Luke 3:7-9King James Version (KJV)
[SUP]7 [/SUP]Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
[SUP]8 [/SUP]Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
[SUP]9 [/SUP]And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
faith comes by hearing...if that cannot bear fruit when you hear and believe... you are lost until you start bearing bro....if you do not do what you hear and believe how can you to be saved? you want to hear and believe and not obey what you hear...because you follow a doctrine of man that says you are saved when you believe...scripture says devils believe and tremble...you want to believe and do nothing...to be saved....then you will do....satan is feeding you the same old lie...."you will not surly die"...and you are swallowing it hook line and sinker....
thank bro for bring it up.
1. these people are doing what you call obedience, come to be baptize with water. That is what you call obedience, isn't it?
When people come to John and wont to be baptize, John refuse.
let analyze together brother:
a. you said to be baptize with water is obedience, why John mad to the obedience people?
b. If I am correct, You said baptize is a gate to heaven, why John close the gate for them?
In my opinion is that water baptize is just symbol Not going to do any good for salvation if a person not baptize or immerse in the Father Son and Holy spirit symbolized in water. If this water baptism is a gate to heaven, than how cruel John is to refused people going to heaven by refused to baptize them.
So water baptism is only symbol brother.
2. Do you want to say before water baptism must repent first?
That I agree, but to bare the fruit you must abide to the vine /have a faith in Jesus. I give you an analogy of the bus. If you don't trust the bus will bring you to you destination safely why you jump into that bus.
I trust Jesus will bring me to heaven and I abide to Him, before I bare fruit. I trust Him that I am don't have capacity to bear the fruit in my own.
John did not say that they are have ability to bear the fruit of repentance by them self, if he did than he(John) accused Jesus as a liar. John Agree with Jesus that no one able to bear the fruit of itself.
John just say that they faith in God is not genuine,
what John the baptize said is like what Jesus said : the tree seen by it fruit. or James when he said show me your faith with your word and I will show you my faith with the work. And the same with apostle John when he said, if one say he love the Lord but not love his neighbor, he is a liar.
Not that we have to bear the fruit first before being accept as a Christ follower.
Let me repeat to make it clear brother.
Jesus, not me. said branch can't bear fruit of itself.
If the requirement before being accept as Jesus follower is to show the fruit of repentance, than no body accepted.
I feel like I'm talking to the wall.