Unbaptised Christians ?

EugenSpierer

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A film I just watched made me think: If a person lives in a country where Christians are punished for their faith by death and finds truth in the Holy Scriptures, loves Jesus Christ and prays to Him for forgiveness but does not tell anyone about this for fear of their life, is this person a Christian? Would you accept this person as Christian?
Thanks and God bless.
 

Job8

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Would you accept this person as Christian?
The more important question is whether God accepts this person in Christ, and only God knows the heart. As to people accepting someone else as a Christian, one can only go by someone's profession of faith. While this person may have said nothing so far, but if you approached him/her personally and they said that they has received Christ by faith, then that would be enough.
 
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abysmul

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This:

The more important question is whether God accepts this person in Christ, and only God knows the heart.



Something to consider:


Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,



"And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God;
 
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Steeno7

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A film I just watched made me think: If a person lives in a country where Christians are punished for their faith by death and finds truth in the Holy Scriptures, loves Jesus Christ and prays to Him for forgiveness but does not tell anyone about this for fear of their life, is this person a Christian? Would you accept this person as Christian?
Thanks and God bless.


How does your post relate to the headline you used to draw others to it?
 
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BryanW92

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A film I just watched made me think: If a person lives in a country where Christians are punished for their faith by death and finds truth in the Holy Scriptures, loves Jesus Christ and prays to Him for forgiveness but does not tell anyone about this for fear of their life, is this person a Christian? Would you accept this person as Christian?
Thanks and God bless.

It doesn't matter what I accept, but in answer to your question, it depends on what you mean by "does not tell anyone".

If they told me and only me, then they did tell someone. I'd take them at their word that they are a Christian.

If they never told anyone and I suspected and asked them (assuming that I am not an agent of the people who would harm them) and they still claimed that they are not Christians, then I would take them at their word that they are not a Christian.

If they never told anyone and I suspected and asked them (assuming that I am an agent of the people would who would harm them, such as a secular-humanist US government law enforcement officer in the too-near and all-too-probable future) and they denied being a Christian, then it doesn't matter what I think since I am a person (theoretically) who is harming Christians.
 
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dragongunner

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How does your post relate to the headline you used to draw others to it?


I wondered about that too. You start somewhere with Christ and grow from there. We are all on many different levels, some are just new born babes and some have matured into adults moving on to deeper things in Christ. Some Christians got baptized in water the same day they found Christ, some may not for a long time until they learn or are convicted its time now. Can a adult say to a baby you are not human like me because you are just a baby?
 
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BryanW92

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Maybe I didn't make myself clear, sorry. I meant that this person would not be baptised, does that make them non-christian in the above conditions ?

I'm not a Baptist, so I don't believe that a baptism must precede salvation. But since baptism doesn't leave any physical evidence, I'd question a person's commitment to Christ if they refused baptism if it could be done somewhat privately (i.e. no procession past the police and down to the river).
 
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revrobor

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Maybe I didn't make myself clear, sorry. I meant that this person would not be baptised, does that make them non-christian in the above conditions ?

While the Scripture commands God's people to preach the Gospel and baptize there is no scripture that says baptism is necessary for salvation. The thief on the cross is a good example of that. Jesus told him "Today you shall be with me in Paradise" (the holding place for the righteous dead).
 
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Job8

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Maybe I didn't make myself clear, sorry. I meant that this person would not be baptised, does that make them non-christian in the above conditions ?
Baptism is important, but it does not produce the New Birth (as some believe). See John 1:12,13 for the basis of the New Birth (as well as other passages). CHRISTIAN = CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY.

If a person cannot be baptized for legitimate reasons, God takes that into account. The primary thing is a personal relationship with Christ (Rev 3:20), which means that the Holy Spirit dwells within as a gift from God (Acts 2:38) and the sinner has eternal life (Rom 6:23).

But there is nothing to stop a believer from praying that God will make it possible for water baptism to be administered sooner than later. With God nothing is impossible.
 
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MWood

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A film I just watched made me think: If a person lives in a country where Christians are punished for their faith by death and finds truth in the Holy Scriptures, loves Jesus Christ and prays to Him for forgiveness but does not tell anyone about this for fear of their life, is this person a Christian? Would you accept this person as Christian?
Thanks and God bless.

You will know them by their fruits.
There is only one baptism. The baptism by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ. Water is not needed. Eph.4:4-6.
There is another verse that says it better than this one.
But my forgetter works better than my memberer.
A 'lil help please?
 
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Job8

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There is only one baptism. The baptism by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ. Water is not needed. Eph.4:4-6.
Unless we keep Scriptures in context, we will arrive at such false conclusions.

Water baptism is still necessary as an act of obedience (Acts 2:38, and many other passages). The baptism by the Holy Spirit does not cancel water baptism at all (Rom 6:3-5).
 
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revrobor

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Unless we keep Scriptures in context, we will arrive at such false conclusions.

Water baptism is still necessary as an act of obedience (Acts 2:38, and many other passages). The baptism by the Holy Spirit does not cancel water baptism at all (Rom 6:3-5).

As an act of obedience yes, but NOT as an act of salvation.
 
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Inkachu

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A film I just watched made me think: If a person lives in a country where Christians are punished for their faith by death and finds truth in the Holy Scriptures, loves Jesus Christ and prays to Him for forgiveness but does not tell anyone about this for fear of their life, is this person a Christian? Would you accept this person as Christian?
Thanks and God bless.

Of course. A Christian is one who follows and trusts Christ as their Savior. BTW baptism can be done by any fellow Christian, it does not have to be a big, public ceremony.
 
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dragongunner

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Unless we keep Scriptures in context, we will arrive at such false conclusions.

Water baptism is still necessary as an act of obedience (Acts 2:38, and many other passages). The baptism by the Holy Spirit does not cancel water baptism at all (Rom 6:3-5).


Agree. All to often I run into people who say you don't need baptism, its not required, it doesn't save you……when you come to this point I usually see a rebelious spirit not yet willing to be fully obedient to the word of God, notice also what Peter who was the one who followed Christ example and commandment in Acts 2:38, who also said,

1 Peter 3:20-21 (KJV)

20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
 
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Job8

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I'm of the opinion that baptism is necessary to be a christian. Jesus himself was baptised. John 3:5, "Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
"Water" here is metaphorical for the Word of God (Eph 5:26) and in this context it would apply to the Gospel (1 Pet 1:23; Jas 1:18). It is through the Gospel that faith is generated in Christ (Rom 10:17) and it is the Gospel which is the power of God unto salvation (Rom 1:16).

Christ was baptized "to fulfil all righteousness" (Mt 3:15), but it is only the blood of Christ which can wash away sins (Rev 1:5). And John's baptism was not the same as Christian baptism (Mt 28:18-20).

At the same time, water baptism is a commandment of Christ (Acts 10:48) so it cannot be treated lightly, always keeping in mind that we are saved by grace through faith, and salvation is not of works (Eph 2:8,9). There are many who teach that water baptism saves, but that is not true.
 
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