Baptism in Water

[bruce bunnell]

Well Bruce I know of some scriptures that seem to suggest that water baptism is not as important as you have been making it out to be.

These scriptures are found in 1 Corinthians 1. Verse 14 reads, I Thank my God that I Baptised none of your except Crispus and Gaius, Verse 16 Now I did baptise also the household of Stephannas; beyond that, I don't know whether I baptised any other. Verse 17 For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the gospel ...

It would seem from the above verses that the Apostle Paul thought preaching the gospel was more important than baptising believers.

I don't think you see the difference between being baptised into Christ and being baptized in water. Being baptized into Christ comes first, then you are batised in water as a confirmation or testimony to the fact.

well tony, i know it was important enough for Christ to walk about 60 miles to be baptized in the Jordan, as an example for us.

 

[Nigh]

The word does tell us to be baptized. I don't think anyone would disagree with me on that. So what if you didn't get baptized, by your own choice? Like maybe you can't swim or something and were afraid, or maybe just embarased...any reason will do.

If you refuse to be baptized then guess what...that's sin. You are disobeying God, for he said to be baptized. So here you are, a sinner. Trying to get to heaven. How shall you get there? Who will open the gates to heaven for you? Oh, I don't know, maybe Jesus? Maybe you will be forgiven of your sin? I don't know, it's just a thought. How would you go about being forgiven? Let's see, maybe stand on one foot, jump up and down and spit nickels out of your mouth while turning clockwise? Yeah, that will do it. I will DO that, and I'll be forgiven, and make it into heaven. Sweet! Now if I can just find some nickels.

Wait, I once heard a guy say that if you simply ask for forgiveness, it would be given to you, because Jesus loves us soooo much. Then, you'd be let into heaven even if you didn't get baptized! But wait, that's just crazy talk. He isn't gonna just give it to you with out making you jump through hoops is he. What kinda person would do that? It simply can't be true, I have to DO something myself to get to heaven. I'm gonna start begging for some change.

Nigh - Sir, could you spare a nickel?
Man - Yeah, here you go. God bless.
Nigh - That's what I'm saving up for.
Man - Good luck.

Nigh - Ma'am, could you spare a nickel?
woman - For what?
Nigh - To help me get to heaven.
woman - sure, it's for a good cause...
Nigh - Thank you.
woman - ...but what are you going to do for me?
Nigh - excuse me? What do you mean?
woman - do you expect me to give you a nickel for nothing? You have to DO something to earn it. What are you going to Do for me?
Nigh - I can do nothing for you.
woman - So you want me to just give it to you for nothing?
Nigh - Well, yes. I was hopping.
woman - Who do you think I am, God?

Boy - Oh snap!
You think that a stranger can just give money away, but that God is not capable, or merciful enough to give away grace? God must be pretty uncomfortable in that little box you have him in.
Nigh - Go away boy. I'm trying to work out my own salvation here.
boy - Here. Have a dime.
Nigh - What am I going to do with that? I need nickels.
boy - I've given you twice what you require. Do you not want it?
Nigh - They must be nickels. Your dime is useless to me. Go away!
boy - As you wish son, but remember, I gave you ample opportunity, and sufficient grace. It was you who rejected me. Not I who rejected you.
Nigh - Jesus?
boy - Yes. I am he who offers you salvation through grace.
Nigh - But what must I do to receive it? Tell me what to do Lord.
boy - Take it. Just take it. All the work required to open the gates of heaven for you are finished. There are no works left for you to do.
Nigh - But I thought we had to do good works?
boy - Those works are also not yours. They are mine, working through you. For it is not for you to be proud of your works, but to be thankful for mine. Those good works are not purchasing a ticket to heaven as much as they are showing gratefulness for being given a ticket. A tree needs to be in the light to produce fruit, but a tree need not produce fruit to bring forth light. Your works are not a condition for your salvation, but a symptom of your salvation.
Nigh - Thank you Jesus.
Jesus - You are welcome. Now go and sin no more. Be baptized, and tell the world what has happened to you. That I have given you salvation through grace.


