Are we commanded in the bible to be baptized? Yes, but only after we have repented. If we have repented then we have believed.
If we have believed and have repented are we then His children? Have we been blood bought? Yes? Then what is one good reason that you would not be baptized according to the bible? None, unless you are a fake conversion or have a very bad evangelist before you.
The coast guard analogy works only if the person is unconscious in the water. Yes they are being rescued, but if I were in the water it would be my nature the push up on to, grab, cling to the basket and obey the voice of the rescuer. Did I save myself? No, but there were things that would be right, reasonable, and in submission to the rescuer that were done.
We are to put on Christ and at the moment of belief this is the easiest. When we realize we are dead in our sins and need to be rescued we put on Christ like a life preserver and trust Him. If we trust Him we trust the Words He's given us because it would be in our new nature (born again) to obey Him.
In
Mathew 28 Jesus commands his disciple to teach and baptize. Then reiterates by saying to teach the things that He has commanded.
It is not wrong for Steve and Tim to follow what Jesus has commanded. By saying that we don't need to baptize is like saying we don't have to go into the nations and teach what Jesus commanded.
Do Steve and Tim believe for a second that getting wet is what saves you? They both seem intelligent to me so I'll say no. They both know that it was the shedding of Jesus's blood in our place that has saved them. Are they listening and obeying the voice of the rescuer though? According the bible they are.
Hybrid Mode
