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Why is “repentenc” necessary prior to water baptism.
IF we understand that water baptism is a symbolic act giving "witness" to a spiritual rebirth, then we can understand the need for "repentance." Our spiritual rebirth into Jesus can not be seen/witnessed by the naked eye, thus Jesus commanded that we be water baptized, and, in this way, we profess to the Church and the World that we have become His disciples. The forgiveness of sin HAS ALREADY occurred.......Water baptism IS NOT unto salvation. It IS a "witness" OF our salvation to the Church, and to the World. So why would Jesus want us to do this? Let Him tell us Himself:
Matthew 10:32) Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 .) But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Luke 12:8) Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
9 .) But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
Ok, what about repentance............
The first word Jesus preached in public was “repent”………..
Matthew 4:17) From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Look at what is said in Acts 4:16) 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. 17 .) For as much 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? 18 .) When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
And again in Acts 20:20) And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, 21 .) Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, in Acts 2:38, when Peter said: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” He was well in line with the teaching of Jesus…….This is not a new concept/teaching…….consider:
Proverbs 28:13)He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whosoconfesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
John taught this as well……consider:
1[SUP]st[/SUP] John 1:6) If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 .) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 .) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 .) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Again, consider what Luke wrote……….Luke 15:10) Likewise, I sa y unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. And in the 13[SUP]th[/SUP] Chapter, Luke records this…..from verse 3) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
And Peter taught in Acts 3:19) Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
You can decide for yourselves IF we should "repent" of our sins..........as for me and my house we will with a sincere and contrite heart repent of our sins and pray that God will be faithful to forgive us of our sins.....
AND we will be water baptized because Jesus said we were to be.......and to PROCLAIM to the Church and the World that we are His disciples.
God bless you each and every one.
Water baptism is not what saves and isn't a requirement for salvation it's more like a symbolic gesture, when I was baptized nothing felt different nothing changed but when I was saved and baptized by fire I was filled with life and I don't mean it like oh I am reborn and am alive when I was dead no i mean i woke up filled with life itself and got up and danced around my room and I am one who needs massive amounts of coffee to wake up but not that day I was filled with life not energy and i felt the holy spirit burning inside me and all around me it was as if I was actually consumed by a blazing fire but one that was filled with life and with power it was like God's power and fire was flowing through me
Water baptism didn't do anything even close to that
Water baptism didn't do anything even close to that
Water baptism is a representation of what happened to us when we believed in Christ. It shows that we died on the cross with Christ and that we also rose with Him in the resurrection to newness of life in Him.
Every believer should be water baptized. It is a major blessing that the Lord instructed us to do.
Every believer should be water baptized. It is a major blessing that the Lord instructed us to do.
Salvation is purely 'believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved' Acts 16:29-31
Also Romans 10:9-10.. 'that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in thine heart that He hath been raised from the dead thou shalt be saved.'
And John 3:15-16
It is belief from being convicted by the Holy Spirit of the need for salvation, that gets a sinner saved.
Water baptism is something someone does after this. It symbolises this salvation.. but does not give it.
Water baptism should also be by full immersion in water.. not sprinkling.. and not of infants. Not because it is unsafe for infants, but because infants are secured by God before they are ready to know they need salvation.
Other thing-
Holy Spirit baptism.. this gets taken to be about eternal salvation. From what I have read so far.. this is something that happened to groups.. not individuals alone. And these groups were more often than not ALREADY believers. Eg.. Acts 2- day of Pentecost. This is the Holy Spirit empowering an already formed group of believers in Jesus.
I suppose the Holy Spirit could be FIGURATIVELY baptising a person at eternal salvation.. like the paying the debt of sin and giving of eternal life.. is LIKE a baptism-- old ways dead.. new life given.
But I don't know where that would be in scripture.
'We were all baptised into one body..' in scripture.. that's referring to water baptism allowing people to become members of a local church body. Water baptism by full immersion is a pre-requisite to become member of one of God's churches.
Also Romans 10:9-10.. 'that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in thine heart that He hath been raised from the dead thou shalt be saved.'
And John 3:15-16
It is belief from being convicted by the Holy Spirit of the need for salvation, that gets a sinner saved.
Water baptism is something someone does after this. It symbolises this salvation.. but does not give it.
Water baptism should also be by full immersion in water.. not sprinkling.. and not of infants. Not because it is unsafe for infants, but because infants are secured by God before they are ready to know they need salvation.
Other thing-
Holy Spirit baptism.. this gets taken to be about eternal salvation. From what I have read so far.. this is something that happened to groups.. not individuals alone. And these groups were more often than not ALREADY believers. Eg.. Acts 2- day of Pentecost. This is the Holy Spirit empowering an already formed group of believers in Jesus.
I suppose the Holy Spirit could be FIGURATIVELY baptising a person at eternal salvation.. like the paying the debt of sin and giving of eternal life.. is LIKE a baptism-- old ways dead.. new life given.
But I don't know where that would be in scripture.
'We were all baptised into one body..' in scripture.. that's referring to water baptism allowing people to become members of a local church body. Water baptism by full immersion is a pre-requisite to become member of one of God's churches.
