[1] O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
[2] This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
[3] Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
The Landmark Baptist movement [the group that says the Baptist denomination is the one true church and that it alone has the authority to water baptize, take the Lord's supper, exist as a church, etc.] says that there is no such thing as baptism into Christ by the Holy Spirit, they say the only baptism for the present Dispensation of Grace is water baptism. They staunchly believe that the local church is the Body of Christ and that there is no spiritual church of all believers assembled in Christ. They are also vehemently against dispensationalism, they say that salvation and the gospel has always been the same throughout all ages.
The most dangerous heresy of this movement is that it denies baptism into Christ by the Holy Spirit. They say that baptism into water is actually baptism into Christ. They take Romans 6:3-4, Galatians 3:26-28, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Eph. 4:5, and Colossians 2:12 as referring to baptism into water. Those are all the classic proof texts used by the Campbellite water dog "Church of Christ" and the Buptists in order to teach that water baptism is by immersion and that it pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. They all use those references.
The Campbellites admit to believing in baptismal regeneration, but the Buptists have not come out of the closet on that yet. Baptists as a whole profess to believe that salvation does not include water baptism, but I am not so sure about all of them. J.R. Graves, regurgitater of old Baptist Landmark doctrine, said in one of his books that water baptism cannot be separated from the gospel. Even though Paul said beyond the shadow of a doubt that water baptism has nothing to do with his gospel (1 Cor. 1:14-17). If water baptism "cannot" be separated from the gospel, then why isn't water baptism mentioned in 1 Cor. 15:1-4? There Paul said that the gospel was "how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures". No water there. Paul said "I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:2). Not to mention there is no water baptism in Acts 13:38-39, the first recorded sermon of the apostle Paul.
Graves' problem was that he was the spokesman for the historical Baptist doctrine of the gospel always being the same in all dispensations so he failed to rightly divide the "gospel of the kingdom" from the "gospel of the grace of God" revealed to Paul. The gospel of the kingdom was that Millennial reign of Christ on the Earth in Jerusalem was "at hand" (Matt. 2:2, 3:2, 4:17, 4:23, 9:35, 10:7, 24:14, Mark 1:14-15, Luke 1:32-33, 1:67-79). The gospel of the kingdom was committed to the 12 apostles of Israel and it required water baptism among many other works (Matt. 10:5-7, 19:28, Mark 1:4-5, Luke 3:3, 7:29-30, Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2:38). The gospel of the kingdom is what will be preached in Daniel's 70th Week, the days of God's vengeance on Israel (Matt. 24:13-14, Luke 21:21-23). Water baptism couldn't be separated from this gospel (Mark 1:4-5, Mark 16:15-16, Luke 3:3, Acts 2:38), which is why J.R. Graves said what he did. His theology wouldn't let him learn the truth of the Bible, he wouldn't "rightly divide the word of truth" so he fell flat on his face.
The gospel of the grace of God is what Christ revealed to Paul from Heaven to be preached during the Dispensation of Grace (Acts 20:24, Rom. 11:13). This gospel is "how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:1-4). FAITH ALONE in this gospel is what saves, to the exclusion of all works (Eph. 1:13, 2:8-9, Rom. 1:16-17, 3:19-28, 4:5, 5:1, Titus 3:5, 2 Tim. 1:9). Paul is the first one to say that a man cannot be justified by the Law of Moses (Acts 13:38-39) which is the exact opposite of the gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 19:17). This gospel was a direct revelation that Paul received from God (Gal. 1:11-12). That gospel was not even a THOUGHT in the mind of the 12 apostles of Israel who preached the gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 16:21-23, Mark 9:9-10, 9:31-32, Luke 9:44-45, Luke 18:31-34, John 20:6-10). That gospel was "hid from them" until Paul was sent by revelation to go up to Jerusalem and communicate it to them, which is when they realized that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to Paul just as the apostleship and gospel of the circumcision was committed to Peter (Gal. 2:1-9). They saw the "GRACE" that was given to Paul, the Dispensation of the Grace of God, the revelation of the mystery where saved Jews and Gentiles are one body in Christ (Eph. 3:1-9, 5:32, Col. 1:24-28, Rom. 11:15, 16:25). When Christ committed this gospel to Paul, he received exceeding abundant grace and longsuffering FIRST for a pattern to them that would believe the gospel after him (1 Tim. 1:11-16). The preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery was kept secret since the world began until it was revealed to Paul (Rom. 16:25, Titus 1:1-2, 1 Cor. 2:7-8) which is why he called it "my gospel" (Rom. 2:16, 16:25, 2 Tim. 2:8). Christ made him the pattern and apostle of the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13, 15:15-16, Eph. 3:1, 1 Tim. 1:11-16, 2:7, 2 Tim. 1:11, 4:17). Which is why we are told to FOLLOW Paul many times in the Bible (1 Cor. 4:15-16, 11:1-2, Phil. 3:17, 1 Thes. 1:6, 2 Thes. 3:7). Biblically speaking, you will not have understanding in all things if you do not consider what he says (2 Tim. 1:13, 2:7).
