Posted on 02/01/2015 2:15:28 PM PST by Morgana
“Have you been born again, my friend?” Thousands of Catholics have been asked this question by well-meaning Fundamentalists or Evangelicals. Of course, by “born again” the Protestant usually means: “Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior through the recitation of ‘the sinner’s prayer?”” How is a Catholic to respond?
The simple Catholic response is: “Yes, I have been born again—when I was baptized.” In fact, Jesus’ famous “born again” discourse of John 3:3-5, which is where we find the words “born again” in Scripture, teaches us about the essential nature of baptism:
Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicode'mus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
At this point, a Fundamentalist or Evangelical will respond almost predictably: “Baptism does not save you, brother; John 3:5 says we must be born of water and the Spirit.” The Catholic will then be told the “water” of John 3:5 has nothing to do with baptism. Depending on the preference of the one to whom the Catholic is speaking, the “water” will either be interpreted as man’s natural birth (the “water” being amniotic fluid), and “the Spirit” would then represent the new birth, or the water would represent the word of God through which one is born again when he accepts Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior.
Amniotic Fluid vs. Baptismal Water
To claim the “water” of John 3:5 is amniotic fluid is to stretch the context just a smidgen! When we consider the actual words and surrounding context of John 3, the waters of baptism seem to be the more reasonable—and biblical—interpretation. Consider these surrounding texts:
John 1:31-34: Jesus was baptized. If you compare the parallel passage in St. Matthew’s gospel (3:16), you find that when Jesus was baptized, “the heavens were opened” and the Spirit descended upon him. Obviously, this was not because Jesus needed to be baptized. In fact, St. John the Baptist noted that he needed to be baptized by Jesus (see Matthew 3:14)! Jesus was baptized in order “fulfill all righteousness” and “to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,” according to Scripture (cf. Matt. 3:15; Luke 1:77). In other words, Jesus demonstrably showed us the way the heavens would be opened to us so that the Holy Spirit would descend upon us… through baptism.
John 2:1-11: Jesus performed his first miracle. He transformed water into wine. Notice, Jesus used water from “six stone jars … for the Jewish rites of purification.” According to the Septuagint as well as the New Testament these purification waters were called baptismoi (see LXX, Numbers 19:9-19; cf. Mark 7:4). We know that Old Testament rites, sacrifices, etc. were only “a shadow of the good things to come” (Hebrews 10:1). They could never take away sins. This may well be why “six” stone jars are specified by St. John—to denote imperfection, or “a human number” (cf. Rev. 13:18). It is interesting to note that Jesus transformed these Old Testament baptismal waters into wine—a symbol of New Covenant perfection (see Joel 3:18; Matthew 9:17).
John 3:22: Immediately after Jesus’ “born again” discourse to Nicodemus, what does He do? "... Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea; there he remained with them and baptized." It appears he baptized folks. This is the only time in Scripture we find Jesus apparently actually baptizing.
John 4:1-2: Jesus’ disciples then begin to baptize at Jesus’ command. It appears from the text, Jesus most likely only baptized his disciples and then they baptized everyone else.
In summary, Jesus was baptized, transformed the “baptismal” waters, and then gave his famous “born again” discourse. He then baptized before commissioning the apostles to go out and baptize. To deny Jesus was teaching us about baptism in John 3:3-5 is to ignore the clear biblical context.
Moreover, John 3:5 is not describing two events; it describes one event. The text does not say “unless one is born of water and then born again of the Spirit...” It says “unless one is born of water and Spirit...” If we hearken back to the Lord’s own baptism in John 1 and Matt. 3, we notice when our Lord was baptized the Holy Spirit descended simultaneously upon him. This was one event, involving both water and the Spirit. And so it is with our baptism. If we obey God in being baptized—that’s our part of the deal—we can count on God to concurrently “open the heavens” for us and give us the Holy Spirit.
And finally, it would be anachronistic to read into Jesus’ use of “water” to mean physical birth in John’s gospel. In fact, St. John had just used a word to refer to physical birth in John 1:12-13, but it wasn’t “water:”
But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
St. John here tells us we are not made children of God by birth (“of blood”), or by our own attempts whether they be through our lower nature (“of the flesh”) or even through the higher powers of our soul (“the will of man”); rather, we must be born of God, or by God’s power. Notice, St. John refers to natural birth colloquially as “of blood,” not “of water.”
