Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Baptisms Of Believers Living The Paschal Mystery

Scripture Reference: 1 Peter 3:18-22, 'Baptisms of those who follow Jesus Christ'

Throughout his saving and reconciliation ministry here on earth as Messiah, Jesus Christ sought to establish Christ-centered, Holy Spirit based witnessing paschal faith communities, throughout our planet (Acts 1:6-8). As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ began his life, just like all human beings, in the mind of the flesh (Luke 2:52). As the Son of God, Jesus Christ as Messiah in the power of the Holy Spirit, successfully lived his Jewish tradition, religion, culture, ethnic and secular life in the mind of spirit (Matthew 5:17, Luke 4:14-21, Colossians 2:6-9). In living the Paschal Mystery, his life, passion, death, glorification, resurrection and ascension, Jesus Christ passed over from life on earth in the mind of the flesh, into a new and glorified life with the Father (Godhead), in the mind of the spirit (Mark 8:31, Romans 8:1-11).

In the mind of the flesh, Jesus Christ was baptized in water by John the Baptist. After his Baptism in water, Jesus Christ was baptized and anointed by the Holy Spirit. In the mind of the spirit, Jesus was then taken by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. There for forty days, he was tempted by Satan (Mark 1:9-13). Jesus did not see his desert experiences in the wilderness as God's punishment or divine justice. In the mind of the spirit, he discerned that his fiery trials and lonely wilderness experiences were the vital purifying processes needed, before he began his ministry of teaching, healing, deliverance, salvation, reconciliation and kingdom living, here on earth (Mark 1:14-15).

Witnessing paschal faith communities are called to follow Jesus Christ as MessiahSon of Man, in living the Paschal Mystery (Mark 8:31-34, John 3:16-17). In water baptism, believers outwardly identify themselves with Jesus Christ as their Messiah. They also identify themselves with and become members of a witnessing paschal faith community. Water baptism also visibly identifies believers in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups, with the message of the Gospel of Christ, as revealed in Jesus Christ (1 Peter  3:21).

Most believers in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups choose to dwell in the mind of the flesh, while living, worshiping, and serving, within witnessing faith communities. Few believers choose to dwell in the mind of the spirit, while living, worshiping and serving within paschal faith communities (Matthew 7:13-14). In the mind of the flesh, believer's seek and wait for resurrection,  spiritual formation and ascension in Christ, after their personal physical death or the second physical coming of Jesus Christ, in human flesh. In the mind of the spirit however, believers seek and experience resurrection from spiritual death, awakening from spiritual sleep, and healing of spiritual blindness and spiritual deafness in their present life, here on earth in Christ (1Peter 3:21).

The believers Baptism of Fire is centered in the death and resurrection of Christ, within the believers souls, hearts, minds, relationships and lives, as they follow Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery (Mark 8:31, 34). When experienced in the mind of the spirit, the believer's Baptism of Fire reveals, facilitates and brings the completion and fuller realization of the Paschal Mystery, in one's personal life, and witnessing paschal faith communities. In the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit and the mind of the spirit, the Man of Lawlessness, the mind of the flesh, is discerned, cast down, cast out and destroyed (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12).

In the mind of the spirit, the presence and work of Christ (Logos, ADONAI, JEHOVAH), the Son Begotten only of God, and the begetting of the Holy Spirit are discerned and realized, while in our present physical bodies, here on earth. In the mind of the spirit, believers within witnessing paschal faith communities seek and serve Christ within Jesus Christ, themselves and within all persons. In the mind of the spirit, Christ, the image and likeness of God, in the spiritual body of Jesus Christ and all persons is truly discerned, exalted, worshipped and glorified. In the mind of the spirit Christ, in the spiritual body of all persons, is given appropriate dominion and preeminence, in the believers personal life and in intrapreneurial witnessing paschal faith communities, within all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups (1 Peter 3:22).

Have you identified and attached yourself to a Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based, spiritually awake group of witnesses, within your witnessing paschal faith community? Are you seeking and serving Christ in all persons in the mind of the spirit? Have you decided to follow Jesus Christ, in living the Paschal Mystery in the mind of the flesh, or the mind of the spirit (Mark 8:31-38)?


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