-Nigh

The plan from the very beginning was that Jesus would be the perfect sacrificial lamb, and that his work on the cross would be sufficient for all the world. Just as Abraham would sacrifice a lamb for his family, God sacrificed His lamb for us. It was not required that his family DO anything to receive blessings. It was for Abraham and the lamb alone. Just as God and Jesus did all the work.

Blessings to you all,
Nigh

 

[bruce bunnell]

The word does tell us to be baptized. I don't think anyone would disagree with me on that. So what if you didn't get baptized, by your own choice? Like maybe you can't swim or something and were afraid, or maybe just embarased...any reason will do.
If you refuse to be baptized then guess what...that's sin. You are disobeying God, for he said to be baptized. So here you are, a sinner. Trying to get to heaven. How shall you get there? Who will open the gates to heaven for you? Oh, I don't know, maybe Jesus? Maybe you will be forgiven of your sin? I don't know, it's just a thought. How would you go about being forgiven? Let's see, maybe stand on one foot, jump up and down and spit nickels out of your mouth while turning clockwise? Yeah, that will do it. I will DO that, and I'll be forgiven, and make it into heaven. Sweet! Now if I can just find some nickels.
Wait, I once heard a guy say that if you simply ask for forgiveness, it would be given to you, because Jesus loves us soooo much. Then, you'd be let into heaven even if you didn't get baptized! But wait, that's just crazy talk. He isn't gonna just give it to you with out making you jump through hoops is he. What kinda person would do that? It simply can't be true, I have to DO something myself to get to heaven. I'm gonna start begging for some change.
Nigh - Sir, could you spare a nickel?
Man - Yeah, here you go. God bless.
Nigh - That's what I'm saving up for.
Man - Good luck.
Nigh - Ma'am, could you spare a nickel?
woman - For what?
Nigh - To help me get to heaven.
woman - sure, it's for a good cause...
Nigh - Thank you.
woman - ...but what are you going to do for me?
Nigh - excuse me? What do you mean?
woman - do you expect me to give you a nickel for nothing? You have to DO something to earn it. What are you going to Do for me?
Nigh - I can do nothing for you.
woman - So you want me to just give it to you for nothing?
Nigh - Well, yes. I was hopping.
woman - Who do you think I am, God?
Boy - Oh snap!
You think that a stranger can just give money away, but that God is not capable, or merciful enough to give away grace? God must be pretty uncomfortable in that little box you have him in.
Nigh - Go away boy. I'm trying to work out my own salvation here.
boy - Here. Have a dime.
Nigh - What am I going to do with that? I need nickels.
boy - I've given you twice what you require. Do you not want it?
Nigh - They must be nickels. Your dime is useless to me. Go away!
boy - As you wish son, but remember, I gave you ample opportunity, and sufficient grace. It was you who rejected me. Not I who rejected you.
Nigh - Jesus?
boy - Yes. I am he who offers you salvation through grace.
Nigh - But what must I do to receive it? Tell me what to do Lord.
boy - Take it. Just take it. All the work required to open the gates of heaven for you are finished. There are no works left for you to do.
Nigh - But I thought we had to do good works?
boy - Those works are also not yours. They are mine, working through you. For it is not for you to be proud of your works, but to be thankful for mine. Those good works are not purchasing a ticket to heaven as much as they are showing gratefulness for being given a ticket. A tree needs to be in the light to produce fruit, but a tree need not produce fruit to bring forth light. Your works are not a condition for your salvation, but a symptom of your salvation.
Nigh - Thank you Jesus.
Jesus - You are welcome. Now go and sin no more. Be baptized, and tell the world what has happened to you. That I have given you salvation through grace.
-Nigh
The plan from the very beginning was that Jesus would be the perfect sacrificial lamb, and that his work on the cross would be sufficient for all the world. Just as Abraham would sacrifice a lamb for his family, God sacrificed His lamb for us. It was not required that his family DO anything to receive blessings. It was for Abraham and the lamb alone. Just as God and Jesus did all the work.
Blessings to you all,
Nigh

i think you have watched too much star trek. according to you there is a lot of the bible we can just cross out.