Washing of Water by the Word
It is perhaps an even greater stretch to attempt to claim the “water” of John 3:3-5 represents the word of God. At least with the amniotic fluid argument, you have mention of “birth” in the immediate context. However, the Protestant will sometimes refer to Ephesians 5:25-26 and a few other texts to make this point:
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word…
“See?” a Protestant may say, “The ‘washing of water’ is here equated to ‘the word’ that cleanses us.” If you couple this text with Jesus’ words in John 15:3, “You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you,” the claim is made, that “the water” of John 3:5 would actually refer to the word of God rather than baptism.
The Catholic Response
Beyond the obvious fact that there is nothing in the context of John's gospel to even remotely point to "water" as referring to "the word," we can point out immediately a point of agreement. Both Catholics and Protestants agree that Jesus’ words—unless one is born anew (or, again)—speak of man’s initial entrance into the body of Christ through God’s grace. Perhaps it would be helpful at this point to ask what the New Testament writers saw as the instrument whereby one first enters into Christ. This would be precisely what we are talking about when we speak of being “born again.”
I Peter 3:20-21: “... in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
Romans 6:3-4: "Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life."
Galatians 3:27: "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."
I Cor. 12:13: "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit (See also Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16 and Col. 2:11-13).
If baptism is the way the unsaved are brought into Christ, no wonder Christ spoke of being “born of water and spirit.” Baptism is the instrument of new birth according to the New Testament.
What did you learn in Catechism when you were a Catholic? If you don’t remember — the look it up.
” He received a Baptism of Desire or a Baptism of Blood.”
No such thing is taught in Scripture dear Salvation.
But according to the Bible Jesus himself did not require baptism or the Lord's table as either a necessary or sufficient condition for salvation:
Luke 23:39-43 English Standard Version (ESV)One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Throughout the NT, their are many examples of Jesus lauding those of faith (the centurion, the diseased woman touching the hem of his garment, the thankful leper, etc.).
Paul waxes constantly about the role in salvation played by faith. But our ultimate fate is up to sovereign God alone. We of our own are powerless to do anything to save ourselves. It is only through God calling us that we can come to him:
Romans 8:28-30 English Standard Version (ESV)Rather than hurl Bible bombs at one another, let us all be truly, humbly thankful that sovereign God sent his only begotten Son as propitiation for our sins, and that he chose us all, we who love Him, for His own.And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
If salvation comes from water baptism I don’t think Paul would have told the Corinthians that he thanked God that he didn’t baptize any of them except the few he named.
Oh really? Why don't you believe the words of Jesus himself?
John 3
5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
I don’t understand the relevance of the question.
Details, details.
He might as well have thanked God for sending them to hell.
You make a very good point.
The first instance of anyone’s REJECTING infant baptism is in, IIRC, the Third Century. Maybe the Fourth. This would be evidence that it was being practiced for four centuries and nobody objected to it.
Thanks for the response.
I have a hard time basing a foundational point of doctrine on an assumption that a) there were infants in the household and b) the term “entire household” did not mean all of the household old enough to make a choice.
I appreciate the circumcision argument, but if baptism replaces circumcision in the new church, wouldn’t that argument have been made during the debate in Acts 15 about circumcision for new, Gentile believers? Not conclusive proof - but something that makes me question.
And no, it is not incumbent upon me to prove the negative, a logical impossibility, the burden is on those who choose infant baptism to make that case. Everywhere in the New Testament where it speaks of salvation and redemption, it involves the choice of the sinner - so it seems out of step with the preponderance of the teaching to baptize infants as the act of salvation and redemption; and therefore this apparent aberration requires clear and compelling explanation.
I am not dogmatic about this, but I don’t see sound foundational evidence to support the practice.
John 20
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
You belive in Scripture, correct?
Then why don't you believe this?
John 21: (We'll be using the KJV today to keep things on even footing): "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen."
The Bible Itself declares that it doesn't contain everything.
The books in the Bible did not drop from the skies. The were sorted out and assembled by the Church fathers under Petrine authority.
