Posted on 11/04/2011 12:06:23 PM PDT by RnMomof7
1. The precious blood of Christ has a REDEEMING POWER. It redeems from the law. We were all under the law which says, "This do, and live." We were slaves to it: Christ has paid the ransom price, and the law is no longer our tyrant master. We are entirely free from it. The law had a dreadful curse; it threatened that whosoever should violate one of its precepts, should die: "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." By the fear of this curse, the law inflicted a continual dread on those who were under it; they knew they had disobeyed it, and they were all their lifetime subject to bondage, fearful lest death and destruction should come upon them at any moment: but we are not under the law, but under grace, and consequently "We have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but we have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."
We are not afraid of the law now; its worst thunders cannot affect us, for they are not hurled at us! Its most tremendous lightnings cannot touch us, for we are sheltered beneath the cross of Christ, where the thunder loses its terror and the lightning its fury. We read the law of God with pleasure now; we look upon it as in the ark covered with the mercy seat, and not thundering in tempests from Sinai’s fiery brow.
Happy is that man who knows his full redemption from the law, its curse, its penalty, its present dread. My brethren, the life of a Jew, happy as it was compared with that of a heathen, was perfect drudgery compared to yours and mine. He was hedged in with a thousand commands and prohibitions, his forms and ceremonies were abundant, and their details minutely arranged. He was always in danger of making himself unclean. If he sat upon a bed or upon a stool, he might be defiled; if he drank out of an earthen pitcher, or even touched the wall of a house, a leprous man might have put his hand there before him, and he would thus become defiled.
A thousand sins of ignorance were like so many hidden pits in his way; he must be perpetually in fear lest he should be cut off from the people of God. When he had done his best any one day, he knew he had not finished; no Jew could ever talk of a finished work. The bullock was offered, but he must bring another; the lamb was offered this morning, but another must be offered this evening, another tomorrow, and another the next day. The Passover is celebrated with holy rites; it must be kept in the same manner next year. The high priest has gone within the veil once, but he must go there again; the thing is never finished, it is always beginning. He never comes any nearer to the end. "The law could not make the comer thereunto perfect."
But see our position: we are redeemed from this. Our law is fulfilled, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness; our passover is slain, for Jesus died; our righteousness is finished, for we are complete in Him; our victim is slain, our priest has gone within the veil, the blood is sprinkled; we are clean, and clean beyond any fear of defilement, "For he hath perfected for ever those that were set apart." Value this precious blood, my beloved, because thus it has redeemed you from the thraldom and bondage which the law imposed upon its votaries.
Full sermon here
If this is what the Church "has taught and believed for two thousand years" no wonder it's confused. From your articles:
ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED - THE SHEPHERD OF HERMAS (c. A.D. 140) - “I have heard, sir,” said I, “from some teachers, that there is no other repentance except that which took place when we went down into the water and obtained the remission of our former sins.” He said to me, “You have heard rightly, for so it is.” (The Shepherd 4:3:1-2)
PEOPLE (ADULTS) MUST BE BAPTIZED FOR THEIR SINS - ST. THEOPHILUS OF ANTIOCH (c. A.D. 181) - Moreover, those things which were created from the waters were blessed by God, so that this might also be a sign that men would at a future time receive repentance and remission of sins through water and the bath of regeneration — all who proceed to the truth and are born again and receive a blessing from God.
BAPTISM IS A SIGN OF OUR FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS - TERTULLIAN (inter A.D. 200-206) - Baptism is itself a corporal act by which we are plunged in water, while its effect is spiritual, in that we are freed from sins. (On Baptism 1:1; 5:6; 7:2)
BAPTISM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SIN BUT ILLUMINATES OUR MIND - ST. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA (ante A.D. 202) - When we are baptized, we are enlightened. Being enlightened, we are adopted as sons. Adopted as sons, we are made perfect. Made perfect, we become immortal....”and sons all of the Most High” [Psalm 82:6]. This work is variously called grace, illumination, perfection, and washing.
