HammerStone said:
I'll bite.
Acts 2:38 NIV
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.
If a Christian absolutely refused to be baptized in any form, would you view that as problematic?
Hammerstone,
I could quote a lot of Scriptures that explain that which our salvation is dependent upon, but I’m sure you know them already. But I will accommodate if it becomes necessary. One thing for sure, salvation is not dependent upon water baptism.
For a moment, let’s look at 1 Peter 3:20-21 KJV, “20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
”
Verse 20 tells us that Noah and his family were not spiritually saved by water baptism, rather physically saved. The rest of humanity was destroyed by the very same water that Noah’s physical life was saved through, because God had him prepare an ark. Noah believed God and was obedient to the building of this ark and all the preparation leading up to the flood. Genesis 7:5 KJV, “
And Noah did according unto all that [Yahowah] commanded him.”
Verse 21 tells us that verse 20 was a type for the baptism to come (for the obedience to come: “a good conscience toward God”). In other words, receiving water baptism is an outward sign (physical) of obedience to Yahoshua’s command, an outward sign that an inward (spiritual) change has already taken place. The Holy Spirit’s work of salvation has already been accomplished in the spiritual. Now, man’s response is to give an outward physical sign as a testimony to his inward spiritual change.
In answer to your question, “yes”, I would have a problem with a person who claims to be saved yet is not motivated to be baptized. This is his first chance to give the testimony of his salvation, yet he lingers and fails to do so. One could easily question whether or not salvation has really come.
But in no manner, shape, or form does this baptism participate in or complete the salvation process. Baptism is a work (even the Calvinists should understand that baptism - a work - does not save someone, because if it did he would be accomplishing his own salvation rather than God doing it).
When Peter, in Acts 2:38, says “Repent, and be baptized” he is not giving a 1, 2 list of items that must be checked off in order to be saved. He points out the requirement to be saved first; i.e., repentance. Then he points out the next step to be taken after salvation; i.e., be baptized.
It’s easy for the carnal mind to read these Scriptures and come to the opposite conclusion than the one I just explained. One must know and understand the God we serve and be led by the Holy Ghost to understand them properly. What does this tell us? It tells us that those who put together the Nicene Creed were doing it in their own flesh, their own conscience, their own volition, their own determination, and their own sincerity. What they failed to do was to check in with God, with Whom they apparently were alienated from.
Creeds are anathema. Creeds are an oath. We are commanded not to do them. Matthew 5:37 KJV, “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
” James 5:12 KJV, “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other
oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
”
zeke25