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To: Titanites; Full Court; Gargantua; Conservative til I die
Gargantua: "I was baptized as an adult, as Jesus says we must be."

Conservative til I die: "Where did Jesus describe baptism as you describe it?"


Full Court,

Acts 8:34-40 is a wonderful account of the Baptism of the Ethiopian Eunuch. The point of this Scripture is that no one is excluded from the invitation to Salvation. As a eunuch, its my understanding that this gentleman would have been excluded from entering into the Old Covenant by Jewish tradition. He asks the question, "what is to prevent me from being Baptized," and the answer is: "nothing."

Gargantua assertion is that Jesus said that we must be baptized. The request has been made to her to document the Scriptures where she sees this teaching. (There is no Scripture that says we must be adults to be addressed, so presumably she is looking at a Scripture which she feels implies this teaching.)

As for the Scripture you quoted, it gives an example of Baptism, but the particular form of this Baptism is not to be considered normative for all Christians. True, the man is in question is an adult. If this Scripture implies that we must all be adults to be baptized, then does it also imply that we must be eunuchs as well? Of course not.

With regards to infant Baptism, the Scriptures are silent, other than to say that entire households were Baptized at the same time. It neither endorses nor condemns paedo-Baptism explicitly. We do know, however, that under the Old Covenant, male children entered the Covenant at 8 days of age through their circumcision. (Adult males were circumcised when the converted, as well.) Circumcision was a sign of the Old Covenant, and it was applied to children. Since Baptism is a sign of the new Covenant, it is not unreasonable to believe that children can be baptized.

"..but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." (Mt 19:14)
1,345 posted on 02/22/2006 10:54:10 AM PST by InterestedQuestioner (Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.)
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To: InterestedQuestioner; Clay+Iron_Times; SoothingDave; Titanites; Full Court; Gargantua; ...
There is no Scripture that says we must be adults to be addressed

God says that we MUST believe first.

The man made traditions of the Catholic chucrh can not change what God has says and you follow the man made traditions at the peril of your soul.

Please reconsider, and trust God. His word is true.

1,373 posted on 02/22/2006 2:56:26 PM PST by Full Court (Keepers at home, do you think it's optional?)
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