[Iscool]

I do not understand how this very Scriptural doctrine ever got so perverted from its true meaning,

I believe it's been just recently where the Catholic religion started accepting baptisms from some Protestant churches...

Prior to that, anything other than a Catholic baptism was illegitimate...And of course it had to be water baptism...That way, the Catholic religion had control...Catholic holy water...

With a Spiritual baptism, Catholicism loses control...

[smvoice]

Exactly right, Iscool. It's about power and money. The "richer" a religious institution is, the more "works" are included for "salvation". What can be profitable about "free gift", "not by works of righteousness that we have done", "Sealed unto the day of redemption", "Saved from the wrath to come", etc.? With freedom in Christ comes freedom from works for righteousness. And no religious institution can afford to have free people. Who is going to support those Cathedrals, all those works of art, THE RED PRADA COLLECTION FOR PETE'S SAKE..

It is about power.