Ability to be baptized is not an issue. You must be. The scriptures don't provide a caveat. You either are or you're not. And it was impossible for the thief on the cross to have been baptized because Jesus was yet alive. He couldn't be baptized into Christ. He could have possibly been baptized unto John's baptism, but that's not the saving baptism of the Lord's. That's a bad argument and futher indicates your lack of understanding.
The thief on the cross misconceptions
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dhh712
Well-Known Member
Exactly! I hope he will try to make an argument against what you quoted because it will be an exercise in futility and his failure will be obvious. He most likely will state the same verses he said over and over again--which is what people do when they do not have an argument. All those verses do show the high regard that God has for baptism and how it is commanded of us as a sign of our initiation into God's family. It is a sign, that is all it is. "Repent and be baptised"--yes! yes indeed we must!
We must make use of our baptism as a sign and seal that we have been judged by God in Jesus. How wonderful it is to have the sign of baptism. Luther used it in his defense against the devil. He so highly regarded the sacrament of baptism that in times when he was buffeted by Satan he would say, "I have been baptised". It is a sign of that fact that he has been adopted into the family of God and has been seated with Jesus in the Heavenly places. Who would willingly neglect such a magnificent gift of God? It would be like the slaves in the United States in the 1860s throwing the original legal document of the Emancipation Proclamation which made them free into the garbage.
Yet, it has been proven over and over again by the many clear verses that you quoted and the one clear one that I quoted that cannot be refuted by any means that baptism is just not essential to salvation.
Still making God a liar, huh? Is that all you got? I wasn't arguing about which kind of baptism. So he definitely wasn't baptised unto Jesus. Okay, then that further disproves your contention that baptism is necessary because Jesus says "You will be with me this day in paradise". I guess you would like to say that Jesus lied there too.
Still, there is nothing that refutes the truth of what I quoted: "Baptism is not essential to salvation"--Jesus (from "Anyone who comes to me I will in no way cast out"). I guess you don't have any argument against that. Not that you can since he says it right there. But I guess you'll still try. Anything to try to turn the truth of God into a lie is what the devil is all about.
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mailmandan
Well-Known Member
*NOWHERE does the Bible say 'water baptized or condemned' but the Bible does say believe or condemned. (John 3:18) In Acts 2:38, "for the remission of sins" does not refer back to both clauses, "you all repent" and "each one of you be baptized," but refers only to the first. Peter is saying "repent unto the remission of your sins," the same as in Acts 3:19. The clause "each one of you be baptized" is parenthetical. This is exactly what Acts 3:19 teaches except that Peter omits the parenthesis.
*Also compare the fact that these Gentiles in Acts 10:45 received the gift of the Holy Spirit (compare with Acts 2:38 - the gift of the Holy Spirit) and this was BEFORE water baptism. (Acts 10:47)
In Acts 10:43 we read ..whoever believes in Him receives remission of sins. Again, these Gentiles received the gift of the Holy Spirit - Acts 10:45 - when they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ - Acts 11:17 - (compare with Acts 16:31 - Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved) BEFORE water baptism - Acts 10:47. This is referred to as repentance unto life - Acts 11:18.
*So the only logical conclusion when properly harmonizing Scripture with Scripture is that faith in Jesus Christ "implied in genuine repentance" (rather than water baptism) brings the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 10:43-47; 11:17,18; 15:7-9; 16:31; 26:18). *Perfect Harmony*
In regards to confession, confessing with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in our heart that God raised Him from the dead are not two separate steps to salvation but chronologically together. Romans 10:8 - But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, in your mouth and in your heart" (together) that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, (notice the reverse order from verse 9-10) - that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Confess/believe; believe/confess.
1 Corinthians 12:3 - Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except BY the Holy Spirit. There is divine influence or direct operation of the Holy Spirit in the heart of a person when confessing Jesus as Lord. This confession is not just a simple acknowledgment that Jesus is the Lord (even the demons believe that), but is a deep personal conviction that Jesus is that person's Lord and Savior.
