Belief and Faith: Apostolic Understanding- Part 1 of 4

 

Belief and Faith: Apostolic Understanding - Part 1

Being Born Again - Jn 3:5

Most believers are already convinced of the necessity of being baptized in the Holy Spirit. But the role of water baptism in Biblical (apostolic) salvation has been under attack for a very long time.

The Apostle Paul placed great importance on grace, but not as a license to sin:

"...Will we continue in sin that grace may abound? Far be it: for if we are persons that have died to sin, how can we again live in it." Rom 6:2 Roth

Then Paul makes a direct connection to water baptism to show WHY we have died to sin:

"For we are buried with him in immersion (baptism) to death; that as Yeshua the Messiah arose from the dead into the glory of his father, so also we, to walk in a new life." Rom 6:4 A.P. by Roth

The old sinful nature is buried in baptism, so that the new believer is able to come up out of the water a new creature. For he that is dead to the desire of the flesh is freed from sin - Rom 6:7.

With sin so rampant in the church today, this should be considered a very important and powerful message.

Two Words For The Body of Messiah

"Yeshua answered and said to them, 'Tear down this temple and after three days I will raise IT!'" John 2:19 by Roth
"But HE was speaking concerning the Temple of his BODY" John 2:21

The Aramaic word for body here is pagar [NOTE #7]. It means exhausted, void of strength, cold - a carcass without life. Without the Divine presence within, the body is just a dead corpse.

Paul reveals another aspect:

"In whom dwells all the fullness of God (i.e. the Godhead) bodily." Col 2:9 A.P.

The Aramaic for bodily here is gasham [NOTE #8]. It comes from the root of a violent and heavy rain. From this body the word of YAH pours forth as seed, and the LIVING WATERS fall down upon believers as rain.

Israel drank a spiritual drink from the Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Messiah - 1 Cor 10:4.

So the body of Messiah is both Temple and Fountain. When YAH departed, it became a corpse. When YAH revived it, it became the place from which the fullness of God flows - YAH the Son as seed planted, Yehowah the Father as LIVING WATERS watering that seed.

"And in HIM you are also complete because HE IS the head of all principalities and authorities." Col 2:10

Circumcision Without Hands

Paul contrasts the sign of the old covenant (circumcision of flesh) with the sign of the new covenant (baptism):

"And in HIM you have been circumcised with a circumcision without hands,... by casting off the flesh of sins by a circumcision of the Messiah." Col 2:11

What is this circumcision of Messiah?

"And you have been BURIED with HIM by IMMERSION (baptism); and by it you have risen with HIM while you believed in the power of God who raised HIM from the dead." Col 2:12 A.P.

In order to experience the power of God during baptism, the believer must have faith that the waters are working with the blood and the Spirit to wash away sins; and that the NAME is being placed upon them as a covering. Not as license to sin, but as protection from the power sin once held.

While the minister places the name of the Son upon the believer, the believer calls upon the name of MAR-YAH YESHUA both before and after baptism. Even Paul was admonished:

"And now, why do you delay? Arise, be immersed (baptized), and be cleansed from your sins, while you invoke [i.e. CALL UPON] HIS NAME." Acts 22:16 A.P.

Clothed With Messiah

"Beware, or else any man make you naked (spoil you/strip you) by philosophy and by vain deception, according to the doctrine of men..." Col 2:8 Roth

How do they strip you? By belittling baptism:

"For those who have been immersed (baptized) in Messiah have been CLOTHED WITH MESSIAH." Gal 3:27

If believers become convinced that water baptism has no direct relationship to the washing away of sins and the covering of the blood and the name, then their faith is no longer on the solid Rock of scripture, but on philosophy and vain deception.

"And you who were dead in your sins and by the uncircumcision of your flesh He has resurrected with HIM, and HE HAS FORGIVEN US ALL OUR SINS." Col 2:13

It is faith in the instructions, faith in the Biblical command, by which a believer exercises faith in the blood.

Remember Your Baptism

The enemy attacked this doctrine immediately. This is why ancient Greek manuscripts of Hebrews were altered early on.

Greek says:

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened..." Heb 6:4 KJV

Aramaic Peshitta says:

"But they who have once descended to immersion (baptism) and have tasted the gift from heaven and have received the Holy Spirit..." Heb 6:4-5 Roth

Every Aramaic text reads "baptism" in both Heb 6:4 and Heb 10:32. Most Greek texts read "enlightenment." The early church fathers - Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Cyril - called baptism "illumination" because it was when believers received light. The Peshitta preserves the direct connection.