Yet the Baptists, especially the Landmarkers, have based their entire religious system of John the BAPTIST. They do not even understand that John the Baptist did not preach the gospel of the grace of God and he did not preach to Gentiles. John the Baptist's baptism of repentance was not just a water ceremony, it also included CONFESSING your sins. This baptism has nothing to do with a Gentile living in the Dispensation of Grace. The Bible says what the baptism of repentance was for, to manifest Christ to ISRAEL. The Bible says who came to John's baptism, ISRAEL.
Acts 13:24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
Matthew 3:
[1] In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
[2] And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
[3] For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
[4] And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
[5] Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
[6] And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
Mark 1:
[4] John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
[5] And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
Luke 3:3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
John 1:31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
I have seen Baptists practice water baptism. They don't have anyone confessing their sins at the baptism. John the Baptist did.
Landmark Baptists would also have a fit if you did not preach wearing a suit and tie on, but John the Baptist wore a camel skin. And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John...what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. (Matt. 11:7-8). The Landmarkers are looking for men in soft raiment, they wouldn't have liked John the Baptist.
So the Landmarkers have the wrong pattern, the wrong spokesman, they are following the wrong man. The Bible said to Gentiles under grace to be followers of Paul as he was of Christ (1 Cor. 11:1-2). Paul is your pattern (1 Tim. 1:11-16) and he is your apostle (Rom. 11:13).
Hyper-Landmarkers even go so far as to say that the Dispensation of Grace began with John the Baptist, even though the Bible plainly says it was given to Paul (Eph. 3:1-9, Col. 1:24-28). John the Baptist was under the LAW and OLD TESTAMENT, he did not begin any Dispensation of Grace. The grace age was a GREAT MYSTERY HID IN GOD, KEPT SECRET SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN, NOT MADE KNOWN IN OTHER AGES (Rom. 16:25, Eph. 3:1-9, 5:32, Col. 1:24-28). But the ministry and message of John the Baptist was PROPHESIED in the Old Testament....
Isaiah 40:
[3] The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
[4] Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
[5] And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to this temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
The mouth of the Lord had spoken of John the Baptist's ministry and message, not hidden it (Eph. 3:9, 5:32). John the Baptist did not usher in a new dispensation, he was not preaching anything new. The Jews already knew about his ministry from the OT prophecies of Elijah, who John came in the spirit and power of (Malachi 4:5-6, Matt. 11:14, 17:10-12). In fact, the Levites and Priests already knew and were expecting either Elijah or the Christ to water baptize (John 1:19-25).
John the Baptist preached other works for salvation besides water baptism (Luke 3:3, Mark 1:4). He preached that if you did not bring forth good fruit (works) then you would be hewn down and cast into the fire. He taught the Jews that they would flee the wrath to come by bringing forth good fruit...
Matthew 3:
[7] But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
[8] Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
[9] And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
[10] And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
And the fruit is not "believing the gospel", John the Baptist said exactly what the fruit was. Good works. (Luke 3:11-14)
Luke 3:
[3] And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
[4] As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
[5] Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
[6] And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
[7] Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
[8] Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
[9] And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
[10] And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
[11] He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
[12] Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
[13] And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
[14] And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
This doctrine goes right through one Landmark Baptist ear and out the other. They are not dispensationalists, they do not believe in rightly dividing the word of truth, and they never will. Once you get into the hyper-Baptist movement you can never come out, they have a cult-like control over their followers.
As to this water baptism issue, not only did J.R. Graves say that it cannot be separated from the gospel, he also believed that being "born of water" in John 3:5 was a reference to water baptism, just like every Campbellite in the water dog movement. That is complete insanity, there is no water baptism in the context of John 3:5. When the Lord said "born of water" He was responding to Nicodemus's words "How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" The reference is to a natural, fleshly birth, not water baptism (John 3:4-6).
But the biggest heresy of the Landmark hyper-Baptist movement is that it denies baptism into Christ by the Holy Spirit. They say that baptism into Christ is actually baptism into water, just like the Campbellite "Church of Christ" (antichrist). They say that this water baptism makes you a member of the LOCAL church, even though the Ethiopian in Acts 8:36-38 had no local church and was baptized in the middle of a desert. Philip didn't even have time to invite the eunuch to church before he was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord (Acts 8:39). Paul baptized the Philippian jailer at midnight, no local church was involved. John the Baptist had no local church, but he baptized thousands of people (Mark 1:5, Matt. 3:5). Water baptism has absolutely nothing to do with a local church. Local churches are not even given the authority to baptize. The pastoral/church epistles do not even mention water baptism (1 Tim, 2 Tim, Titus). Local churches are not even specifically given the authority to water baptize. So to associate water baptism with a local church is plain ignorance and disregard of the Scriptures.
