Baptism: Essential or Not - Page 5

Cindy · #41 01-19-2011, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deacon blues

I'm not anti-baptism. I am pro-baptism. We mention it almost every Sunday. I just believe justification takes place at faith. After you repent and become a child of God, you should be baptized. Not for justification, but to follow Christ's example, to obey His command to be baptized, to identify with His burial, to publicly declare your faith in the blood of Jesus.

The scripture makes it clear we are forgiven and cleansed at repentance. We are saved by grace through faith.

And yet here we are with the question of it being essential. So the consensus is it's essential for Christians to be baptized, but not for salvation. I think what is confusing is many try to add to Acts 2:37.

Michael The Disciple · #42 01-19-2011, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin

Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

I'm not sure why anyone would be against baptism...?

They are not against baptism that they have created. The one that is merely a symbol. The one that is merely a outward testimony of an inward work.

The one that bothers them so much is the one Jesus spoke of and the Apostles.

You know the one that Jesus said we must do to be saved. The one Paul said was for burying the old man. The one Peter said was for the remission of sins.

THAT baptism is the one they oppose. That happens when we take our eyes off the scriptures and listen to to much Protestant/Evangelical teaching.

Socialite · #43 01-19-2011, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Tongues and baptism are normative to the christian church in Acts. The immediate submission to water baptism upon hearing the word and believing is also normative.

As a Christian practice and command, it is essential. But again it is a command and an obligation to those having faith. So if someone has decided to be baptized by faith, that the die before doing so does not mean they were disobedient

Receiving the Spirit is nowhere in scripture given as a command... rather, it was always a promise.

Socialite · #44 01-19-2011, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC1

I think 3 steppers look at one steppers as believing baptism is unnecessary while in reality most one steppers view baptism as something very important but something that is a sacrament every believe should want to do as part of following Christ, not something they do as a requirement of salvation.

My one step pastor has preached the importance, beauty, and significance of taking on Christ in water baptism as a symbol of being buried with him, identified with him, etc.

And the difference in views is one of Gospel importance IMO.

One sees salvation as the work God does, the other as the work we do together.

Socialite · #45 01-19-2011, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin

Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

I'm not sure why anyone would be against baptism...?

No one is.

Socialite · #46 01-19-2011, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deacon blues

I understand. I was fortunate to be male, had parents that were reasonable (I was allowed to play sports, be involved in extra-curricular activities, sing in the school choir, act in school plays), our church did not preach against tv, and my pastor did not preach hard standards. The ladies would get a Bible study about once a year in a "women's only" closed door session on the dos and donts. It was also just a part of the church culture. We all knew what the standards were. Our church was considered a liberal church although still pretty staunch on the hair/make up/pants/jewelry stuff.

I know a lot of folks who had terribly negative experiences. I witnessed people being treated wrongly at various points and times. I personally had very few traumatic events. Again, mostly positive.

A blessed experience for you, indeed.

From what you wrote, your church was definitely more on the "liberal" side which is maybe helped your experience a bit. I was on the polar extreme of your experience.

Socialite · #47 01-19-2011, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarah

Actually, CC1, Rom 6:4 says we are buried with Him BY baptism. Don't say anything about it being just a 'symbol'.

Do you think we are literally buried?

rgcraig · #48 01-19-2011, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Socialite

Do you think we are literally buried?

Symbolic

Romans 6:4 (The Message)

3-5 That's what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we're going in our new grace-sovereign country.

SeekingOne · #49 01-19-2011, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carpenter

I have always wondered about the sequence of salvation in the 3-step process...the traditional is repentance, baptism, then tongues as they are coming out of the water...at least this is the marketing message. A curveball is tossed into the abstract when someone speaks in tongues without being baptized. I have heard it preached that God will not deposit his spirit (wine) in an dirty pot. Interesting that if the Lord would fill someone with HIS spirit, and if that person were not baptized, then a spirit filled person would be considered damned?...and what of the effectiveness of their baptism?

...then there are tithes.

Wow, I had never heard that before. I was filled with the Spirit for years before someone spoke Jesus over me before dunking me. Maybe because I had already called on Jesus, and that person could have said anything when I went under?

I hadn't been "baptized in Jesus name" before because I had never heard that someone had to say something special over me before going under.

Now, I WAS baptized after putting my faith in Jesus the first time. That pastor made me testify before everyone that I was putting my trust in Jesus and what Jesus did for my salvation. Nobody said the golden words when they dunked me. But I spoke in tongues later for some odd reason. Oh well, the next church said it didn't take so I just did it again with them saying all the right words.

Funny though, when the person said all the right words, I was putting my trust in them saying all the right words and from then on made sure I did all the man made rules so I could go to heaven, instead of trusting in Jesus anymore.

ForeverBlessed · #50 01-19-2011, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC1

I think 3 steppers look at one steppers as believing baptism is unnecessary while in reality most one steppers view baptism as something very important but something that is a sacrament every believe should want to do as part of following Christ, not something they do as a requirement of salvation.

My one step pastor has preached the importance, beauty, and significance of taking on Christ in water baptism as a symbol of being buried with him, identified with him, etc.

and CC, the key there is, it is the symbol of being buried w/Him.

I will never forget thru personal study of the scriptures that I understood that water baptism is not what saves, but is symbolism of what already took place in the heart....circumcision of the heart by the Spirit.

Several posts here that I would "LIKE" if there was such a button. lol