Quote:
Originally Posted by stmatthew
So you believe a baptist man or woman who has "called on the name of the Lord" and walked in that light only until their death is going to here, "Well done though good and faithful servant"? I am sorry, but new birth is where life begins, and that occurs when one is born of water and of Spirit. While I would never criticize someone that has not reached that place, I would always encourage them that there is more. And new birth is just the beginning of the new life in Christ. There is room all the way from beginning to ending where one could step away, or get bogged down in legalistic ritual, and lose their salvation. But new birth is the beginning of the new life.
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At least you are thinking. But, if you think that I said that I considered them to be "born again" only at confession of sins, you need to go back and read my last post. I did not say that.
While I would never be the judge of whether or not the Lord would take a soul to be with him if he should drop dead one minute after leave an altar of repentance and confession of sins, either not knowing that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus or did not have a chance to walk to all the way to the baptistry before they dropped dead.
I don't have any scripture to base my belief, hope and expectations upon but I coose to believe such an honest and purre heart would be received of the Lord just as surely as a new born baby that never been BORN AGAIN of the water and Spirit. I just believe that God is good and just as well as abundantly merciful.
I know that Jesus said, "Ye must be born again..." This is a general statement and one is expected to walk on in the light. However, babies, the retarded, and the incompetent are not going to be sent to hell regardless how we might interpret a rigid rule of scripture. Yes, I know that there are some people that believe that unregenrated babies go to hell, especially those born of unbelieving parents. I reject that thought as very horrible.
Nevertheless when Jesus is preached, lifted up, magnified and loved both in word and in deed, people will come to love and know Jesus, receiving Him, His teachings and His life.
Don't think that I would let people off the hook simply because they do not choose to obey the Gospel as I do not preach or teach any other plan of salvation that does not include the
Jn 3:5 experience of the new birth. I have no other option.
I am sure that one must receive Jesus in their hearts by FAITH in contrition, confessing their sins and confessing Jesus before they are willing to be baptized or at least before baptism is effective in any sense of the Word. This is certainly true of receiving the Holy Ghost as well. One MUST be converted to the faith of Jesus, receiving that faith in their hearts lest you baptize sinners who subsequently fill the pews as a satisfied hipocrite carrying on a form of godliness.
God is a good God. He expects our journey to be more than one, two or thee steps. Only an infant takes just such a few steps. There is a walk. It is called the christian walk...walking in the light by which the blood of Jesus continually cleanses us from sin day by day.
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