P
Absolutely! God says baptism saves (1 Peter 3:21), therefore, if we are saved before baptism, then baptism does not save, and God is made out to be a liar. We all agree that Christ's blood is what saves, by washing away our sins, correct? But that won't work unless we come in contact with it- which is what baptism does. Where did Christ shed His blood? In His death. Romans 6:3- "Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized INTO Christ were baptized into His death?" Baptism is how we get into Christ, and those in Christ will be saved. Ananias said to Paul, "What are you waiting for, arise, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on the name of the Lord." Acts 22:16
Being baptized is obeying the gospel- which is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
"With flames of fire God will take vengeance on those who know not God and obey not the gospel of His Son."
Being baptized is obeying the gospel- which is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
"With flames of fire God will take vengeance on those who know not God and obey not the gospel of His Son."
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Water baptism is NOT where people are regenerated ( born-again) and receive "remission of sins" as is falsely taught by some religions.
Here we see the NT pattern with Peter. We hear, we believe, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit where we are baptized into the body of Christ..then we get water baptized as a representation of what happened when we believed in Christ.
But the regeneration and receiving the remission of sins comes first.
Acts 10:43-48 (NASB)
[SUP]43 [/SUP] "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."
[SUP]44 [/SUP] While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.
[SUP]45 [/SUP] All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
[SUP]46 [/SUP] For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered,
[SUP]47 [/SUP] "Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?"
[SUP]48 [/SUP] And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.
Paul shows the process as well in Ephesians.
Ephesians 1:13 (NASB)
[SUP]13 [/SUP] In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Here we see the NT pattern with Peter. We hear, we believe, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit where we are baptized into the body of Christ..then we get water baptized as a representation of what happened when we believed in Christ.
But the regeneration and receiving the remission of sins comes first.
Acts 10:43-48 (NASB)
[SUP]43 [/SUP] "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."
[SUP]44 [/SUP] While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.
[SUP]45 [/SUP] All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
[SUP]46 [/SUP] For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered,
[SUP]47 [/SUP] "Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?"
[SUP]48 [/SUP] And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.
Paul shows the process as well in Ephesians.
Ephesians 1:13 (NASB)
[SUP]13 [/SUP] In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
If Baptism was necessary for Salvation then why did Jesus tell the Thief on the Cross that he would be with Him in Paradise? Where in the Scriptures did Jesus tell the Thief on the cross he had to be Baptized?
Salvation is received by Grace and Faith. We receive Baptism to show we are walking with God.
Its the Blood of Jesus that washed us clean of our sins, not Baptism.
Too many so called Christians are teaching a "Works" doctrine for Salvation because their eyes have been blinded by their Pride.
Salvation is received by Grace and Faith. We receive Baptism to show we are walking with God.
Its the Blood of Jesus that washed us clean of our sins, not Baptism.
Too many so called Christians are teaching a "Works" doctrine for Salvation because their eyes have been blinded by their Pride.
If water baptism is needed in order obtain the remission of sins and to have regeneration happen as is falsely taught by some.
When did the disciples get water baptized after Christ died on the cross and then was resurrected?
They would still need to have been water baptized after Christ's death and resurrection before they could be regenerated and to receive the remission of sins according to the water regeneration theory.
Even if they were water baptized by John - this still doesn't negate the need to be water baptized AFTER Christ rose from the dead as the "water baptism regenerationists believe" - in order to have remission of sins and to be regenerated. John's baptism was different from Christ's baptism that He gives to the believers.
When Peter said to the whole group of Jews in Acts 2:38...repent and be baptized.....there must have been many of them there that were already baptized by John because it seems that only the Pharisees/Sadducees and scribes didn't get water baptized by John. So, that throws a whole other wrench into the mix here.
There are so many holes in this false teaching about needing to be water baptized in order to receive remission of sins and the regeneration for the Holy Spirit.
This completely violates all the clear, multiple scriptures to believe on Christ to be saved. Look at Acts 10:43-48 - clearly they were saved first and had already received the Holy Spirit - which is being born-again by the Spirit and being baptized into the body of Christ...then they were water baptized.
When did the disciples get water baptized after Christ died on the cross and then was resurrected?
They would still need to have been water baptized after Christ's death and resurrection before they could be regenerated and to receive the remission of sins according to the water regeneration theory.
Even if they were water baptized by John - this still doesn't negate the need to be water baptized AFTER Christ rose from the dead as the "water baptism regenerationists believe" - in order to have remission of sins and to be regenerated. John's baptism was different from Christ's baptism that He gives to the believers.
When Peter said to the whole group of Jews in Acts 2:38...repent and be baptized.....there must have been many of them there that were already baptized by John because it seems that only the Pharisees/Sadducees and scribes didn't get water baptized by John. So, that throws a whole other wrench into the mix here.
There are so many holes in this false teaching about needing to be water baptized in order to receive remission of sins and the regeneration for the Holy Spirit.
This completely violates all the clear, multiple scriptures to believe on Christ to be saved. Look at Acts 10:43-48 - clearly they were saved first and had already received the Holy Spirit - which is being born-again by the Spirit and being baptized into the body of Christ...then they were water baptized.
Sorry Mike but Purerinheart is correct it was his death that formed the church hence why he said it is finished.
He didn't form it when he was born but he knew he was going to it was his blood his pain his sacrifice that made the new covenant that connected the un connectable that set us free not his birth otherwise he would not have had to die like that
He didn't form it when he was born but he knew he was going to it was his blood his pain his sacrifice that made the new covenant that connected the un connectable that set us free not his birth otherwise he would not have had to die like that