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NASB | 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life]. |
Subject: why is baptism important |
Bible Note: Scripture clearly shows that new life/rebirth/remission of sins only takes place with baptism. Mark 16:16, Romans 6:5, Acts 2:38. The Holy Spirit gave Cornelius the ability to speak in tongues, not salvation. Nowhere in Acts 10 does it say Cornelius was saved by the coming of the Holy Spirit. I believe this to have happened as a sign to Peter and his friends -- Jews who would never have dealings with Gentiles under normal circumstances -- that Gentiles were now acceptable to God. It re-inforced the vision God had already given Peter and gave him the ability to argue for Cornelius and his family to be baptised. ALL examples of conversion in Acts are accompanied by baptism. This is the ONLY one where the one being converted received any special dispensation from the Holy Spirit. Tim |