born of water

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Hesetmefree238

. It is the blood that cleanses and sanctifies. If the blood was only applied at baptism, no one could ever be filled with the Spirit before being baptized.

The blood is never said to be applied at any given point in particular compared to other points in salvation. I don't know who started the idea otherwise. It's certainly not biblical any more than God being unable to dwell in an unclean temple is biblical.

Peter gives this description of Cornelius's household receiving the Spirit in Acts 15:7-9

7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Peter just said, that God bare witness to the sincere faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and their repentance by filling them with the Holy Ghost. This was a confirmation and witness testifying of their faith, that God had received and forgiven them, and that an inner cleansing had taken place in their hearts by faith.

Hebrews 10:14-19
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

A few points from this passage:
1. The Holy Ghost bears witness of our acceptance with God and the fact that our sins and iniquities he remembers no more.
2. It's only through the blood that we enter into the Holiest (representing the Holy Ghost or presence of God)
3. The blood cleanses and grants pardon / The Holy Ghost bears witness to this and confirms our acceptance with God

None of this negates the necessity of being baptized the Biblical way, which is in the name of Jesus Christ with the baptizer invoking the name of Jesus over the baptismal candidate. However, as I said earlier, it's for God to do the judging. Faith and repentance are incomplete without baptism, and baptism is only to be done one way, which is in the name of Jesus, but it's for God to do the judging, and for us to do believing and obeying.

Amen.