Baptism of Jesus and a heresy of baptism by immersion into the Word

Baptism of Jesus and a heresy of baptism by immersion into the Word. A baptism by immerssion into the Word, a baptism that abandons water and give water a new meaning, takes away the meaning of baptism and brings a new act of soaking into the word. This is an unorthodox teaching it is a heresy. One would wonder why some new evangelical pentecostal churches teach this heresy. Is it a revisting of the Solentiani error which seems to be the ever wayward fall of some protestants.

 And yet after his resurrection, Jesus gave last instructions to his disciples, a mandate to the eleven to go forth into the world and preach the good news. We read this in the book of Mark chapter 16:15-17, He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages". But these new protestants teach how its not important to be baptised with water and the spirit, teach a baptism without the washing away of sins. It is absurd how they mention the "WORD"alone as a means to baptism, the word alone as a means of cleansing where there is no need for water.

 This teaching harbors a hidden agenda, it does seem like a way of amassing people who do not know the importants of baptism. It is sad that through ignorance some people are led away from the only means of salvation which Jesus instructed. These evangelical charismatic churches teach that  baptism is not supposed to be what Jesus taught but what they teach and they call it immersion into the word/scripture. 

This teaching comes short of what the disciples of Jesus Christ and the early church fathers taught. The Ethiopian eunuch comes to mind, he was first preached to until he understood the teaching. Phillip only baptised the eunuch after he had understoood the teaching. Would there have been a purpose then for baptising the Ethiopian eunuch if the word was as good as baptising? (Acts 8, 29-39)

 To quote the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1213) on baptism, "Holy baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua) and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ and are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission". "Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the WORD" 

 If we look closely at the last sentence of this paragraph above it speaks of regeneration through water in the Word. It is here where the pentecostal, proponents of a baptism of the word or immersion into the word as they call it, have erred in translating or understanding this timeless teaching of the Church. St Thomas Aquinas defines regeneration by water in the word (per aquam in verbo) as external ablution of the body performed with the prescribed words. 

The prescribed words are, I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost these were the words given to the disciples by Christ himself (Matthew 28, 19). The word alone as a means of baptism is not enough. 

 Necodemus was well trained in the word, a ruler of the Jews and a pharisee but despite his extensive knowledge of the scriptures he needed to be regenerate through water. (John 3, 3-5) Jesus answered and said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?”Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

 Paul too was well trained in the word of God, he was a student of the great Gamaliel. (Acts 9, 17 -19)So Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, “Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the holy Spirit.” Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was BAPTIZED. They might ague and say the holy spirit was imparted to him, but still he had to be baptised with water, it is important to take note that the word of God that he had learnt was not enough to regenerate Paul but needed external ablution. 

 It so follows that baptism of the spirit only is erroneous, one has to be baptised with water and the spirit to enter the Kingdom of God. The cleansing of the word is only effective if one has been baptised through water, the Word alone can not substitute Baptism.