Discussion.
“However, as we were proceeding to say, when the high priest had often sent priests to ask us that we might discourse with one another concerning Yahusha; when it seemed a fit opportunity, and it pleased all the assembly, we went up to the temple, and, standing on the steps together with our faithful brethren, the people kept perfect silence; and first the high priest began to exhort the people that they should hear patiently and quietly, and at the same time witness and judge of those things that were to be spoken. Then, in the next place, exalting with many praises the rite or sacrifice which had been bestowed by Elohim upon the human race for the remission of sins, he found fault with the baptism of our Yahusha, as having been recently brought in in opposition to the sacrifices. But Matthew, meeting his propositions, showed clearly, that whosoever shall not obtain the baptism of Yahusha shall not only be deprived of the kingdom of heaven, but shall not be without peril at the resurrection of the dead, even though he be fortified by the prerogative of a good life and an upright disposition. Having made these and such like statements, Matthew stopped.”
Back to Peter and his travels. Here is a clip of his public preaching in Tripoli, a region of Phoenicia. Notice once again the emphasis on baptism:
Chapter VIII. —Necessity of Baptism.
“But now I lead you to understanding by the same paths. For you see that all things are produced from waters. But water was made at first by the Only begotten; and the Almighty Elohim is the head of the Only begotten, by whom we come to the Father in such order as we have stated above. But when you have come to the Father you will learn that this is His will, that you be born anew by means of waters, which were first created. For he who is regenerated by water, having filled up the measure of good works, is made heir of Him by whom he has been regenerated in incorruption. Wherefore, with prepared minds, approach as sons to a father, that your sins may be washed away, and it may be proved before Elohim that ignorance was their sole cause. For if, after the learning of these things, you remain in unbelief, the cause of your destruction will be imputed to yourselves, and not to ignorance. And do you suppose that you can have hope towards Elohim, even if you cultivate all piety and all righteousness, but do not receive baptism. Yea rather, he will be worthy or greater punishment, who does good works not well; for merit accrues to men from good works, but only if they be done as Elohim commands. Now Elohim has ordered everyone who worships Him to be sealed by baptism; but if you refuse, and obey your own will rather than Elohim’s, you are doubtless contrary and hostile to His will.
The Truth isn’t always soft served, sometimes it is very blunt, so these are some things I would take to the father in prayer. Continuing within the same discourse from Peter:
Chapter IX. —Use of Baptism.
“But you will perhaps say, what does the baptism of water contribute towards the worship of Elohim? In the first place, because that which hath pleased Elohim is fulfilled. In the second place, because, when you are regenerated and born again of water and of Elohim, the frailty of your former birth, which you have through men, is cut off, and so at length you shall be able to attain salvation; but otherwise it is impossible. For thus hath the true prophet testified to us with an oath: ‘Verily I say to you, That unless a man is born again of water, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Therefore make haste; for there is in these waters a certain power of mercy which was borne upon them at the beginning, and acknowledges those who are baptized under the name of the Master Yahusha, and rescues them from future punishments, presenting as a gift to Elohim the souls that are consecrated by baptism. Take yourselves therefore to these waters, for they alone can quench the violence of the future fire; and he who delays to approach to them, it is evident that the idol of unbelief remains in him, and by it he is prevented from hastening to the waters which confer salvation. For whether you be righteous or unrighteous, baptism is necessary for you in every respect: for the righteous, that perfection may be accomplished in him, and he may be born again to Elohim; for the unrighteous, that pardon may be vouchsafed him of the sins which he has committed in ignorance. Therefore, all should hasten to be born again to Elohim without delay, because the end of every one’s life is uncertain.
A few last things, both in this book and another early assembly writing called the Didache; it is written that the baptizer and baptized should* both fast 1-2 days and that living water is preferred, but if you can’t access living water, baptize into other water, just as cold water is recommended over warm water. As an absolute last resort, it does also mention that you can baptize yourself if all else fails, but I would strongly recommend someone walking in the will of Elohim do so, rather than this. Regardless, if you have not been baptized, I hope this video has encouraged you to do so, regardless of what any man may preach otherwise.
May:
Yahuah bless you and keep you
Yahuah make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you
Yahuah lift up his countenance upon you and give you Shalom
(1 John 2:6)
“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”
*These recommendations are not found inside the cannon, so take them as a suggestion. I personally do not see any problem arising from fasting a day or two before hand. Take this to prayer as everything else.
