Originally posted by Ray Berrian:
WPutnam,
Did you know that the thief on the Cross did not get a dispensation from the Romans to be baptized in water?
(Scratching my head why you bring this up...)
He didn't? Well shucks, that means that the Church, not quite established yet until the resurrection, ascension and Pentecost, was in complete error even before it got started!
But for your information, even before the Church could so rule on such things, the thief on the cross was "baptized."
While not with water, later, in history martyrs in Rome, before they could be baptized, died bacause they would not renounce Christ, and thus were given a "baptism of blood." If a non-martyred death were to occur before baptism with water was given, then the individual receives a "baptism of desire."
And how about the thousands of people in prisons in China who may have come into the faith before their imprisonment or afterward secure their salvation without a priest or minister to baptise them?
Answer given above. But to repeat it, if they are Christians by desire and in the acceptance of Jesus christ as their Lord and Savior, they die "baptized" by their desire.
Some undoubtedly were not officially baptized in water. I would hope that you would not say they were damned because they did not pass through the baptismal water.
Nope, as I would hopefully join them in the Beatific Vision of God in heaven when I die!
God bless,
PAX
Bill+†+
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not
thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn
away his wrath from him.
Proverbs 24:17-18
Putnam said, '"…Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all,
were saved through water. This prefigured baptism which saves you
now…"
1 Peter 3:20-21
Berrian is saying, 'There you go again with your allegory/illustration, in this case it is the 'water' which reminds you of administered water baptism. The illustration is unwarrented, at least in Genesis, because Moses was merely trying to portray the fact that Noah's family was saved from a watery grave, when they entered the Ark and were secured in it. But, I must say that Pope Peter ties the two together but emphasizes the greater truths that Jesus has gone to Heaven, that everything is under His control, that the resurrection of Christ was and is true and that a clear conscience before the Lord is what really counts with Him. [I Peter 3:20-22]
{Signed} The Right, Reverend, Holy Father, the Elect one and first Pope,
The Apostle "Petros"
Be reminded that in II Peter 1:14 Petros was on his deathbed and still did not hold the above titles. Maybe Peter said, 'Brethren, how about we get a little tradition going here.' WPutnam, is this how the Petrine doctrine of Pope came into human reality? I do not think this is the way it happened.
If water was the introductory ministration to the sinner then why don't Catholics and other Christians baptize all adults first {securing their salvation} and then tell their clientele to obediently follow Jesus Christ through the life of the church? {after the fact}
By the way you are one of the very few Catholics who always attempt to answer our questions. I am impressed with your honesty in the area of human communication.
"Ray" [/QB][/QUOTE]