You are on page 1of 13

Baptism or Mikvah

Introduction
All of us are aware of the concept of baptism; we might not agree about the importance it holds
for the Believer. We're also conscious of the disagreements concerning baptism, infant baptism
or adult baptism, immersion or sprinkling? Where did "baptism" come from? Did John "invent" the
idea of baptism? Is baptism necessary for salvation? Is there one baptism or more than one?
What does it mean to be baptised "into" the name of Yshua and into His death? Those are just a
few of the many questions concerning this subject.

The Pagan Background of Christian Infant Baptism


(Sprinkling)
Infant baptism appeared in the Christian church history around the
Second Century, coming from the pagan influences of Baal
Worship, as we will show later, but it came about as a result of the
doctrine of baptismal regeneration - the teaching that baptism is
essential to salvation; or, if you want to turn it around, that water
baptism saves the soul (or at least is a part of a person's salvation).
Consequently, as the teaching of baptismal regeneration started
being propagated, it was natural for those holding to this doctrine to
believe that everyone, should be baptised as soon as possible.
Thus, the baptism of infants still in the innocent state (and as yet
unaccountable for their actions) came into vogue among many of
the churches.

1
Babylon Mystery Religion
Once has to go back to Genesis 10 and 11 where we read
of Noah's Great grandson, NIMROD, and his wife
SEMIRAMIS, who started the great pagan BABYLON
MYSTERY RELIGION at the Tower of Babel. This great
pagan religion was later known as 'BAAL WORSHIP' in
the Old Testament, simply another name for Nimrod. The
great book, TWO BABYLONS by Alexander Hislop gives
us a little background on this Babylon Mystery Religion of
'BAAL WORSHIP' started by Nimrod and Semiramus.

In this mysterious Babylonian Religious System, Nimrod


and Semiramus, along with their priests, were the only
ones who understood 'The great mysteries of God' and
since it was the only true religion... all others were false...
therefore, only the Babylonian Priests could forgive and
absolve sins...and administer salvation. Salvation could be achieved thru various Sacraments
performed during the person's lifetime. These SACRAMENTS were so-called 'Channels of grace'
whereby salvation could be accomplished.

These Sacraments, necessary to salvation began at birth with Infant Baptism, other sacraments
throughout life, ending with a final anointing with oil at death to prepare one for the hereafter. Now
Since the Babylonian Priest was the only one who could administer these 'sacraments', the
person was 'bound' to the Babylonian system helplessly for life!

The first essential sacrament Semiramus taught was Baptism by water. The fact that such
"Baptism" was practised 2000 years before it was even mentioned and practised in Christianity is
an established fact, and it can be traced right back to Babylon and Semiramis herself! The
ancient historian Bryant (vol.3 p2l,84) traces this pagan baptism back to the practice of
commemorating Noah and his 3 sons deliverance thru the waters of the flood, emerging from the
ark and entering a New life. To celebrate this event, the Priests of Nimrod would 'baptise' new-
born infants the fathers chose to keep, and they would become 'born-again' and become
members of the Babylonian Mystery Religion. (Hislop,Two Babylons, p134) The fact that the Devil
practised the ritual of Baptism over 2000 years before it was even used in Christianity has
actually amazed historians!

Where did Infant Baptism come from?


Armitage's History (p73) explains the pagan civil law and social customs of that
day. These pagans had no standard of morality as you and I have. Their
marriage rites were not on the basis ours are. One man might be the husband of
a hundred women, and he might be the father of several hundred children. The
mother had no right at all to determine whether the child she bore was to live or
not, that was left up to the FATHER.

