Subject: Explanations of difficult verses |
Bible Note: Why have we changed? Boy, that's a good question. Where in the New Testament does it specify who can baptize? John (the baptist) did it, he was not ordained (except by God). Jesus' disciples did it. Were they ordained? Apollos, Cephas, Paul, Timothy...who knows who else? When someone desires to become a Christian in the assembly I associate with, during a worship service, they generally let it be known by coming forward. The minister is usually the one who takes this responsibility, but there is a family of 13 where the father has baptized each one of the children. Again, I think the only stipulation would be that a person baptizing others would have to be a Christian, because only a Christian would (at least should) understand its purpose and meaning. There is no passage of scripture that I know of that says this. John the baptist certainly was not a Christian, nor were any of those who were baptized by him or prior to Christ's death, or were they? From what I have learned the term "christian" was first used as a slanderous term. Who knows? Baptism is connected to salvation. How do I know? The bible tells me so. Pull out your concordance, look up the word baptize, baptism, baptized, and baptizing. Read the scriptures associated with them, with intent. Sure, you will read of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of John, but if you consider all of scripture dealing with this subject, and "receive the word with eagerness" and "search the scriptures" (Acts 17:11), you will see that they all had their purpose and that water baptism is a very important part of salvation. Or you won't. |