Provide one scripture that clearly indicates when Jesus Christ commanded that water and spiritual baptizim be instituted to enter into the kingdom of God.
2007-05-31 05:04:33 · 8 answers · asked by double_portion 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Mark 16:16
Jesus taught that there is only one baptism.
"One Lord, one faith, one baptism," Ephesians 4:5
First, baptism is a BURIAL. Notice the Apostle Paul's statement in Romans 6:3,4. "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Paul states clearly that baptism is a burial. To bury something is to cover it completely. Sprinkling or pouring will not substitute for the burial which baptism demands. In fact, the word "baptism" itself means “to immerse, dip, plunge." Bible baptism is a burial.
Second, baptism is for BELIEVERS. Bible baptism is for those who can show they believe in Jesus, the Son of God. In Mark 16:16, Jesus said, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." Nowhere in the New Testament will one find a person baptized who was not able to express his belief in Christ. In Acts 8:12 we read, "But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized." Notice that "both men and women” were baptized, not little children. Why? Because baptism is for believers, not babies. Babies are born innocent. They are not guilty of the sins of their parents, as some teach (Ezekiel 18:20). Jesus used little children as examples of humility, and said we must become like them to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:1-5). Would Jesus use sinful children as examples of what we must become to be pleasing to God? Certainly not!
Third, baptism comes BEFORE forgiveness of sins. Jesus made this clear in His statement, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved: but he who does not believe will be condemned." Jesus said belief AND baptism bring salvation. He did not say belief brings salvation, and then one is baptized. One cannot be saved without baptism. In Acts 22:16, Saul of Tarsus, a man who believed in Christ, repented, and confessed Jesus as Lord, still had to be baptized to wash away his sins. There is not a single instance in the New Testament where anyone was said to be saved until he was baptized. Baptism comes BEFORE forgiveness.
Fourth, baptism is the BIRTH of the Christian. It is the beginning of the Christian's life. In John 3:5, Jesus told a man named Nicodemus, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." To be born of water and the Spirit involves being baptized in water in obedience to the teaching of the Holy Spirit. How does the Spirit teach us? He does so through the Word of God. In the New Testament we learn of the importance of being baptized in water. So it is the Spirit who teaches us to be baptized as we read His Word. This is what the apostle Paul meant in 1 Corinthians 12:13. "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit." Paul says all must be baptized into the body of Christ, which is the church (Ephesians 1:22,23). It is by the teaching of the Spirit through the Word that we learn of our need to do this. Then, we must "drink into one Spirit," which means we are to continue to study the Word which the Holy Spirit has given--the New Testament. We must grow in our knowledge of God's Word, and we must remain faithful in the one church (Revelation 2:10).
The final “B” is that Bible baptism is where the BLOOD of Christ is applied to cleanse us from our sins. Can a person be saved from his sins without the blood of Christ? No! But only in baptism is the blood applied from Heaven to take away our sins. The blood of Jesus was shed in His death. The soldier pierced the side of the slain Saviour of the world, and "immediately blood and water came out" (John 19:34). Then, in Romans 6:3-4, Paul speaks of being buried in the "likeness" of Christ's death through baptism. The blood that was shed in Christ's death is reached only in the likeness of His death--baptism. In Revelation 1:4-5, John says Jesus washed us from our sins in His blood. When does that washing take place? It is the washing of baptism. Remember the blood of Jesus is applied to wash away our sins.
2007-05-31 06:01:17 · answer #1 · answered by TG 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If baptism were part of salvation, then it would say we were justified by faith and baptism. But it does not. If justification is by faith, then it is by faith. Baptism is not faith. It is a ceremony. It is something we do as a ritual.
Paul tells us that the gospel is what saves us and that the gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, (1 Cor. 15:1-4). Baptism is not included in the description of the gospel. This explains why he said he came to preach the gospel, not to baptize: "I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel..."
If baptism is necessary for salvation then why did Paul downplay it and even exclude it from the description of what is required for salvation? It is because baptism isn't necessary for salvation. Therefore, John 3:5 must be interpreted in a manner consistent with the rest of scripture.
lg *Sternchen*
2007-05-31 05:38:35 · answer #2 · answered by Sternchen 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of God, being born again means something other than being baptized. And since Jesus is the first born of the dead, Being born again must have something to do with death, and since the kingdom of God refers to God's government on Earth, being born again must also have something to do with God's government on Earth.
2007-05-31 05:15:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
TRUE!!
I have one from John the Baptist.
Mathew 3:11
" I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance:but the one that cometh after me is mighter than I.......... he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost,and with fire."
And when Jesus came to be baptized,John asked him if HE can baptize him instead.
But Jesus said" Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness."
2007-05-31 05:23:16 · answer #4 · answered by African Sista_4ever 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus went to John the baptist and was baptized to "fulfill all righteousness." If he had to do it, we have to do it. Matt. 3:13-17
2007-05-31 05:11:17 · answer #5 · answered by Dave F 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
False. That's superstitious nonsense.
2007-05-31 05:07:22 · answer #6 · answered by nondescript 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't.
2007-05-31 05:09:21 · answer #7 · answered by The Doctor 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
TRUE
2007-05-31 05:06:39 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