WE OBTAIN SALVATION THROUGH BAPTISM - RECOGNITIONS OF CLEMENT (c. A.D. 221) - But you will perhaps say, “What does the baptism of water contribute toward the worship of God?” In the first place, because that which has pleased God is fulfilled. In the second place, because when you are regenerated and born again of water and of God, the frailty of your former birth, which you have through men, is cut off, and so ...you shall be able to attain salvation; but otherwise it is impossible.
BAPTISM IS FOOD AND SHOULD BE GIVEN TO INFANTS - ORIGEN (post A.D. 244) - Formerly there was Baptism, in an obscure way....now, however, in full view, there is regeneration in water and in the Holy Spirit. Formerly, in an obscure way, there was manna for food; now, however, in full view, there is the true food, the flesh of the Word of God as He Himself says: “My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly drink” [John 6:55]. (Homilies on Numbers 7:2) The Church received from the Apostles the tradition of giving Baptism even to infants.
IF A MAN (NOT INFANT) ISN'T BAPTIZED HE'S NOT SAVED - ST. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM (c. A.D. 350) - If any man does not receive Baptism, he does not have salvation.
BAPTISM DOES NOT PREVENT YOU FROM FUTURE SINNING (GOD DOES-VERY REFORMED) ST. JEROME (c. A.D. 415) - This much you must know, that Baptism forgives past sins, but it does not safeguard future justice, which is preserved by labor and industry and diligence, and depends always and above all on the mercy of God. (Dialogue Against the Pelagians 3:1)
BELIEF IN IMMERSION-NOT SPRINKLING - ST. GREGORY OF NAZIANZ (c. A.D. 330 - 389) - Baptism is God’s most beautiful and magnificent gift....We call it gift, grace, anointing, enlightenment, garment of immortality, bath of rebirth, seal, and most precious gift. It is called gift because it is conferred on those who bring nothing of their own; grace since it is given even to the guilty; Baptism because sin is buried in the water; anointing for it is priestly and royal as are those who are anointed; enlightenment because it radiates light; clothing since it veils our shame; bath because it washes;
BAPTISM INFUSES THE HOLY SPIRIT - ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO (c. A.D. 354 - 430) - By this grace baptized infants too are ingrafted into [Christ’s] body, infants who certainly are not yet able to imitate anyone. Christ, in whom all are made alive....gives also the most hidden grace of His Spirit to believers, grace which He secretly infuses even into infants.......If anyone wonders why children born of the baptized should themselves be baptized, let him attend briefly to this....The Sacrament of Baptism is most assuredly the Sacrament of regeneration.
Baptism IS important. I tend to follow the Baptist on this rather than the Presbyterians. However, I can appreciate the different views. One thing is certain. Baptisms does NOT save a person. It is disappointing that Augustine would write such things as he was saved not by baptism but by his mother's prayers and God's grace. Had he reflected on this prior to his writings on baptism he would have come to the conclusion the Jerome and Tertullian came to. I can only believe that this was one of his early works before he fully understood the doctrine of grace.
Fail #2
maybe that was too many questions all at ounce, let’s see if i can get an answer to just number 1 to start:
where in the Scriptures was anyone told to be baptized as an act of obedience? i don’t need 3 or 4 instances, get someone provide just one time?
apparently Jesus was concerned whether we would be “obedient” or not, so He set up “water baptism” as a test of that obedience, do i have that right?
if you accept the Scriptures as the Word of God, than you MUST believe baptism does save us:
1 Peter 3:21 “ Baptism, which corresponds to this, now SAVES YOU........”
In Acts 2:37 the people after hear Peter preaching the cross, asked him “what shall we do”
read v38 for the answer.
of course, what i am telling has been Christian doctrine for 2,000 years. i suggest letting the Scriptures tell you what baptism is for and what it does, and stop following a 16th century heresy.
LOL!
I read your commentary and then read what the Church Father wrote and there is no connection between the two!
the epistle of barnabas doesn’t preclude infant baptism, hermas doesn’t teach once saved always saved, tertullian isn’t saying baptism is merely a “sign”, clement doesn’t say baptism has nothing to do with sin, origen is speaking of the Eucharist as true food, not baptism, jerome doesn’t say God will keep you from sinning in the future, he says God will forgive your future sins ( i didn’t know the reformed believed baptism forgives past sins, LOL! ) gregory doesn’t teach immersion only, and Augustine teaches what the Church has always taught.
i know how embarassing it must be for baptists and reformed to read these quotes and see how far their teaching on baptism is from the historical, orthodox, biblical faith of the Catholic Church.
