Baptismal Remission

Brian, God doesn't want to let any of us go. That is why He sent Jesus. He made it soooo easy.

God loves us all doesn't He? Saints and sinners alike? The "saved" and "unsaved?" Christians and non-Christians? He loves us all. Now, do we realize and accept His love?

Peace be with you.

 

Since I have already arrived, shouldn't you just give up the debate and accept what I have to say.

Seriously though, never in scripture is baptism called a confession. Baptism is always spoken of in the Epistles in connection with the promise of Salvation. It is because of the promise that is always connected to baptism that we believe that there is power in Baptism. Baptism is not mere water, it is the water and the Word working together. To recieve the salvific promises that are in Baptism one must have faith. We also believe that because of the presence of the Word and the proclamation of the Word that is involved in Baptism that faith can be created in the person being Baptized.

Does baptism create faith in every person? No.
Does every person who is baptized have faith? No. Does the Word create faith in every person? No. Why? Because God has choosen to work through means and because of His working through means, people can resist His grace. If His grace worked directly then no man could resist, but He does not work directly.

[ October 01, 2002, 02:28 PM: Message edited by: Chemnitz ]

 

Chem, good come back in your last post. I should have been more careful not to hand you such an easy line to use. You gave me a smile so I appreciate that anyway

You wrote: """We also believe that because of the presence of the Word and the proclamation of the Word that is involved in Baptism that faith can be created in the person being Baptized."""

I was following your logic until that line. Creating faith in a person, infant I will assume, would take initial free will away from that person which goes against your and Ed's theology.

Also, I need to know which Baptism verses you are eluding to when you speak of Baptism and its salvic qualities. I am confident I can offer you a more appropriate interpretation of the verses then you apparently are going by. If I can't I will make something up -just kidding.

In Christ, Brian

 

Sir Ed writes: ""God loves us all doesn't He? Saints and sinners alike? The "saved" and "unsaved?" Christians and non-Christians? He loves us all. Now, do we realize and accept His love?""

Ed, what you wrote is very nice. I like heart felt things more then most people and certainly the Bible has taught us that "God is Love" and that is what you are basically saying if I am hearing you right. The answer to your last question is found in the words of Jesus when he said something to the affect of "the road to destruction (Hell) is wide and "Many" go that way and narrow is the path that leads to life(salvation in Christ) and "few" be those that find it. So only a "few" in the contrast many vs. few will be saved. This is unfortuate in light that it is God's desire for all men to come to the knowledge of the truth. The point that I am poorly getting at is that we do have to accept/respond to his love and once we make that response we are part of the "few" and thus no longer part of the "many". Ed doesn't accept to the love go against infant Baptisms in that infants can't accept or better respond to His love.

In Christian Love,
Brian