For those that left the UPC...

[onefaith2]

Originally Posted by missourimary

Onefaith, those who received John's baptism weren't yet believers in Jesus. As you said, "they were baptized due to their repentance AWAITING Messiah." Yes, they certainly needed to be rebaptized once they believed in Jesus. Those baptized today, whether in Jesus name or in the titles, do believe in Jesus.



If you are serving someone in any capacity, you can most definitely do so to the glory of God. If the only things we do in Jesus name are those things we consider strictly religious in nature, we are living beneath our privileges!

Mt 25:34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.



So is what we have as history inaccurate? Is some of history possibly recorded with a Catholic (or other) bias? If so, how can you be sure that what I've said is historically inaccurate?

But again, I have not said that nothing should be said over a candidate at baptism. All I am saying is that the words said are not as important as the response of the candidate to Jesus. (And that Acts 22:16 can't be used as a proof text for Jesus name baptism, but that's gotten lost amongst the ruffled feathers somewhere.)

What Jesus is referring to is serving and yes when we serve we need to bless people in the name of Jesus. Pouring coffee can be working at a restaurant, thats a big difference.. going to the ballgame is a deed, but do you do that in the name of Jesus. My point is you cannot generalize the scripture to anything that is done.

Those who get baptized in the titles do believe in Jesus, yes. But Paul never baptized people who believed in Jesus in the titles so it would be Biblically inaccurate and that is the point of the argument from the OP side.

From your side you are saying it does not matter the words as much as it does the action or the intent of faith in Christ. Paul taught that we should abide in the doctrine that he laid out. That was not just the gospel but the church's teachings. Whether a person has knowledge that title baptism is incorrect or not, it still does not mean it is right to do. And any good hearted christian who is open to the word should see that. If they do not, the Lord has revealed it to men.

Acts 22:16 pleads the case the name of the Lord must be said. In that case its by the one being baptized. I don't throw that verse out at all.