So simply believing in our head (and not in our heart) that God raised Him from the dead does not result in righteousness and simply reciting the words "Jesus is Lord" not by the Holy Spirit from a check list of steps in an effort to receive salvation by works is not unto salvation. We must properly harmonize Scripture with Scripture in order to reach the proper conclusion on doctrine and not distort and pervert passages of Scripture in an effort to "patch together" an erroneous gospel plan of salvation by works.
dhh712
Well-Known Member
That's actually not what I said, but okay. I actually have the Scriptural view of baptism. It is a sign and no more. You get adopted into the family of God by repenting and being born again. Baptism is a command by God as the sign of this. The thief is an example of a last minute conversion, not sure how you missed that.
Uh, sins are forgiven by God alone, not by an act of some person. That is really blasphemous to require baptism for the forgiveness of sins. You really have some twisted understandings of God's word that are directly from the mouth of Satan.
You still have given no arguments to the verses we've quoted which clearly point out that baptism is not a requirement for salvation.
Therefore, you are still calling God a liar by saying he will cast some people out who have come to Him. The Lord rebuke thee, Satan.
So are you going to reply to the arguments from Scripture which Dan posted or just ignore those too? Specifically John 3:18 and Acts 2:38 . Luke 24:47 is a good one too. Also Romans 10:8-10 All these, it is repentance that is highlighted. Do you see that baptism is sometimes left out? If it were so necessary, God would not have left it out. Instead, it is a vital sign that He wishes us to have done and commands us to. We are not to neglect it. But we have proven over and over again that it is not essential to salvation.
You have proven nothing.
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Baptism is a sign? A public display of faith as some claim? An outward expression, blah, blah, blah also as some claim? When the Ethiopian eunuch was baptized by Philip, who was there for his baptism to be an outward sign to? It wad the eunuch and Philip. You can disregard the scriptures if you like but that won't make them change or go away. Believe what you like. Disbelieve what you like. Goodbye
Proverbs 14:12
12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Proverbs 14:12
12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
mailmandan
Well-Known Member
Baptism is a symbol of salvation in that it pictures Christ's death, burial and resurrection and our identification with Him in this experience. In reality, believers are literally saved by what baptism symbolizes--Christ's death, burial and resurrection.
A man and a woman become united through their wedding vows and the ring symbolizes this. Just as we become united with Christ through faith and water baptism symbolizes this. Strictly speaking, the husband is united to his wife because of the marriage vows rather than the ring. Yet since the latter is the sign of their union, it is natural to speak of the ring to mean the reality it represents. "With this ring, I thee wed," although the ring is not the actual cause of the change in the marital status, just as water baptism is not the actual cause of our salvation status.
Baptism would have no meaning without Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, but Christ’s death, burial and resurrection would still have meaning, even if there were no baptism. In other words, Christ’s death, burial and resurrection is the substance and baptism is the sign/symbol/picture. Without the substance there would be no sign/symbol/picture.
NO Terrestrial Earthly “human” man, Receives the BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, UNTIL AFTER A BODILY DEATH.
The WISDOM is Understanding Gods Word OF Gods Knowledge.
Once GOD SAYS IT IS......IT IS.....whether or not A MAN HAS “SEEN” it come to pass.
The particular One Malefactor ...
* Acknowledged The Lord
* The Lord Acknowledged the Malefactor’s Word.
* According TO SCRIPTURE...
1) A mans Confessed Belief, MUST Be a mans HEARTFUL Belief.
2) The Lord God Himself, Searches a mans HEARTFUL Belief, BEFORE,
PROMISING the Gift of Gods Salvation SHALL BE realized.
* Jesus PROMISED the one particular Malefactor...THAT DAY, he would BE WITH the Lord God, FOREVER.
* The MOMENT the one particular Malefactor...CONFESSED his Heartful BELIEF...was the MOMENT, that Malefactor’s BODY spiritually DIED IN Belief...and that Malefactor JUSTIFIED to Receive Gods Spiritual Baptism of Gods Holy Spirit.
* Jesus NOTIFYING, that one man, he would BE WITH Jesus IN Paradise, CAME TO PASS at the Moment Of that mans physical Bodily Death.
* That man WAS WITH and IN CHRIST JESUS, (ie Gods SPIRIT IN that man the moment of that mans True Heartful Confession).
WATER baptism was an INTERIM ACT, expressly prearranged, for the Forgiveness of Sins......
The INTERIM...
