Why this confusion over doctrine?

[Alabaster]

Dear Alabaster, I am sure you know Jesus and His word. It's just that knowing the word of God in the Bible comes through interpretation of words. And you seem to know only one particular shall I say Baptist interpretation of the Bible.

Sorry, Scotty, but you are all wet. I have never been a baptist, nor will I ever be.

But there are other interpretations, which was all I was trying to say. We should study different teachings of Christian groups before making a decision of what we will believe that the Bible means.

No we shouldn't. It is God's pleasure to lead us. It should be your pleasure to follow.

Whoever has the best words should be believed.

Believe God. He has the best words.

 

[zone]

Sorry, Scotty, but you are all wet. I have never been a baptist, nor will I ever be..

what denomination to you adhere to alabaster?

No we shouldn't. It is God's pleasure to lead us. It should be your pleasure to follow...

do you have a pastor/teacher at your church?
how does he prepare his sermons?

Believe God. He has the best words.

which translations do you use?
do you use any study helps?

are there teachers at your church?

 

[Vic C.]

Well since infant baptism was brought up, I will say that is a doctrine I have problems with. I don't see it's rejection as being something that dates back just 1,000 years. Scott, you may want to unbiasedly recheck your historical facts.

Citing a passage like:

Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Acts 16:32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
Acts 16:33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

really doesn't prove much without interjecting preconceived beliefs into the text. Nowhere is the mention of an infant. For instance, my sister and her family consist of four children, with the youngest being 11.

Anyway, look at the last word in the passage... "straightway"

That word denotes a specific kind of baptism, the one most consistent with the Bible and the Greek word, baptismos.

You may find some ECFs that mention infant baptism, but I believe it's more a tradition than it is apostolic. Even the Didache doesn't really mention infant baptism. One of the early requirements was fasting.

Trust me, infants don't fast. Even if they spoke, it would not be in their vocabulary. :D

But I AM a Baptist and I do firmly believe in credobaptism. I was "christened" as an infant but was fully immersed as an adult, making a personal and conscious choice.

It was an extremely wonderful, spiritual experience that all believing members of the Body should have gotten to experience... and remember. :yes

 

[Alabaster]

what denomination to you adhere to alabaster?

I am nondenominational.

do you have a pastor/teacher at your church?

Many.

how does he prepare his sermons?

By waiting on God concerning what we need and letting Holy Spirit show them what to speak, and study further to prepare. They acknowledge and teach that Jesus Christ is our lead pastor.

which translations do you use?

Many.

do you use any study helps?

Like what? How about the Bible?

are there teachers at your church?

Many, as we are a cell church. We are all taught that as light and salt, we are all teachers to begin with.

 

[Scotth1960]

Sorry, Scotty, but you are all wet. I have never been a baptist, nor will I ever be.



No we shouldn't. It is God's pleasure to lead us. It should be your pleasure to follow.



Believe God. He has the best words.

Dear Alabaster, I gather from your words you are an "antipaedobaptist". You are definitely acting as if you are against infant baptism. Go figure. If you are not Baptist, what is adult believer's baptism only belief called? Isn't that the same thing as Baptists believe? And, by the way, in your view, when is a person to be baptized, only when they "know the Scriptures"? Did St. Peter in Acts ask the person he was baptizing, "Go. Read the whole Bible (OT), and then get back to me?" No. He said, "Repent believe the Gospel and be baptized". And you will be forgiven by God.
Certainly baptism saves. There are those who were saved without baptism, too. Such as the good thief on the cross who repented and prayed of Jesus, "Jesus, remember me in Your kingdom" (or "remember me when You come in your kingdom").
In Erie Scott

 

[Alabaster]

Dear Alabaster, I gather from your words you are an "antipaedobaptist". You are definitely acting as if you are against infant baptism. Go figure. If you are not Baptist, what is adult believer's baptism only belief called?

The believer's baptism, which is what it really is.

Isn't that the same thing as Baptists believe?

I sure hope so.

And, by the way, in your view, when is a person to be baptized, only when they "know the Scriptures"? Did St. Peter in Acts ask the person he was baptizing, "Go. Read the whole Bible (OT), and then get back to me?" No. He said, "Repent believe the Gospel and be baptized". And you will be forgiven by God.

Hearers and readers of the word can know enough to repent and commit their lives to Christ.

Certainly baptism saves. There are those who were saved without baptism, too. Such as the good thief on the cross who repented and prayed of Jesus, "Jesus, remember me in Your kingdom" (or "remember me when You come in your kingdom").
In Erie Scott

Contradiction, eh? By virtue of the fact that people are saved without baptism, you must stand corrected and cast aside your belief that baptism saves.

Thank you.

 

[Scotth1960]

The believer's baptism, which is what it really is.




I sure hope so.



Hearers and readers of the word can know enough to repent and commit their lives to Christ.



Contradiction, eh? By virtue of the fact that people are saved without baptism, you must stand corrected and cast aside your belief that baptism saves.

Thank you.

Dear Alabaster, Not at all! Can you not read the Bible for/by yourself? Haven't
you read the 2 epistles (letters) of St. Peter in the NT? In one of them, Blessed Saint Peter writes, "Baptism saves". Are you trying to correct St. Peter and question his inspiration by the Holy Spirit? You aren't doing that, are you?

I'll just ask you kindly to read 1 and 2 Peter and get back to me. God bless you.
Thank you, too.

In Erie PA Scott R. Harrington