water baptism in Jesus' Name.
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ANSWER TO THE DEFINITION OF FAITH, HOPE, AND WORKS
What is Hope? We get hope when we receive knowledge and trust that this knowledge is true.
How is Faith like hope and how is faith different that hope? Like hope, faith has trust in the knowledge that we have received whether that knowledge is true or false. Faith is different than hope. This is described in James 2:14-16, there are three levels of faith:
1. A dead faith - It has no works.
2. A unperfected faith - It will obey God when God so commands us to do so The example given is Abraham in Genesis 15 and Abramam's faith was reckoned unto Abraham as righteousness. God knew that Abraham would obey Him.
3. A perfected faith - It is a faith that has trusted in God and obeys God like Abraham obeyed God and went to sacrifice Isaac when God commanded him to do so.
Also, faith CAN be seen, and hope CANNOT be seen.
Matthew_9:2 And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, "Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven."
Mark 2:5 And Jesus seeing their faith *said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
This also brings us to the fact that there are two different types of works:
Works of faith - 1Thessalonians 1:3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of LOVE and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,
2Thessalonians 1:11 To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power,
An example of how our faith in God works is found in Colossians 2:12:
Colossians 2:12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
Also, in the conversions in the Book of Acts, faith is NEVER in the Active Voice (something you do). We do not baptize ourselves. Someone else always baptizes us. They are doing the work.
Thank you for listening.
God bless you,
Wayne
P.S. If baptism is not for for the forgiveness of sins and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, could you give the scriptural references that give a reason for being baptized?
The Jews ate the old Passover, before the new came.
The Jews circumcised their children, before the circumcision of the heart was available to all.
Only priests stood before God on behalf of the people, until the great High Priest came and made a way for us all to approach the throne of grace directly.
All were fore runners, shadows of the greater thing to come.
John baptised Jews with Water, before Jesus went to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit and baptised the believers in it.
He literally came to prepare the way of the Lord. He wasn't the one to set in place the way of the Lord, He was the last of the prophets before Christ.
But He knew all this was external and calling men to a repentance that depended on mans best efforts.
He could only wash people externally, but one was coming who would wash them internally.
I cannot prove that literal water or even the symbolic use of it is essential for a Christian since the baptism of the Holy Spirit came.
The Jews certainly practiced water baptism, and other jewish traditions but when the gospel hit the gentiles, you have a hard time applying these symbolic things of the hews to them, as James and Paul were pretty much adamant none of it was necessary or beneficial to salvation.
Luke 3:16-17 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
AMP
“As for me, I baptize you with water because of [your] repentance [that is, because you are willing to change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret your sin and live a changed life], but He (the Messiah) who is coming after me is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to remove [even as His slave]; He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with fire (judgment).
"Baptism" is indeed necessary, for unless you be born by natural means, and again by the spirit, you are not the Lords. I would say that the "washing of water" is by the word now, the gospel, Jesus, which and whom we receive, and which alone can make us clean.
John 3
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Jesus equates water here as the natural birth.
That said, it wont hurt anyone to have a splash and profess their faith.
The Jews circumcised their children, before the circumcision of the heart was available to all.
Only priests stood before God on behalf of the people, until the great High Priest came and made a way for us all to approach the throne of grace directly.
All were fore runners, shadows of the greater thing to come.
John baptised Jews with Water, before Jesus went to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit and baptised the believers in it.
He literally came to prepare the way of the Lord. He wasn't the one to set in place the way of the Lord, He was the last of the prophets before Christ.
But He knew all this was external and calling men to a repentance that depended on mans best efforts.
He could only wash people externally, but one was coming who would wash them internally.
I cannot prove that literal water or even the symbolic use of it is essential for a Christian since the baptism of the Holy Spirit came.
The Jews certainly practiced water baptism, and other jewish traditions but when the gospel hit the gentiles, you have a hard time applying these symbolic things of the hews to them, as James and Paul were pretty much adamant none of it was necessary or beneficial to salvation.