 

[YourPastorT]

1Peter 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:”
Remember when you where in elementary School and Had to learn to diagram a sentence? Remember what parenthesis mean when inserted into a phrase?
The first part of 1 Peter 3:21 connects it to the previous verses as well as the
subject of those verses. What was the subject of those verses? Was it Noah and the ark? Or was it God preparing a way for their salvation? Clearly it is the fact that God prepared a way for salvation. So, we can see here then that Peter is reminding us that in like manner God has prepared a way for our deliverance and rescue from judgment against sin. And how does he do that? Now here is where so many get the cart before the Horse. If you understand that the text within the parenthesis is there to clarify a thought then this should be easier for you. If you read 1 Peter 3:21 like this: "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also save us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Technically it says the same thing without the clarifying parenthesis. So what saves us, what has God provided as our deliverance? The Resurrection of Christ is our salvation. But, why does Peter put in a clarifying statement in the middle of this verse? This thread is why. To clear up any misunderstanding like we have here. Peter says, "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God". He is telling us that baptism has no fleshly purpose, it doesn't wash away our sin, make us more Holy, or more righteous (the filth of the flesh) but it keeps us in obedience (a good conscience) toward God. How does it do this? Because God Command us to be Baptized, to not do so is disobedience. This does not mean we are not saved, but if we are not willing to be baptized then we must consider if we really are not ashamed of Christ. Being Baptized has nothing to do with you being ready or prepared, just as you could not be ready or good enough to be saved. You get baptized because Christ ask you to. Christ said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”(John 14:15). This statement is reinforced by Peter in 1 Peter 3:21. Our obedience is a by produce of our love for Christ, and why do we love Him? “We love him, because he first loved us.” (1John 4:19)
Therefore, here is the order. Christ loves us, as it has been for eternity. We then realize that love and love Him in return. Out of that love comes Obedience. We will be baptized, we will read the Word, we will Pray, we will Gather In His Name, in short we will obey His commandments.
Baptist is an outward sign of an inward relationship, just as a wedding ring is, it is something that every truly saved person should desire to do to demonstrate your love for God. We are baptized because we have accepted Christ as Saviour and received the Holy Spirit, not because we want to become saved.
Now I will tell you this, I feel that if at all possible, Baptism should be the first thing a new believer does. It sets in order the Christian walk.
Just My 2 cents worth
In Christ Service,
Your Pastor T

 

[Nigh]

i think you have watched too much star trek.

That was quite disrespectful.

...according to you there is a lot of the bible we can just cross out.

I have never said that there is any of the bible that we can just cross out. So, how is it "according to me" you slander me this way?
No need to put words in my mouth. My mouth is too full of truth by way of the Holy Spirit within me. "For He who is in me is greater..."

(Check your PMs please.)

God bless,
Nigh

 

[Chad]

Bruce, concerned about your motives here. You seem to ignore everyone's responses and continue about the importances of water baptism for salvation, which is invalid as Scripture made clear.

Your profile:

Date of Birth:
June 10, 1939
Age:
66
Accepted Jesus Christ:
august 12. 1983

One would think after being saved for 23 years he would know the way of salvation by now, don't you think?

I'm sensing insincerity from you, and I get that from years of experience.

Originally Posted by bruce bunnell
i think you have watched too much star trek.

And that was the final touch on your part. Goodbye.

 

[Chad]

Thread locked for now. Point made clear by many who responded with Scripture.

Listen to GOD first, foremost and only His Spirit. Its all in Scripture.