Just as the farmer would go down to the pigpen and pick out the pigs he wanted
to keep and do away with the runts, so was the father the one who decided if the child was to be
kept and allowed to live. The mother could not even name the child if it was kept, the pagan priest
did that. If the child was decided to be held, the daddy would take it down to the pagan priest, and
the ceremony would be arranged. The Priest first must 'exorcise' evil spirits from the infant by
anointing the baby's head with OIL. With the oil, the priest puts the occult mark of Tammuz on the
child's head by marking a "T" with the oil. (later to become the 'Sign of the Cross)

2
The Priest then put SALT and SPITTLE on the baby's tongue to preserve it from the future
influence of evil spirits. "HOLY WATER" is now sprinkled or poured over the baby's head, and the
baby is said to be cleansed from any original sin and is now "born-again" and a member of the
Babylonian Religion. This process was known as INFANT CHRISTENING and was practised
hundreds of years before Christ, (Hislop,pl38) and is found NOWHERE in the Bible! There is not
a single example of a baby being 'baptised' or 'christened' in the Bible! Knowing what you do now,
WOULD YOU WANT YOUR BABY CHRISTENED?

This was called 'Baal Worship' in the Old Testament, and God called it an abomination! The
professed conversion of Emperor Constantine in A.D. 313 was looked upon by many as a great
triumph for Christianity. However, it more than likely was the greatest tragedy in church history
because it resulted in the union of church and state and the establishment of a hierarchy which
ultimately developed into the Roman Catholic system. There is a great question that Constantine
was ever truly converted.

Every Baby must be Baptised


When Emperor Constantine made 'Christianity' the official 'STATE RELIGION of
Rome, one of the FIRST LAWS passed was the law decreeing infant baptism as
the law of the land in 416 A.D. That simply meant that everybody within a certain
age limit had to conform to it.

When they passed that law in 416 that every baby in the Roman Empire had to
be baptised at the hands of an authorised Roman priest... OR ELSE! Those who
disagreed with teaching and rejected it were soon slanderously called
"ANABAPTISTS", and they were persecuted without mercy for not conforming.
Historian J.M.Carroll declares, " For 30 miles on the road leading out of Rome
were staked with gory heads of ANAPTISTS...."

Occasionally someone will say, "Don't you think infant baptism is beautiful to look at?" A.A.Davis
replies, "If you knew the history of that doctrine, where it came from and the bloodshed that it
brought into the world, you would never watch another such service in your lifetime." (THE
BAPTIST STORY, p67). He quotes historian J.M. Carroll from his TRAIL OF BLOOD "no other
doctrine that ever found its way into Christendom has caused so much BLOODSHED in this
world as the doctrine of INFANT BAPTISM."

Armitage's History (p7l-73) tells us that in the 6th century, Emperor Justin issued an edict
commanding ALL UNBAPTIZED PARENTS to present themselves and their children for baptism
at once. Leo III issued, another edict in-A.D. 723 demanding the forcible baptism of the Jews and
Montanists (anabaptists).

Toward the close of the 6th century the baptism of--.infants was turned to gain in the shape of
FEES ($$$) paid for its administration; but, the charges soon became so enormous that the poor
could not pay them.

And yet lest their children should DIE unsaved, the frightened parents strained every nerve to get
them baptised." (Armitage's history, p7l) He continues, "Suppose you owned a section of land
with an oil well on it; you had a baby born into your home and you went to the priest to get the
baby baptised. The priest would say I want the title to that section of land. When the thing was
over, the priest would get the title to the land and the BABY would get a few drops of water on its
head. He says this is how the Mother Church of Rome come to own Czechoslovakia, Mexico, etc.

3
Infant Baptism in the Christian Church
At around the 3rd Century, traces of the Babylon Mystery Religion, now
known as Baal Worship, infiltrates the Christian Church. Immediately, Bible
Believing Christians reject the idea of baptising babies and Baptismal
regeneration - the teaching that baptism is essential to salvation; or, if you
want to turn it around, that water baptism saves the soul (or at least is a part
of a person's salvation).

These Bible Believing Christians were labelled slanderously as


'ANABAPTISTS' because they rejected this idea of baptising babies as
pagan and not Scriptural. They would 'RE-BAPTIZE these infants when they
got older and trusted Yshua as Savior! Thus the term,
ANABAPTISTS...which meant "RE-BAPTIZERS"! It was later shortened to
'Baptists'. So you see, Baptists got their name at this time, and the issue that
started the name Baptists and separated them was this issue of 'Baby Baptism'!!!! These
'ANABAPTISTS' were persecuted greatly because of this issue!

