Resurrection and Baptism
People who say they will first die and then arise are wrong. If they do not receive the resurrection first, while they are alive, they will receive nothing when they die. So it is said of baptism, “Great is baptism,” for if people receive it, they will live.
Those who say they will die [physically] first and then rise [as spirit beings] are in error. If they do not first receive the resurrection [receive “Christ in them”] while they live, when they die they will receive nothing [one must attain the first resurrection while in the physical body through Christ]. So also when speaking about baptism they say, "Baptism is a great thing," because if people receive it they will live [these do not apprehend the Father nor His Son nor do they comprehend the mystery of sonship – they only see the “letter” and not the “spirit” of the law, these think that the baptism is a physical “outward” act and do not understand what it really is even though they say it is symbolic, they still dwell on its tradition in ignorance]. (Philip 72)
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