* BEFORE water baptism...Forgiveness of Sins was Offered to Hebrews, Tribes, Jews......They TAKING their SIN OFFERINGS to the Temple IN Jerusalem (ie a Clean Animal, to be slaughtered on the altar, and IT’S Blood the Offering FOR FORGIVENESS of SIN.)
* Gods ACT...Destruction of ISRAEL’S (the People) Temple IN Jerusalem...uh, NO MORE ALTAR For Animal Sacrifices.
* The INTERIM...John the Baptist Water Baptism...expressly prearranged, to OFFER “interim” Forgiveness of SIN....AND
INTRODUCE “the Sacrificial Lamb of God and HIS BLOOD, satisfactory, FOR mans Forgiveness of SIN.”
* The SACRIFICE EFFECTED; Jesus Bodily hung on a Cross; A SOLDIER, Spears Jesus’ SIDE, Jesus’ BLOOD SACRIFICE spills Forth. That was the moment JESUS” BLOOD was Given for FORGIVENESS of mans SINS.
* You can raise a Clean Animal, take it to the Temple as your SIN Offering FOR Sin Forgiveness......oops, IF you are not ISRAEL, none effect.....oops, There IS no Temple or Temple Altar.
* VOID of a Temple...You can Be Baptized with Water, FOR Forgiveness of Sin, AS WAS a means GIVEN ISRAEL, without a Standing Temple...
* From the Time of the days of Leviticus (expressly Chapter 15), ISRAEL manKIND was taught Cleansing of oneself BEFORE standing IN a Holy Place, and Cleansing of oneself AFTER exposure to filth.
...A RITUAL given to ISRAEL.
...Practicing “ISRAEL” continues Mishnah, and have “water pools” ie: Mikveh, available for “the Tribes of Israel” to Cleanse themselves.
* Many Christians “mimic” using Water pools...FOR “RITUALS”, FOR A different reasoning.
* The BAPTISM of the Holy Spirit, has NOTHING to do with a WATER pool Ritual.
* The BAPTISM of the Holy Spirit, is EXPRESSLY given a man,
FOR that mans Heartful Confession of Belief IN God and the ONE He Sent, VIA the Sacrifice OF His Blood, and the mans Belief and Acceptance of His Blood Sacrifice.
Glory to God,
Taken
dhh712
Well-Known Member
It's a sign to us, to ourselves. It is a symbol of our admittance into the family of God. No one has to be there but us; what you said doesn't mean anything. If no one but the husband and wife and the minister was there for their wedding (as it is in some cases), the ring which is given wouldn't be a sign to anyone else--at that point--but to those three.
But yes, you can believe or disregard the Scriptures too but it won't change them (as Jesus said, the only requirement is to come to him, repent and believe. That is it. Anything else would make Him a liar). It is pointless to argue anymore. It is best to desist. One day I hope the Lord will open your eyes.
@dhh712
@mailmandan
Where two..(or three are gathered) in Jesus’ Name...that which the Lord God has Offered, can be realized.
An individual man, Calling on the Name of the Lord Jesus TO Confess his heartful BELIEF, has satisfied a gathering of TWO.
Some “Christian” churches teach and preach, a “ritual” Water Baptism IS NOT satisfactory to “their” church, unless performed by their “qualified appointed” cleric, (or A cleric they recognize).
However Gods Spiritual Baptism of His Holy Spirit, can be FULLY Realized and Effected, WHEN an individual man and the Lord Jesus ARE gathered together FOR the express purpose of Confession and Conversion.
* IT IS, one individual and the Lord God Almighty Establishing THEIR once and forever RELATIONSHIP, that NO ONE can BREAK that BONDED Relationship.
Glory to God,
Taken
@mailmandan
Where two..(or three are gathered) in Jesus’ Name...that which the Lord God has Offered, can be realized.
An individual man, Calling on the Name of the Lord Jesus TO Confess his heartful BELIEF, has satisfied a gathering of TWO.
Some “Christian” churches teach and preach, a “ritual” Water Baptism IS NOT satisfactory to “their” church, unless performed by their “qualified appointed” cleric, (or A cleric they recognize).
However Gods Spiritual Baptism of His Holy Spirit, can be FULLY Realized and Effected, WHEN an individual man and the Lord Jesus ARE gathered together FOR the express purpose of Confession and Conversion.
