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Re: Water baptism - Is it necessary? |
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Cross-Works |
| Date Posted: |
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Feb 28, 08 - 9:28 AM |
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I do believe there is a place for water baptism, but it's a ceremony or personal offering professing the death of the old you and your rebirth. A ritual to show your repentance or acceptance of or gratitude to Jesus Christ for cleansing you and giving you a new life. It is not a necessity to be saved. Just as I do not feel saying the sinner's prayer or any 'generic' (off the shelf) prayer alone will save you. Accepting Christ into your life and Christ accepting you into His kingdom is a far more personal experience than just uttering some words and being dunked or sprinkled.
You hear of people going to a revival meeting (never been to one) or what have you and half the crowd gets water baptized and saved....how many really are saved and how many are just caught up in the moment?
My belief in water baptism of the early church being nothing more than a ceremony in the later church begins with Jesus speaking to the apostles in Acts 1:5, "For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."
Yes, Jesus was speaking only to the Apostles at this time, but John foretold of Jesus baptizing in the Holy Spirit in Matthew, John and Mark. Paul in Acts 19:2-6, shows that John's water baptism for repentance is now invalid.
Matthew 3:11 (kjv): I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.
Matthew 3:11 (niv): I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
John 1:33 (kjv): And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
John 1:33 (niv): I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, "The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy spirit."
Mark 1:8 (kjv): I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
Mark 1:8 (niv): I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.
Paul speaking to some disciples at Ephesus:
Acts 19:2-6 (kjv): He said unto them, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" And they said unto him "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost."
And he (Paul) said unto them "Unto what then were you baptized?" And they said "Unto John's baptism."
Then said Paul "John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus."
When they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. {it doesn't say they ran to the river or were sprinkled upon}
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
Peter still commanded people to be baptized with water until Acts 11:15-17 where it is written: And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that He said, "John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as He did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?"
Acts 11:17 is a bit clearer in the NIV version where it says "So if God gave them the same gift as He gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?"
There was no water involved, they were baptized by Jesus with the Holy Spirit.
My experience being saved five years ago, prayer and these scriptures have led me to believe that water baptism does not cleanse you of your sins any longer and grant you acceptance into His Kingdom. Your admittance of guilt and asking forgiveness and the acceptance of God/Jesus into your life is a personal dialogue between yourself and The Father. You are baptized by Christ when He bestows the gift of the Holy Spirit upon you. I look at His baptism with the Holy spirit as an acknowledgement that He accepts that you genuinely repent and accept His Father and His Father's only Son (can't have one without the other) as your Saviour. That He did not die invane and that you are now born anew and filled with His Spirit, that you are accepted into His house.
I look forward to hearing your views on this subject. |
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