What Identifies A Christian As A Baptist?

It's not what Peter, the apostle to the circumcision, had to say about it to his audience of Jewish Christians:

20 that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water:
21 which also after a true likeness doth now save you, [even] baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ; 1 Pet 3

For the Jews of 'that generation' water baptism was a profession of faith that 'saved' them from the 'wrath to come' upon 'that generation'.
There indeed was a 'saving' in water baptism.

 

You're twisting my words. I believe that there are many churches that immerse without being Baptist. If I were currently pastoring a church, I would accept immersion from non-Baptist churches.

Baptists always, always insist that baptism must be done by immersion. That is simply a doctrinal and historical fact. (And there is no such thing as an "authorized Baptist church," since one of the distinctives is the autonomy of the local church.)

Having said that, I never, ever said that only a Baptist church can baptize by immersion. That is out of your fevered imagination.

This is totally true, and it is not what you claimed I believe. It is linguistically and factually accurate, but it is not what you said I believe.

Again, all Baptists baptize by immersion. That is simply fact. With that, I laid no groundwork whatsoever for saying that only Baptist churches can immerse. I don't believe that.

Whatever.

Again, stop misrepresenting me. I never said and do not believe that only a Baptist church can immerse. That is prevaricating.

Stop misrepresenting me. And for crying out loud, learn what a Baptist actually is, because you show no knowledge of that. For starters, go back to page 1 of this thread where I wrote what the Baptist distinctives are. These are widely recognized by Baptist pastors, members, theologians, and Baptist historians (of which I am one). These are not rules for Baptists, but simply describe what the basic beliefs of Baptists are.

 

The "doctrines of baptisms" Paul is speaking of in Heb. 6:2 is the Old Testament "Doctrines of Washing."

It's worse for you than I thought my friend.

Water baptism can be what it is, symbol of your spiritual baptism into Christ.

Or it can be an addition to faith made into works that God will most certainly reject.

If water baptism saves, then the person who baptized you had a part in making your salvation possible.

Salvation is by faith alone my friend, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!

 

As I have explained, Baptist between Baptist do disagree on the meaning of passages on baptism.
They disagree on the day Jesus gave the Comforter. On the day of resurrection, John 20:22 or Pentecost Acts of the Apostles 2.

Personally I am persuaded it to be on Pentecost.

Now Pastor Mike Allison strongly affirms it was on the day of Jesus' resurrection.

The hour video, Baptist & Alien Baptism:

 

Yes. Christians disagree on.this too.

New Testament or Old Testament being meant.

 

Follow your heart with the baptisms, Brother!

Remembering that the great apostle clearly has shown us the meaning of the New Covenant in Christ.

That we are justified by faith alone in Christ, and the only way we will enter into the Kingdom of God.

 

1 For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

"II. BAPTIZED UNTO MOSES (1 Corinthians 10:1-2)
This bit of history of the Hebrews and of the Exodus gives us a clue as to the meaning of what it means to be baptized "unto" someone or some thing. The Hebrews had been living and working "unto" their Egyptian taskmasters. They labored at making bricks with a view to pleasing these masters and thus doing the bidding of Pharaoh. The Red Sea put a difference in their view of the One to be heeded. It had separated, or marked the death of, themselves to Egypt, and the Egyptians to them. Now they had a new leader, Moses. Their being baptized "unto Moses," then meant that no longer were they to heed the voices of the masters in Egypt, but the voice of a new Master (God) whose spokesman was Moses."

3 Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

"III. BAPTIZED INTO JESUS CHRIST (Romans 6:3)
We are taught that we are baptized into (same word: "unto") Jesus Christ. It is not a matter of location or place, so that baptism puts us literally into Christ. This is no more true than that "baptized unto Moses" put the Hebrews into Moses. It means that baptism (like the Red Sea crossing) drew a line between former masters and the the present leader or master. Baptism declares that we have died to the world. Being dead to it we cannot heed the voice of its god (Satan) or its leaders (taskmasters). We have a new Master (Christ), and are baptized "unto" Him. With a view to heeding Him and no other, we declare (show) our death to the world and our resurrection (new life) unto God. He is our new Master, and we heed the voice of Him Who is our Head, Christ."
Why did Jesus and His disciples baptize?

