Subject: Unbaptized children |
Bible Note: cont. When you consider that the outpouring of the Spirit like this only happens these two times, Acts 10:47 as a opponent against baptism is not a strong argument. 3-Matt. 28:18-20- If you say that baptizing is an initiation rite into the church then teaching them to obey everything also would have to be an initiation rite (“baptize..and teach”) . It’s not clear enough to me to stand on. If we look at Mark 16:16 we see that Jesus says that those who “believe and are baptized will be saved”. This teaching from Mark would have to be what Matt. teaches or we would have contradiction in the scriptures. 3- I would say Jesus didn’t teach about baptism that much (until just before his accention and through his spirit given at Pentecost ;see John 16:12-13) because Jesus spent his ministry training the heart to love. The need to be baptized doesn’t arise until his death. Why teach it? That obligation was given to the Apostles to teach and that was the first message given. To be baptized is a simple command to follow, Jesus spent his time training the people how to change through love and mercy and teaching them about himself. Something that needed much time to be taught (see John 14:9). I see Jesus taught about baptism in its proper time and through channels he chose to. 4- Lets look at 1 Peter 3:21. “and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also- not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a good conscience towards God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” This scripture says a lot about baptism. a) it saves us; as the water that flooded the earth saved Noah and his family (vs. 20). b) it is our pledge of a clear conscience towards God. c) and most importantly, it saves us by the resurrection of Jesus. Which ties in with what Paul says in Rom. 6:1-9 5- You also referred to Rom. 6:1-9. But it mentions nowhere in this passage that baptism is symbolic. It actually stress’s the fact that during baptism we are participating directly with Christs death, burial and resurrection. Paul states in vs. 4 “don’t you know that all of us who are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death?” It says we are united with him, crucified with him, died with him and being freed from our sins. Compare Gal. 3:26-27 “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who are baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ.” And Col. 2:12 “having been buried with him through baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God who raised him from the dead.” These passages show baptism to be a direct participation with happened on the cross when all our sins were forgiven. These scriptures teach a clear definition of what baptism is. If you can show me anything that teaches specifically that baptism is a “symbol” or a “rite of initiation” than I would certainly want to hear it. But I stand at these convictions, my friend, until I see these things. Which I hope you can understand. I think that there needs to be a lot of study (on both our parts) to understand how all these passages we are sharing with each other all work together, because they should. I will pray that we can both come to the truth of this matter. I trust God will do so. Kin |