Results 1 - 2 of 2
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | What is the literal Greek translation? | Matt 22:37 | FTimA | 64690 | ||
You make a lot of good comments but draw no conclusions. Being born again occurs at baptism. This is plain bible teaching. Jesus says to Nicodemus in Jn 3:3, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." and in Jn 3:5, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." One could rightly conclude that being "born again" involves two things, 1) being born of water (baptism), and 2) being born of spirit (faith). Both are required but does it matter which comes first? If I am a sinner and become baptized but do not know why, or for what purpose, am I saved? I would say no. Otherwise anyone who would immerse themselves in a swimming pool would be saved. I must, by faith, comply with God's command to be baptized (he who believes and is baptized will be saved, Mk 16:16, repent and be baptized, for the remission of sins, Acts 2:38). Faith, meaning belief, must come before baptism. The example of Cornelius and his household is interesting because of how it all occurred. The whole point of his conversion was to prove that Gentiles now had access to salvation. Read of Peter's vision. Acts 10:30 Cornelius said, "Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, 31 and he *said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 'Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.' 33 "So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord." 34 Opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. 36 "The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)-- 37 you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. 38 "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 "We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. 40 "God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 "And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. 43 "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins." 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. The phrase "the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also" implies that He was poured out on something prior to the Gentiles. This would include all people now, Jews and Gentiles. What occurred immediately afterwards. Acts 10:47 "Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?" 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days. Notice the wording in Acts 10:33, "we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord." and vs 48, "he (Peter) ordered them to be baptized". |
||||||
2 | What is the literal Greek translation? | Matt 22:37 | Scribe | 64731 | ||
These are good thoughts. I don't think any serious bible student suggests that we should not be concerned with baptism, I think the debate occurs when the idea is suggested that someone in a prison in a country that will not allow baptism to be performed (and yes this happens and even in the US) that the prisoner is not saved if he has expressed faith in Christ and has a testimony of being born again. It might be as much as 8 months or more before he is allowed to be baptized by a chaplain in jailhous infirmary bathtub. Is he saved during the 8 months? Yes of course I was :) and I had the fruit of a changed life as well as the baptism of the Holy Spirit to proove it. Did I have the right to dismiss the need for baptism? Of course not. As soon as I was able I jumped at the chance. And yet I was saved an on my way to Heaven and leading others to christ preaching the Gospel under the annointing of the Holy Spirit for months. Some would say, I should not make up such scenarios becuase they do not happen, but that is not true, if you are in prison ministry you know that it is a daily issue, do you affirm that the young men you are ministering to are born again, and teach them the doctrine of eternal security in Christ as you do other saints or do you leave them in doubt until the baptism of water when it could be months before that occurs? Yes I know that they allow baptism in water by chaplains, but it is planned and often in many institutions very infrequent. This raises another question I have. Why don't we seek to baptize people as fast as Peter did. Why do we seem so ho hum about baptizing when the next "baptismal service" is scheduled on the church calendar? As stated I believe that in cases like prison the new believer is just as saved and born again as anyone else if he has faith in Christ, even though he has not yet been baptized in water. However if the opportunity is there, what gives us the idea we should not be as urgent about finding water as they did in ACTS. I am a firm believer that despite the challenges and problems we see in the first church the book of Acts is our pattern, it is no a changeable pattern to be modified to fit our day. If they saw baptism in water as urgent so should we. If I pastored I would seek to baptize the same day someone repented, I don't care if the church service lasts longer, and all the half baked get mad and leave, the real saints will be left rejoicing as we baptize the new believer impromptu and forget about this sending out cards to family members and bringing your video camera. We have become quite wierd in our complacent and indifferent attitude toward the eternal things of a Holy God. |
||||||