ruperik

hello everybody,
i am interested to hear various people's views on baptism and the necessity of it for salvation. i have done some research, but i would definitely appreciate any scripture references that you can offer on the subject. i read something in John 3 that suggested that you must be baptized to enter the kingdom of heaven, but then i read something in the beginning of acts that suggested that the baptism that is required is baptism of the holy spirit which doesn't appear to be baptism by water but the entering of the holy spirit into you when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. any thoughts and scripture on the subject would be appreciated.

Jasher

Mark 16:16 (NASB)
"He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.

Acts 2:38 (NASB)
And Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Some think that both baptisms were expected to be concurrent. I don't know if it is necessary to salvation. But God can't make us love him and he won't force us to do anything that we don't want to do. I know a lot of people who were never baptized, but I think it is because of their indifference and disobedience to the Word that they do so.

Humility is a key to the kingdom and without it you cannot even see the Kingdom very clearly. Humility is necessary to recieving the baptism of the Holy Spirit and of being baptized in water as well. Back in Jesus' day they Baptized in public and the Jewish tradition was immersion. The religious leadership was there and their actions were not seen in a positive light I'm sure. Baptism was and is a public committment to Christ.

LOTRgeek

“Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus 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. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’’” (John 3:3-7)

“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, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.” (1 Peter 3:21-22)

It is baptism by which Jesus imparts to us the grace which saves us from our sins.

“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, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3-4)

Baptism raises a person to “walk in newness of life.”

“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’ 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 shall receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him.’ And he testified with many other words and exhorted them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation.’ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:37-42)

Just as circumcision was required for the Jews in the Old Covenant, so baptism is necessary for Christians of the New Covenant. In fact, baptism replaces circumcision, showing its importance. And it is important to note that circumcision was perform on infants and rarely on adults, which does imply that infants can be baptized.

“In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of flesh in the circumcision of Christ.; and you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, having canceled the bond which stood against us with its legal demands; this he set aside, nailing it to a cross.” (Colossians 2:11-14)

slavetoChrist

but is not necessary for salvation.

baptism is an outward expression of an inward change.. not a mandate for heaven.

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we know the way!
we speak the truth!
we live the life!
cause He's the Lord!

Beloved

Warmest Greetings, IMO

1st Babtism was for preparation for the Lord... It was one of repentence...

2nd is Babtism by the Holy Spirit...

The thief on the crosss next to Christ did both, symbolically as he trusted Christ...

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Shalom

( SHALOM says: Completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. )

Beloved
1 Corinthians 14:1 Let Love be your highest goal.

Nathi

He said I should be baptized that mean He knows the importance of it, so I obeyed and did as He said

Amen

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To God I trust and Love be Glory and Dominion Forever

Dusty

We have been over this before on the other part of the forum and we cannot lump the baptisms together . They are two different subjects.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a different subject.

Being baptised in water ,which by the way will not save us, but will give us a deeper walk with the Lord because we will want to follow His example.We desire to be water baptised also in obedience with His Word.

We want to show the world that we have rejected all it has to offer and follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and Him alone.

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Banarenth

Baptism will not save anyone.

Don't get baptized because you want to be saved.

Get baptized because Christ did, and told us to do the same.

In that way, it is like communion.

Follow His example because you love Him, not for fear of Hellfire.

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Boanerges

Like the thief on the cross one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven without baptism. One cannot enter, see , know or comprehend the kingdom of God with being born again thru Jesus Christ. It is by grace we are saved by faith not of WORKS lest any man should boast. There are many baptism's promised in the New Covenant. There is water baptism which represents repentance, death burial and resurrection with Christ. There is the Baptism of God's refining and purifying fire and there is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Without going into a lot of theology I can state this with absolute confidence:
This is a subject we may not all agree on till Jesus Himself comes back but I do believe we can agree on this- baptism is part of His will for us and we should gladly follow His will and be obedient in all things.
Many blessings in Jesus wonderful Name, brother Larry.

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Anything that dims my vision for Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps me in my prayer life, or makes Christian work difficult, is wrong for me; and I must, as a Christian turn away from it. – J. Wilbur Chapman

LOTRgeek

Yes, the Good Theif, St. Dismas, did make it to Heaven. He received the Baptism of Desire. It is a wonderful proof of God's incredible love and mercy.