Baptism isn't part of salvation, so why should we get baptized?
Why should we get baptized?
Discussion in '2004 Archive' started by Walls, Feb 19, 2004.
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Just some thoughts.
It is a symbol of what has happened.
Early believers were baptized.
It is part of the original commission to go and make disciples and baptize them.
The Lord himself was baptized.
For conscience sake. A new believer will forever be bombarded with doubt and accusations if they refrain from being baptized.
Dave. -
I agree with David.
It also is our first act of obedience as new Christians, we are told in scripture to be baptized. Just think, if we can not obey God in the first thing we are told to do, how much will He give us to do to serve Him, seeing how we have first thing shown we are disobedient to Him.
It also tells others we have been made new, we are no longer the same person. -
Shouldn't real obedience come from the heart, a desire to obey God simply because He is God?
God sees our heart, why would He want an outward show? Which is it? Does God want a public show of your faith or not?
Does it stop at baptism or does it trickle down to every aspect of our lives?
Are there other Acts of Obedience ? -
Perhaps Baptism IS, in fact, part of salvation. Afterall, the plain meaning of many scriptures seems to indicate it is. The early Christians (at those whose writings are extant) were unanimous that Baptism was both regenerative and effected the remission of sins. Perhaps, we baptists ought to re-evaluate our position on the matter to see whether we are truly teaching Biblical baptism, or are reducing it to a superfluous symbol.
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See you do understand.
Obedience yes, legalism and twisted scripture no.
These are two differnt topics, and the OP only requested information on one.
If you do not beleive in baptism I don't care. -
Well, it seems simple to me. God repeated the "Great Commision" in each Gospel because it is so important.
Having gone (an assumption), MAKE DISCIPLES.
Then BAPTIZE these disciples
Then TEACH these disciples ALL THINGS
So what did the early church do? Exactly this in Acts 2. Preached, people believed, people were baptized, people grew in the apostle's doctrine.
Cut and dried. -
Dr. Bob, I wondered how long it would take someone to bring that up! That and the fact that Jesus requested to be baptized by John the Baptist. God spoke, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'
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Matt Black Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
So, what of Thomas' baptismal regeneration point? And why has no-one responded to my request for help on this point?
Yours in Christ
Matt -
We are talking strictly in a theoretical sense. No works are necessary, theoretically. But - God is not going to save me or anyone else if there is no repentance. That is, I have to have the intent to stop sinning. Not that I actually have behaved any better yet, but I am hoping to do better. If that intent isn't there, God won't save me.
Now Christ commanded we be baptized. The baptism is not a spiritual component of our salvation, it is an earthly act of obedience. Being unwilling to obey Christ would be somewhat inconsistent with expecting Him to save me. In this narrow sense, salvation and baptism are somewhat linked. But if I am dying from a mortal wound and turn to christ at the last moment, the lack of baptism is no impediment. And if someone presents the plan of salvation and neglects the baptism part, I don't see that as a particular danger for the soul of the convert, either. -
The Lord's Supper ain't a part of salvatio, so why should we do it?
Obedience isn't a part of salvation, but why should we do it. -
Let me refocus on Bob's statement
make DISCIPLES
baptize DISCIPLES
teach DISCIPLES
focus on the word DISCIPLES -
I have always connected baptism somehow with Matthew 10:32, 33 and Romans 1:16. If we ae not ashamed of our profession of faith, then we should be willing to publicly confess Christ before others. In the first century this might place you at oddds with Rome, so it was a lot more dangerous then than now.
What was the question about Thomas again? I missed something. -
Thanks -----Bart -
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Because Christ was. Very simple.