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Argument: Mark 16:16 is invalid because textual evidence shows the text to possibly be a later addition. By all accounts, Philip physically went down into the water with the eunuch and the eunuch was physically baptized. They are not capable of understanding such things. Many denominations today teach that children and even infants must be baptized in order to be cleansed of sin. The Salvation Army believe baptism is unnecessary for salvation. General Biblical Studies, Interdenominational Christian Training Center, Some faith groups believe baptism accomplishes the washing away of. As it is written in 2 Peter 1:21: For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit. Baptism is the application of water to an adult, child or infant by an ordained minister in the presence of a church congregation. (I also baptized the household of Stephanus. Everyone in the households of Cornelius and/or the jailer were old enough to understand the Gospel and believe in its message, and therefore every single person believed and was baptized. If baptism were necessary for salvation, Ephesians 2:8 and many other verses should have been translated 'ye are saved through faith and baptism.'Baptism is a distinct act of obedience apart from salvation. Now that we have looked at the Scriptures, let us look at other arguments that are used against baptism. This act empowers believers for their Christian service. Would we say that this verse denies the need for belief and confession, because it only mentions repentance? Consider what occurred in Lystra in Acts 14:11-18: And when the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. Do children know God? Here are 10 things to know about Baptists and their beliefs. The Catholic Church teaches that baptism is "necessary for salvation" (CCC 1257). Take, for example, Acts 10:44-47. And they spake the word of the Lord unto him, with all that were in his house. The example of Peter in Acts 10:47-48 is also telling: For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. The belief that baptism is necessary for salvation is also known as " baptismal regeneration ." It is our contention that baptism is an important step of obedience for a Christian, but we adamantly reject baptism as being required for salvation. And how shall they hear without a preacher? Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. When a person "asks Jesus into their heart," to use a colloquialism, the Holy Spirit indwells that. Water Baptism doesn't save a person. The major difference between New Testament teachings and the teachings of many denominations concerns the nature of baptism. 3. John 1:30-34, John 4:1-2). What stood out most in the reading and why? While we realize that Paul is using the metaphor baptism as burial, the metaphor only makes sense if we realize that baptism is immersion. Furthermore, the idea that baptism was required for Jews but not for Gentiles is at odds with Acts 10:47-48, Acts 16:31-33, and 1 Corinthians 1:14-16, all of which show that Gentiles also were baptized. 1. Holy Bible, New International Version , NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. The main difficulty in this argument is found in the meaning of the Greek word baptizo: to immerse, submerge, to make overwhelmed (i.e. to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk); to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash ones self, bathe; to overwhelm (Thayers Greek Lexicon). Etymologically, the term means "being born again" (regeneration, or . Since salvation is a matter of individual choice, and since a baby cannot confess its belief in Christ, cannot repent of its sins if it had any and cannot choose or express a choice to be baptized, even if it wanted to, we can conclude that a baby is not lost to begin with. We can see in Acts 10:2 that all the house of Cornelius is said to fear God. It was formed during the early 1600s with its belief system in place. 2 Samuel 12). Baptism is submissive obedience to Christ, commanded by Him, and we must follow through. Acts 9:18, Acts 16:15, Acts 16:33, Acts 18:18, etc. In the case of baptism and salvation, the Bible is clear that salvation is by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christnot by works (Eph 2:8-9, John 3:16, Rom 10:9-10). Paul writes, "For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." A few denominations consider baptism a form of exorcism from evil spirits. They believe that a person must believe, repent, confess, and be baptized in order to be saved. John 4:1-2 says, Now when Jesus knew that the Pharisees had heard that he was winning and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples were). If salvation came through baptism, it would make sense to see Christ baptizing people. If Acts 2:38, Romans 6:3-7, and 1 Peter 3:21 affirm the need for baptism to be saved, we recognize that all of these aspects, not just one or two, are necessary. Do the Scriptures teach that baptism is only a spiritual action? Notice, for instance, that the exile of Israel and Judah are carried out not under faithful kings like Hezekiah or Josiah, but unfaithful kings, Hoshea and Zedekiah (2 Kings 17-18, 25). Paul had a peculiar problem when preaching to the Gentiles; they had a tendency to worship a man with supernatural powers as a god. Often established by individual pastors or communities, non-denominational churches go by many different names and hold a variety of beliefs. Share this: Facebook Twitter Print Email Instead, it symbolizes the salvation that has already happened. Whether baptism is necessary for salvation is an important question to ask, since there are some verses that at least seem to indicate that it is. 28:19). The focus is never on the baptizer, but that one is baptized. Furthermore, God is the only one who administers the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and is done not by the intent of man but by the intent of God, as seen in Acts 2 and 10. