My take on water baptism...
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A post from another guy...
Post 322 from Joseph1949
Water baptism is not a commandment. Actually Jesus explains it simply in Acts1:5...
John baptized with water, BUT YOU will be baptized in holy spirit. The (but) implies John did it this way, BUT you will be baptized this way. To be born again is to confess Jesus as Lord and believe God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9,10) Baptism is equated to receiving holy spirit within, it is trusting with the heart. The proof over and over again in the book of Acts is shown. When they were baptized, they manifested holy spirit by speaking in tongues. You don't see much of that in the church today.
Post 322 from Joseph1949
Water baptism is not a commandment. Actually Jesus explains it simply in Acts1:5...
John baptized with water, BUT YOU will be baptized in holy spirit. The (but) implies John did it this way, BUT you will be baptized this way. To be born again is to confess Jesus as Lord and believe God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9,10) Baptism is equated to receiving holy spirit within, it is trusting with the heart. The proof over and over again in the book of Acts is shown. When they were baptized, they manifested holy spirit by speaking in tongues. You don't see much of that in the church today.
If you don't like to google, here is a link that contrast the 2 approaches
https://www.monergism.com/comparing-covenant-theology-and-dispensational-theology
https://www.monergism.com/comparing-covenant-theology-and-dispensational-theology
Thats great because Paul believed in water baptism, and even baptized some people:
Acts 16:33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
And Paul himself was baptized:
Acts 9:18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
Acts 16:33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
And Paul himself was baptized:
Acts 9:18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
14: I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius
15: so no one can say that you were baptized in my name.
16: (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.)
17: For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. - 1 Corinthians 1:14-17
As was stated, water baptism is not a sin, you can go ahead and do it if you want, if you feel you want to invite your unsaved friends and relatives to witness that.Just don't attach any special significance to it.
Rather than using Stephen as a foundation, a martyr full of God's grace (power) In order begin the work of creating a eternal bride the church .
Try Abel the first recorded born again creature sent as a apostle prophet and martyr. .Showing us by a work of Christ' faith or labor of love. It (the unseen) worked in Abel to both will and do the good pleasure of our living God. Just as the same faith worked in Stephen ..
Stephen's born again faith and power came from within his earthen body of death. It as it is written is the same power we have in the earthen bodies. Stephen was not found with a righteous of the dead flesh (self righteousness )
2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Learn what is means to walk by faith (not of ones self) and then you will not have to give into the desire of self righteousness. The three avenues not of our father but of the father of lies .they simply produce false pride.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Making the foundation of the chaste virgin bride the church after Stephen makes me wonder? David spoke of it in the Psalms. . Moved by the power that worked in his earthen body of death .God revealed. . below
Psalm 11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
S
That is a twist on what John actually said. He said "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: "
He did not say But You will be baptized in holy spirit instead of water nor did he intend to mean anything like that. He baptized in water, Jesus baptizes with the Holy Ghost. You however will be baptized in both.
The ordinance of water baptism has been a part of Christian practice from the beginning of the Church. This practice was such a common part of the Early Church’s life that F. F Bruce comments, “The idea of an unbaptized Christian is simply not entertained in the New Testament.” (F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1954), 77.)
Christ set the pattern for Christian baptism when He himself was baptized by John at the beginning of His public ministry (Matt. 3:13–17). Then He later commanded His followers to go into all the world and make disciples, “baptizing them in [Gk. eis, “into”] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). Therefore, Christ instituted the ordinance of baptism by both His example and command.
A major purpose of believers’ being baptized in water is that it signifies their identification with Christ. New Testament believers were baptized “into” (Gk. eis) the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 8:16), indicating that they were entering the realm of Christ’s sovereign lordship and authority. In baptism, the new believer “testifies that he was in Christ when Christ was judged for sin, that he was buried with him, and that he has arisen to new life in him.” Baptism indicates that the believer has died to the old way of life and entered “newness of life” through redemption in Christ. The act of water baptism does not effect this identification with Christ, “but presupposes and symbolizes it.” Baptism thus symbolizes the time when the one who previously had been the enemy of Christ makes “his final surrender.”
Water Baptism also signifies that believers have identified with the body of Christ, the Church. Baptized believers are initiated into the community of faith, and in so doing they give public testimony to the world of their allegiance with the people of God. This seems to be a major reason New Testament believers were baptized almost immediately upon conversion. In a world that was hostile to the Christian faith, it was important that new believers take their stand with the disciples of Christ and become immediately involved in the total life of the Christian community.
Horton, Stanley M.. Systematic Theology: Revised Edition . BookMasters. Kindle Edition.
He did not say But You will be baptized in holy spirit instead of water nor did he intend to mean anything like that. He baptized in water, Jesus baptizes with the Holy Ghost. You however will be baptized in both.
The ordinance of water baptism has been a part of Christian practice from the beginning of the Church. This practice was such a common part of the Early Church’s life that F. F Bruce comments, “The idea of an unbaptized Christian is simply not entertained in the New Testament.” (F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1954), 77.)
Christ set the pattern for Christian baptism when He himself was baptized by John at the beginning of His public ministry (Matt. 3:13–17). Then He later commanded His followers to go into all the world and make disciples, “baptizing them in [Gk. eis, “into”] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). Therefore, Christ instituted the ordinance of baptism by both His example and command.
A major purpose of believers’ being baptized in water is that it signifies their identification with Christ. New Testament believers were baptized “into” (Gk. eis) the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 8:16), indicating that they were entering the realm of Christ’s sovereign lordship and authority. In baptism, the new believer “testifies that he was in Christ when Christ was judged for sin, that he was buried with him, and that he has arisen to new life in him.” Baptism indicates that the believer has died to the old way of life and entered “newness of life” through redemption in Christ. The act of water baptism does not effect this identification with Christ, “but presupposes and symbolizes it.” Baptism thus symbolizes the time when the one who previously had been the enemy of Christ makes “his final surrender.”
Water Baptism also signifies that believers have identified with the body of Christ, the Church. Baptized believers are initiated into the community of faith, and in so doing they give public testimony to the world of their allegiance with the people of God. This seems to be a major reason New Testament believers were baptized almost immediately upon conversion. In a world that was hostile to the Christian faith, it was important that new believers take their stand with the disciples of Christ and become immediately involved in the total life of the Christian community.
Horton, Stanley M.. Systematic Theology: Revised Edition . BookMasters. Kindle Edition.
Hey Dino, which kind of Covenant theology do you subscribe to, if any?
I just believe that God has worked with man throughout history in many different covenants. He made a covenant with Noah (still valid and ongoing today) Abraham (still ongoing today, expanded in the new covenant), Moses (discontinued), David (ongoing, fulfilled by Jesus on the throne of David) and of course the New Covenant which obviously is ongoing.
Does that make me a "covenantalist" or something else?
I just believe that God has worked with man throughout history in many different covenants. He made a covenant with Noah (still valid and ongoing today) Abraham (still ongoing today, expanded in the new covenant), Moses (discontinued), David (ongoing, fulfilled by Jesus on the throne of David) and of course the New Covenant which obviously is ongoing.
Does that make me a "covenantalist" or something else?
