Dear Thomas, may I say a thing or two here, not to contradict you but to just put my belief across. I believe that from the very moment we accept Christ as our Lord and saviour and the ONLY SON OF GOD we are saved.,John3:17,18 'for God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but who ever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of Gods one and only Son.' and HIS HOLY SPIRIT comes to be in us from that moment on. Think of the old testament prophets and all who were before Jesus. The sick and dying who cannot get out of bed...just the utterance of the words accepting JESUS AS LORD OF OUR LIVES and believing with all our heart that HE IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS is what saves us. Baptism is an important act for us to show the unbelviers and is an act of repentance on our part and to profess our faith in our belief of who JESUS CHRIST IS TO US. yes it was needed much more before JESUS DIED FOR US in Math3; 11 we read what John the Baptist says.... I baptise you with water for repentance but after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.'but now that after his death and gloriour resurrection....We are free indeed. In Jesus own words to Nicodemus John 3 we must be born again. and that my dear friend happens the instant we believe and accept JESUS FOR WHO HE IS AND MAKE HIM LORD OF OUR LIVES. John the Baptist was a forerunner....of what was to come leading us to Jesus. Baptism is needed to profess and proclaim our belief in Jesus to the world, but its our BELIEF IN JESUS AND WHO HE IS THAT SAVES US.......Thomas I look forward to taking this discussion in more detail with you in yahoo chat...c ya there :-) :-) luv ya prayer warrior, for who you are and praise God for your life.
Pauline R
|