sojourner said:
While I don't think baptism is necessary, it is an act of obedience, a gift from God, and a sacrament, whereby God is revealed to us. My question is this: Putting aside the formulas and mechanics that many subscribe to for the moment, why even ask the question? Baptism is an act for believers to carry out before God, and a gift that God bestows upon believers. Why would a believer not desire to participate in that sacrament? Why would God not desire to bestow that gift upon a believer?
What's the point of asking if it's necessary? It's sort of putting the cart before the horse. Most believers view it as necessary, so most believers will desire to participate. I don't believe God looks to see if your head is wet. God looks into your heart to see where your desire draws you.
My friend,How are you? Can
a gift from God be
an act of obedience on the part of man? I do not think so. Everything God does for mankind is called
GRACE.
The world,God sending Jesus,forgivness of sins,even the N.T.LAW
is a part of Grace according to (Titus 2:11,12). On the other hand What man does in responce to God
is works or an act of faith (Heb.11). Everything from Belief (John 6:29) to baptism (Acts 22:16) to living a good moral life is a work.
The question is
when does God take my sins away.That is the big question.When we answere that question we can
tell exactly when we have a relationship with God. When we answere that question we will also be able to tell at which point
we become a christians and here is why. God can have
no part with man until his sins are forgiven according to (Isaiah 59:1,2). Does the bible tell us
when sins are forgiven? Yes it does,We find that information
in (Acts 22:16). This was the point the apostle Paul had
his sins washed away. Anyone who will every answere the gospel call of (2Thess.2:14) will have their
sins wahsed away the same way the apostle Paul did.The bible says to
speak the same thing (1Cor.1:10). Speak as the
oracles of God (1Peter 4:11). If we speak
the same thing as the bible we will say
sins are washed away at the point of water baptism (1Peter 3:21) (Titus 3:5) (Eph.5:26) (Acts 2:38). Once we understand
when sins are washed away according to the bible,we can understand
why water baptism in necessary for salvation. Only the
good and honest heart will accept this bible principle (Luke 8:15) (Matt.7:7).
Believers can be lost just like ole Satan is lost,and he believed. In fact
he is going to hell,but he believes in Jesus and so do the demons. Please notice
(John 1:12) As many as received him,to them
gave he POWER TO BECOME the sons of God even to them that believe on his name. This scripture
only says the Lord gave people
power to become the sons of God,He did not say they were sons of God
at the point of belief. And the bible
does not teach that either. One must take
the sum total of Gods teachings on a particular subject and make an educated decision
based on the word of God. Then and only then can the plan of salvation
have any affect upon the individual (Gal.1:6-9).
Please notice
the apostle Paul believed on the road to Damascus,but his sins were
not washed away till the point of water baptism (Acts 22:16). Every person who is on this side of the crucifixion will be saved just like the apostle Paul. I did not say that,
the word of God said it. That makes
baptism essential to salvation.Not only that but the bible says
baptism saves (1Peter 3:21). That seems to harmonize with (Acts 22:16). God used water as the line of demarkation all through the O.T. now he has done it in the N.T.-in love Baerly