The Hebrew Background of Baptism or the Mikvah


Like with so many aspects of Christianity, virtually
everything goes back to its Hebrew roots. The fact is
we serve a Hebrew God. The Scripture has much to
say about immersion or the doctrine of
washing/baptisms, but it is still one of the most
misunderstood teachings in Scripture. This doesnt
appear to have been a problem for the first-century
believers, however. We read in Hebrew 6:1-2:

Heb 6:1-2 Therefore leaving the elementary


teachings about Messiah, let us go on to
perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith
toward Elohim, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of the
resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Two things stand out in this passage. First, the fact that these are "elementary teachings", in
other words - something that was (or should be) understood by the newest believers. Secondly,
that the word "baptisms" is plural. All the festivals, customs, foods, sacrificial system, and laws of
ritual purity, including immersion, were given to the Hebrew (Jewish) people as teaching tools for
us to learn more about Messiah. We must always keep Messiah in the forefront of our studies
and realise that all things are to give us a better understanding of what Messiah has done for us,
and what He will do in the future.

The Scripture speaks of numerous things that make a person "tomeh" - ritually unclean, and a
number of processes of purification. The one act required in all purification processes was
immersion or mikvah. The word "mikvah" means "collection or gathering" and speaks of a place
where the waters of immersion are gathered. Over the years, the word mikvah has come to be
used to refer to the act of immersion itself. The earliest biblical usage of the specific word
"mikvah" is found in Genesis 1:10 where YHVH called for the collection of the waters during the
creation.

The mikvah/ritual bath was of great importance to the first century Israelites. While it was always
possible to have these immersions in a body of fresh or "living" water, (such as a lake or river) it

4
wasn't always practical, so it became common to construct special pools called "mikvah". It was
understood that if a community or village had only enough money for a synagogue or a mikvah,
the mikvah would be built first. In this time and culture, this was a critical part of life in the daily
routine of the Hebrew culture. Women had to undergo the immersion every month after the
completion of their menstrual cycle. Men, particularly the religiously observant ones, engaged in
the mikvah every dawn, in preparation for morning prayers in the Temple.

The water of immersion (mikvah) in Rabbinic literature was referred to as the womb of the world,
and as a convert came out of the water it was considered a new birth separating him from the
pagan world. His status was changed and he was referred to as "a little child just born" or "a child
of one day".

We see the Brit Kadasha (New Testament) using similar Jewish terms as "born anew," "new
creation," and "born from above." In a similar way, Rabbinic literature uses the term "born again"
to refer to at least 8 different occurrences, each of them a life changing experience:

When a Gentile converts to become an Israelite (Hebrew).


Immersion of repentance (Johns baptism), similar to the previous point.
At age 13 when a Hebrew boy chooses to embrace God's covenant and be numbered
with the believers.
When an individual gets married.
When an individual is crowned king
As a disciple of a Teacher/Rabbi, you are immersed in his name to show that you follow
him.
When an individual becomes a Rabbi (Teacher).
When an individual becomes the head of a rabbinical school.
As purification for women after their monthly cycle.
Purification for the Priesthood before serving in the Temple.

The water is not used to remove any physical uncleanness, but rather as a symbolic spiritual
cleansing and rebirth. The mikvah symbolises moving from one state to another - from ritual
impurity to ritual purity, from one phase of life to another.
To understand this more clearly we will look at the Hebrew meaning of the word mikvah
(immersion/baptism) as well as mayim (water).

Mikvah - hvqm Repent & Rebirth - Collection, collected mass,


things hoped for, outcome, linen yarn, hope, (faith).

