Originally posted by SolaScriptura:
...ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine...Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.(Rom 6:17-18)
Paul places freedom from sin AFTER obedience to some form of doctrine - what form of doctrine is that? Seeing as how the context is speaking of baptism that "form of doctrine" must be baptism.
DHK, you have obviously rejected the Word of God, so there is not point in me discussing this with you anymore. May God open your eyes to the truth!
It is not I that has rejected the Word of God. A good example of twisting the Scriptures to fit one's own theology is given by you in your above explanation of Romans 6:17,18.
"That form of doctrine" speaks nothing of baptism whatsoever. You are reading baptism into that verse to accomodate your own heresy. "That form of doctrine" of course is the gospel. They had obeyed the gospel. They had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and were saved. They had called upon His name. They had trusted Him as their Saviour. The chapter speaks of serving two masters. You cannot. You will be a servant to the master to whom you yield yourself. That is what Paul is teaching.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
In verse 17 he refers back to their past unsaved condition, by way of example, but the whole of the chapter is addressing the believer and his relationship to sin. Look at verse 16: Whose servant are you going to be? The servant of sin, which will result in death? Or, the servant of righteousness? You cannot serve two masters. He is speaking of who is going to reign or be Lord in your (the believer's) life. This has nothing to do with baptism at this point.
Verse 11 he says to reckon yourself to be dead indeed unto sin. Crucify the flesh. Put it to death. Count it as dead. Don't give into the flesh or to sin. Sin is not your master.
Regarding verses 3 to 5 which do speak of baptism, they do not speak of baptism having any special grace or saving merit. It speaks of baptism simply as a picture, a symbol of our death with Christ, and our resurrection unto a new life in Christ. It is a picture of what happened at salvation. For me it was a picture of what happened two years previous to my baptism. I don't know how you explain that. You haven't attempted to yet.
DHK
