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What is essential?

handy

Member
I read this on another thread here at the forum:

But you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire. Nevertheless,
I am not against baptism in water. It is just another way to confess
Christ. Not an essential act though.

The question was whether or not water baptism is essential for salvation. As usual in a Christian forum, that is ever a lively topic. I've been reading thread after thread after thread over the years on that one. :confused Never seems to be resolved.

Anyhoo, that's not what this thread is about. What this thread is about is what is essential. Not necessarily for salvation, but for all Christians. If you want to discuss water baptism as essential for salvation, the discussion is in Apologetics and Theology. This is more of a general talk.

I'm getting worried that the Church these days seems to think that the only thing that is essential is salvation. Whether we have it. Whether we keep it. What we got to do to get it.

What caught my eye in the above quote was that the writer stated that water baptism is not an essential act. Now, the writer most certainly may have meant, "not essential for salvation", however, I wanted to take that statement and use it as a jumping point for a greater discussion.

Now, I happen to believe that water baptism is not essential for salvation. However, I do believe that water baptism is most essential. Just like I believe that milk is not essential for being born. Babies are born without any milk every day. However, once the baby is born, to deny milk is to deny what is essential for life and health and nourishment and growth.

Besides salvation, or better yet, beyond salvation, what is essential for every Christian?
 
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
 
I'll respond with a verse from scripture:
Mat 25:34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
Mat 25:36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'
Mat 25:37 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
Mat 25:38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
Mat 25:39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
Mat 25:40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
 
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