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Baptized Into What, or Rather Whom? (Endnotes)

1. It is sd fromsay that the early Christians who did understand about the true baptism were not enough to change the Christian world. The love of ritual, the desire to have some kind of ceremony defining who was and who was not “Christian,” and the dominance of the Roman Catholic Church for more than a thousand years virtually obliterated the truth that the “shadow,” water baptism, had been replaced by the reality of immersion into holy spirit. The Reformation produced change in the ritual of water baptism but, for the most part, Protestant churches have not yet regained the great truth and understanding about it. Close

2. The use of “accompanied” instead of “followed” in the NIV is unwarranted. The Greek word means “followed.” It is translated as “followed” or “follow” 73 times in the NIV, and acompanied” only twice (once here, and once when the disciples “followed” Christ.) It is unfortunate that the NIV reads “accompanied,” because Christ did not “accompany” the Israelites. He followed them in time, i.e., he came later in history. Close

3. For more about the salvation each Christian has, see our book, The Christian’s Hope: The Anchor of the Soul; and our audiotape, Justification by Faith (Sep/Oct 95); Saved, Sealed, and Secure in Christ (Nov/Dec 95). Close

4. See our booklet, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: 23 Arguments for the Historical Validity of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Close

5. See our book, The Christian’s Hope, The Anchor of the Soul. Close

6. See our book, One God & One Lord: Reconsidering the Cornerstone of the Christian Faith. Close

7. For an in-depth look at a Christian’s multi-faceted salvation, we refer you to our audiotape, Why the New Birth is the Miracle of All Miracles (May / Jun 98). Close