“Nope. Jesus was right there, personally told the thief “you’re saved.” Did Jesus say that to you? Not to your face. He instituted baptism (AFTER the thief on the cross, so baptism wasn’t even instituted yet at the time of the crucifixion) to accomplish this. Baptism is Jesus telling you “you’re saved, oh and here’s the Holy Spirit too.”
Yes he did indeed tell me to my face and to my entire body as I was saved he took up residence in my heart and I became a new creature. I’m truly sorry that you haven’t experienced being born again! The Holy word of God also tells me I’m saved for just asking no more no less. Apparently you missed the John the Baptist story! No, water didn’t tell me that I was saved yes the Holy Spirit told me I was saved and am saved. Also noted is that while the name changed from Mikveh or Mikvah to Baptism the process is essentially the same. Something else you might want to check out is that it wasn’t a mere sprinkling as you Catholics do, but immersion. That’s why they went to the river to be baptized, so they could be immersed. If sprinkling was acceptable then they would have filled a vessel with water and did it somewhere else.
> Yes he did indeed tell me to my face and to my entire body as I was saved he took up residence in my heart and I became a new creature.
He did? How did he do that?
> I’m truly sorry that you haven’t experienced being born again!
I’ve been born again. I don’t base things on “experiences” - which only lead to problems when you no longer have that “experience” anymore. Besides, there’s nowhere in the Bible that asserts you experience God through your “experiences.”
> The Holy word of God also tells me I’m saved for just asking no more no less.
But, without God’s help, you can’t even ask! Even faith is a gift from God. And truly, you can be saved without being baptized.
> Apparently you missed the John the Baptist story!
???
> No, water didn’t tell me that I was saved yes the Holy Spirit told me I was saved and am saved.
Then how did He do it? Because God’s Word tells you baptism is what does it:
“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” Romans 6:3-5.
“In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.” Colossians 2:11-12.
“And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.’” Acts 2:38-39
“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Galatians 3:27.
“...he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit...: Titus 3:5
> Also noted is that while the name changed from Mikveh or Mikvah to Baptism the process is essentially the same. Something else you might want to check out is that it wasn’t a mere sprinkling as you Catholics do, but immersion. That’s why they went to the river to be baptized, so they could be immersed. If sprinkling was acceptable then they would have filled a vessel with water and did it somewhere else.
And they did. Many were baptized in their houses, in days before bathtubs and running water. 3,000 were baptized on Pentecost in Jerusalem, a city without a river. There are no instructions on HOW to baptize, other than in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Baptism by pouring is recorded all the way back to about the first century. Besides, mandating how the water is applied implies that it is the water itself that accomplishes the baptism, instead of God.
By the way, I’m not Catholic.