Theological Question - Baptism and Christianity?

Question

Merry Christmas,

I had a post on my last question which spoke about becoming baptised and while I am not agaist the idea I just wanted to ask a question?

Do you have to be baptised to get to heavan? If so, what about people who have never heard to word of Christ, or people who were brought up in a different religion? Or people brainwashed with science? What if they were good people and didnt sin much and helped others in the way of Christ?

What if someone would have found God, but was taken before they had a chance to find God in this life?

I can't believe our all loving God would hold these disadvantages against us. Surely if we are pure in our hearts, God will take us in, regardless of our misguided thoughts.

Comments welcome.

Godd Bless You.

Answer 1

You've asked several questions, and I'll answer them one by one:

Do you have to be baptised to get to heavan?
- I don't think it's as clear cut as a simple yes or no. If God could love Jacob but hate Esau when both were circumcised, then I would think that he could accept or deny baptism or non-baptism. The answer is in God's hands, not ours in "making" Him do anything.

If so, what about people who have never heard to word of Christ, or people who were brought up in a different religion?
- If you don't find comfort in God being able to do the right thing, then know that no one deserves heaven on their own. It's God's grace that brings people unto salvation. To say that God owes anyone anything because of a lack of accountability, puts God in subservience to Man, not the other way around.

Or people brainwashed with science?
- That's a "no-brainer."

What if they were good people and didnt sin much and helped others in the way of Christ?
- And we are back to my earlier answer. God owes no one salvation.

What if someone would have found God, but was taken before they had a chance to find God in this life?
- Once again, no one earns their own salvation through a sufficiently holy life. If it's in God's hands, then we can rest in His care. Those who do not believe, do not care anyway if they are not in His care.

I can't believe our all loving God would hold these disadvantages against us.
- I think you're confusing common grace with the love of God toward his own.

Surely if we are pure in our hearts, God will take us in, regardless of our misguided thoughts.
- If you are "pure in heart" then who gave you that pure heart? And would He not "take you in" because of His grace, not your efforts?

Answer 2

God expects us to obey him to the best of our ability. Such hypothetical questions like those you have asked do not address our present situation.

You and I are able to obey Christ's command about baptism today. If, therefore, you are not baptized then it is not due to a lack of ability, but it rather is a refusal to do what Jesus has instructed. Refusing to be baptized displays a lack of faith and trust in Jesus.

Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16)

Jesus told the apostles, "thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. " (Luke 24:46-47)

In Acts 2, beginning at Jerusalem, men were gathered together from every nation (verse 5), and Peter preached "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins."(verse 38) Exactly as Christ had commanded.

Jesus commanded baptism. (Mark 16:16, Matthew 28:18-20) Baptism is in the name of, or according to the authority of Christ and "for the remission of sins", "unto the remission of sins" or "so that your sins will be forgiven". (Acts 2:38 - quote depends on which translation you read)

Baptism places one "into Christ" and "into his death" (Gal. 3:27, Col. 2:12, Romans 6:3-4) We cannot be saved outside of Christ.

At his death is where the saving blood was shed. We cannot wash in that blood until we contact his death.

At Baptism we "rise to walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-4) We cannot be saved if we are not "born again" into this new life.

Jesus commanded baptism! "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him!" (Hebrews 5:9)

If you love Christ, you will keep his commandment to be baptized for the remission of your sins! Jesus saves those who obey him.

Jesus said, "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16)

What would Jesus have said if he had meant "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved"?

I believe he said what he meant and meant what he said! I believe what Jesus said. I believe Jesus! "He that believes not shall be damned." (Mark 16:16)

Some point to the thief on the cross. The thief on the cross lived under the Law of Moses. He lived and died BEFORE Jesus rose from the dead and gave the command about baptism. He could not have obeyed a commandment that had not yet been given. He could not have been baptized "in the name of Jesus" or according to the authority (instructions) of Christ, because Christ had not yet given those instructions.

Also, as I pointed out earlier, baptism is how we come into contact with Christ's death. The thief was there! He had direct contact with Christ at his death. We are not in that position. Baptism is our appeal to God.

