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NASB | Acts 13:38 "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Acts 13:38 "So let it be clearly known by you, brothers, that through Him forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you; |
Subject: What is the Bible's take on sacriments? |
Bible Note: I think it may be somewhat of a stretch to connect the story of Naaman to baptism. The New Testament lists several Old Testament types of baptism, and Naaman is never mentioned among them. The only time in the NT that Naaman is even mentioned is in Luke 4:27, when Jesus is underscoring the relative uniqueness of Naaman's healing (a point I should have been making in the "health-wealth" thread, now that I think about it). While I would consider circumcision and the sacrificial system as likely Old Testament "sacraments," this one-time action of God on behalf of a single human being couldn't rightly be considered sacramental. You wrote: "It was God's grace that saved Naaman from his leprosy, but God chose the water of the Jordan as the means by which to transmit that grace." In this case, yes; but God uses a variety of physical means in single-case healings, and often uses no physical means at all. Elisha threw some stuff in the pot to de-poison it. Jesus used his spit and dirt. However, often healings occurred at the mere speaking of Jesus and the apostles. So, while I agree that God's grace does work in the recipient through the sacraments, it is not a justifying but rather a sanctifying grace, and the grace conferred in the sacraments is efficacious only toward His elect (unlike justifying grace, which is always efficacious -- a TULIP moment for you and yours!). May God bless you richly today! --Joe! |