Mikvah comes from the root mak qm meaning - decay,


rottenness, to decay, pine away. It is constructed by the letters Mem
m (water, Word) and Qof q (the back of the head). This gives us
the insight that You will rot away if you turn your face away from
YHVHs Word. Rottenness has to do with leprosy, and it is said that leprosy was a condition that
came upon man due to unrighteous living. When a leper was cured (only through a miracle),
there was a water purification ritual he had to go through, so that he could be accepted back into
the community. In the same way, we have obtained spiritual leprosy through sin and YHVH
cleanses us so that we can be restored back into the Kingdom.

The centre of the word mikvah is the letters Qof-Vav and is the word kav vq that mean;
cord, line, measuring-line.

5
Combining this two the first letter mem m (water/Word) and the last letterhey h (truth/light)
gives us the following conclusion: You will be measured according to His Word (Mem) and
according to the Light or Truth (Hey) that you have. h - vq - m

Mikvah also means hope that implies faith. Faith is the things hoped for, things that are not seen.
Through faith you become born again and start a new life as a new creation through the
Covenant He made with man. The two centre letters vq Qof is facing the Vav v (looking at

man) gives us a picture of what this faith means. Qof q also means to repent, and in this

picture, it is to turn your head from facing man (Vav) and to look towards His Word (mem m),
then your life will shine as a light (hey h) in this dark world. This is what is signified by going
through the sign of the Mikvah; to repent and turn from mans ways and to follow YHVHs Word
and His ways.

Water is the medium in which you are immersed into and there is a
spiritual meaning if we look at water from a Hebraic point of view.
Water is the Hebrew word mayim ,ym. Water is made up of the
letters Mem Yod Mem or Water Spirit Water or Word Spirit
Word because the letter mem m has the meaning of water and in
Eph 5:26 we see that water represents the Word of YHVH, where we as
the Bride becomes clean through the washing of the water of the Word.
The yod y represents the Spirit of YHVH, and the Spirit and the Word are synonym because it is
through YHVHs Spirit that His Word is written on our hearts (2 Cor 3:3). In Hebrew thought, left
means physical and right means physical, and there is a mem on the left and a mem on the
right in the word mayim (water). It is the Spirit and the Word that washes us in the Physical (left
mem) and the Spiritual (right mem). In other words; the spiritual water (Word) is designed to
cleanse thoughts or mind (spiritual) and your actions (physical).

Immersing into the water is a beautiful word-picture where you are immersed into His Word
(water), and He will reveal His Word to you through His Spirit. This will not happen automatically,
and you have the responsibility to get into the Word so that your actions and your thoughts can
be renewed or washed with the help of the Spirit.

Baptism or immersion into water is the action where you make a physical statement in faith that
you repented and now completely surrounds yourself with His Word and follow and conform to
His ways. Your commit to search His Word so that He can reveal the hidden wisdom to you so
that you can be cleansed and prepared as His Bride.

Living Water

It is required that people are immersed in living water. Living water is described in the rabbinical
teachings (according to the Rabbis/teachers), by building a mikvah pool, which contains water
from a natural source, like rain water, or from a river or lake or the sea. According to the ancient
sages (teachers), Leviticus 11:36 shows us that "living water" cannot be defiled. Genesis 1:9
speak of the waters being "gathered together." The Hebrew word for "gathered together" is
mikvah and the sea is thus always considered as a valid mikvah with living water. In Genesis
chapter 7, we have the account of Noah's Flood, where YHVH used "living water" to cleanse the
earth, in the same way, this living water will cleanse your soul.

6
The Red Sea Experience
The role of mikvah continues with the story of the Passover. Israel was
enslaved in bondage under Pharaoh. They cried out to Yahweh in prayer and
the He heard them and delivered the Israelites. As the people fled the evil
ruler, they came to a dead end. Pharaoh was pursuing them from behind and
before them was the massive Red Sea. What would happen? The Torah says
that the immense waters of the Red Sea parted and our ancestors walked
across the deep on dry land. With the walls of water on either side of them, the
Israelites experienced a Mikvah.

