what all Christians through the ages have held as truth BECAUSE it is backed up by the authority of Holy Scripture. I’m afraid YOU must deal with that.
LOL! you are making my point!! what i am teaching everyone is what all Christians have believed for 2,000 years.
this nonsense about “spirit baptism” and “water baptism” and “believers baptism” and no infant baptism are ALL 16TH CENTURY INVENTIONS, UNHEARD OF TO THE CHRISTIANS UNTIL THEN.
Christians, thru the ages, have always believed baptism is for the remission of sins and receiving the Holy Spirit.
that is my point, what i am fighting against on this thread is not the historical, orthodox, biblical Faith.
anyone who believes the Bible, believes in baptismal regeneration, not “sinners prayers”.
I hate to break this to you, but you're not "teaching" anyone here. We know what Christians believed because we believe it too because the truth they were taught came from the same Holy Scriptures we have today. Nothing's changed. I'm not exactly sure why you say this is all 16th century inventions, because it's no different than what the Bible has always said. Of course baptism is for the remission of sins and receiving of the Holy Spirit, but the ritual of water baptism - the Sacrament - is NOT how this happens. Without faith first the act is meaningless and the act, itself, is NOT what saves. It is by faith that we are born again into the family of God and it is through faith that we receive the Holy Spirit of promise - the earnest of our inheritance whereby we are sealed until the day of redemption.
I guess the idea that "some" theologians have gotten off track at times and that false teachers have crept in, seems impossible, but it has happened and was what we were warned would happen. Without Scripture, we would have no infallible, authoritative source for truth. But God DID give us that so that we CAN know his truth. Rather than swallowing everything that gets thrown at you, why not research and study the Scriptures for yourself, without the "church" acting as a filter. If what they say is true, Scripture will confirm it. If they are wrong, you'll know that too. And before you delve into the Word, pray for the leading of the Holy Spirit to enlighten your mind to the truth and he will illuminate it to you.