home...if the thief on the cross was saved without coming down to be baptized, and if something happened to someone and they were unable, or incapacitated, or stopped by the secret police or WHATEVER...of course that's not the issue.
the issue is
denying what the Lord said - claiming it isn't commanded...rejecting or despising it.
allowing someone; something - usually false doctrine or pride or whatever to hinder you! many people are baptized the very day they believe.
kóluó: to hinder
Original Word: κωλύω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: kóluó
Phonetic Spelling: (ko-loo'-o)
Short Definition: I prevent, hinder
Definition: I prevent, debar, hinder; with infin: from doing so and so.
Word Origin
probably from the same as kolazó
Definition
to hinder
NASB Translation
forbid (2), forbidden (1), forbidding (1), forbids (1), hinder (5), hindered (1), hindering (1), kept (1), prevent (3), prevented (2), prevents (1), refuse (1), restrained (1), stand in...way (1), withhold (1).
i just don't think it's a good idea - at all - particularly when baptism is clearly connected to the remission of sins in several places. it's not the water - it's the GOSPEL!
Acts 8
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the southd to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”
34And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35T
hen Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”e 38And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
...
dunno....just seems so clear, doesn't it?
it says water. not anything else.
are you serious?
'just be water baptised and be saved'? - uh....really?
when you heard or read the Gospel of your salvation - did you come across the passages that said to be baptized?
what did you do when you read them?
did you reason for a year about what they could possibly mean? did someone tell you they didn't mean what they clearly said?
like....not sure what you are getting at.
....
toss out being baptized.
toss out praying.
bible study
fellowship
because they're not all mentioned in every single verse in scripture at the same time, i guess
....
if you are serious - why would you not be feeling drawn to a church? that is what The Lord established.
a fellowship of believers.
a pastor at a church will baptize you if your profession about Jesus is correct.
or any other christian can baptize you.
anyways...sometimes i wonder.
"See, here is water! What
prevents me from being baptized?”
kóluó: to hinder
Original Word: κωλύω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: kóluó
Phonetic Spelling: (ko-loo'-o)
Short Definition: I prevent, hinder
Definition: I prevent, debar, hinder; with infin: from doing so and so.
Word Origin
probably from the same as kolazó
Definition
to hinder
NASB Translation
forbid (2), forbidden (1), forbidding (1), forbids (1), hinder (5), hindered (1), hindering (1), kept (1), prevent (3), prevented (2), prevents (1), refuse (1), restrained (1), stand in...way (1), withhold (1).