Paul says to recall it:

"Therefore, recall the former days, those in which you received immersion (baptism) and endured a great conflict of sufferings..." Heb 10:32 Peshitta Roth

Why recall it? So that faith stays alive and you do not return to former sins - Heb 10:37-39. We observe Passover to remember body and blood through bread and wine. We must also keep our baptismal experience in spiritual memory.

We sing to keep that memory alive:

"YAH is my praise and my song, and is also become my salvation (YESHUA)." Ps 118:14

When the believer sings praise to YAH who has become YESHUA, spiritual memory is stirred and faith is strengthened.

Part 2 next: From "Saves" to "Made Alive" - Why 1 Peter 3:21 Shines Brightest in the Aramaic.

---

NOTES
#7 pagar - exhausted, cold, dead body
#8 gasham - violent heavy rain, living waters pouring forth

see part 2

https://remnantstudies.blogspot.com/2026/10/from-saves-to-made-alive-part-2-of-3_01515732911.html

see part 3

https://remnantstudies.blogspot.com/2026/10/wedding-garments-part-3-of-3-belieffaith.html

see part 4 Embryonic faith

https://remnantstudies.blogspot.com/2026/10/embryonic-faith-part-4-of-4-belief-and.html

NOTE  - BAPTISM IS ENLIGHTENMENT - THE GREEK ITSELF PROVES THE PESHITTA

The Greek primacists love to say the Peshitta added baptism to Hebrews 6:4 and 10:32. That the Peshitta translator went off the rails.

It is the exact opposite.

Greek Hebrews 6:4 says:

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened - photisthentas - and have tasted of the heavenly gift..."

Greek Hebrews 10:32 says:

"But call to remembrance the former days, in which after ye were illuminated - photisthentes - ye endured a great fight..."

What is this enlightenment? What is this illumination?

The early church fathers tell us plainly. Justin Martyr in the year 150 AD tells us.

Justin Martyr - First Apology chapter 61:

"This washing is called illumination - photismos - as those who learn these things are illuminated in their understandings."

Clement of Alexandria - Paedagogus Book 1 chapter 6:

"When we are baptized we are enlightened. Being enlightened we become adopted sons. Becoming adopted sons we are made perfect. And becoming perfect we are made divine."

Chrysostom in his Homily on Hebrews 10:32 actually lists the names of baptism. Listen to him:

He says Paul calls it enlightenment - for call to remembrance the former days in which after ye were illuminated... and again for it is impossible for those who were once illuminated and have tasted of the heavenly gift...

It is called also baptism - for as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.

It is called also burial. It is called also circumcision. It is called a cross.

So by Chrysostom's time, illumination WAS the first name for baptism. He tells his hearers to return to the first name. The first name was illumination.

Gregory Nazianzus in Oration 40 calls baptism illumination.

And what did they call the candidates? They did not call them catechumens only. In the East they were called photizomenoi - the illuminands. In Rome the electi.

And what did they call the place where it happened? They did not call it baptisterion only. In Greek it is photisterion - place of enlightenment. Literally a place of illumination. 

See Cambridge Journal of Ecclesiastical History - The Photisterion in Late Antiquity - photisterion is defined as archaic word used to describe the rite of baptism and the baptistery itself.

So even Greek preserves the memory that baptism WAS enlightenment.

Why?

Because when you come up out of the water clothed with MARANA-YAH YESHUA MASHIYCHA, your eyes are opened. You are enlightened. Your dark past is buried. You walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4

The Greek manuscripts kept the nickname - enlightened - and lost the act - baptism.

The Aramaic Peshitta keeps the act itself:

"But they who have once descended to immersion - baptism - and have tasted the gift from heaven and have received the Holy Spirit..." Heb 6:4-5 A.P. by Roth

"Therefore recall the former days those in which you received immersion - baptism - and endured a great conflict..." Heb 10:32 A.P. by Roth

Every Aramaic text reads immersion in both places.

Only the Peshitta dares to tell you what enlightenment actually was. The Eastern church never forgot.

The Greek primacists must claim the Peshitta translator was uninspired when he wrote baptism. They must throw away the very definition of photismos.

I will not.

Baptism is enlightenment because baptism is where you are made alive. 1 Peter 3:21 Peshitta. Not saves. Made alive.

And when you are made alive, you are enlightened.

This is why Paul says recall it. Heb 10:32. Keep it in spiritual memory. Sing to keep it alive. Ps 118:14 YAH is my praise and my song and is become my salvation - YESHUA.

When you sing HALLELU-YAH YESHUA coming up out of the water, you are keeping your illumination alive.