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Some thoughts to consider on baptism There is no mention of any blessing that is connected with baptism that is not also given at the point of faith. If baptism gives salvation then one only needs water and does not need the blood of Jesus, it is either one or the other, it’s not both. A person cannot be baptized unless they repented and believe the gospel FIRST, believing that Jesus Christ is the Lord. This makes it impossible for them to be baptize to be saved, when one needs to be saved to be baptized. If they were pronounced saved by their faith before baptism then baptism is clearly not part of the gospel. Baptism is not the gospel because it is a physical work, the gospel is something you believe in (Christ's crucifixion and resurrection) not something you do. Belief is not the gospel, but it is what is needed to accept the gospel. “To believe” (have faith) is used 240 times in the New Testament in relation to receiving salvation. The Hebrew word for covenant, berith, occurs over 280 times in the Old Testament. The translators of the Old Testament into the Greek Septuagint chose the Greek word diatheke in place of the Hebrew berith. In the New Testament diatheke occurs 33 times. The term "testament" (as in "Last Will and Testament") is used in some translations of the New Testament 13 times to translate the word diatheke. The New Covenant rests upon the death of the one who died for your sin, that is God who became flesh. It is always a believers baptism, water does not communicate salvation, neither is the blood in the water. The blood saves because it is from the savior, who is God. This is whom the gospel is focused on. Keeping, holding to the gospel proves that you are saved (1 Cor.15:1-4). If baptism saves then Jesus is not the way. He did not make the way through the water. The Bible teaches the way to the Father was through the Son on the cross by his sacrifice. Water cleanses the body from the outside, The blood of Christ the sacrifice of God to the Father cleanses us from the inside, our conscience (Heb.9:14;10:22; 1Pt.3:21) Heb. 9:11: “ But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.” This is stressing the point of the work of God and not of man. And water being a part of creation cannot transmit any spiritual benefit anymore than the Old Testament tabernacle can. Believers who are already saved are willing to be baptized, otherwise the water becomes the savior and not the blood shed on the cross. Negating Christ alone being the savior. You wouldn’t choose be baptized unless you were saved. Water does not bring forgiveness (Heb.9) the shed blood does, water does not cleanse our sins, the shed blood does (1 Jn.1:9). That the blood is the only cleanser for our sin (Rom.5:9; 1 Cor.11:25; Col.1:14;Eph.1:7; Heb.9:14,20;10:19;1 Pt.1:19; 1Jn.1:7) |
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