“can you give me three names of such individuals??”
Peter: “...when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely 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 good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ...”
Did the flood ‘save’ Noah, or did it separate him from the evil world? THAT is the salvation offered by water baptism: separation from the world!
Paul & Silas: “30Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31And they 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 and to all who were in his house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.”
Water baptism is important to do, but it doesn’t save you. Jesus saves. And Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit, not water!
John: “...31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
We receive life by believing, not by water baptism. What does the word of God say?
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” - 1 Cor 12
One spirit, one body, and “in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body...and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”
Frankly, I don’t think Catholics really believe in baptismal regeneration either. If they did, they would not wait to baptize a convert, since the convert would be in danger of hell from the moment he had faith until he was baptized. Indeed, it is hard to see how anyone would WANT to be baptized, since they would not be spiritually alive to recognize their need until AFTER water baptism.
I reject baptismal regeneration, but I believe water baptism is an ordinance of God, and I believe that someone who refuses to be baptized doesn’t truly believe. OTOH, many delay in baptism simply because it is not widely taught. We assume converts know, when most have never read the scriptures in detail yet.
couldn’t find three Christians before the 16th century that believe as you do about “two baptisms”?
wow, what a powerful statement about this false teaching!
you beat me to it by quoting 1 Peter 3:21, it plainly says “baptism, which corresponds to this, now SAVES YOU”
titus 3:5 says we are saved by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.
it’s amazing what the Scriptures teach when you actually read them.
would you be kind enough to point me to the Scriptures that teach any of the following:
1. where the term “water baptism” is used
2. where the term “spirit baptism” is used
3. where anyone was told to ask Jesus into their heart and accept Him as their Lord and Savior
4. where anyone was told to be baptized now that they have been saved to be obedient to the Lord
5. where anyone was told to be water baptized as a public display of faith
i have read the NT and can’t find any of these doctrines taught.
finally, why did Jesus say all authority was given to Him in Matthew 28 and then instructed the Church to teach and BAPTIZE? why does the Church Baptize?
anyone who rejects baptismal regeneration, rejects 2,000 years of Christian belief.