Is the Bible the sole “teaching from God?” No. The Bible Itself states that their are “oral” teachings and traditions that are to be carried on to the present-day (2 Thessalonians 2:15; 1 Corinthians 11:2; 2 Timothy 2:2; Romans 10:17; 1 Peter 1:24-25). These teachings are what the Catholic Church considers “Sacred Apostolic Tradition.” This type of “Tradition” never changes because it was passed down by the Apostles themselves. It is not the same as the man-made traditions condemned in Scripture. The man-made traditions condemned in Scripture were those of the Jewish Pharisees. In fact, as Christians, we are suppose to disassociate ourselves from persons who do not follow Apostolic Tradition (2 Thessalonians 3:6). If oral tradition is not to be followed, why did St. Paul state Christ said something that is not recorded in the Gospels (Acts 20:35)? St. Paul must have “heard” this saying, not read it from any Gospel or “Scripture,” thereby, proving that some things Christ said were not recorded in the Gospels (John 21:25) and were passed on orally among His disciples instead, but were just as valid as anything written since St. Paul himself used one of these oral passages in one of his own epistles.
Did the early Christians have the Bible as we know it? No. The Bible as a whole was not compiled until the late 4th century and then it was compiled by a Catholic saint (St. Jerome) at the request of a Catholic pope (St. Damasus I). So how were the early Christians saved if they did not possess the entire written “Word of God” to follow His teachings? Well, naturally, they were the Body of Christ and were taught through “oral” teachings by the Church, not by writings.
Is the Bible to be taken literally - “word for word?” No. The Bible doesn’t state anywhere that It should be taken literally. The Bible was written by different authors with different literary styles at different times in history and in different languages. Therefore, the writings should be interpreted with these circumstances in mind. The Bible is a religious book, not a scientific or a history “textbook.”
It took the ONE Catholic Church to authoritatively establish these books. That authority was given by Christ to Peter and his successors. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry does not get to offer their own interpretations. If that were the case try Rev. Jeremiah Wright!
Not an accurate conclusion. What the historical instance of rejecting infant baptism in the 3rd or 4th century shows, is that infant baptism was being practiced then - nothing more.
First rejecting it then - or, more accurately, the first record of it being rejected - only shows that there was a perceived need to reject it, i.e. it was being practiced.
It may well have been as you conclude, but it is not logically established by your argument.
If we can establish that it was indeed practiced during the days of the apostles, and if we can establish that the account of which you speak was the first time it was challenged, then we can conclude that it was an accepted practice. However, this accepted practice would still be without doctrinal foundation, imo, since it was not directly addressed in the New Testament.
Even Peter was not infallible - Paul writes that he “withstood him to his face” regarding the treatment of Gentile believers.
Again, I am not dogmatic on the point, but I question the soundness of the doctrine.
You have yet to reply to the questions I posed, but that's fine.
Let me ask you something related to your statement above if you are unwilling to comment on the previously quoted Acts verses.
What did Jesus DO regarding baptism?
He submitted to it and we see the Godhead fully manifested during the act. (God the Father spoke, Spirit descended like a dove, Jesus was immersed by John)
You seem to fall for the notion that baptism is a work.
Do I baptize myself?
Does anyone?
No, I submit to it as a command of God. In fact, it takes far more personal effort to have faith/believe than it does to simply submit to a command to be baptized, yet many fight with all their being to refuse baptism.
Why do you suppose that is?
Could it be that this is the line that must be crossed, submission, to truly be a disciple? Why do 'kick against the goads' so hard? Submit to the command of God!
Please read this, Romans 6:1-4 and internalize it:
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
I have no interest in 'winning' any argument, I just want believers to look into God's word and obey it fully.
“You belive in Scripture, correct? Then why don’t you believe this?”
That device of yours is tired. It may work with the spiritually dead, the simple, the biblically illiterate, but it won’t work with Bereans. It won’t work with those who have been given eyes to see.
1. Eph. 2:8-9 - “For BY GRACE are ye SAVED THROUGH FAITH; and that NOT OF YOURSELVES: it is the GIFT of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast.”
2. Rom. 4:6-7 - God imputes “Righteousness without works.”
3. Rom. 10:3 - It’s a grave mistake for anyone to try to, “Establish their own righteousness.”
4. Rom. 5:17 - Heaven deserving righteousness is a “GIFT,” not something you earn.
5. Rom. 5:18 - Justification to God is a “FREE GIFT,” not something you work toward.
6. Phil. 3:9 - Paul, as ‘good’ as he was, still wouldn’t trust his “Own righteousness” to save him.
7. Rom. 3:22 - God’s righteousness is credited to “ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE,” not all that work.