* IT IS, one individual and the Lord God Almighty Establishing THEIR once and forever RELATIONSHIP, that NO ONE can BREAK that BONDED Relationship.
Glory to God,
Taken
Ernest T. Bass
Well-Known Member
Hi
Good post.
In addition to what you posted about Heb 9:16-17, another reason why the 'thief argument" fails is because it is based upon the ASSUMPTION that the thief had never been baptized. There is no verse that definitively states the thief had never been baptized as there is no verse that definitively states he had been baptized...we simply do not know. It is very possible that the thief was among those of Mk 1:5 that were baptized, who then later fell into a life of crime and found himself on a cross being punished for his crimes and repentant of his sins before Christ. Again, this is a possibility, but at the same time no one can be so dogmatic to claim Mk 1:5 cannot include the thief. The burden of proof is solely upon those who deny the necessity of water baptism to actually prove the thief had never been baptized.....which is something they will never be able to prove from the Bible.
When Christ was 'on earth' He had been given authority to forgive sins of those whom He tho't was deserving, Matt 9:6. Christ left earth some 2000 years ago leaving behind His word as His authority on earth and that word, as you accurately posted, requires water baptism to be saved. For one to be saved just as the thief requires they be able to go back in time 2000 years when Christ was on earth, before the NT gospel was in effect to be personally forgiven by Christ. Another impossibility.
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Tommy Cool
Active Member
As far as I can see…. I believe Taken is the only person who correctly identifies the person crucified with Christ as a malefactor, in addition to bringing up some accurate points about the man’s salvation/forgiveness.
A malefactor and a thief (robber) are two different categories of unlawfulness.
My KJV and most other versions has “thieves” and that is an incorrect translation….The Greeks use an entirely different word for a thief which is “kleptes” ……A robber lēstēs… which is the Greek word used in the Bible … is one who plunders openly and by violence.
Kakourgos = Malefactor… is a criminal, an evil doer.
Both the robbers (dyo lēstēs) cast the same in his teeth.
Only one of the malefactors (Kakourgos) railed on him and the other stated; “Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom”
Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
We know from scripture that upon death Jesus was entombed for 3 days and 3 nights …Jesus did not go to paradise; He was in the grave….. So something cannot be right with this verse in Luke …. otherwise we have to make up things to allow this to fit.
Knowing that punctuation, chapters, verses marking, chapter headings … were added by translators and they are not always accurate ….sometimes swayed by their beliefs other times just mistakes… Luk 23:43 is a good example.
If you remove the comma from after thee and place it after to day you will have an accurate rendering of
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee To day, thou shalt be with me in paradise.
I say unto thee to day or I say unto thee was a common idiom that is used several times throughout the Word of God.
Paradise is someplace here on earth.... paradise is not heaven....and neither Jesus nor the malefactor went there upon death. But the malefactor will be with Jesus when He returns as Lord of Lords and King of Kings here on earth.
A malefactor and a thief (robber) are two different categories of unlawfulness.
My KJV and most other versions has “thieves” and that is an incorrect translation….The Greeks use an entirely different word for a thief which is “kleptes” ……A robber lēstēs… which is the Greek word used in the Bible … is one who plunders openly and by violence.
Kakourgos = Malefactor… is a criminal, an evil doer.
Both the robbers (dyo lēstēs) cast the same in his teeth.
Only one of the malefactors (Kakourgos) railed on him and the other stated; “Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom”
Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
We know from scripture that upon death Jesus was entombed for 3 days and 3 nights …Jesus did not go to paradise; He was in the grave….. So something cannot be right with this verse in Luke …. otherwise we have to make up things to allow this to fit.
Knowing that punctuation, chapters, verses marking, chapter headings … were added by translators and they are not always accurate ….sometimes swayed by their beliefs other times just mistakes… Luk 23:43 is a good example.
If you remove the comma from after thee and place it after to day you will have an accurate rendering of
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee To day, thou shalt be with me in paradise.
I say unto thee to day or I say unto thee was a common idiom that is used several times throughout the Word of God.
Paradise is someplace here on earth.... paradise is not heaven....and neither Jesus nor the malefactor went there upon death. But the malefactor will be with Jesus when He returns as Lord of Lords and King of Kings here on earth.