Notice 1 Peter 3:21, "Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you -- not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - -through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (NASB)

Finally, the death, burial, and resurrection that baptism represents had not yet occurred at that time. So, the thief could not have been obedient to this baptism.

We will each be judged based on what we have done. (2 Corinthians 5:10) I believe this includes the opportunities that we have passed up.

To be pleasing to God, one must have faith. "Without faith it is impossible to please Him." (Hebrews 11:6)

Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). I believe we each have a responsibility to search for the truth about God, so we can have faith. We should investigate what we are taught, especially when what we are taught could have such an impact on our eternal abode!

We must believe in Jesus to be saved! Jesus said, "if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24)

If you believe Jesus, you must believe what He taught about baptism.

Answer 3

Baptism....one of the doctrines of the Church...(Hebrews;6) it is understood, that Christ did for us, so we could...death, burial, ressurection...it's more than "getting wet" it is your "agreeing to allow God to do His work of Salvation in you..." because you understand why, and what it is that is going to happen after you receive Jesus, the washing of the sins, and Born Again into the family of God...you say, "I want to become "crucified with Christ", and die with Him, and be raised into a newness of life in Christ Jesus, that i have never had before...and have the "hope of hope ressurection" I want the "Fullness of Gods Salvation for my life...to learn how to become another "son of God" ..."Peace!"

Answer 4

Therein lies the practicality of the first resurrection.
For all those who died, without the opportunity to respond favorably to the Good News of God's Kingdom, they will have their fair chance during the 1000 year reign.

As for baptism, it, in itself, does not proffer eternal life, it is the life accompanied by works (James 2:14-26) that is what gains entrance into the Kingdom.
Baptism, is the outward symbol, of a person who has accepted the truth from Jesus, and is making a public statement that they will comply with the rules of the new covenant.

Answer 5

Yes you have to repent and be baptize to get to heaven but for those that never new Jesus will stand before him and the scriptures say , every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess Jesus is the Lord. God bless you

Answer 6

Jesus said to one of the men also on a cross next to him that he would join him in Heaven soon. The other cut Jesus down. Jesus said the path to Heaven is narrow the road to hell is wide; for one to get to Heaven they have to work to get others to become Christian and teach what God said to be taught, not what another would prefer. So we have to read our Bibles and do as they say; not as others may tell us.
Just being baptized or going to church one a week is not enough. We have to do more.
We also have to have the Holy Spirit in us.

Answer 7

Water baptism cannot save anyone. It is for the already saved.

The only way to be saved and go to heaven and not eternal hell is by believing that Jesus, who is God, died for our sins on the cross and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

Answer 8

Different Christians believe many different things about this. Some believe you have to be baptized to be saved, others believe it is just a ceremony to -demonstrate- you are saved. People who believe baptism is absolutely necessary baptize babies before they are able to make the decision for themselves. Others say this is silly, you have to make the decision yourself. Some Christians say you have to believe to be saved, and NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. Others say you have to at least make an effort to be -good-.

Personally I think God wants you to do your own thinking and make your own decisions. Sprinkling water on you, or being immersed in water, won't make a difference, though it can be a nice ceremony. Belief is fine, but principles are more important than doctrine. That's what I think anyway.

Answer 9

You have to be "baptized" by the Spirit of God to get into Heaven. Water baptism is an outward symbolic ceremony and a public declaration of the inward change that is supposed to have taken place when a person is given the gift of faith and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. It is commanded by Christ but if a person gets saved and died before they get baptized in water it doesn't mean that they don't make it into Heaven.

John 3:3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

1 Corinthians 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one bodywhether Jews or Greeks, slave or freeand we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Romans 6:1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

Click on the Get Saved button @ http://web.express56.com/~bromar/ for a more thorough explanation.

Answer 10

There was two other men being crucified with Jesus and one of them believed in Jesus and Jesus told him that he would go to heaven, they were on the cross so he could not have been baptized. I don't think you have to be baptized as long as you receive Jesus as your Lord.