8. Gal. 3:10 - To earn Heaven you’d have to “Continueth,” perfectly, in the whole law.
9. Rom. 4:3 - Abraham’s faith, not works, “Was counted unto him for righteousness.”
10. Rom. 4:4-5 - Works are “Not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” Faith is counted as righteousness.
You believe in Scripture, correct? Then why don’t you believe those verses?
John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Was Jesus REALLY discussing literal water?
John 4:13-14 (KJV) - 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Isaiah 12:3 (KJV)- 3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
John 7:37-39 (KJV) - 37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
John 15:3 (KJV) - 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Ephesians 5:25-27 (KJV) - 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
James 1:17-18 (KJV) - 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
1 Peter 1:21-25 (KJV) - 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
A careful reading of scripture will note a transition away from the physical water baptism after Pentecost to a spiritual one(pneuma hagion), especially true after Paul received the revelation of the Body of Christ.
Gospels - One water baptism for repentance
The Acts/Paul's earliest letters - Two baptisms - a physical one with water fades away, and a spiritual one emerges.
Paul's later letters - One Spiritual Baptism.
This was foretold:
Matthew 3:11 (KJV) - 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Mark 1:7-8 (KJV) - 7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. 8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
Luke 3:16 (KJV) - 16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
Acts 1:4-5 (KJV) - 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Note the change in the later epistles - water baptism disappears as the focus is now on the Spirit rather than the works of the flesh. See also Romans 8, 2 Corinthians 3 - 5, Galatians 1 - 5.
Ephesians 1:12-14 (KJV) - 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 4:2-7 (KJV) - 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Colossians 2:4-12 (KJV) - 4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. 5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. 6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 1:5-6 (KJV) - 5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. 6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
Titus 3:4-7 (KJV) - 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
1 Corinthians 1:17-18 (KJV) - 17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (KJV) - 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 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. 14 For the body is not one member, but many.
Galatians 3:1-7 (KJV) - 1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
Galatians 4:3-7 (KJV) - 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Galatians 5:1-4 (KJV) - 1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Jesus wasn’t dead yet, the veil wasn’t torn yet, and Hebrews 9:17 says that a testament is of force after men are dead.
You question my belief in the Bible without any foundation. So back off! I have been very respectful of you and your belief and/or understanding.
Yes, John says clearly that there are many more thing that Christ did...but what he does NOT say is that we need to follow traditions, or rest doctrine on oral histories, in order to have salvation.
Christ condemned putting tradition ahead of God’s word. Paul speaks of tradition in the context of avoiding idolatry (clearly from the Jewish law) and matters concerning authority, prayer and head-covering during prayer. There is no instruction to follow a growing, oral tradition in doctrinal matters.
From your cite: “but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.”
What was written was sufficient for us to believe and have life in his name. Amen
I’m not saying I don’t believe in these Scriptures. I’m asking someone else why they don’t believe the words of Christ.
I’ll take Christ over St. Paul any day.
**Why did he NOT say anything about being baptized in all the rest of his letters?**
He refers to it in Romans, 1Cor., Gal., Eph., Col.,; and if he is the writer of Hebrews, it’s there too.
Besides ALL of the epistles were written to people that already knew how to be born again.
**I’m not going to tell Jesus that His death wasn’t good enough and I had to add something to it to get myself saved.**
Should you not tell him that his words aren’t good enough either?.........
Matt. 28:19; the Lord gave the expressed command that THEY baptize souls.
Mark 16:16; The Lord gave the expressed command to his disciples that one must believe and be baptized.
Luke 24:47; The Lord gave the express command that repentance and remission of sins are to be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
John 20:23; The Lord gave the express command that whose soever sins YE remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins YE retain, they are retained.
Then following those commands, the apostles preached Jesus Christ, commanding repentance, and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and receiving the Holy Ghost.
Jesus has made it quite clear that if you want his blood on you, you must be ‘buried’ in his name.
Acts 2:38......from heaven, or of men?
The context of that passage is that some of the Corinthians had gone carnal, bragging about WHO baptized them, instead of WHO they were baptized into (Jesus Christ).
In which case Paul was thankful he had only baptized a few in that city. But, by Paul’s own words, other ministers had performed baptisms there. Paul showed up in Ephesus and promptly baptized 12 disciples there in the name of Jesus.
Paul didn’t have to discuss baptism that much in the epistles, since those letters were written to souls that already knew how to be born again. That is usually noticed in the intro to those epistles, except for Hebrews 6:1-3, where it is obvious that the writer is addressing born again souls.
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