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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | baptism important ,why the delay? | 1 John 5:6 | arrow1 | 113668 | ||
I've never tried to imply baptism begets faith. Obviously you must hear and believe first prior to developing faith and then moving on to repenting, being baptized, doing good works, etc. Obviously also having faith is not a one time event. Once saved, you continue to grow in your faith, hopefully. You must continue having faith throughout your entire life. Of course there are weak and strong beleivers and that's the purpose of the church, to build each other up in "the faith". My whole point in much of my debates with other Christians(on this particular subject)is what is the Gospel and what should our response to it be, based on the Bible. Becoming a Christian obviously has a starting point. I simply look at the accounts in Acts and how the church started and it seems so clear. How about this? Look at every account of specific people becoming christians in Acts. What was their immediate response to the Gospel in each and every case. If that was their response, what must they have been told. Now, look at the typical conversion today. Someone answers an altar call or says the "sinners prayer". That's nice and all, but notice how dramatically different those coversions are compared to the Biblical examples. And that leads to my main question for which I wanted a specific answer. Why is it that today, someone comes to faith in Christ, and then is water baptized months and often times years later, why is that? Let's drop the debate on the specific point of salvation for now, but please answer that question. Why is it so acceptable today to put off a command of Jesus(it is part of the Great Commission) for months and years. Again are people taught improperly, are the lazy, I just would like to know. |
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2 | baptism important ,why the delay? | 1 John 5:6 | Makarios | 113703 | ||
Greetings Arrow1, Why is it that people wait so long after conversion to be baptized? Part of it has to do with a person making the choice to be baptized. If you believe in "believer's baptism", then you also believe that a person has to express faith in Christ and a desire to be baptized prior to being baptized. This, I believe, may be part of the answer to your original question. When the early church spread the gospel, they had the command of Christ, as given to them by the apostles, fresh in their minds and hearts. Therefore, they did not think twice before doing what was so "unpopular" at that time - being baptized, or publically identifying themselves with Jesus Christ. And they most certainly would baptise a person right after conversion, to show that a "new birth" has happened in that person. Blame it on the system, blame it on denominationalism, blame it on your local pastor, or you can blame it on the one who came to Christ himself. Perhaps the absence of physical Christian persecution in this country makes the timing and place of water baptism more trivial than it really should. But the beautiful thing about baptism is that it still endures to this day, being a true fulfillment of The Great Commission by the disciples of Jesus past, present, and future, passing this Great Commission on, person by person, until Christ returns. One baptizes another with water, and another baptizes another with water, and the chain has been unbroken to this day. Blessings to you, Makarios |
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3 | baptism important ,why the delay? | 1 John 5:6 | Makarios | 113707 | ||
Greetings Arrow1, Just to clarify, When I wrote, "Perhaps the absence of physical Christian persecution in this country makes the timing and place of water baptism more trivial than it really should", I spoke this very tongue and cheek, which could only be answered with an "Absolutely not!".. - Makarios |
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