Subject: Unbaptized children |
Bible Note: Tim, Thank you for your response. I would like to agree with you on this subject. But you need to give me some clear scriptures to prove it. The Acts 2:38 debate doesn’t convince me. “repent AND be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” tells me why I need to be baptized. No other scripture tells me to be baptized for any other reason (after the new covenant was established). The scripture also does not tell us to “confess”. Does that nullify the need to confess Jesus as Lord? Gal. 3:26-27 “ You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Here Paul says we are sons through faith and he goes on to tell us that when we were baptized we put on Christ. Does it not take faith to believe you are participating in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ at baptism? (Rom. 6:1-9) I have brought up Naaman time and time again because to understand what cured Naaman is to understand what saves us. He was cured by his faith. But without the water he wasn’t cured. A faith saying that if I do what God commands I will be cured. If we can’t find in the scriptures the reason for baptism other than for “the forgiveness of sins…” we would be like Naaman saying (faithlessly) “ But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?" So he turned and went off in a rage.” Naaman wanted to do what was logical to him and not simply obey through faith. A couple things I would ask of you. 1- Where in the scriptures does it teach the reason people need to be baptized? 2- What is your opinion on the 2 Kings passage? Talk to you soon, Kin |