1 Cor 10: 1-2 Our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were
all baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

Passing through waters of separation (Red Sea/Baptism) is your proclamation that you are
passing from previous idols and paganism to the one true Elohim (God). You pass from death
into life in YHVH through the power of His Spirit (Rom 6:4), passing from the darkness and lies
into the light of YHVH's truth, and passing from the religion of the nations to accept the true
Elohim (God), following His Word.

Johns Baptism
Mar 1:4 John came baptising in the wilderness and proclaiming the
baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

John the Baptist, the one prophesied and sent by YHVH to herald the
coming of Messiah, understood the meaning of immersion well. As He
went about the countryside preaching YHVH's message, many people
responded faith and repentance. Then he confirmed this spiritual
transformation with a ceremony very much related to the mikveh. Could
this be that he converted people outside of Israel or was this really a
rededication and repentance Mikvah for people of Israel? It could be
either.

John completely immersed the individual under the water

Both Baptizo, the Greek word from which we get baptism, and its Hebrew equivalent t'vilah,
mean "to dip." The root meaning of baptizing comes from the way a piece of cloth would be
dipped into dye in order to soak up the solution, which is clear picture of immersion as opposed
to mere sprinkling. This was to show that, as the cloth soaks up the dye, so you must soak up
YHVHs Word and become another colour, looking different or set-apart (holy).

Johns baptism was known as the baptism of repentance. Why did Yshua submit to it? Certainly
we would all agree! Yshua had nothing to be repentant of, no sins to confess. However, He was
about thirty years of age, the biblically required age of a man to be ordained a priest. John was a
Levite, qualified to witness such immersions.

When Yshua says, "We must fulfil all things righteously," (Matthew 3:15) He is not referring to a
baptism of repentance, but rather stepping into the waters of ordination. Yshua was about to take
on his mantle as Messianic Rabbi or Teacher.

7
Mikvah or Washing as seen in the Tabernacle pattern

The Tabernacle pattern is given to us by YHVH to help us understand the restoration process and
how to approach Him. This process is known as salvation where YHVH saves us or restores
us back into His presence where we will live with Him forever.

1. According to the Tabernacle pattern we see that the first step towards salvation is
associated with the Brazen Altar, this is the first object you face when you enter the
Tabernacle. This is the place related to blood and the sacrifices and points to the offering
Yshua made for our sins. Blood always has to do with the Covenant, and this is where
you enter into His Covenant by the Blood of the Lamb of YHVH. The brazen Altar is also
associated with the Sin offering, which is one of the five offerings that were obligated.
2. The second object we find after the Brazen Altar is the Laver, which was used by the
Priests to wash before they went into the Holy Place. The Laver is also linked to the
Israelites crossing the Red Sea, and Paul described this action as a cleansing
experience. The Laver represents Immersion or Baptism and is associated with one of
the five offerings, the Cleansing Offering, and is also obligated.
3. The Holy Place represents your personal relationship with YHVH because only one
person went in at any given moment. Inside is the Menorah, a symbol of the Holy Spirit,
the Showbread, a symbol of the Word, and the Golden Altar of Incense, which
represents your prayers. You need all three these things to have a personal relationship
with Him, and it starts with the first two obligated steps as seen in the Brazen Altar and
Laver. There are also two offerings associated with the Menorah and the Showbread,
which is the Peace offering and the Meal Offering, both voluntary offerings.
4. The last place is the Holy of Holies with the Ark of the Covenant, which represents
YHVHs throne and His Presence. This is the Place where THVH wants to restore us to,
and we have to follow the process. The last offering associated with the Ark of the
Covenant is the Burt or Elevation Offering and was also voluntary.

Looking at this pattern in relation to the different stages of approaching YHVH and the Offerings,
it shows us that you need to do two things which are obligated; the acceptance of the Blood of
Messiah (coming into the Kingdom through His Covenant), and the washing at the Laver, which is

8
associated with the Immersion Mikvah or Baptism, which is also obligated. Where else in
Scripture do we find this notion?

Joh 3:5 Yshua answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless a man is born of water
and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Elohim.

Mar 16:16 He who believes and is baptised will be saved, but he who does not
believe will be condemned.

