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To: WKB; Yashcheritsiy; RaisingCain; sigzero; NYer; Salvation; metmom; boatbums; caww; ...
I see this is another thread promoting RC doctrine in response to it being challenged recently. And some Prots to hold to paedobaptism, while yet as seen in other threads, Catholics differ on such things as whether baptized Baptist believers can be saved, and on baptism of desire, and whether Cornelius and household were born again before baptism, which is what it taught in Scripture.

Concerning baptism:

It is true that there is no mention of any infants being baptized, and while this may be surmised from the basic mention of whole households being baptized, wherever more details are given then it states of infers that such were able to hear and believe the word.

Basic: "And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us. " (Acts 16:15)

"And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. " (1 Corinthians 1:16)

More details

"And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. " (Acts 16:32-34)

"And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. " (Acts 18:8)

It is also clear that conditions are given for baptism, requiring a cognitive response of repentant faith, and that those who did so were those who were baptized:

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. " (Acts 2:38)

"And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. " (Acts 8:36-37)

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. " (Acts 2:41)

"But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. " (Acts 8:12)

"Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. " (Acts 8:13)

"Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. " (Acts 19:4-5)

It is also true that is it faith that appropriates justification, but that it is the kind of faith that effects obedience toward its Object, the Lord Jesus (relative to light received), and thus those who have saving faith are those who call upon the Lord and are baptized (and follow Christ), this normally being one event in Scripture as seen above, with baptism both requiring and expressing saving faith. And as such can be a “sinner’s prayer” (Lk. 18:13; 23:42) in body language, and works that confess Christ justify one as having saving faith (though no response of man earns him salvation, as what they deserve is the second death):

"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, " (Romans 4:4-6)

"And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. " (Acts 22:16)

"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. " (Romans 10:10)

"But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. " (Hebrews 6:9)

"(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. " (Romans 2:13)

"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. " (Romans 8:4)

"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" (James 2:19-20)

Finally, as it is the confessional type of faith itself that baptism both requires and expresses that is appropriates justification, so it is clear that souls can be forgiven and regenerated prior to being baptized, though again, that should immediately follow is the faith is real, out of a broken heart and contrite spirit.

"The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. " (Psalms 34:18)

And Rome basically allows for this with her (disputed) baptism of desire.


28 posted on 06/29/2012 7:08:21 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a damned+morally destitute sinner,+trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: daniel1212

I guess if a person is into legalisms it’s important. For those of us in the Spirit that legalism leads to all types of problems.


39 posted on 06/29/2012 8:01:17 PM PDT by CynicalBear
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