Expert: Dr Eddy Cheong - 11/30/2010

Question
Hi.

I just finish reading your article on "Water Baptism" I know that God says there is only "one baptism" But why did Jesus say in John Chapter 3 that to enter to Heaven we must be born again. In verse 5 it say's "... born of water and of the Spirit..." Is John's baptism of water (John 3:23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.)? And Jesus Baptism of Fire (Holy Spirit)? Take a look at this verse carefully

Matthew 3:
11 I indeed baptize you with 'water' unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the 'Holy Ghost, and with fire':

I believe all belivers are baptize in water unto repentance but we also after that must be baptize in the Holy Ghost. In Acts 19 talks how a disciple was baptized in the Holy Ghost. Verse 5 "When they heard this, they were baptized (Received) in the name of the Lord Jesus." Period. I believe they supernaturally were baptized in the Spirit because they were already baptized in water (verse 3). Verse 6 reads, "And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied."

Correct me if I'm wrong. I am not trying to say that there are two baptism. But One baptism and One other "Baptism" which to me is "Receiving" the Holy Spirit. The Baptism of Jesus in the Spirit.

Oh! And I got this other question, Is it bad, or even a sin for a Christian male to let his hair grow if he desires to? 1 Corinthians 11:14 says
"Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?" In other words, "It's common sense and logical that it is embarrassing for a man to have long hair"

"Barne's note on the Bible" said, "It is a shame unto him? - It is improper and disgraceful. It is doing that which almost universal custom has said appropriately belongs to the female sex."

" but the traditional law of the Jews on the subject was strict. The same rule existed among the Greeks; and it was regarded as disgraceful to wear long hair in the time of Aelian;"

That is what he commented, what do you think? If we are under Grace and not under law. That is the tradition of the Jews and the Greeks.  Why Christians condemn others for this. Here in the U.S. its alright  for a guy to have long hair, even girls comment that it may look nice on some guys. I'm just saying in others is it okay for me as a Christian to let my hair grow up to my shoulders or a little bit past my shoulders (Not that long)?

A Guatemalan Pastor told me "I do not have the customs of the Jews but of a Guatemalan..."

Read what happens in Galatians 2:11-21.

But take a look how Paul got upset and how he opposed because of this

11When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

(NIV Version)

Then see what Paul said to him,

"14When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel..." What did he mean by that?

"14... I said to Peter in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?

In the King James version it sounds better and clearly what he meant to say "manner" Even in the way they dressed, etc.

"14But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?"

Then read on till verse 21, what a message of Christ.

I'm not trying to say that a guy can let his hair grow and then he can wear earrings. I am not trying to say that. In Deuteronomys it says somewhere that a man should wear the clothes of man and the woman the clothes of a woman. Now definitely that is way off the limit if guy wants to wear make up and dress like girl. Showing the sin of Homosexuality... Here I found it right now. Deuteronomy 22:

5The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

Right here God was talking about clothes (Skirts, etc.)Notice how He said "Pretaineth" That includes earrings, make- up and etc. So does it include the length of a man's hair? If indeed it was abominable then why God gave the Law of the Nazarite? In which Samson, a Men of God, was under? "He was under that law, and it enabled him" So are you trying to say that God  enabled Samson to grow His hair Which "if" it is abominable, abominable?

Correct me if I'm wrong. And for real, I don't want you to get mad at me or  those who read this, hence, God is not a respecter of man. I'm just... Learning and I appreciate your time and help.

The Glory be to God in Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen.

:]  

Answer
I have explained in detail the principles of salvation, water baptism and Baptism of the Holy Spirit under the respective headings in my web page at www.eddyssite.com
There is a natural birth(from our mother's womb) and there is a spiritual re-birth (to be born again). No one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born again (a spiritual rebirth)...

John 3:5-8

5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
NIV

'Water' in verse 5 above refers to the cleansing work of the WORD of God which begins to work for and at the point of spiritual rebirth..

Eph 5:26
26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
NIV

In summary, salvation (to be born again) is through repentance (an about turn from our old sinful ways) and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, believing that He died for our sins and that He resurrected from the dead on the third day. It involes the mind and the heart...

Rom 10:8-11
9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
NIV

Repentance is of paramount importance because if we do not forsake and renounce our sinful ways of life we can never truly accept Jesus in faith. Many so called professing christians only believe with their minds without true repentance and the result is a life not lived according to the Word of God and a life apart from the leading of the Holy Spirit (not truly born again).

Regarding your second question, it is against the Word of God for a male to have long hair...

1 Cor 11:14-15
14 Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him,
NIV

This verse is as unequivocal as it can get and requires no exegesis.
If you look at Rev 9 verse 8 below you will notice that the demons released from the Abyss had long hair (again no coincidence)...

Rev 9:8-11
8 Their hair was like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails and stings like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. 11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon.
NIV

Conversely, if a woman has short hair it follows by inference that it is a disgrace to her...

1 Cor 11:15-16
15 but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.
NIV

This is because a woman needs a covering and long hair is given to her as a covering.

So called paintings of our Lord Jesus with long hair are not true to God's Word. There are no verses describing in detail how our Lord looked like physically whilst He was on earth and we He should not be portrayed in a way that is contrary to the teachings of Scripture. It is no coincidence that the actual physical appearance of our Lord has been left out in the Scriptures. Perhaps it is because He was here primarily for a spiritual purpose and this is totally independent of looks.