Baptism question 4/29/2020
Posted: Fri May 01, 2020 9:37 am
Greetings in Christ Jesus to All,
Steve I very much appreciate your teachings and always count it a blessing when I can listen to your broadcast. On 4/29 beginning around minute 21 you answered the question whether baptism was essential or not regarding salvation. Some of the points you made were:
1. The early church never recognized anyone as a christian unless they were baptized.
2. The early church never knew an unbaptized believer, it was absolutely part of the conversion experience (Acts 3:19?).
3. Repentance and baptism were not optional (Acts 2:38?).
4. Baptism isn't a work, it is something that is administered to you.
5. Baptism should never be considered to be optional, it never was in the Bible.
Steve I agree with all your statements.
My questions are:
1. What are your thoughts on 1st Peter 3:20-21?
2. Isn't it through baptism that we baptized into Christ and become partakers in the death and resurrection, becoming a new creation in Him(Rom. 6)?
3.The caller asked if repentance was a work or a state of mind. Your thoughts were that it was a state or change of mind and there were works worthy of repentance(Eph 2:10?). Am i correct in concluding that repentance isn't just a state or change of mind but it is a change of mind coupled to a change in behavior, is there repentance without a change in behavior?
Lastly the thief on the cross was brought up, that he wasn't baptized and unable to be baptized. How do we know? Doesn't that seem like an assumption to support a doctrinal preference? (no offence intended) Couldn't he have been one of the early followers of Jesus (baptized disciples) who stopped following Him - John 6:66? What I've always found fascinating about the thief on the cross is that he seemed to have a greater insight, a more complete understanding of the ministry of Jesus than even that of the Apostles. "Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom" are very strange words for one dying man to say to another. The Apostles were still confused about the Kingdom at that time and didn't seem to grasp the coming Resurrection but not the thief, he knew death was not the end and that the Kingdom transcended this mortal realm. It seems like his knowledge and faith was way beyond that of the Apostles. What are your thoughts?
Blessings in Christ -d
Eph. 4:2-3
Steve I very much appreciate your teachings and always count it a blessing when I can listen to your broadcast. On 4/29 beginning around minute 21 you answered the question whether baptism was essential or not regarding salvation. Some of the points you made were:
1. The early church never recognized anyone as a christian unless they were baptized.
2. The early church never knew an unbaptized believer, it was absolutely part of the conversion experience (Acts 3:19?).
3. Repentance and baptism were not optional (Acts 2:38?).
4. Baptism isn't a work, it is something that is administered to you.
5. Baptism should never be considered to be optional, it never was in the Bible.
Steve I agree with all your statements.
My questions are:
1. What are your thoughts on 1st Peter 3:20-21?
2. Isn't it through baptism that we baptized into Christ and become partakers in the death and resurrection, becoming a new creation in Him(Rom. 6)?
3.The caller asked if repentance was a work or a state of mind. Your thoughts were that it was a state or change of mind and there were works worthy of repentance(Eph 2:10?). Am i correct in concluding that repentance isn't just a state or change of mind but it is a change of mind coupled to a change in behavior, is there repentance without a change in behavior?
Lastly the thief on the cross was brought up, that he wasn't baptized and unable to be baptized. How do we know? Doesn't that seem like an assumption to support a doctrinal preference? (no offence intended) Couldn't he have been one of the early followers of Jesus (baptized disciples) who stopped following Him - John 6:66? What I've always found fascinating about the thief on the cross is that he seemed to have a greater insight, a more complete understanding of the ministry of Jesus than even that of the Apostles. "Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom" are very strange words for one dying man to say to another. The Apostles were still confused about the Kingdom at that time and didn't seem to grasp the coming Resurrection but not the thief, he knew death was not the end and that the Kingdom transcended this mortal realm. It seems like his knowledge and faith was way beyond that of the Apostles. What are your thoughts?
Blessings in Christ -d
Eph. 4:2-3