God's grace IS awesome and should be something we teach our children from the day they are born. There still has to come a time in each of our lives where there is a recognition of the personal relationship we have with the Lord. Church membership from the cradle does not imbue saving grace. That comes when we accept the gift of eternal life that Jesus provided by his blood atonement on the cross. It is only by bloodshed that atonement is made for the soul. The wages of sin are death and Jesus made that payment in our place. Putting our faith in his sacrifice for our sins is the method God imputes righteousness. Our works can never save us and as are filthy rags (menstrual cloths) in his sight compared to the work of Christ for us. I wholeheartedly agree, that we must come to him as little children, with childlike faith in receiving his wondrous gift.
I’m not exasperated at all! :) I love a good debate, and try hard to hold up my end of it, so please sit back a sec while I re-read John 3.....
Okay. First, I disagree that Jesus speaks of being born of the flesh as baptism. Jesus says “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew’” He further goes on to say that “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”
Please read Romans 6:3-4. “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
While I agree to your reference to baptism by fire, I can’t cite it. Jesus himself was baptized in water by John the Baptist. This is a clear message as to what we are to do. The baptized have “put on Christ”. Baptism is a bath that purifies, justifies and sanctifies. Or, as St. Augustine says, “The word is brought to the material element and it becomes a sacrament.”
The Church fathers write of baptism of infants extensively. Entire families were baptised on the basis of one member of the family hearing the Word and believing. It stands to reason that they weren’t all adults, just as the Hebrew infant 8 days old had no say in his circumcision as as sign of the Covenant with God.
Before I go to Bible Study, I’d like to thank God that we have been blessed with intellect, humility and compassion, so that we may all debate politely on all subjects, no matter what they may be.
I’ll check in on this thread later and see how it’s progressing. :)