WATER BAPTISM NECESSARY?
Well if you will read Romann Chapter 6 along with Ephesians Chapter 5 you can see why water baptism is necessary.
Romans Chapter 6 clearly tells us to STOP continuing on in our sins, and that because we are now under grace, this does not give us a license to sin (verses 1 and 2)
Then we are told that when we are baptised, we are baptised into the death of Christ. We are to be "buried with Him" by baptism UNTO DEATH (verse 3 and 4)
Then we are to be RAISED INTO NEWNESS OF LIFE.. like unto His Resurrection. We are to die unto sin, be risen unto Christ and NOT ALLOW SIN TO REIGN IN US ANYMORE (Verses 5-12)
Our old man is to be CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST, no longer serving sin.
This entire process that is to become a reality in us, is demonstrated by our being raised down into the water to "DIE" and then being raised back up out of the water to new life... no longer serving sin and allowing it to be in control of us. That is the very PURPOSE of the death of Christ, not only to pay for our past sins and to forgive us, but also to raise us to new life... now under control of God's Holy Spirit (the operative word being "Holy"... we are to now live HOLY lives).
Then if you will go and read Ephesians Chapter 5 along side of this entire thing you can clearly see what "being risen from the dead" actually means AGAIN. "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." No longer to walk in the "darkness" of our former lives, our former domination by sin... we are now to arise from the "dead" and to leave our old, unclean, filthy way of life.
And finally we are warned:
"Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." Ephesians 5 verse 6
And so a little sprinkling of water, or leaving out the water altogether in baptism would demonstrate first that you just plain dont want to do what God says, and in addition it would show that you have no real understanding of what water baptism really means.
Claudia
Read to understand what I am saying:
Romans 6:
1: What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2: God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4: Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5: For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7: For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8: Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10: For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11: Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12: Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Ephesians 5:
1: Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2: And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
3: But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4: Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5: For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6: Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7: Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8: For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth
10: Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11: And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12: For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13: But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
14: Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
15: See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16: Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Well if you will read Romann Chapter 6 along with Ephesians Chapter 5 you can see why water baptism is necessary.
Romans Chapter 6 clearly tells us to STOP continuing on in our sins, and that because we are now under grace, this does not give us a license to sin (verses 1 and 2)
Then we are told that when we are baptised, we are baptised into the death of Christ. We are to be "buried with Him" by baptism UNTO DEATH (verse 3 and 4)
Then we are to be RAISED INTO NEWNESS OF LIFE.. like unto His Resurrection. We are to die unto sin, be risen unto Christ and NOT ALLOW SIN TO REIGN IN US ANYMORE (Verses 5-12)
Our old man is to be CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST, no longer serving sin.
This entire process that is to become a reality in us, is demonstrated by our being raised down into the water to "DIE" and then being raised back up out of the water to new life... no longer serving sin and allowing it to be in control of us. That is the very PURPOSE of the death of Christ, not only to pay for our past sins and to forgive us, but also to raise us to new life... now under control of God's Holy Spirit (the operative word being "Holy"... we are to now live HOLY lives).
Then if you will go and read Ephesians Chapter 5 along side of this entire thing you can clearly see what "being risen from the dead" actually means AGAIN. "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." No longer to walk in the "darkness" of our former lives, our former domination by sin... we are now to arise from the "dead" and to leave our old, unclean, filthy way of life.
And finally we are warned:
"Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." Ephesians 5 verse 6
And so a little sprinkling of water, or leaving out the water altogether in baptism would demonstrate first that you just plain dont want to do what God says, and in addition it would show that you have no real understanding of what water baptism really means.
Claudia
Read to understand what I am saying:
Romans 6:
1: What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2: God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4: Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5: For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7: For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8: Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10: For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11: Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12: Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Ephesians 5:
1: Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2: And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
3: But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4: Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5: For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6: Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7: Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8: For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth
10: Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11: And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12: For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13: But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
14: Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
15: See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16: Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.