Quote:
Originally Posted by OneAccord
Well, if I understand your question correctly, it is the faith of the hearer in the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that "cuts away the body of sin". Throughout the Scriptures we find reference after reference to the role of faith in removing us from sin. Without faith baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ would be pointless.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. |
...and this is my understanding as well.
this is why I marvel at the endless "what if" conditions applied to the faciliator or the formula in the water baptism transformation (root word; 'bapto').
I am very sad for the countless number of 'obedient' saints who place their hope in the recitation of specific words spoken by a faciliator and make no real query of the Spirit concerning those who come to the waters of baptism.
Is there any deliverance from the body of sin by simply being an obedient widget on a production line because of following the instruction of the line operator? (rhetorical question only).
thanks for the reply.
PS: I think this disconnect involving whose faith is in operation, is what has left so many apostolics seeing water baptism as an outward sign of inward change; strictly an obedience to a command. Why? JUST BECAUSE.