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid the water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?. Hebrews 11:6. You MUST believe that God exists. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, The Bible Teachers Guide, Ecclesiology: Understanding Gods Church. By all accounts, baptism was a singular immersion done in the name of (or by the authority of) the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-20). Baptism starts the process. John the Baptist was sent by God to spread the news of the coming Messiah,Jesus Christ. Answer: Since no statement to this effect can be found in Acts 10 or any other passage, to understand and respond to this argument, we must understand the underlying assumption driving it: if one has the Holy Spirit, one must be in a saved state. Baptism is a public declaration of faith in Christ. Shall we believe from this that every single inhabitant of Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jordan river area came to John? Jesus indicates that if anyone desires to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, he or she must be like a little child. 3. It is also seen that the usual means of receiving the Holy Spirit was to have the laying on of hands from an Apostle (Acts 8:14-17, Acts 19:1-6). The context demonstrates that Pauls point is about the unity of Christians, how Christians are to work together in one body; therefore, Paul is not speaking about the nature of baptism per se, but that when we were immersed in water, we did so by one Spirit and were brought into one Body. 1 Peter 3:21). This reality is illustrated, in particular, by Paul in Romans 6:4: We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. The argument does not stand. Argument: Cornelius was saved before baptism. Johns baptism was for repentance; the baptism in the name of Christ is for the remission of sin through His blood. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were greatly astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Baptize infants because they believe when an infant is baptized, God creates faith in the heart of the infant. 7 Ludwig Ott explains the meaning of this view of grace: "The The person being baptized is submerged in water, then emerges into a new life of grace and freedom from sin. Baptism is not necessary for salvation. 6 Though others use the word sacrament, the RCC and Eastern Orthodox (EO) perspective is different in that they believe the sacraments are effective simply by the completion of the sacrament (known as ex opere operato ). Romans 10:9. Your email address will not be published. It should also be noted that since infant baptism is indeed of no value, since an infant has no sins to remit, infants are not really baptized but simply get wet. By going through this symbolic act, we proclaim to accept Christ's . And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Jesus. Baptism is an identification of an old life dying with Christ and a new life being resurrected as a new creation ( 2 Corinthians 5:17 ). With all that said, as with any verse, we must compare it to what the rest of Scripture teaches on the subject. And he said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in Paradise, (Luke 23:40-43). God | Holy Ghost | Holy Trinity | Atonement | Baptism | Did Christ Organize a Church While on the Earth? The Scriptures do not require continual baptism for remission of continual sin. 1 MacArthur, J., & Mayhue, R. While there is nothing particularly wrong with baptizing in this way, the Scriptures nowhere demand it. Some faith groups believe baptism accomplishes the washing away of sin, thus making it a necessary step in salvation. Or were ye baptized into the name of Paul? He left baptism out. Argument: Jesus, and only Jesus, has performed the work of salvation. Church of God Christians believe in baptism with the Holy Ghost, which follows sanctification and is revealed by an experience of speaking in tongues. Then Peter said, No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he? So he gave orders to have them baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Answer: The thief on the cross died with a special promise from Jesus: But the other answered, and rebuking him said, Dost thou not even fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? Why would someone who disbelieves be baptized? John's baptism anticipated Christian baptism. No. For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, even Jesus Christ. Christian denominations differ widely in their teachings about the purpose of baptism. Many churches, following Catholic custom, "baptize" infants at their "christening" by sprinkling a few drops of water on them in an elaborate ceremony.