Subject: "need" for baptiam |
Bible Note: Greetings Grace and Truth! From Strong's Concordance-- Faith[4102]; pis'-tis: PERSUASION, i.e. CREDENCE; CONVICTION(of RELIGIOUS truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), espec. RELIANCE upon Christ for salvation; CONSTANCY in such profession; by extension the system of religious(Gospel) TRUTH itself:-assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity. I capialized the words which are normally shown in italics in the lexicon. I would like to point out the crux of the passage you mention in I Peter 3-- " 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:"(KJV) Now, in verse 21, take out the part in parentheses and what do you have? "21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us by the RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST."[emphasis mine]. And the parenthetical section--"(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,)". It is not the washing of our bodies that brings salvation, but the cleansing of our souls by the baptism from God's Holy Spirit and the shed blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. I suppose we ought to simply agree to disagree on this subject. We shall see each other again in God's heavenly kingdom, and this discussion will not matter one wit. May the Grace of our Lord be with you!! 2nd Samuel 22 |