( btw, tell me where Augustine taught there was “confusion” in the early Church on baptism )
one thing IS certain from the Scriptures and the early Church Fathers, baptism DOES SAVE YOU.
why does it save us?
1. we receive remission of our sins
2. we receive the Holy Spirit
3. we are placed “in Christ”
as St Augustine says “ the sacrament of baptism is most assuredly the sacrament of regeneration”
how anyone claiming to be a Christian can believe no one properly understood baptism for 16 centuries is beyond me, this way of thinking is straight from the pit of hell.
God is not the author of confusion.
Baptism IS important
i forgot to ask, you say “baptism IS important”
Why is it important?
How is it important?
and finally, if it is important, why would the Holy Spirit allow no one to correctly understand it for 16 centuries?
apparently Paul never got this “kingdom gospel” memo for he writes in Titus 3:5,
“he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteouness, but in virtue of his own mercy, BY THE WASHING OF REGENERATION AND RENEWAL IN THE HOLY SPIRIT”
the same gospel was preached to the Jews in Acts 2 and later to the Greeks, SAME GOSPEL!!
Romans 1:16
“for i am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek”
get it? same gospel to the Jew and Greek.
John 14:15-24 15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
18"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" 23Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.
Salvation is not dependent on baptism. There are plenty of examples in Scripture of people who believed and were declared righteous with no mention of baptism being involved: The thief on the cross, Zacchaeus, the tax collector in Luke 18, to name a few.
ok, we established that no one was ever told in Scripture to be baptized as an act of obedience.
i will give it a little more time to see if anyone else can find this teaching in the Scriptures.
makes me think people see Jesus commanded baptism in Matthew 28, but since they have no idea why He commanded it, they ASSUME it must be just a test of “obedience”, without any Scriptural authority for the belief.
"I'll take 'But NOW' for 1000".
Well, that's what you get for thinkin'...We've warned you about that...
1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Circumcision did not play a part in the salvation of the Old Testament saints and baptism plays no part in our salvation.
Baptism was normatively concomitant with regeneration in Scripture, as it can be the time when one confessed Jesus is Lord out of the justifying faith, baptism being a sinners prayer in body language. But the most explicit text which shows regeneration occurring before baptism is Acts 10:43-47:
“To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?”
cf. Acts 15:7-9:
“And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”
There’s nowhere in Scripture where Mary ever said to have been immaculately conceived, assumed, ever virgin, sinless, that we are to pray to saints, Mary, or anyone but God, not commanded to confess our sins to a priest, but the Catholic church teaches it anyway.
The Trinity is never mentioned by name, nor is the eucharist. The Catholic church persists in calling its priests *father* in direct violation of the clear command and instruction of Jesus Himself.
Sure you want to go there with the Bible literalism you seem so fond of all of a sudden?
And there we have it, from Peter's own lips.
Now there could be rock and a hard place.
Romans 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Jesus told the woman that she had been saved before she was baptized. We have no indication that in fact she was ever baptized.
Luke 7:50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
3. where anyone is told to say a “sinners prayer” to receive remission of sins?
Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
4. anywhere in Scriptures that we are told we are placed “in Christ” by any other means than baptism?
Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
5. where Paul received remission of his sins by saying a sinners prayer and not by being baptized?
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Ephesians 2:8–9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
6. where the Scriptures say baptism does not save us?
Ephesians 2:8–9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
7. where the Jews Peter preached to in Acts 2 received remission of their sins by something other than being baptized?
Can the Holy Spirit fall on anyone not forgiven?
Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.
These people were not baptized until after the Holy Spirit had descended on them. It was then that Peter asked the question indicating that they had already received the Holy Spirit just the same as the Apostles had.
Acts 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
It was then that they were baptized but only after having received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
8. anywhere the Scriptures talk of “water baptism” and “spirit baptism”, as opposed to “baptism”
There was obviously a distinct diference.
