Baptism Question

It doesn't matter to me really. Just as long as you have a relationship with Christ.
I used to be pretty staunch about this. I've come to realize what is important. Denomonations aren't as important to me as they once were either.

 

That would've been before Jesus changed the meaning of baptism.

 

You could say that's looking at it from both perspectives at the same time. Biblically speaking, lineage has no correlation to righteousness. And if a person has not made his or own personal decision to follow Christ, the true purpose of baptism is lost. Another way to look at it is that God doesn't have any grandchildren. Each person must decide for himself.

 

That's because the original ancient Greek term used in the Gospels and Acts is baptizo, which means to dunk, or put under. Even the more modern Greek word, baptizein, means "to dip". [source: www.dictionary.com]

When you look at the symbolism of post-resurrection baptism, you see that it's a metaphor for death and resurrection, not cleansing. Therefore sprinkling or pouring no longer applies.

 

why do you have to get baptized? what if you never do, will you still go to heaven?

 

in a word, no.

from what i understood from my middle-school days it is that water baptism is the outward symbolic washing away of the "sins of the flesh", it's a representation to everyone else that you have been baptized by the holy spirit.

 

Once again we have been discussing this over at TAK. Here is another word study that takes what Hasbeens said a little farther,

I like the analogy of baptising cucumbers in vinegar to produce pickles. The change is the important thing and I look at the ceremony of Baptism by immersion and the actual Baptism of the Spirit as being two different things. The former is wonderful and a testamony to the world of the changes that the Holy Spirit is making in that person. The latter is accepting Christ, allowing Him to change you and accepting the Holy Spirit in your heart. This fits well with the thief on the cross.

 

Hasbeen, don't get so hung up on the baptism thing.
Also, if your trying to adopt thru Bethany Christian Services, you should check out what denomation really runs it and what they believe. Because if I remember right, they are from a very Calvinistic background. Really I think that for years and years the Christian church baptized babies.
REALLY, does it matter? I haven't been dunked. I'm going to heaven..

P.S. Hope you do get that baby too! I think you'd be wonderful parents!

 

Here is a position Statement of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church(EPC) that speaks to baptism.

 

Because Jesus said so.

(Matthew 28:19-20)

Jesus told the thief on the cross next to Him that he would be with Him "in paradise". As far as we know, he was never baptized -- at least not after he believed in Christ.

That being said, like I mentioned to Spud earlier -- it's not like he had the option to come down off the cross and get baptized.

Whether or not someone spends eternity in heaven is decided by Jesus and Jesus alone. The bottom line remains, He told us to. So why wouldn't a Christian get baptized?