1Jn 5:6 This is He who came through water and blood, Yshua the Messiah, not by
water only, but by the water and blood. And the Spirit is He who bears witness
because the Spirit is the truth.

His Spirit is changing your heart when you accept Yshua as your Master and Savior and His
Blood for the remission of your sins. This is linked to the work done at the Brazen Altar and to the
Sin Offering Yshua did on your behalf. The water is associated with the Laver and Cleansing
Offering and relates to the washing of your soul represented by you following the obligated step
of Immersion (Baptism) or Mikvah that is part of your salvation.

Immersion and Receiving of the Spirit


Enter into His Covenant - Salvation
As we have seen in the Tabernacle pattern, the washing at the
Laver allows you to enter into the Holy Place where you will find
the Menorah. The Menorah is associated with YHVHs Spirit and
His seven attributes. [Isa 11:2]. When we read the Gospels, we
also see the same pattern when Yshua was Immersed by John.

Mar 1:10-11 And immediately coming up out of the water,


He saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove
descending upon Him. (11) And there came a voice from Heaven, saying, You are My
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

The Immersion Yshua did have two functions; it ordained Him at the age of 30 as a
Teacher/Rabbi as was the custom and it showed us the example we have to go through, being
baptised in the Name of our Teacher/Rabbi as disciples of Him. The custom was that if you
became a disciple of a Teacher/Rabbi, you are mikvahd (immersed) in his name to show that you
follow his teachings.

When Yshua came out of the water, the Spirit of YHVH descended upon Him, and this shows us
the time of receiving His Spirit in us; at your Mikvah. After a person is immersed, the person
assisting should lay hands on him/her and pray for YHVH to fill or baptise him/her with His Holy
Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh). Then you will move into the Holy Place in a personal relationship with
YHVH through the Help of His Spirit (Menorah) and the guidance of His Word (Showbread).
The Spirit of YHVH is known by two descriptions; the Holy Spirit or Ruach HaKodesh, and the
Spirit of Truth. YHVHs Spirit will help you to become Holy or set apart for Him, and His purpose
and His Spirit will also reveal the Truth to you from His Word. The truth is associated with light,
and it is the light of the Menorah (Spirit of YHVH) that shines on the Showbread (Word) so that
you can read it and understand it the way He meant it.

Jer 31:33 but this shall be the covenant that I will cut with the house of Israel: After those
days, says YHVH, I will put My Law (Torah) in their inward parts, and write it in their
hearts; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.

9
Heb 8:10 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those
days, says YHVH: I will put My Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts, and I
will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.

The Spirit of YHVH also do something on your inside; it writes His Law or Torah on your heart,
and you follow His Law/Torah with passion and zeal and want to follow in His ways. What Law
did He write in His peoples hearts, a new law or only a portion of the law? He will write the Torah
in their hearts, not a simplified Law or any other law.

We also see that He made this promise to the House of Israel. If the church believes they have
replaced Israel, they got it wrong; they are actually becoming part of Israel. Through undergoing
the Immersion into the Kingdom in the Name of Yshua your Master and Savior, you are actually
entering into THIS COVENANT described here and you become PART OF THE HOUSE OF
ISRAEL and you are grafted into the Olive Tree (Israel). Rom 11:16-25. Like Paul states here,
do not be ignorant of this mystery, The mystery that you as a Gentile can be grafted into the
House of Israel. Israel consists of two words, Yisrah and El that means straight or righteous
and El or Elohim; that basically means the righteous people of Elohim. So, if you become
born again and take the step of entering into His Covenant through the Immersion into the
Name of Yshua, you are becoming part of the Kingdom, following your King and Teacher, Yshua
HaMasiach, and you are then part of the House of Israel or the Righteous people of Elohim.
Your Mikvah is this Covenantal step where He will give you His Spirit and empower you to follow
Him and walk (halechah) in His Torah that is now written in your heart. His Spirit in you is the seal
and sign of the Covenant and that you belong to Him, and the Mikvah is the outward sign.

