Do you keep Jesus' command to be water baptized?
No, because Jesus doesn't command that. In fact, baptism is a bit mysterious from Jesus' teachings. It's not water; it's something else. It seems to be a kind of test in one's life, perhaps even a test that is before them from the day they are born, and one has to go through it. Jesus said in Luke 12:
49. I have come to ignite a fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
50. But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!
Jesus needed to be baptized by John in the water, because that's how John was doing it. But water baptism is a symbol of something else. The problem I find with it is that one can think it is important in itself and then ignore that real baptism God has for each of our lives.
I'm not opposed to water baptism, at all. It's just that in Veridicanism all atonement and salvation is accomplished through the Veridican Eucharist.
Thank you for your reply.
Interesting you were sparked to start your journey as you mention after the Waco incident.
Post #27 you said; “you have to be Christ”.
Would you say that was a similar teaching of David Koresh, that he applied to himself?
Did you study “Koresh”, his teachings, that inspired your “spiritual walk” ?
Curious.
In fact, I do know a great deal about David Koresh and the Branch Davidians. As much as I am on their side, I think David Koresh got it wrong theologically. He applied it wrong. We
ALL are to be Christ, not any one man. So, he saw himself as Christ, but he failed to realize that his mission was not that of a new Messiah.
Jesus Christ was the Messiah. But all that notwithstanding, there would not be Veridicanism or a Veridican Church had David Koresh and the other 75 Branch Davidians not died at Mount Carmel on April 19, 1993. The Veridican Church is a direct result of the events at Waco, Texas.
We (and by We, I mean those in Christ) better wake up. We better check the oil in our lamps, we better start looking up, because the end is coming. The tribulation is not far off. It's like birth pains, you know? At first they are far apart and then they start coming closer and closer together. The baby's about to be delivered.
Which makes me want to know what you do with the Old Testament scriptures, since that gift is prophesied, or at least alluded to, in the OT. Jesus endorsed the Old Testament canon of scripture as we know and accept them today, fully and totally. Do you?
Veridicans maintain the entire Holy Bible. All of the extra-Gospel books are necessary for historical understanding and context--and wisdom. So, I have many Bibles. The Veridican Church
canonizes only the Gospels, and Revelation. But yeah, I mean, like studying Matthew 24 requires one to also study the book of Daniel for instance.
This definitely puts you outside of classical, traditional Christianity. Occult practices of pagan religions are expressly forbidden because they are expressly forbidden in the Old Testament scriptures, which Jesus supported and endorsed completely.
We don't do any pagan occult practices. All our spiritual practices are in the Gospels. I've been asked not to talk about them by the admin, so I'm not going to. But I would suggest you study up a bit more before swinging so wide.
It's completely understood that an alien is welcome to join the community of God's people, but also completely understood that the pagan practices of that alien would have to end and the practices of the community of God's people adopted. The same law is to be for Jew and non-Jew alike.
I'm not a pagan, and I'm not an alien. But because I'm new to the forum, I'm not going to counter-punch on that and talk about what I see in your walk with God. Suffice to say, it's you who chooses to be anonymous and "alien" in this forum. I'm using my full name and identity.
I found it interesting that an anchor was the symbol of the church for the first 400 years of the church. And that was based on the hope of Jesus being the anchor of the soul spoken of here...
"19We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf." Hebrews 6:19-20
This is actually what made me wonder what you do with the book of Hebrews. We really don't know who wrote it. It can't be rejected on the basis of it being written by one of the Apostles, or by Paul. Because we don't know, definitively, who wrote it. And it seems from Hebrews 2:3 that it's neither Apostolic or Pauline in origin.
The letter to the Hebrews is a letter from a Jewish Christian to other Jewish Christians to strengthen their faith.
Many religions understand 'practicing spirituality' as meaning practicing correct and approved ceremonies and procedures and beliefs about worship.
Gotta stop you there...Jesus was clear that we were to do the miracles He did. Granted, we went with science instead of faith, so now our faith is this tiny withered raisin in our soul, so we can barely trust God enough to get us down the freeway safely, but nevertheless, we were supposed to be miracle workers.
I can not speak to what a “Homo Sapiens Sapiens” declares he is and then what he becomes...being “Homo Sapiens Sapiens”, is a man-made term, basically meaning a human being, that is discerning, wise, sensible...and depending on an individuals belief of classification, history, drifts into the connection to primates, extinctions, modern man, newborn babes, (discerning, wise, sensible, eh no)....Not my cup of tea.
I believe God created creatures classified as Kinds of things.
Expressly Terrestrial (Earthly) Animal-Kind of creatures and Expressly Terrestrial (Earthly) Man-Kind of creatures, (created out of and sharing the same habitat/estate/ ie Earth)
Regardless of any similarities, (which one could expect, since both are created out of the same one Earth, and both require the same elements of the earth and water to maintain their Earthly Life)....one is not the other.
A man so created, in the image and likeness of God.
An animal, is not revealed in the image or likeness of God.
Regarding a terrestrial (Earthly) man kind of creature...that Becomes Born Again...it is a long list of “IF”, “THEN”, “THIS”, “THAT” “WHO”, “WHAT”, “WHEN”, “WHY”, before “Born Again” is accomplished...(considering, every terrestrial (Earthly) man kind of creature...is an individual, with Freewill, to make choices of WHAT shall apply to him.)
IF, you classify yourself as a “Homo Sapiens, Sapiens”, I have no Scriptural Verification to “that kind of creature” becoming born again.
Okay, Good night, sleep well,
Glory to God,
Taken
Truly, I have no idea what you're saying, my friend. I'm sorry.
Did you know the writer of the gospel of Luke is the same as the book of Acts?
Why throw out Acts?
You do realize that the very core of your belief system was created to cause you to disobey Acts 2:38 and not be saved as the early church was, right?
I don't throw out Acts. In fact, the Book of Acts, Chapter 5, is very very important to my take on the early apostles, and it convinces me that the Gospels were written to counter the "acts" of the apostles.
He rejects the teachings of the Apostles. So I think it's kind of a waste of time to quote them. Make your case from the gospels and the old testament scriptures. Start with what he knows and respects. Like when witnessing to a Jew. Use what a person knows and accepts to lead them to further learning.
I don't reject them at all. And I greatly respect the entire Holy Bible, and I'm not a Jew. And I think you're becoming insulting now.
He seems to reject some teachings, but not other apostolic teachings....all designed to get him to disqualify Acts 2:38.
Can't you see this massive network of all faux Christian belief systems yet?
I do, they are all designed to hide mankind from Acts 2:38.
From RCC doctrine to Mormonism, and everything in between.
The devil is playing mankind for fools.
Acts 2:38 (NIV 1984 ed.)
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
I don't actually like Peter--at all--but this verse is absolutely true. Or, at least, I would say that I absolutely agree with it. In fact, I even think it represents very much what baptism is. "baptized in the name of Jesus Christ." Now, think about that. What does it mean to take on the name of another person?
We don't reject the Bible. We canonize the life and teachings of Jesus Christ ONLY. Because Jesus is our ONLY teacher. We don't throw out the Bible, we positively confess the life and teachings of our only Lord, who is the Son of God, Jesus Christ.