Ronald Nolette
Well-Known Member
Spirit baptism is required for salvation. Water baptism comes after one is already a believer!
YOu believe and get saved. then some time after that you get wet!
But too, its a moot point because the thief couldn't have possibly been baptized into Christ since Christ was still alive. He could have been baptized unto John's baptism, but that's not the same as being baptized into Christ.
Ronald David Bruno
Well-Known Member
Jesus said numerous times, Believe in Me and you will be saved. More specifically, believe that He died on the Cross for our sins and rose on the third day according to the scriptures. Of course that thief knew nothing about His resurrection. But he confessed that He was a sinner, believed in who Jesus was and asked to be remembered when He came into His kingdom. Faith was given to Him. Faith is a gift, not conditional, with water baptism.
God draws us to Himself. He orchestrates events and people that come into your life that eventually lead you to a "divine appointment". This does involve prayer, coming forward to the altar and willingly seeking Christ, following Him. Billy Graham preached a message of the gospel, planted seeds, invited those sheep who were drawn by God. Of course one begins "by turning to God" (repentance) and this is the first step. After people come forward in prayer, they are also counseled to get a Bible, find a good Church, make a commitment to Jesus to follow and obey. But salvation is a gift. Baptism symbolically means to immerse oneself into the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The water does not wash away sins, Jesus does, so this outward act symbolically represents an inner cleansing. Being born from above is a spiritual transformation, totally. Water can't spiritually transform you but the baptism of the Holy Spirit _ as at Pentecost _ saved those people on the spot. Now to be obedient, they then as a public testimony got water baptized. But you can't say they weren't already born again when fire was over their heads and many foreigners of different languages were all hearing Peter speak to them in their own language. This was the gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues. An unbelieving outsider described them as babbling drunkards. But they weren't, it was in the morning and Peter spoke to all in a heavenly language, so that they all understood. Imagine getting up in front of the UN and speaking a language that miraculously they could all understand because of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues.
I am saying that there is no proof that he was not water baptised.
Another thing, Jesus was not in Heaven that day was he !
If one was truly worthy of God, why would such a one not water baptise ones child ? you as one in Christ have a duty of water baptism in fact ! not that such saves them then and their but it is performed duty before God and all that one is taking your child's interest seriously regarding Christ Jesus.
Now on the other hand one who never had true Christian parents is to do such on their own accord due to faith.
One can not be truly Saved and not water baptised first.
Water baptism is to lead you into becoming Saved, fat chance otherwise really for most it not all.
Many nowadays claim to be Saved, when they are not at all, I have seen this nonsense being displayed by the works of man.
One mob of idiots that I know claim such that they can perform ? I said you can not perform ones Salvation at all, only Christ Jesus can do that in fact ! and I know because I was Saved ! and them fools were not in fact.
They are seeking the 2ed coming ? they talk nothing but for they lack faith to be truly Saved now in fact. because they have little faith ? But I have the faith that can move mountains ! I know Christ Jesus, they don't ! because they are to weak to understand !
I have Christ Jesus, they don't in fact. for if they did they would truly acknowledge him. but they look to the cursed Jews for Salvation in fact. Their faith is in the 2ed coming ? Christ Jesus never cut it for them poor religious dupes. they will not come to him ! for they are not worthy, they seek another Jesus in fact, why because they despise the real one. because they are not truly worthy of being Men but only boys.
Their hostility is just of that of a carnal beast, they can not sit down and work it out, but demand and push their own religion.
They say look at what is taking place in the old Jewish lands as to their key faith. but I say to them that such is a workings of Man in fact and not of God.
They openly said to me that they do not believe in the Holt Spirit, they said such was rubbish ! and that they were bring in the new Kingdom ? not to mention they want to kill people, they think it's their right ! I said you will go to Hell if you murder anyone. They said not true !
They have murder in their heart in fact guiding them, Not Christ Jesus at all in reality. for Jesus said of such who they are of.
