A Question About Baptism

[Guest]

When the apostle Paul refers to "one baptism," which of the two do you believe he is referring to, John's or the baptism that Jesus baptizes with?

[OakWood]

Baptism is good but not essential to your salvation. I would recommend that you do it if you can. Don't lose sleep over it if you can't.

It's a declaration of your faith that is all. Apart from infant baptism, I haven't been baptised yet. I need to find the right church, although I have heard some Pentecostals say that you can do it on your own if you wish by filling a bathtub full of water. I'm not sure if I agree with this. I think you need at least one witness present, but they may be right. It's not a subject that I'm too familiar with.

But, let's put it this way - imagine if you found Christ, repented of your sins and then accepted the holy spirit, but you happened to be in the middle of a desert during a war, then died shortly afterwards, the fact that you were not officially baptised shouldn't matter in the slightest. That's what I think.

I've never read anything in scripture that says baptism is essential for salvation. I see it as a graduation, or a passing out parade, in short, a public declaration of your faith!

[Guest]

Essential for salvation, no, but it is one of only two rites that our savior passed on to us, and in as much as it was on of the last things He ever told the diciples to do before He left them, part of the great commision, I wouldn't just shrug it off as optional, Batism is just one of many things that obedient Christians do, and it is hardly much to ask.

[Guest]

When the apostle Paul refers to "one baptism," which of the two do you believe he is referring to, John's or the baptism that Jesus baptizes with?

I don't think John's baptism is in view, and perhaps not even the baptism Jesus told the diciples to do to the disciples they made. Possibly the baptism of the Holy Spirit. By that, I do not mean speaking in tongues as many do, but just Him coming to fill the beleiver, which could be prior to a physical water baptism. Consider:

Acts 19:2He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” 3And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. 7There were in all about twelve men.

21Corresponding to that (Noah's ark), baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

4There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

I sort of pick up that there is a baptism into the body of Christ, in the water baptism we are identifying with out Lord's buriel and ressurection, and in doing so, we are also identifying with all Christians who have likewise identified with Jesus, and we are one family, the church, the body of Christ, the chosen people of God, the saved. Not becuase of the ritual, but because of what the ritual symbolizes.

Perhaps other can elaborate or contradict. You might run into some who beleive that baptism is necesary for salvation, especially if the only accept the King James Version of the Bible. However, I think it is implies that the thief on the cross was saved, and he was not baptized.

In the following passage, Paul does not seem overly concerned with baptism:

12What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16(I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

So I conclude it is not necessary to be saved, but it is necessary if you want to obey your Lord.

[Willa]

My grandmother, whom I live with, often talks about me getting baptized. I am a Christian, but I'm definitely not as she is. I see a lot of baptisms at my church and they always ask the person if they believe Jesus Christ is the son of God. I agree with that, but there has to be more to it. What does it really mean to be baptized and what kind of commitment is involved?

The second part of your question, what kind of commitment is involved.

Most churches as you at the time of your baptism if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord. Rom. 10:9 NASV That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Savior: This means that you have turned away from yours sins and turned toward Jesus , asking Him to forgive you. You confess that you believe Jesus died for your sinfulness and that because of His death, your are granted forgiveness. It is more than an intellectual belief about who Jesus is. It is also trusting in His death to make possible your forgiveness; He makes you a clean new person in Him.

When we start to realize all that Jesus has done for us and what it cost Him, in gratitude we want to identify with Him and His true believers. That is why we are baptized;, in thanksgiving and love we wish to become more like Him and learn to follow Him. This is the part where we want to make Him Lord of our lives. Lord is not just a title like "Lord Baltimore" or mister, it is more like pledging Him allegiance as we do to our flag or our country when we call Him Lord. Many people want to do this immediately, but Jesus tells us to count the cost. It means giving up our miserable self centeredness, our selfishness, and becoming Christ like in our thinking. He puts in our hearts a desire to obey Him and become like Him, and to read His Word. He changes our desires.

Lord is also another name for God or Jehovah. When we receive Him as our Lord, we also receive Him as our God. The Lord our God is one. He is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One God and one Lord.

[Iyash]

As someone not born Christian, my only view on this topic is directly related to Jesus words: Mat 3:15  But Jesus answered him, "Let it be this way for now, for this is the proper way for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then John let him.

If Jesus felt that it was necessary for Him (Jesus) to be baptised, I don't see why following his footsteps could be wrong. Fulfilling righteousness is never bad.

 

God bless.

[Guest]

As someone not born Christian, my only view on this topic is directly related to Jesus words: Mat 3:15  But Jesus answered him, "Let it be this way for now, for this is the proper way for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then John let him.

If Jesus felt that it was necessary for Him (Jesus) to be baptised, I don't see why following his footsteps could be wrong. Fulfilling righteousness is never bad.

 

God bless.

 

~

 

Amen~!

 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. John 6:47

 

Fulfilling His Righteousness

 

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Romans 3:21-24

 

Believing Jesus

 

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. Luke 17:10

 

~

 

Be Blessed Beloved Daughter Of The KING

 

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

 

And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. Numbers 6:24-27

 

Love, Your Brother Joe

[Nitish]

What Baptism Means

Romans 6:1-7 clearly explains the

meaning of baptism. There we are

told that our old man was crucified

with Christ and that in baptism we

are buried with Christ into death.

The old man is the mind that we

had in our unconverted days that

wanted to sin. That has been

crucified with Christ.

We don't have to understand this

first, before we live in the reality of

it. We can just believe what God

says. If God's Word says that our

old man was crucified with Christ,

then we believe it, just as surely as

we believe God's Word when it says

that Christ Himself was crucified on

Calvary's hill. Both these truths are

accepted by faith.

The old man and the flesh are not

the same. The flesh is the Self-life

within us, that opposes the will of

God. We all have to carry this with

us until our dying day. We could

compare the flesh to a gang of

robbers seeking to enter our house.

The old man is like an unfaithful

servant inside our house who

constantly opened the door for the

robbers to enter. It is the unfaithful

servant who has now been killed.

The robbers however are hale and

hearty! But now we have a new

servant, the new man, who seeks to

keep the door shut, against these

robbers.

In baptism, we testify to the death

and burial of the old man (the

desire to sin), and to being raised up

with Christ so that we might

henceforth "walk in newness of

life" (Rom. 6:4).

The flood in Noah's day is a type of

baptism too (1 Peter 3:20,21). The

whole world was destroyed by God

through that flood. Noah went

through it in the ark and came out

of it into a brand new world. The

old world and everything in it were

all buried under the flood. This is

what we testify to in baptism as well

- that our old relationship with the

world (and that includes worldly

fashions and worldly friends etc.,)

has all now been cut off and that we

are now coming out of the water into a brand new world.

[Lek]

When the crowd asked Peter what they must do to be saved, he answered that they must believe and be baptized.  Other references through out the New Testement tell us that if we have faith in Christ we will be saved.  Christ's command to the apostles included baptizing all nations.  Having faith in Christ means that you have put God first in your life and strive to obey his desires for you.  All followers of Christ should desire to publicly profess their faith in him  If someone was to tell me that he was a believing Christian and loved Christ, yet refused to be baptized I would seriously doubt that he was a Christian.

[matt123]

LUKE chapter2 or 3, john the Baptist used water to try to get people to repent, Baptist goes on to say one is coming who will baptize you with the holy ghost and with fire[truth].Faith in GOD and repenting are very important.