Luke 3:16-17 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
AMP
“As for me, I baptize you with water because of [your] repentance [that is, because you are willing to change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret your sin and live a changed life], but He (the Messiah) who is coming after me is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to remove [even as His slave]; He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with fire (judgment).
"Baptism" is indeed necessary, for unless you be born by natural means, and again by the spirit, you are not the Lords. I would say that the "washing of water" is by the word now, the gospel, Jesus, which and whom we receive, and which alone can make us clean.
John 3
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Jesus equates water here as the natural birth.
That said, it wont hurt anyone to have a splash and profess their faith.
Nope.
You need to do it a little bit more publicly.
You referenced a link that contained a "refutation" of sorts; however that "refutation" referenced no scripture but instead utilized human arguments.
And I'm certain that I can answer all of them if they are brought out into the open a little bit at a time.
You need to do it a little bit more publicly.
You referenced a link that contained a "refutation" of sorts; however that "refutation" referenced no scripture but instead utilized human arguments.
And I'm certain that I can answer all of them if they are brought out into the open a little bit at a time.
I believe we're forgiven the moment we believe and accept Christ's atoning sacrifice for us. Baptism is important but it doesn't save us; it's not the point at which we're forgiven. It's like when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus was made alive but Jesus told those there to remove his grave clothes. Likewise, baptism is removing the grave clothes and putting on Christ.
If someone has trusted in the Lord for salvation, and isn't baptised, they are saved. The thief on the cross evidences that.
Also, if someone has trusted in the Lord for salvation, and gets baptised, they are saved. Plenty of instances in scripture evidence that.
So then, this really is a case of conviction.
If you feel it is wrong not to be baptised, because of the scriptures you have read, then you MUST be baptised.
And likewise, if you understand baptism to be unnecessary and feel you would be trusting in the act rather than in Christ for part of your salvation, don't do it.
To do it , or to not do it, with doubt, makes it the opposite of what it should be.
We are wrong to ask people to go against their own convictions in this matter. Christ didn't scream out from the cross, quick someone, splash this thief before he dies, else he shall perish. It clearly was not a requirement for salvation. He told that thief he would be with Him in paradise. Who are we to go around telling others they wont be if they don't get baptised?
When we can see evidence of people being accepted by Christ both ways, why are we making such a song and dance about it? We end up arguing and condemning each other for doing or not doing... for eating or not eating, for washing or not washing... etc. And instead of gently teaching each other and letting God work on the understanding, we become stumbling blocks instead to those who disagree with us.
This certainly doesn't fulfil Christs teaching.
Also, if someone has trusted in the Lord for salvation, and gets baptised, they are saved. Plenty of instances in scripture evidence that.
So then, this really is a case of conviction.
If you feel it is wrong not to be baptised, because of the scriptures you have read, then you MUST be baptised.
And likewise, if you understand baptism to be unnecessary and feel you would be trusting in the act rather than in Christ for part of your salvation, don't do it.
To do it , or to not do it, with doubt, makes it the opposite of what it should be.
We are wrong to ask people to go against their own convictions in this matter. Christ didn't scream out from the cross, quick someone, splash this thief before he dies, else he shall perish. It clearly was not a requirement for salvation. He told that thief he would be with Him in paradise. Who are we to go around telling others they wont be if they don't get baptised?
When we can see evidence of people being accepted by Christ both ways, why are we making such a song and dance about it? We end up arguing and condemning each other for doing or not doing... for eating or not eating, for washing or not washing... etc. And instead of gently teaching each other and letting God work on the understanding, we become stumbling blocks instead to those who disagree with us.
This certainly doesn't fulfil Christs teaching.
See Mark 1:4 and Acts 2:38.
Also, what is your understanding of Acts 2:39 as it relates to Romans 8:30?
The thief on the cross may have been baptized before he was placed on his own cross.
If you want remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost, then get baptized in Jesus' Name; for these things are absolutely promised as a result (Acts 2:38-39).
Also, what is your understanding of Acts 2:39 as it relates to Romans 8:30?
The thief on the cross may have been baptized before he was placed on his own cross.
If you want remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost, then get baptized in Jesus' Name; for these things are absolutely promised as a result (Acts 2:38-39).