 

Don't worry about me Charlie, I don't live under the constant threat of hellfire damnation as you seem to. Perhaps some day your faith will be strong.

 

Ky, have ever met someone online and just couldn't help but take a liking to them?

I feel that we are two chunks off the same block, it just feels that way to me.

I totally agree with what you've said here. But there's a missing element that needs to be found and applied for a deeper understanding of the truth.

Everything you have said here is true on baptism, but let's take it to the next level, let's find the true and "only baptism" that the great apostle spoke of.

As @37818 has pointed to, the Church is confused with the many baptisms portrayed in Scripture, but Paul said there is only one. We all know where that Scripture is found. Let's take a look at that "one baptism" explained by the great apostle.

Colossians 2:10-13
"And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

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:

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.

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;"

This is the "one and only baptism." My question to you is this, is it water baptism, or is it something altogether different that has nothing to do with water?

Notice that Paul says this is " the circumcision made without hands" whatever this is, it's not done in the realm of humanity. Paul says it's the "circumcision of Christ."

"We are buried with Him in baptism" But this is a baptism performed by Christ without hands, and Paul hasn't said a word of water being involved.

Paul said this baptism is "through faith" and the "operation of God." Again, outside the realm of humanity.

This baptism is the spiritual "baptism into Christ" Rom. 6:3-4, that takes place the very instant one believes in Christ, and is the regeneration of washing away sins.

Water baptism is the symbol of this spiritual baptism that takes place in the spiritual realm.

Peter as much as tells us water baptism is the symbol, in fact, he actually uses the English translated word for symbol in 1 Peter 3:21.

"The like figure (symbol) whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:"

Peter is saying here that the 8 souls saved by water (vs20) in the flood, was a "symbol" of baptism saving us. Not the water baptism, but the spiritual baptism that water baptism symbolizes.

The water is the symbol of the spiritual baptism that actually now saves us.

 

Though I'm not an advocate of osas I have eternal security! As sure as the sun rose over this earth this morning.

I have responsibility, there is a condition that ensures my responsibility. I must hold to my faith in Christ to the end! God doesn't require much of us, but He does demand faith to the end!

God bless you, Brother! I'm praying for you.

 

Not.

20 that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water:
21 which also after a true likeness doth now save you, [even] baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ; 1 Pet 3

 

The KJV says "by water."

The idea is that the 8 in the ark were saved "by water" in that the water lifted the ark they were in, while drowning everyone else. The 8 were saved from drowning, this is not salvation of the soul, it is the symbol of salvation of the soul.

This is the symbol of the baptism that saves us. The spiritual baptism of Col. 2.

 

.

2 Peter 2:5, And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

 

You must bear in mind something that I covered a few days ago.

Those before the Law such as Noah, their sins were not imputed to them.

"Before the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed where there is no Law."

Noah had no sin imputed to wash away as we have now, he was not born-again as we see it now.

Although he was justified by faith and saved.

In 2 Peter 2:5, as you posted, Peter is referring to salvation then in Noah's day.

In 1 Peter 3:21 Peter is referring to salvation in his and our day.

The difference is the washing away of sin in our case, and no sin to wash away in Noah's day.

 

In other words, If I'm reading your post correctly, the water and water baptism had absolutely nothing to do with Noah's salvation. He had no sins imputed to wash away.

Peter is only using the water of the flood as an example to compare the baptism of salvation which we now have, but not Noah. The purpose is to show us "the symbol" of water baptism to our true spiritual salvation.

 

The issue is how Noah and his family was saved by means of water. What did the water do? It destroyed the world that was.

 

Ok, let's break it down.

"2 Peter 2:5, And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;"

God didn't spare the world in unbelief, but He saved Noah.

Noah was a believer, a preacher of righteousness that they mocked and would not heed to his preaching.

So God saved Noah but the world of unbelievers were taken away with the flood.

What did the water do to save Noah? Absolutely nothing as far as the saving of the soul, Noah was justified by faith, it was a physical saving from drowning. And there is the symbol, "in the example/symbol of the water saving Noah from the flood physically, Peter is showing us how water baptism is the symbol of our true spiritual baptism saving us in the Spiritual realm.

Remember, Peter is using all of this as an example of baptism in his day and ours.