Baptism?

[1ptr29citizen]

By the way, justjake, I agree with you one hundred percent brother. It's not just one or two, we can't pick out pieces of the gospel, but obey it all. Excellent post.

[justjake]

By the way, justjake, I agree with you one hundred percent brother. It's not just one or two, we can't pick out pieces of the gospel, but obey it all. Excellent post.

Yes, I have posted numerous times (under endure4salvation) that obedience is REQUIRED for enterance into God's kingdom.

Matthew 28:19-20

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (NIV)

How much of the Gospel are we to obey?

ALL of it.

How does one become a disciple of Jesus? Through baptism!

Acts 22.16 also confirms that baptism is how we call on the name of the Lord.

[mobile21]

Mobile21, where did you get the above from?

[mobile21]

No, baptism by itself will NOT in ANY WAY save you. The Bible says we must: believe, repent, confess, call on the name of the Lord, be baptized, and continue to live righteously for salvation. We can't pick one, we have to do them all.

That's exactly right

[Guest danni]

Hi its interesting reading this thread.

If Baptism is essential to salvation, then what about the person that gives their life to the Lord, thinking they are saved and then dies before they get baptised?

What about the thief on the cross? was he allowed down to be baptised because Jesus said that He would see him in paradise.

And is even one Baptism more acceptable than the other...e.g. sprinkling or immersion?

If a person commits their life to God are they then not saved until Baptism?

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[1ptr29citizen]

danni, we have already discussed some about baptism before the death of Jesus. No, no one could be saved by baptism before the death of Jesus, because the only baptism before the Son's death was John's baptism for repentance. People before the completion of the gospel were creditted righteousness because of their faith (i.e. Abraham, the thief on the cross..). So it would have been impossible to be baptized through Jesus before Jesus died, seeing as how we are now commanded to be baptized THROUGH Jesus and his resurrection.

2 Corinthians 7:10 tells us that repenting leads us to salvation. In other words, turning your life around and looking to God leads you to salvation. Yes, I would agree that living a committed life to God would save you, but isn't a committed life to God doing everything he tells us to do? Acts 3:19 tells us repenting wipes away our sins. Having a turned around lifestyle, living in a new, godly way, will blot out our sins. It was understood though, that having a new lifestyle comes from baptism, seeing as how it was earlier commanded in Acts 2, and how Paul showed how we live a new, repented, committed life to God and Jesus THROUGH baptism THROUGH Jesus in Romans 6.

[Rick]

Please notice in Acts 22 that Saul (later to be known as the Apostle Paul who wrote 1/3 of the New Testament) believed and had confessed Jesus as Lord three days before he was baptized. And when he was baptized it was not as a mere 'sign' or 'expression' of what had been done already.

It was to wash away his sins! (v. 16)

Why is it so hard for people to accept baptism as part of the Gospel?

Why is it that submitting to the commandments of God is met with such opposition?

The verse in Acts does not state that baptism washed away Paul's sins. It actually states:

" And now why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. " Acts 22:16.

The baptism was a baptism unto repentance. Not unto salvation. Continuing in the verse, it say's.. calling on the name of the Lord.

It was the Act of calling on the name of the Lord that brought salvation. Not the baptism.

As for why its so hard for people to accept baptism as a part of the gospel. Im sure it has something to do with an understanding of the scriptures. Some choose to believe that the blood of Christ in itself is not sufficient to provide salvation, and choose to include works, etc. Whereas others have seen the light of God's Word and understand that the single source of salvation is not Christ and anything else, But Jesus Christ alone. As to why that is so, Im sure there are many reasons. Some refuse to give up doctrinal stances, for whatever personal reasons they may have. Some are just wrong in their understanding of the scriptures. But in either case we are to hold to God's Word, not to doctrines and traditions, and ask the Holy Spirit for understanding. In other cases, Im sure that understanding is not present because the individual is not saved to begin with, and does not have the Holy Spirit to discern the truth.

There is no opposition to the commands of God. But there is knowledge that the commandments cannot save anyone.

" For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: For it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them, But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for the just shall live by faith." Gal. 3: 10-11.

Remember, we are not saved by works of righteousness which we have done.

[SonShiner]

I do not think that baptism is required for salvation. Even though I am baptised by immersion, I think that it is a very disputable matter. I was surprised to learn that the Salvation Army does not baptise at all, and I can not see from the Bible that all those millions that General Booth and his street soldiers won to the Lord are in hell as we speak. No Way!

SonShiner

[Rick]

Hi its interesting reading this thread.

If Baptism is essential to salvation, then what about the person that gives their life to the Lord, thinking they are saved and then dies before they get baptised?

What about the thief on the cross? was he allowed down to be baptised because Jesus said that He would see him in paradise.

And is even one Baptism more acceptable than the other...e.g. sprinkling or immersion?

If a person commits their life to God are they then not saved until Baptism?

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Hi Danni! Welcome to the boards! Hope you enjoy yourself here.

Just a word of caution about the boards. There are many doctrinal beliefs present here. Everyone is free to post, and that can lead to alot of error being posted. Search out the scriptures for the truth, and accept only what is in alignment with God's Word. It's very important to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to provide understanding and to guard against untruths. Satan is very intelligent , and he is very aloof at mis-presenting God's Word. Something he has done since the garden of Eden. So stay alert sis, and guard against error. But other than that, I think you will enjoy the forum board experience.

Rick

[1ptr29citizen]

The baptism was a baptism unto repentance. Not unto salvation. Continuing in the verse, it say's.. calling on the name of the Lord.

Hmmm... that's an interesting statement that you have made, saying that Paul was baptized for repentance, and was given forgiveness through calling on his name. Written earlier in Acts 19, Paul tells disciples who had been baptized of John's baptism to now be baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Does he not show a difference between the baptisms?

As to baptism being a 'work,' if you want to get into that, then wouldn't everything be a 'work' in your definition? Do you believe that you must confess that Christ is the Son of God to be saved? (If you don't, check out Romans 10:9-10). Isn't CONFESSING just as much a work as BAPTISM? What about repentance? Isn't turning your life around to do good things just as much a work as baptism? When Paul tells the Ephesians in Ephesians 2 that works do not save us, is he saying that baptism, repentance, and confession are works, or is he saying that we cannot earn our way into heaven with good deeds. Salvation is a gift, and a gift we must accept. We don't earn it through good deeds, or "works," we accept it through Christ.

As to the passage about the righteous living by faith, yes, I agree one hundred percent. Those who live righteous lifes, will live by faith in the Lord God Almighty. However, how do you enter into a righteous life leaving behind a sinful life? Romans 6 may instruct us on that answer...