Spiritual significance of water baptism as part of salvation

[FrankIeCip]

Not the putting away of filth of the flesh. A shadow of things to come. ??

[Peterlag]

2 hours ago, Walter Goraj jr said:

Very well said. Its true when you said : "To suggest water baptism has anything to do with the only begotten resurrected Son of God, who is functioning within the New Testament as the head of the body of Christ, has led to nothing but confusion and has provided a bomb that has blown the local churches into pieces."

Because many pastors and teachers took " baptism " and ran away with it, making it profitable for their own agenda ( just like that verse in Malachi...10% you know). They never teach the spiritual meaning ..." the washing of regeneration,  and renewing of the Holy Ghost" ( Titus 3:5).

 

 

Thanks @Walter Goraj jr

[Waggles]

4 hours ago, Walter Goraj jr said:

We're all here to rightly divide the word of truth!

If you and others were able to do that you would understand the spiritual significance of full immersion water baptism. 

[FrankIeCip]

You are relying on your own work and not resting on the finished work of Christ. Should the thief have come down from his cross and been immersed before being with Jesus in paradise? There’s nothing we can add to what He did for us. 

[FrankIeCip]

I’m out on this one too. God bless you all. ??

[BeyondET]

Gees a lot of baptisms, Water - Holy Spirit - Fire.

theres One IMO who is more powerful than water.

[Waggles]

34 minutes ago, FrankIeCip said:

You are relying on your own work and not resting on the finished work of Christ. Should the thief have come down from his cross and been immersed before being with Jesus in paradise? There’s nothing we can add to what He did for us. 

1. Do We Really Know that the Thief Was Never Baptized?
Obviously the thief was not baptized on the cross, but does that prove he had never been baptized beforehand?

Jesus wasn't baptized on the cross either, but does that prove He had never been baptized? No, He was baptized by John the Baptist.

Matthew 3:5,6 - People from Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region round about were baptized by John.

John 4:1,2 - Later, Jesus' disciples began baptizing people to make them Jesus' disciples. In fact, Jesus baptized more disciples than John did.

But if people want to use the thief to prove baptism is not necessary, then to be fair, do not they first have to know that he was never baptized?

Someone may point out that the thief could not have received the baptism of the gospel like we must receive today, but we will see that the thief also did not have the same kind of faith we must have today. The reason the thief could not receive the same baptism we do is that the terms of salvation under the gospel were not yet in effect when the thief was crucified. So the example of the thief actually teaches nothing about the specific steps that we must take to be saved today.

to be continued ... 

[Waggles]

2. The Thief Cannot Be Used as an Example of Salvation by Gospel Faith.
The reason people try to use the thief to prove that people can be saved without baptism is that they believe in salvation by faith alone. But did the thief have the kind of faith we must have to be saved under the gospel?

Romans 10:9 - If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. So, to have the faith required by the gospel, we must believe that God has raised Jesus from the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 - Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection are the fundamental facts of the gospel that we must receive, believe, and hold fast to in order to be saved. The thief on the cross could not possibly believe Jesus had been raised from the dead, because He had not yet died, let alone been buried and raised.

The thief was no more saved by the faith of the gospel than he was saved by the baptism of the gospel. Would it be proper for people to try to use the thief to prove that people can be saved today without believing that Jesus has been raised from the dead? No, and likewise it is not proper to use the thief to prove people today can be saved without baptism.

The point is that the thief was saved before the terms of the gospel came into effect. So we cannot use his case to prove one way or the other what people must do today to be saved.

from Does the Thief on the Cross Prove Baptism is Not Essential? (gospelway.com) 

[FrankIeCip]

There are no steps to salvation. Salvation is not by works. Please refer to my last post. I’m out. May God bless you and yours ??

[BeyondET]

13 minutes ago, Waggles said:

Jesus wasn't baptized on the cross either, but does that prove He had never been baptized? No, He was baptized by John the Baptist.

Hmm why do you think Jesus was distressed about baptism, which baptism was He distressed about?

john 12:50

But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!