What Baptism?

[Aaron]

I would disagree with that statement

You just need some time to think about it. What does everyone say that baptism is? "The outward profession of an inward truth," or some such sentifment.

What is the refusal of the commanded profession but a denial of the same?

 

[Kai]

Can anyone refuse water baptism, and be considered a Christian?

I would say that if a professing Christian has no conviction to be water baptized as a way of publicly declaring their faith in Christ, then that probably demonstrates that they likely do not possess the Holy Spirit.

That being said, I think there's a difference between ignorance and willful disobedience. A person may not understand what baptism symbolizes, they may struggle with a particular phobia, or they may have a medical condition that prevents them from being fully immersed in water.

 

[Alan Dale Gross]

And no, I was not there at the time, I am old but not that old.

WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL THEY SAID THE EARTH WAS 4.5 BILLION YEARS OLD AND THEY HAD 5 SOLID PROOFS.

(sORRY) Now they say the Earth is 7 Billion Years old, or so, and there are 7 good proofs for that.

Now, I went to school a long time ago......but....

Thanks to Dr. Henry Morris for that one.

They may not join your church until properly baptised, however baptism will
be on their conscience at every service. As they grow as a Christian, they will come to
understand their need to follow the Lord in baptism.

1 Peter 3:21 defines baptism not as a physical bath to wash dirt from the body, but as an appeal, pledge, or answer of a Good Conscience toward God through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

"The like figure 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:" I Peter 3:21.

Jesus said thus it becometh us to follow Him like you said, by being Scripturally baptized, since He Himself was baptized, and He said it was to Fulfill All Righteousness, with baptism being a part of The Counsel of God.

"And Jesus Answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now:
for thus it becometh us to Fulfill All Righteousness. Then he suffered Him," MATTHEW 3:15.

Luke 7:30 states that the Pharisees and the experts in the law (lawyers) rejected God's Purpose, Plan, or Counsel for themselves by refusing to be baptized by John the Baptist. [1, 2]

"But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the Counsel of God against themselves,
being not baptized of him", LUKE 7:30.

The Holy Spirit through Peter Commands that saved souls be baptized and refusing to be baptized is not Led of the Holy Spirit, in Acts 2:38; "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of sins, and ye shall Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost,"

just as we see in I Corinthians 12:13, it is the Holy Spirit which Leds and Guides a believer "by One Spirit" to be water baptized into local church membership, as we see both Jews and Gentiles where baptized into the the body of Christ there in Corinth where the Bible tells us what kind of body that was in I Corinthian 12:27; "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular", i.e., members of that local church body assembled at Corinth.

 

[Anthony Pritchard]

1 Peter 3:21 defines baptism not as a physical bath to wash dirt from the body, but as an appeal, pledge, or answer of a Good Conscience toward God through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Well said. Peter directs us away from the water itself and toward a good conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptism does not save, but it is a God-ordained response of faith and obedience.