Posted on 08/05/2017 7:12:04 AM PDT by Salvation
Catholics are right in the Baptism of infants and children. Read the Early Church Fathers and find out what really happened. Even Acts and St. Paul relate how entire households were baptized.
You do have those books in your Bible, don’t you?
And growing by leaps and bounds.
Are you stuck on one verse of the Bible? Read the entire Bible, please.
A person who was a convert to Christianity would desire Baptism, for all the graces it provides. Conversely, a non-believer has no interest in Baptism. Clearly, the eunich wants to be a Christian, but doesn’t know how to convert.
If the point is you can’t go around splashing random people with water saying “I baptize you in the Name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” I agree.
However, Christian parents can speak for their children, as the children are born into the faith. The children, at least Catholic children, profess this faith every Sunday, as well as at Confirmation, when they are deemed old enough to make the decision on their own.
I do believe Cornelius household got baptized too.
You’re right. I always remember Lydia because I have a feisty friend with the name of Lydia.
Being born does not give you faith. An infant does not have the ability to believe.
Perhaps that is why God warns that only believers are to be baptized.
Since it is impossible for God to lie, I’m going to go with God instead of the man-made dogma of Rome.
Yes...if they post. However, Roman Catholics seem to dominate the Religion forum in terms of threads started and posts.
I will note there is one freeper who is claiming the Rapture will happen in September/October IIRC. He has given specific dates.
He's been called out on this. I know I've asked him if he will admit to being a false prophet if he is wrong.
I believe others have as well.
There is another freeper who I believe is Mormon and he gets called into question as well. But I believe the owner of this site has banned Mormons from posting any threads. Other Freepers have told me there were some serious discussions with the Mormons a couple of years back. I do not consider Mormons to be Christians though.
I do want to be clear on on thing.
I do not hate Roman Catholics as some, not you, have tried to suggest.
I believe a great many Roman Catholics have supplemented their faith with faith in Mary or things they do in an attempt to keep their salvation.
If you're counting on anyone or anything other than Christ to save you, you are not a Christian. The NT is clear on that.
What is sad is I see so many Roman Catholics begging Mary to help them.
Why not ask the Son? He will answer. He will save. He's promised that. He's never let me down though I know I've let Him down.
I do strongly disagree with much of Roman Catholic theology as it is not grounded in the Word.
I do not see where one can lose their salvation through a sin they commit. If you can, the blood of Christ is insufficient to save you and you have somehow unsealed what has been sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13-14).
I do not see where you are saved through being baptized. If we study Acts we don't see that.
I do believe you are to be baptized, and by that I mean full immersion, not just sprinkling. But baptism comes after one has professed faith in Christ.
If you believe in "death bed" conversions, and I do, if that person professes faith in Christ and asks for forgiveness I believe they're saved....even if they die right after that without benefit of baptism.
Some Roman Catholics have tried to call this "baptism of desire", but that is not a NT concept....it is a Roman Catholic concept. But they agree the person is saved without baptism...so baptism is not what saves.
Faith in Christ is what saves us. What does that faith look like? We are following His commandments...we are producing fruit for His kingdom as He leads us....and this is one we all have to work on...we are loving one another!
From my readings on topics like the Assumption, the Immaculate Conception, even the liturgy in the Mass, cannot be traced back to the New Testament. These seem to have originated at a latter time....around 3-400 AD. As such, this did not come from Paul or Peter or any of the other disciples. It denies the Roman Catholic claim of "Apostolic Succession."
I've tried to show how the belief in the Mass that Christ is present on the Cross contradicts Hebrews to no avail.
I've tried to show how the titles of Mary of Mediatrix, Helper, etc, are the same titles used of Christ and the Spirit. It certainly gives the impression Roman Catholicism has elevated Mary to a demi-goddess status.
I'll be glad to share with you what I've read....and it's from Roman Catholic sources.
Beautiful post.
I appreciate and respect your honest, and courteous reply.
We disagree on many points, but we agree on the most important point, which is Jesus Christ is Lord, and His Passion, death, and resurrection open the doors the Heaven to all mankind. There is nothing greater than God, as He created all things. There is nothing equal to God, except God Himself in the Trinity. All things are less than the Triune God.
As imperfect, created, beings, we seek God. We try to understand the impossible. Because of pride, we often make ourselves God.
Fortunately, who ends up in Heaven is not up to me.
You keep telling yourself that. I’m absolutely immune (praise God!).
Jesus Christ did not found the Labyrinth, and its myriad substitutes for the FREE GIFT OF SALVATION the Father offered IN HIM, nor will He forever endure those who dare to act as gatekeepers of this GIFT, who demand a gift tax!
All glory goes to God.
Amen and amen.
Lol!
I thought I’d see you here!
:-)
Context answers your question. 31They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.
33And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. 34And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly,
having believed in God with his whole household. Acts 16:31-34 NASB
Many of your fellow Roman Catholics would more than strongly disagree with you.
One goes where the mission field is.
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>> “And they spoke the word of the Lord to him...” <<
The word of YHVH is Torah.
There was no other “Word,” at the time related to us in The Acts, but the Tanakh.
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Posted for context.
43“Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.
45All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
46For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered,
47“Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”
48And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.
Acts 10:44-48 NASB
See the path to salvation?
Hear the Word, believe the Word, be baptized.
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>> “The Evangelicals who post on this thread do forget that by our common baptisms we are BOTH Christians and Catholics.” <<
“Baptism” at the time the Acts was written was the ancient “Mikvah” going back at least to the first Shavuot at Sinai.
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