1Co 6:11 And such were some of you. But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but
you are justified in the Name of the Master Yshua, and by the Spirit of our Elohim.

The gift of YHVHs Holy Spirit begins a process, which eventually culminates in YHVH changing
the Believers spirit (1 Cor 15:51-54; 1 Thes 4:13-18). That change to spirit is the essence of
salvationbeing saved from eternal death.

What did the Apostles Teach about Immersion?


Act 2:38 Then Peter said to them, Repent and be baptised, every one of you,
IN THE NAME OF Yshua the Messiah to remission of sins, and you shall
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.(See also Acts 8:12)

The apostles and the early believers continued the Jewish practice of Mikvah (baptism) as a
symbol of conversion.

Acts 19: 5 Upon hearing, they were baptised into the Name of Master Yshua.

Act 22:16 And now what do you intend? Arise and be baptised and wash
away your sins, calling on the Name of YHVH.

It is an important stage in your walk with YHVH, and they taught to be immersed in the Name of
Yshua, the One you are following. Paul had the following to say about immersion:

10
Rom 6:4-6 Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, so that as Messiah
was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father; even so we also should walk in
newness of life. (5) For if we have been joined together in the likeness of His death, we shall
also be in the likeness of His resurrection; (6) knowing this, that our old man is impaled
(crucified) with Him in order that the body of sin might be destroyed, that from now on we
should not serve sin.

Yshua died and was raised from the dead (separation), into His new Life (not separated
anymore). We go through Baptism to show that we are followers of Yshua and that we are being
joined in His likeness of His death, and standing up out of the water, showing that we stand up
into the newness of Life. We are dead to sin and alive through His Spirit. We are now dead to sin
and no longer slaves to sin but alive to Yshua and servants of the Master Yshua, the Messiah.
An exchange of life and death took place; He took our death on Him, in exchange for His life. We
then receive His life, that free us from death that leads to sin. Yshua was also baptised and
showed us the pattern of events and how to follow Him. After His baptism, He received the Spirit
through laying on of hands and through prayer.

Act 8:12, 15--17 But when they believed Philip preaching the gospel, the things concerning
the kingdom of Elohim and the name of Yshua the Messiah, they were baptised, both men
and women. (15) who when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive
the Holy Spirit. (16) For as yet He had not fallen on any of them, they were baptised only in
the name of the Yshua the Messiah. (17) Then they laid their hands on them, and they
received the Holy Spirit.

What is the role of YHVH's Spirit in our lives? On our own, we may strive, struggle and pray
earnestly for victory over a sinful habit, but still come up short. After baptism and the laying on of
hands, the same Spirit that leads us to repentance continues to work in us even more powerfully
to help us see and overcome our sins and shortcomings.

1Co 12:12-13 For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that
one body, being many, are one body; so also is Messiah. (13) For also by one Spirit we are
all baptised into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, even all were
made to drink into one Spirit. (See also Acts 19:6)

Gal 3:27 For as many as were baptised into Messiah, you put on Messiah.

Immersion is the act of entering into the House of Israel through the work of the Messiah on the
stake (cross). This House is also referred to as the Kingdom and the Body of Messiah. If you are
immersed in the Name of Yshua, you have clothed yourself with Him and have become part of
His Body (Assembly). His Body has many members and is found all across the world but is one in
Spirit in Hm. What does it mean to put on Messiah?

Rom 13:14 But put on the Master Yshua the Messiah, and do not take thought beforehand
for the lusts of the flesh.

To put on Messiah is to put on His Character that is based upon Holiness (set-apartness) and not
to follow the lusts of the flesh, but to follow His Word with the help of His Spirit. Paul is actually
saying that Baptism is a commitment to stay in the Truth and to learn the Word and to walk in it
so that your life will reflect His Character and new life inside of you.

11
What does it mean to be Baptised in the Name of Yshua?
Mat 28:19 Therefore go and teach all nations, baptising them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to
observe all things, whatever I commanded you. And, behold, I am with you
all the days until the end of the world. Amen.

