Not so intersting who attend a church run by Nicolaitans.
Then why are you still assuming that you can be baptized into repentance?
Correct, he knew it was happening.
As I said..."the Spirit of God won't reside in a polluted temple."
And where in the bible says baptism can cleanse it?
So what ?
As long as the deeds are not of the Mosaic Law for salvation, God is pleased with our obedience.
God is not pleased with those who have no relationship with him, whether they think they are obedient to God or not.
I disagree with that interpretation.
No surprise there, you can't even agree on Paul's salvation status.
As leprosy is not cleansed by dipping, or sprinkling, the contexts of Lev 14 or 15 you allude to is not there.
Nonetheless, cleansing was instituted for lepers, and Naaman was a leper.
Spirit, water, and blood agree in one, as 1 John 5:8 says.
The words are interchangeable, when baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of past sins is concerned.
No they're not, as much as the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are not interchangeable.
I am not going down your side-track.
Perhaps some other time.
You're simply ignoring Scriptural evidence that water and blood are NOT interchangeable.
I disagree with your minimalization of Jesus' commanded "work".
Jesus commanded baptism of the Holy Spirit in the name of the holy trinity, not repeating what John the Baptist had already been doing.
If it is only a ritual to you, then I guess you don't believe what baptism accomplishes in Rom 6.
That being, the destruction of the old man and resurrection with Christ "to walk in newness of life".
Rom 6 is talking about the symbolism of baptism, it's a figure of speech. Whatever you believe that baptism accomplishes didn't happen to the Samaritans in Acts 8, especially not Simon the sorcerer.
Spiritual birth happens at baptism.
It is where we are raised with Christ to walk in newness of life. (Rom 6:4)
Again, not happening in the cases of Samaritans in Acts 8 and the Ephesians in 19. Not until an apostle laid hands on them.
I don't know how you reached that erroneous conclusion.
Repentance leads to baptism, not the other way around, that's why it's called baptism "of repentance", it's for the repentant sinners. If you can have all your sins remitted by getting baptized and nothing else, then infant baptism would've worked.
This side-track of baptism is about the end of the world.
So? Fire is not of the "spirit, water and blood" triad, is it. Yet John's word is clear, Jesus is to baptize with fire.
Nothing in Acts describes Paul's reception of the Holy Ghost.
You are jumping to conclusions.
Yes, everythere there - Paul was to be filled with the Holy Spirit. You're essentially accusing Ananias of being a liar.
See?
Nothing about the gift of the Holy Ghost being imparted to Saul.
Don't quote anything from Paul's letters if you don't believe that he was born again in spirit.
Here are three instances of it...
"John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." (Mark 1:4)
"And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; (Luke 3:3)
"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." (Acts 2:38)
If the repentance of sin is a lie, the baptism is just a bath.
The unfaithful will not receive the remission of their past sins if they wont "turn from" sin.
Yes, baptism requries repentance beforehand, you can't achieve either repentance or remission of sins by having such a "bath".
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. (Matt. 3:7-9)
Good, I detest false doctrine.
You're the one defending and propagating the false doctrine that "baptism is necessary for salvation," which inadvertantly yet inevitably espouses infant baptism.
I hope so, though it isn't written that way.
If they were saved - which is clearly written, they had received the Holy Spirit.
At least you realize that baptism accommodates our rebirth !
Our rebirth is in Christ, water baptism is a ritual to signify it.
I guess you could say, that baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of past sins is only a ritual for the unrepentant.
For the repentant, though, it is the end of one life and the beginning of another.
The end of walking in and after the flesh and the start of walking in and after the Spirit.
Thanks be to God !
For the repentant, the beginning of another life is the receiving of the Holy Spirit.
What God does at one's baptism is well documented in scripture.
He remits past sins.
He destroys the old man, and raises the new man with Christ to walk in newness of life.
And it all hinges on a true, permanent, repentance from sin.
But according to your misinterpretation and distortion of God's words, a true, permanent, repentance from sin hinges on "one's baptism".
Did you really miss the part of that scripture declaring what the baptism did ?
Here it is again...
Mark 1:4..."John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach
the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins."
Baptism is a public declaration of repentance, this ritual itself doesn't achieve repentance. Did you really miss the part of THIS scripture declaring what the blood of Christ did?
Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many
for the remission of sins. (Matt. 26:27-28)
What was that you wrote earlier about assumptions ?
If something is not written in scripture, only supposition can supply it.
But it's written in your own words, "Spiritual birth happens at baptism." Since that eunuch was baptized, he surely was reborn in spirit, according to you, right?
The devils believe too, but they will perish with the other unrepentant haters of God.
Devils believe in the existence of God, not the authority; they don't trust God with their obedience. You don't know the difference.
Yep, if one is unrepentant, they are unfaithful...I agree with your posting.
Then what's the beef between us?
Call it what you want, the water of baptism is the blood of Christ to me.
Really? Then why did Jesus declare the wine as his blood, shed for the REMISSION OF SINS at the last supper in Matt. 26:27-28? Where's the water in there?
Any connection between "born of water" and "water baptism" is not a position I defend.
Those who have been "raised with Christ to walk in newness of life", (Rom 6:4), have been reborn of the Spirit.
You're defending the position that "water baptism is necessary for salvation" by conflating blood with water. BTW, 1 Jn. 5:7-8 is controversial, believed to be inauthentic, added at a later date.
So not written in scripture, but conjectured by you ?
Do you know whether a sinner is truly repentant? Through the lens of any Scripture? If not, then it's between the sinner and God.
I agree, and He instituted water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for that purpose.
Thanks be to God for the amazing gifts of repentance from sin and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of past sins !
BTW, we can forgive sins too, if they are committed against us..
No, we can forgive offenses, only God can forgive sin.