Saved

[Open Heart]

Both thieves on the cross were reviling Jesus, but only one had a change of heart and pleaded for mercy and forgiveness. He was saved, and went to heaven that same day, without water baptism. Please, you really think that same thief who reviled Jesus at the beginning was water baptized by John...LOL!

It's irrelevant. The command to baptize is the same as any other commandment: you do it if possible.

 

[Brother Chris]

It's irrelevant. The command to baptize is the same as any other commandment: you do it if possible.

Yes, it is a command, but not required for salvation. Don't quote Mark 16, that part of the bible was not even in the earliest manuscripts. It was inserted later. It's doubtful that Mark even wrote that passage of scripture at all.

 

[Open Heart]

Yes, it is a command, but not required for salvation.

It is required if possible.
Acts 2:38 Repent and be baptized, every one of you, for the forgiveness of sins. And you shall receive the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 3:21 Baptism now saves you.

 

[FireHeart]

To be saved is viewed differently by different ppl and by ppl of different faiths. What happened to me was I was alone in my room and I had no reason to be alive I didn't care if I died and I was very sad and alone, I begged God to come into my heart I didn't care if he took everything I owned. I then went to sleep still in tears saying to myself he won't answer even I wouldn't answer me. I woke up the next morning completely different I mean the power and the fire of the holy spirit was insane it was more than being full of energy it was like being full of life itself.

As for water baptism I didn't have this until two and a half years later, I was told I needed it for salvation but I just never felt lead to do it and I wasn't going to do it unless I felt lead to do so. For me water baptism was much more than the forgiveness of my sins, to me in my own way it was like making an intimate covenant with God sort of like marrying him here on earth.

I have heard that water baptism is required to receive the holy spirit and also that in order to be saved or even stay saved it's required. However if either of these were true then why was John's water baptisms not enough for people to be truly saved? In fact I myself was given the holy spirit and I was saved and didn't get baptized until two and half years later

 

[Open Heart]

I have heard that water baptism is required to receive the holy spirit and also that in order to be saved or even stay saved it's required.

There is a difference between saying this is what God commands and is what is normative, and saying that God is restricted to this. God of course is not restricted to using baptism, although it is the norm for salvation and the giving of the holy spirit. There are times when baptism is not possible (the thief on the cross) or not sought due to confusion (as was the case with you for over two years). Sometimes we receive the Holy Spirit before baptism, as was the case with Cornelius' family, in order to convince Peter to baptize them.

Thank you for sharing your inspiring story. It touched my heart.

 

[FireHeart]

There is a difference between saying this is what God commands and is what is normative, and saying that God is restricted to this. God of course is not restricted to using baptism, although it is the norm for salvation and the giving of the holy spirit. There are times when baptism is not possible (the thief on the cross) or not sought due to confusion (as was the case with you for over two years). Sometimes we receive the Holy Spirit before baptism, as was the case with Cornelius' family, in order to convince Peter to baptize them.

Thank you for sharing your inspiring story. It touched my heart.

The bible clearly says how good and important it is to be baptized even Jesus himself said to be baptized but as for me I was being hounded by other believers to get baptized and was told how I am purposely defying God. I have always thought differently than most people, to many baptism is like it is for most a sign of obedience the forgiveness and washing of our sins.
But people just couldn't understand that if I am to be baptized It has to be because God lead me to not because I was told to or because it is required.

If we do things simply because it's the norm or because we were told to do it instead of doing it when we are lead to by God then it simply isn't the same outcome and doesn't mean near as much. I have no idea where my view and idea of what water baptism is to me came from as I have never heard anyone describe baptism as I have perhaps it was God himself but if a person wants to be baptized I would consider what the reason and motives are behind it.

 

[Open Heart]

But people just couldn't understand that if I am to be baptized It has to be because God lead me to not because I was told to or because it is required.

How about because scripture requires you to be obedient? Would you wait until God personally leads you to break off an adulterous relationship or to stop shoplifting? I think not.

 

[Butch5]

Both thieves on the cross were reviling Jesus, but only one had a change of heart and pleaded for mercy and forgiveness. He was saved, and went to heaven that same day, without water baptism. Please, you really think that same thief who reviled Jesus at the beginning was water baptized by John...LOL!

I didn't say he was. You said he wasn't, yet you have no way to know that. It's conjecture.

 

[FireHeart]

How about because scripture requires you to be obedient? Would you wait until God personally leads you to break off an adulterous relationship or to stop shoplifting? I think not.

I had always intended to get baptized but it was the timing of getting baptized that was important to me. I didn't understand what baptism meant for a long time so getting baptized before I even understood what it means would have been pointless.

 

[Open Heart]

I had always intended to get baptized but it was the timing of getting baptized that was important to me. I didn't understand what baptism meant for a long time so getting baptized before I even understood what it means would have been pointless.

I grew up in a home where my parents did not think it was necessary to get baptized. (My sister is still unbaptized.) Although I was a classic example of someone who should have been baptised at birth, as I was raised in the faith and grew to accept Christ more as I grew in maturity, I reached adulthood never getting the job done.

It wasn't until I was 22 and married and attending a non-denominational church that I realized something was out of sync. I didn't have a clear idea what baptism meant or why God commanded it. I only knew I needed to obey. So the next time the church did its baptisms down at the beach, I got myself dunked.