This error is largely because the Landmark Hyper-Baptists believe that the church the Body of Christ is a local church, not a spiritual church of all believers assembled in Christ. But a local church cannot be the whole Body of Christ because there is only "ONE" body (Eph. 4:4, 1 Cor. 12:20). You cannot say there is only "one" local church! Furthermore, Paul was not a member of any local church, yet he included himself as part of the same Body of Christ as the Romans and the Corinthians (Rom. 12:4-5, 1 Cor. 12:13). When Paul wrote to MULTIPLE "churches" of Galatia he said they were all baptized into Christ and one in Him (Gal. 1:1-2, 3:27-28).
"Paul, an apostle....And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia...as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 1:1-2, 3:27-28)
The baptism into Christ is exactly that, baptism into Christ, not water. Making baptism into Christ water baptism puts the Landmakers on the same level of reasoning as the Campbellite. As soon as they see "baptism" they think "water!".
The Bible says WHO performs baptism into Christ, and it is not a Baptist preacher.
The Bible says WHAT you are baptized into, and it is not water.
1 Corinthians 12:
[12] For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
[13] For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
[14] For the body is not one member, but many.
[15] If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
[16] And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
[17] If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
[18] But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
Colossians 2:
[10] And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
[11] 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:
[12] 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.
The Bible says
- The believer is baptized into CHRIST
- The believe is
baptized BY THE SPIRIT
- The believers is baptized into WATER
- The believer is
baptized by a BAPTIST PREACHER
Romans 6:
[2] God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
[3] Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
[4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ 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 planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
[6] Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
[7] For he that is dead is freed from sin.
[8] Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
[9] Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
[10] For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
[11] Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
When the Holy Spirit baptized you into Christ, He joined you to the Lord making you "one spirit" with Him. You are crucified, buried, risen, and seated with Christ in heaven.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Ephesians 2:
[6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
[7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
No water ceremony can do that friend, and if you say it does then you are mighty close to being a Campbellite.
Also, baptism into Christ has to be spiritual because it makes you neither Jew/Gentile/male/female/bond/free....that is SPIRITUAL, because in a physical water baptism people are still Jews and Gentiles, male and female. And it cannot be referring to them being without distinction in the local church, because men have authority over the women in the local church (1 Cor. 14:34-35, 1 Tim. 2:12). Therefore the only way that the statement, "there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female" could make sense would be if it is referring to the SPIRITUAL standing in Christ.
1 Corinthians 6:15,17 "Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ?...he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit."
This is why I titled this post "O foolish Landmark Baptists". They are teaching that you are made perfect by the flesh.
Colossians 2:
[10] And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
[11] 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:
[12] 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.
[13] And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
[14] 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;
Verses 10 through 12 are one sentence. We are "complete" in Christ because we were spiritually circumcised (body of the sins of the flesh removed) and spiritually baptized into Christ. But since the Landmarkers say this passage is referring to water baptism, they believe that you are made complete in Christ by water baptism, a work! That puts them in the same category as the Galatians...
Galatians 3:
[1] O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
[2] This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
[3] Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
The Landmarkers believe that you begin in the Spirit, but are not made perfect until you get water baptized. That is FOOLISH according to the Bible!
Nevertheless, the Landmark Baptists still insist that the Body of Christ is a local, visible assembly. They supply no scriptures to prove this. They use a humanistic logic. They say "Well since a church is an assembly, and all believers are not assembled together and will not be until the rapture, then the Body of Christ must be a the local church."
The fact that the Landmark Baptists say this demonstrates their disregard for what the Bible actually says about the Body of Christ...
1.) All believers are assembled "IN CHRIST" (Rom. 12:4-5, 1 Cor. 12:12-18, etc.)
2.) All believers are assembled IN CHRIST and they are seated in HEAVEN (Eph. 2:6-7)
3.) The Bible defines what the Body of Christ is. It is the fullness of Christ that filleth all in all (Eph. 1:22-23). "All in all" is PEOPLE, not local churches.
4.) The formation of the Body of Christ required the CROSS and it is the BLOOD of Christ that put you in it (Eph. 2:13-16). A local church could meet at any point in history regardless of the cross of Christ. Israel was the church of God in the OT (Acts 7:38).
There is much more that could be said about the Landmark hyper-Baptist movement, but that is enough for this post. Landmarkers believe that their denomination is the one true church that has been around in every generation of church history and they do not believe non-Landmark churches are true churches. But the Bible called the Corinthian church a "church of God" even though they were fornicating, suing each other, disbelieving in the resurrection, misused the Lord's supper, and was full of heresy and division. Being a "church of God" is about whether your assembly is made up of saved people, not what doctrine, practice, or name they go by.
--Eli Caldwell
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