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NASB | 1 John 5:6 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 John 5:6 This is He who came through water and blood [His baptism and death], Jesus Christ--not by the water only, but by the water and the blood. It is the [Holy] Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. [He is the essence and origin of truth itself.] |
Subject: What does baptism consist? |
Bible Note: Clarification ................................... Dear Tim S. I found this last post of yours to be very helpful in understanding how you see Baptism. I too think that your beliefs are closer to those of most others on this forum than it first appears. It seems to me that you primarily see Baptism as the burial view (being buried with Christ and then ressurected as a new forgiven creation). Therfore, it doesn't make sense to you for a person to be saved and then go back and be buried again. I'd like to possibly help you see it a little differently. If the water itself actually "accomplished" the burial and resurrection, then your view would be logical. However, if the water is "symbolic" of the burial and resurrection, then the timeing is less relevant. For instance, we shoot fireworks in America on Independance Day, July 4th. These are symbols. The fireworks do not grant us independance, and are incapable of earning us independance. Besides that, we actually gained our independance over 200 years ago. Yet we still shoot them off as a way to celebrate and show the world that we are free. Baptism is similar. It is a Christian's way of celebrating their salvation (through faith in Christ), and showing those around them that they have chosen to be buried and become a new forgiven creation. It is an important symbol to participate in, because the Bible says to do it, and because it gives evidence that we are not ashamed of our faith. But it is still a symbol. |