112358
Well-Known Member
- Mar 1, 2018
- 511
- 160
- Country
- United States
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Married
Edit: Reply to post #60 by Wordkeeper
Yes, the thief believed in Jesus as the Christ at a time when the Old Covenant was still in effect. Jesus was in the process of fulfilling His gospel. He had not yet died, been buried, or risen from the dead. The Christian Era, while close at hand, was not yet in effect.
It's interesting to me that you use Acts 19, if I understand correctly, as an illustration that baptism is not necessary to become a Christian. Clearly it not only mattered that they be baptized, but that they participate in the specific baptism that is associated with Christianity: baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Can you see that baptism was inherently implied as part of belief in Jesus here? It was a given. Belief = baptism in this context. That's why Paul asked "into what then were you baptized?"
Yes, the thief believed in Jesus as the Christ at a time when the Old Covenant was still in effect. Jesus was in the process of fulfilling His gospel. He had not yet died, been buried, or risen from the dead. The Christian Era, while close at hand, was not yet in effect.
It's interesting to me that you use Acts 19, if I understand correctly, as an illustration that baptism is not necessary to become a Christian. Clearly it not only mattered that they be baptized, but that they participate in the specific baptism that is associated with Christianity: baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Can you see that baptism was inherently implied as part of belief in Jesus here? It was a given. Belief = baptism in this context. That's why Paul asked "into what then were you baptized?"
Last edited:
Upvote
0