Acts 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Acts 11: Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Hina = that, in order that, so that [http://www.searchgodsword.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=2443]
Baptised for the remission of sins. When someone commits a crime and is arrested for the crime are they being arrested in order to commit the crime or because the crime has already been commited? He was arrested for (because of) the crime.
the Greek preposition "eis", rendered "for" in verse 38. If the Holy Spirit had intended that the meaning be "in order to receive", the Greek word "hina" would possibly have been more appropriate.
In verse 38 the preposition “eis” is translated “for”
Eis = into, unto, to, towards, for, among
"For" (as used in Acts 2:38 "for the forgiveness...") could have two meanings. If you saw a poster saying "Jesse James wanted for robbery", "for" could mean Jesse is wanted so he can commit arobbery, or is wanted because he has committed a robbery. The latersense is the correct one. So too in this passage, the word "for"signifies an action in the past. [http://www.searchgodsword.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=1519]
Hina = that, in order that, so that
[http://www.searchgodsword.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=2443]
If they had the Spirit of God at that point then that is when they would have been placed into the Body of Christ. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:13)
But true faith is one that will be expressed in baptism, if able, which normally is the first formal confession of Christ, and can be the actual time of conversion, and i think it should normally be concomitant with the conversion event, although there is no real difference btwn confessing with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, as per the promise of Rm. 10:9,10, confession being the essential aspect so even mutes can be saved, versus doing it by body language in baptism, if able. Only when one makes the latter the only way one can be born again does it become a problem, esp if you make restrict it to one particular church.
Rome does believe in baptism by desire with perfect contrition (with the desire being counted for the act), but this is disputed by some traditional RCs.
CHRISTUS VINCIT
Christ King of Glory
Acclamations VIII Cent.
Ambrosian Chant (Variant)
Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!
Exaudi, Christe. Ecclesiae Sanctae Dei salus perpetua. Redemptor mundi, Tu illam
adjuva!
Christ Lord of glory, Christ Prince of nations, Christ our King of kings! Christ Jesus,
hear us. Perpetual safety and welfare to the Church of God. Redeemer, Savior. Assist
and strengthen her.
1. Sancta Maria: Tu illam adjuva!
O Mary blessed Mother. Assist and strengthen her.
2. Sancte Joseph: Tu illam adjuva!
Joseph holy guardian. Assist and strengthen her.
3. Sancte Michael Tu illam adjuva!
Blessed Michael patron Assist and strengthen her.
Optional (Sancte Patricii: Tu illam adjuva!)
Blessed Saint Patrick: Assist and strengthen her.
All repeat: Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!
Exaudi, Christe. Pio summo Pontifici et universali Papae vita! Salvator mundi, Tu illum
adjuva!
Christ Jesus hear us. Life and health and blessings to Pope Pius our Holy Father.
Redeemer Savior, Assist and strengthen him.
1. Sancte Petre, Tu illum adjuva! 1. Rex regum!
Blessed Peter, Assist and strengthen him. King of kings.
2. Sancte Paule, Tu illum adjuva! 2. Rex noster!
Blessed Paul, assist and strengthen him. Christ our King
3. Spes nostra!
Christ our hope.
Repeat: Christus Vincit! etc.
Gloria nostra, Misericordia nostra! Auxilium nostrum! Fortitudo nostra, Ar ma nostra
invictissima! Murus noster inexpugnabilis! Defensio et exaltatio nostra!
Lux, Via, et Vita nostra! Ipsi soli imperium, Laus et jubilatio per infinita saecula
saeculorum. Amen.
Jesus our glory, Fountain of grace and all mercy. Source of all our blessing. Defender
in battle, Strong arm of our God invincible. Our stronghold and our exaltation. Our
captain leader who has won our salvation.
Christ Jesus, our life and light eternal. To Him only is victory all praise and jubilation.
Through all the endless ages of eternity. Amen.
Tempora bona veniant! Pax Christi veniat! Redemptis Sanguine Christi: Feliciter!
Regnum Christi veniat! Deo Gratias! Amen.
Abundance of good things be ours. The peace of Christ be ours. Redeemed by the blood
of Jesus. Proclaim our joy. May His holy kingdom come. Praise be to our God Amen.
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