The verse doesn't say that. I said that. Then we're done here. I answered your question and pointed to the Biblical verse that supports my view and that of most Christians. You have a different guess, which is your right, but I didn't ask for an exposition of it.
You assume that most Christians agree with you. I would state that most Christians don’t agree at all. But then these are just opinions. It only matters what God’s Word says and means.
I would state that those who disagree and disobey Christ are not Christians. If you love Me you will keep My commandments. The question is, what did Christ command. AM I, or you obeying Christ's commandment with regards to who is to be baptized and when? Are you or I following tradition blindly and thus nullifying what Christ Himself commanded. Judge yourself. I continue to ask for proof and I get opinions and beliefs without proof. I offer proof. First the passages that are key to being a Christian:
Joh 14:15 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
Mat 7:24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall."
Christ’s commandment of who to baptize and when:
Mat 28:19 1.) "Having gone, make disciples of all the nations,
2.) baptizing them(disciples) in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20
3.) teaching them(disciples) to observe all that I commanded you;
That is what ALL Christians/Disciples OBEY. Hear and do or hear and don’t do… the choice lies with each of us… with different destinations based on what we really do.
Now, all the passages that pertain to households being baptized... I am not afraid of evidence … Yet I see no proof that anyone disobeyed this commandment of Christ Himself. Let’s look at the passages. Please feel free to offer any “PROOF” that what Christ commanded wasn’t followed to the letter.
Act 10:42 "And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. 43 "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins... 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
From what I see, everyone who “believed” was one of those who were listening to the message. i.e. hearing the gospel which is a prerequisite of believing/becoming a disciple. This does not include those who could not hear or understand, but only those actually listening to the message. There is no evidence to support that Mat. 28 was not followed to the letter. If you see anything that “proves” otherwise, point it out.
Act 16:14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us.
Lydia at least “believed”/ responded to the gospel, prior to baptism. Again, there is no evidence that everything Christ commanded was not followed to the letter. Paul shared the gospel, Lydia is listed as having responded. True the rest of her household was baptized as well. The question is, is there any proof that the rest did not hear and believe as well. If not, you still have no proof that Paul was disobedient to His own teachings as to who was to be baptized and when, let alone disobeying Christs own commandments on the issue. If you have proof that these people did not believe first (Contradicting all the other teachings in scripture) produce it.
Act 16:31 They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. 33 And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. 34 And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household.
This one proves my point that when whole households were baptized they ALL believed FIRST. Again, believing / becoming a disciple is the stated prerequisite to baptism. That entire households believe first, fits perfectly with Christ's commandment on the issue. They all “believed” and THEN they all were baptized (vs. 34): everyone in the entire household believed and was baptized. This proves obedience to Christ’s commandment, not disobedience by baptizing those who were not disciples / did not believe first. Again, any proof that the “baptizers” disobeyed Christ’s commandment on the issue? I see full compliance with the command.
1Co 1:16 Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel...
This time God puts the importance of baptism in it's place. Baptism is secondary to the preaching of the gospel. Preaching the gospel is foremost … which is a requirement to making disciples. Followed by Hearing, believing / becoming a disciple, THEN being baptized, TEHN being taught to OBEY ALL that Christ commands … is again the chain of importance. So tell me, is there ANY proof here that the order of God’s/Christ’s commandment pertaining to who is to be baptized (Mat. 28) is being violated? If so, point out the proof.
Mar 16:16 "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
So what is the key in this passage? Belief and disbelief, right? Do infants and young children believe or disbelieve? Answer: Neither. But Belief AND baptism is required for salvation, is it not? You tell me.
Act 8:36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" 37 [And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."] 38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
So tell me, what is the teaching? Can anyone who wants to be baptized, or must you “Believe” First?
Rom 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as 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, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
This is one of the many verses that leave out baptism for salvation altogether. Yes, there are many more. Not that baptism isn’t commanded, but rather that it is a separate step, and is not a requirement for salvation. Note: The thief on the cross who believed and was saved was not baptized.
1Co 1:21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
A listing of (2) of the steps of salvation. 1.) Hearing the gospel 2.) Believing, again it leaves out the obedience of being baptized / obedience but it still lists the first 2 parts.
Rom 10:10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."
This leaves out baptism … again. Along with obedience. But the preaching of the gospel and the resultant belief is listed.
There are a ton of passages that describe the process of salvation. None puts baptism PRIOR to belief or hearing the gospel. Many list hearing, then believing, as the first 2 steps. Followed by belief / repentance. Baptism always follows belief / repentance and there is never any passage that puts baptism before belief / repentance or before hearing and understanding the gospel. That everything is not listed everywhere is not a contradiction or proof of violation of the commandment of Christ/God. All the details are not listed in every passage. The important thing is that nothing ever contradicts what is listed every place else in scripture. Imagining that a contradiction exists doesn’t “make” it exist. Prove anyone, anywhere, violated the commandment of Christ/God pertaining to making disciples, baptizing disciples and teaching disciples to obey all that Christ commanded, INCLUDING this command as to who to baptize and teach, and you have something. Otherwise all you are doing is choosing to disbelieve and disobey the word of God with all of it’s resulting consequences. Remember those beginning passages? Hearing and obeying verses hearing and disobeying?
If the scriptures aren’t trustworthy and reliable all our beliefs based on scripture are wrong. Apart from the reliability and consistency of scripture everything is just an opinion, and every belief is just as correct as every other belief.
If we assume that God, God’s Word and God’s people are 100% consistent unless God corrects them, Matthew 28 stands as Christ’s commandment as to who to baptize and when. If you have any passage that contradicts Christ’s command as to who to baptize and when (Not just an assumption that someone contradicted Christ’s commands without any proof) point it out. Otherwise those that love truth and want to hold fast to it, will follow this command of Christ with regards to the progression of what Christians / Disciples are to do:
Mat 28:19 1.) "Having gone, make disciples of all the nations, 2.) baptizing them(disciples) in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 3.) teaching them(disciples) to observe all that I commanded you;
I tell you, not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord will be saved, but rather those that hear and obey the commandments of God / the will of the Father.