Why Do We Worship God With Baptism?

[th1bill]

Recently I have seen a number of articles on the Christian Forums I frequent asking,

[th1bill]

Baptism is so important because it is for the washing away of our sins. God washes away our sins when we are by faith, baptized into His name (Jesus). When John baptized he baptized with the baptism of repentance FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS (John 1:4) This baptism signifying the baptism to come. Peter said that baptism was for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) Ananias told Paul to be baptized to wash away his sins (Acts 22:16) So then, when we are by faith baptized then God washes away our sins.

For the longest time that was believed to be true, but it isn´t. Baptism, just as I pointed out in, indeed, important but in no manor can ¨water¨ affect the Spiritual being, just the thought of it being so is silly. The removal of Sin requires the action of God when He removes them and they are as far from His memory as the East is from the West. Many are they that have been dunked in the Baptismal that have done no more than to get wet, they are still on their way to Hell.

[chloe_fantastic]

Luke 23:39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

When did this cat get baptized?

[Fez]

So Jesus was baptized to wash away His sins? If not (and He was not) why?

Joh 1:32 And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.

Joh 1:33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'

He baptizes us with the Holy Spirit. Baptism is just our affirmation of that. It is not necessary for salvation. We have been baptized with His blood.

And as to the heading of this post. We do not worship God through baptism. Show me the scriptures that directly attain to that.

We worship through prayer, song, and being righteous before Him.

[Smalcald]

Only unbelief condemns us.

However what happened when Jesus was baptized? Something happened, it was not simply an outward symbol. It is correct though that water does nothing, however water joined with the Word of God is very powerful indeed. Can this gift of God be rejected? Yes all gifts of God can be rejected, if you don't have any faith your baptism will do nothing for you, if you have faith and do not have a chance to be baptized you still belong to Christ.

[th1bill]

Oh I see, so since water in no way affects the spiritual being I guess that the bible was lying in the Old Testament when it said that the water of separation (a shadow of baptism) was for purification of sin? (Numbers 19:9) What about all of the washings of purification in Leviticus and in Numbers? would you say that those are not shadows of baptism? I know that water itself does not take away our sin, but remember that God has always used water to save man in the past, and I believe he still does uses water to save us by baptism. Do not use your own logic, use Gods word to prove to you what can and cant be done, because the God who could raise up children from stones can surely use water to save us. There are three in earth that bear record in earth (concerning our salvation), the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and these three agree in one (1John 5:8)

Sir,

You have done well in your study and with a bit more study you will have done very well. All of these are the foreshadow of the, much misunderstood, Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Speaking from my personal experience, I walked off stage in a SE Texas Juke Joint, a saved man, indwelt with the Holy Ghost of God. Folks that know me will tell you that I am very slow to condemn the, so called, Second Baptism because many are the members of every Church family that are without the Holy Spirit´s guidance. By that token, many are they that have done no more than to get wet when they were Baptized.

We must always remember to pray, submit and allow the light of all scripture to shine on every scripture so that we are not being ¨normal¨ Finite Beings, attempting to equal God by telling Him what He meant to say.

[Fez]

So Jesus was baptized to wash away His sins? If not (and He was not) why?

Joh 1:32 And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.

Joh 1:33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'

He baptizes us with the Holy Spirit. Baptism is just our affirmation of that. It is not necessary for salvation. We have been baptized with His blood.

And as to the heading of this post. We do not worship God through baptism. Show me the scriptures that directly attain to that.

We worship through prayer, song, and being righteous before Him.

Just be because Christ was baptized does not mean that it doesnt wash away your sins, he had no sin to wash away!

Christ was baptized for simply this reason: He was our example, 1Peter 2:21. Everything we have to do as a christian, he did it first, he prayed as a man, he ate as a man, he slept as a man, he was baptized as a man, as God he did not need to do any of these things.

My sins were not washed away with water. My sins were washed away with His blood. I chose to be baptized to affirm this fact and the fact that I live under Grace.

Grace is a simple concept, but we tend to muddy the waters with law.

The simple fact is that it is very easy to say "I love Jesus".(so I must be baptized, etc to prove it. To who? He knows your heart)

What a lot of Christians cannot grasp in its entirety, is the fact that "Jesus loves me!".

An example....

Peter told Jesus "you are the son of God" (my words). Effectively telling Jesus he loved Him.

John called himself "the disciple who Jesus loved".

Peter ended up denying Jesus three times.

John was at the foot of the cross.

The pure simplicity of Grace, and knowing that Jesus loves us, would answer most of our questions without us beating ourselves up.

[th1bill]

Yes we do get baptized because we love God, but by being baptized, we are not proving that we love God to anyone, it is a product of our love for him, if we have love we obey, if we love God we keep his commandments (John 14:15, 23).

We cannot enter the kingdom of God if we are not born of water AND the Spirit (John 3:5)

WHOABIG BOY!! You, not God, just sent two of the finest men I ever knew to Hell!! One of them, my son in law, had a hole in his throat and could not be baptized and the other was so weak at his conversion that he died a few days later. Your entire premise is built on nonsense. You really do need to do a complete study on this and cease making these half baked ideas.

[Joshua-777]

Baptism is so important because it is for the washing away of our sins. God washes away our sins when we are by faith, baptized into His name (Jesus). When John baptized he baptized with the baptism of repentance FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS (John 1:4) This baptism signifying the baptism to come. Peter said that baptism was for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) Ananias told Paul to be baptized to wash away his sins (Acts 22:16) So then, when we are by faith baptized then God washes away our sins.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

[Joshua-777]

Yes we do get baptized because we love God, but by being baptized, we are not proving that we love God to anyone, it is a product of our love for him, if we have love we obey, if we love God we keep his commandments (John 14:15, 23).

We cannot enter the kingdom of God if we are not born of water AND the Spirit (John 3:5)

His commandments?

1 John 3:23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

I don't think the theif on the cross had much of a chance to get baptized.

Luke 23:40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Born of water?

John 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

John 4:13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

John the Baptist said concerning the baptism of Jesus.

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

When I gave my life to the Lord, I recieved the baptism of the Holy Spirit, a few years later I was water baptized. The Holy Spirit is a seal to those who belong to Him.

Ephesians 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

1 John 3:24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.