True Christian Religion # 690
690. The baptism performed by John represented the cleansing of the external man; but baptism as practised among Christians at the present time represents the cleansing of the internal man, which is his regeneration. That is why we read that John baptised with water, but the Lord baptises with the Holy Spirit and with fire. So too John's baptism is called a baptism of repentance (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:4ff; Luke 3:3, 16; John 1:25-26, 33; Acts of the Apostles 1:22; 10:37; 18:25). The Jews who were baptised were nothing but external men, and the external man cannot become internal without faith in Christ. It may be seen in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts of the Apostles 19:3-6) that those who received John's baptism became internal men, when they accepted faith in Christ and were then baptised in the name of Jesus.
Ezekiel 34:1-6
1
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
2
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and tell them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn't the shepherds feed the sheep?
3
You eat the fat, and you clothe yourself with the wool, you kill the fatlings; but you don't feed the sheep.
4
You haven't strengthened the diseased, neither have you healed that which was sick, neither have you bound up that which was broken, neither have you brought back that which was driven away, neither have you sought that which was lost; but with force and with rigor you have ruled over them.
5
They were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food to all the animals of the field, and were scattered.
6
My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill: yes, my sheep were scattered on all the surface of the earth; and there was none who searched or sought.