So one who would work to deny Water baptism has no grounding, but fear of the Holy Spirit may come upon such a one. I have seen enough over the years from such cowards, oh they have their beloved naming ceremony's and all, but when it comes to water baptism, you see their true colours come out in their hatred. They fear water baptism ! Look at all the Jews back in the days of John the Baptist who did not fear such. but for the bastard so called Jews who were against all such in fact. They only worked to lead the Jews astray in fact ! I know their works, such is pointed out in the Bible for all to see, but some are not worthy of the Bible and such is not for them. because that's why it's written the way it was.
Nothing worse than a carnal Priest, no wonder we have seen so many Sodomites with in the Priest hood and no one stand up too them. for they are Devils leading the people astray. They puff themselves up ! when they should of submitted themselves to God ! Look at them all nowadays all puffed up with Gay pride and all and not to mention now they look down on all who do not submit to Gay domination over all !
Ernest T. Bass
Well-Known Member
Yes.
The "one baptism" (Eph 4:5) that is in effect today is the baptism of the great commission which had disciples water baptizing men in the name of the Lord for remission of sins (Mt 28:19-20; Mk 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:47-48) and the thief could not have been baptized with this baptism for it was not yet in effect (Heb 9:15-17) and it is a baptism into the death of Christ (Rom 6:3-5) yet Christ had not died at the time He promised the thief that he would be in paradise.
Though it was not possible for the thief to have been baptized with the baptism of the great commission, it was still possible he could have been baptized with John's baptism which was water baptism for the remission of sins (Mk 1:4) and thereby he would have been a disciple of John making it pure assumption he had 'never' been baptized at all therefore making it pure assumption people can be saved today without being water baptized....assumption based upon more assumption.
The 'thief argument' does fail on many levels one of those levels being it is based upon pure assumptions. There is no logical, valid Biblical argument against the necessity of water baptism in becoming saved.
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You can't cherrypick scripture as you've just done. If you do, scripture will appear to conflict with scripture because the answer isn't found in just one, but rather the true answer is found when all the relative scriptures are taken into consideration. Scripture doesn't contradict itself. As An example, Romans 10:9 says confess and you'll be saved! So, which is it? The fact of the matter is, it's both plus more: belief and faith, confession of your belief as the Ethiopian eunuch did in Acts 8, repentance as the Jews did in Acts 2, and baptism into Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, also ad the jews did in Acts 2. If you believe, then you'll be obedient and do what you are told to do.
Mark 16:15-16
15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Belief + baptism = salvation in Jesus words
And Billy Graham, and now his son preach a false, non scriptural message. There are no examples of anyone being saved by reciting a prayer and asking Jesus into their heart. That's total BS nonsense. Read the various conversions in the book of Acts.
Repentance is not turning to God but rather is sorry for, and turning away from your sins.
Acts 22:16 (contrary to what you said)
16And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
No, baptism is not a public testimony. That's also man made-up nonsense that's not scriptural. When the Ethiopian eunuch was converted, the only ones present were him and Philip, and that isn't why he was baptized. So who was his baptism a public to? Read the account in Acts 8.
The Holy Spirit didn't save anyone on the day of Pentecost. It was a sign from above which validated and enabled the apostles to speak in tongues native to the audience, after which they in the audience became believers, were told to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and were added to the body of Christ by the Lord himself. Read the account in Acts 2:38-47.
Read and adhere to the words of the bible and don't follow your gut feeling or unscriptural, man contrived doctrine.
Mark 16:15-16
15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Belief + baptism = salvation in Jesus words
And Billy Graham, and now his son preach a false, non scriptural message. There are no examples of anyone being saved by reciting a prayer and asking Jesus into their heart. That's total BS nonsense. Read the various conversions in the book of Acts.
Repentance is not turning to God but rather is sorry for, and turning away from your sins.
Acts 22:16 (contrary to what you said)
16And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
No, baptism is not a public testimony. That's also man made-up nonsense that's not scriptural. When the Ethiopian eunuch was converted, the only ones present were him and Philip, and that isn't why he was baptized. So who was his baptism a public to? Read the account in Acts 8.
The Holy Spirit didn't save anyone on the day of Pentecost. It was a sign from above which validated and enabled the apostles to speak in tongues native to the audience, after which they in the audience became believers, were told to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and were added to the body of Christ by the Lord himself. Read the account in Acts 2:38-47.
Read and adhere to the words of the bible and don't follow your gut feeling or unscriptural, man contrived doctrine.
