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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | What does it mean? | Bible general Archive 1 | sniper | 77185 | ||
NASB Acts 2:38 | ||||||
2 | What does it mean? | Bible general Archive 1 | Timothy Paul | 77190 | ||
What this means, according to Eddie Snipes, is that yes, baptism is essential but no, it does not have the power of salvation. If a person is not willing to obey in baptism, then they haven’t really surrendered to Jesus as Lord. You can’t surrender in disobedience. Baptism is an outward sign of the inward covenant between you and God. There are two scenarios of believers who will not be baptised. Those who lack opportunity to attend baptism because they are a prisoner in some foreign country where it is unavailable, and those who refuse to be baptised. Those that refuse to be baptised are wilfully disobedient to a command. This does not only apply to baptism, but also for living life as a child of God. Anyone who refuses to obey is in rebellion and should examine their life to see if they indeed have surrendered to Christ. Anyone who refuses baptism also refuses to be identified with Christ. The other scenario is the case of lacking the opportunity to be baptized. On the cross, Jesus granted salvation to a thief who would never have the chance to follow up with baptism. The thief was being crucified for his crimes. He acknowledged his sins and asked Jesus to remember him when He entered His kingdom. Jesus promised, this day, you will be with me in paradise. He was justified by faith alone. The same is true for many believers all over the world and throughout the last two thousand years. Those who surrender to Christ and die before getting baptized will not lose their salvation. Do these forfeit salvation because they lack the opportunity? No. The covenant is sealed in the heart and baptism is an outward profession of a covenant with God that has already taken place. To understand scripture, it must be interpreted by scripture. In other words, scripture will never contradict itself and usually the complete picture of a biblical principle is not revealed in a single passage. Biblically, baptism always follows a commitment to Jesus Christ. Baptizing and christening a young child may be fine as a symbolic ritual, but it does not count as a substitute for believer’s baptism. A decision must come first otherwise a person is only getting wet. The Bible clearly teaches that baptism is identification with Christ. It is an outward testimony to the world of an inward change that Jesus has made because we have invited Him into our hearts and surrendered our life to Him. Many passages throughout the New Testament validate that no external act is necessary for salvation. Salvation is by God’s grace through faith alone. If baptism were necessary for salvation, it would be presented with each gospel presentation. It is not. Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:38 is used as evidence that it is necessary, however in Acts 3:12-26 Peter preached salvation through repentance with no reference of baptism. There are many times the gospel is presented as faith alone (Romans 3:22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30; 4:5; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 3:9, and the list goes on throughout the New Testament). Salvation is through faith. Baptism is my testimony and an outward profession of my covenant with Christ. This was edited, in part, for the sake of brevity from Sermon Central, authored by Eddie Snipes. SermonCentral.com Web Site Copyright Statement Copyright © by SermonCentral.com and the authors. This material is provided for personal study or for use in preparation of sermons, Sunday school classes, or other oral communication. This material may be quoted in written form but give credit where credit is due (author's name and web site address: www.sermoncentral.com). |
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3 | What does it mean? | Bible general Archive 1 | sniper | 77214 | ||
I will respond in more detail later, but I believe you misunderstand my position slightly. I do not believe in any way "Baptizing and christening a young child may be fine as a symbolic ritual." I believe in immersion, I do not believe in the calvinistic sin nature, I believe children are innocent, and I believe that salvation is needed by adults for the forgiveness of sins. | ||||||
4 | What does it mean? | Bible general Archive 1 | Timothy Paul | 77257 | ||
Thank you sniper. My response is to praise God that He has granted us the freedom to worship Him in so many different ways. Do we not all praise the same God? We should be asking each other questions as a means to sort out the complexities among ourselves, and not try to use it as an opportunity to sway any belief in any particular doctrine. Such as infant baptism, which I think is niether harmful or necessary, but it is an outlet for the love of the parents. I have difficulties w/catholicism, yet there are Catholics whom I love dearly. I believe that God feels the same way, and that He used the Great Reformation as a means to expand, not hinder the growth of the church. I look at it like this. The church choir has many different voices, each one with their own strengths and weaknesses, yet when they are all together, it is a beautiful sound to anyone. If there were only sopranos, it would not be as beautiful. I sing tenor, and most people prefer that I sing ten or 15 miles away. (o: It is the same with the world. There are many breeds of dogs. Why did God not say that one breed is enough? Why are so many species of birds necessary? I think of the joyful sound that praise would make to our Father in heaven, and joy through one denomination, and then through all denoms combined. This is my take on why there are so many religions, and factions thereof. (It is my humble opinion, not backed up by scripture,) but rather than creating dissension between particular dogmas and who holds more authority, we should build each other up and learn how to be harmonious and in this way we will be built up ourselves. In Christ's love, Tim |
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5 | What does it mean? | Bible general Archive 1 | Ray | 77266 | ||
Hi Timothy Paul, Let me be one of the first to give you an "Amen" for your thoughts here. I sang this past weekend in a city, ten or fifteen miles away, Grand Rapids, Michigan where they had a choir festival directed by Craig Courtney. There were nine participating choirs from the area and it was a wonderful time of blending our voices together in praise. It is fun to sing "ten or" fifteen voices strong in a large choir. Another fun thing going on in Grand Rapids is the Dead Sea Scroll exhibit, but I haven't gone yet. Thanks for your thoughts. From the heart, Ray |
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6 | What does it mean? | Bible general Archive 1 | Timothy Paul | 77328 | ||
Amen brother, I shall remember you in my prayers. Faithfully, Tim |
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