Should we baptise in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit [Mat 28:19], or
should we baptise in the name of Yshua HaMasiach, [ Act 2:38, Acts 10:48, Acts
19:5, Rom 6:3]? The truth is established by two witnesses, and the two passages
in Acts confirms that we should baptise people in the Name of Yshua the Messiah, but this
contradicts Mat 28:19. Why is this? Mat 28 uses titles and not names; Father, Son and Holy Spirit
are titles, YHVH and Yshua are Names, and even Catholics baptise in the name of the Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. Is there something we do not know? Here are statements and quotes of
people to confirm that Mat 28:19 had been altered to fit the doctrines of the Catholic Church:

The Jerusalem Bible, a scholarly Catholic work, states:


"It may be that this formula, (Triune Matthew 28:19) so far as the fullness
of its expression is concerned, is a reflection of the (Man- made) liturgical
usage established later in the primitive (Catholic) community. It will be
remembered that Acts speaks of baptising "in the name of Jesus,"..."

The Bible Commentary 1919 page 723 :


Dr. Peake makes it clear that: "The command to baptise into the threefold
Name is a late doctrinal expansion. Instead of the words baptising them in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost we should
probably read simply-"into My Name."

Catholic Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger:


He makes this confession as to the origin of the chief Trinity text of Matthew 28:19. "The basic form
of our (Matthew 28:19 Trinitarian) profession of faith took shape during the course of the second
and third centuries in connection with the ceremony of baptism. So far as its place of origin is
concerned, the text (Matthew 28:19) came from the city of Rome." The Trinity baptism and text of
Matthew 28:19, therefore, did not originate from the original Church that started in Jerusalem
around AD 33. It was rather as the evidence proves a later invention of Roman Catholicism
completely fabricated. Very few know about these historical facts.

Matthew's Hebrew Manuscript 50 C.E.-Historian Eusebius (H.E. 3.5.2)

Matt 28:19-20 Go and make disciples, of all the nations, to believe in My Name 20.
And teach them to observe all the words which I have commanded you, forever

Early Christians were told to be baptised in the name of Yshua the Messiah. Readers
must search the entire context of the Holy Scriptures to see the irrefutable proof that
Believers must be baptised in the name of Yshua the Messiah

The first letter in the name Yeshua ("Jesus") is the yod. Yod represents the "Y" sound
in Hebrew. Many names in the Bible that begin with yod are mispronounced by English
speakers because the yod in these names was transliterated in English Bibles with the
letter "J" rather than "Y".
This came about because in early English the letter "J" was pronounced the way we
pronounce "Y" today.

12
Yshua is the original Aramaic proper name for Jesus the Nazarene, who lived from about 6
B.C.E. to 27 C.E. (A.D.) Believers in Messiah should be baptised in the Name of Yshua the
Messiah, and not in a title.

Conclusion
Baptism, Immersion or the Mikvah represents the following:

It is a physical statement before witnesses that you start a new phase in your life.
It is a sign of entering into His Covenant and that you are now part of the House of Israel
and that you are grafted into Israel. You are also now part of His Body.
It is a sign that you have His Torah/Law written in your heart.
It is a sign that you have a new Master and Teacher and you are immersed into His
Name, Yshua, as for proving of it.
It is a sign of repentance and that you have committed your life and have made a new
start.
It is the step after you became born again and is obligated for salvation.
It is a sign that you have put in Yshua and that you are committed to follow Him as your
Shepherd and to listen to His Voice (Word).
It is a symbol of immersing yourself into His Word and to certainly search so that you
will know and follow the Truth and not man.
It is the beginning of your personal relationship with YHVH.
It signifies the receiving of YHVHs Spirit that will give you the strength to follow Him
through the obedience to His Commandments.
You commit to following His Word and not the lusts of your flesh.
You undertake to follow Him unto death.
Your Mikvah is the time to receive YHVHs Spirit through laying on of hands and prayer.
It is a sign that you have received His New Life.

13

You might also like