M
Should this person be baptized?
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So you wouldn't baptize the Ethiopian eunuch from Acts 8? Phillip preached Jesus to him and told him he needed to believe with all his heart in order to be baptized and that is when he responded that he believed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. It is implied that Phillip gave him all the information he needed, including that Jesus is God with us, Emmanuel, in order to believe and be born again and that he did believe it with all his heart because Phillip did baptize him.
Realize also that the Bible says in 1 John 4:15 that "whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him and he abides in God." Since we interpret Bible passages with other Bible passages that clearly state who Jesus is such as those from John 1 and from John 8, it is also implied that those who have God abiding in them who confess Jesus is the Son of God believe all that is needed to be born again.
Acts 8:34-38
[SUP]34 [/SUP]So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” [SUP]35 [/SUP]Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. [SUP]36 [/SUP]Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”
[SUP]37 [/SUP]Then 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.”
[SUP]38 [/SUP]So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
[h=1]1 John 4:15
[SUP]15 [/SUP]Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
John 1:1-2
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.[SUP]2 [/SUP]He was in the beginning with God.[/h]John 8:58
[SUP]58 [/SUP]Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
Maggie Mye, how do we explain that the Ethiopian eunuch from Acts 8 was baptized by Phillip if the only information we have is that he said he believed Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Again, would you have told him no if he had asked you to baptize him?
Pretty much everything all here are saying is true..............just that we are only given a certain amount of information concerning the guy in Acts, Chapter 8.............and people tend to not carry to the fullest what information is being given.
For me the key here is that he was told (paraphrasing all of this) if he believed with ALL of his HEART that Jesus is who He said He is, that he could be baptized.
Now, to get to the spiritual/heart thingy POINT of being able to CONFESS the Name of Jesus in such a heartfelt way must needs be comes from having recognized ones sinful life/heart AND the need for Jesus to cleanse one of such a life/heart. In so doing, one is actually confessing/repenting and professing..............
Now, did Luke go into great detail about all of this? No, not really............however the KEY remains "if you believe WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART............"
anyway................just saying
For me the key here is that he was told (paraphrasing all of this) if he believed with ALL of his HEART that Jesus is who He said He is, that he could be baptized.
Now, to get to the spiritual/heart thingy POINT of being able to CONFESS the Name of Jesus in such a heartfelt way must needs be comes from having recognized ones sinful life/heart AND the need for Jesus to cleanse one of such a life/heart. In so doing, one is actually confessing/repenting and professing..............
Now, did Luke go into great detail about all of this? No, not really............however the KEY remains "if you believe WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART............"
anyway................just saying
When I got saved, I wanted to be baptized immediately. I knew from Baptist Sunday School as a child it was the right thing to do. But circumstances prevented me from being baptized, and it was 2 long years before it was the right time. My husband had been saved for many years, but always put off being baptized.
We were baptized together in a double tank, and just before, in our separate dressing rooms, we realized it was the right time for both of us, and we had an incredible peace. It was a very moving experience for both of us.
Scripturally I think anyone who believes should be baptized. However, my Baptist church demands a 6 week course for the pastor to determine if the people are really saved, and to give them a grounding in good doctrine. I can see his point about
wanting to see if they are saved, particularly the young people who have been raised in the church, and may never have made a real commitment to Christ.
We were baptized together in a double tank, and just before, in our separate dressing rooms, we realized it was the right time for both of us, and we had an incredible peace. It was a very moving experience for both of us.
Scripturally I think anyone who believes should be baptized. However, my Baptist church demands a 6 week course for the pastor to determine if the people are really saved, and to give them a grounding in good doctrine. I can see his point about
wanting to see if they are saved, particularly the young people who have been raised in the church, and may never have made a real commitment to Christ.
Do you know what so many overlook in the story of the Ethiopian Eunuch?
Philip was prompted by the Holy Spirit to go to him. God knew his heart was ready to repent, not just say 'I believe'.
Using this story as a legal doctrine to say, "all I have to do is believe in Jesus" is incorrect. Since the Holy Spirit was leading on both ends, it is implied the eunuch's heart was truly changed.
A person needs to be instructed to repent of their sins, as well as accept (not just believe) Jesus as their personal Savior & Lord of their lives before being baptized.
Matthew 3:2 (KJV) [SUP]2 [/SUP]And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 4:17 (KJV) [SUP]17 [/SUP]From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mark 1:15 (KJV) [SUP]15 [/SUP]And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Mark 6:12 (KJV) [SUP]12 [/SUP]And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
Luke 13:3 (KJV) [SUP]3 [/SUP]I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luke 13:5 (KJV) [SUP]5 [/SUP]I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Acts 2:38 (KJV) [SUP]38 [/SUP]Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 3:19 (KJV) [SUP]19 [/SUP]Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 17:30 (KJV) [SUP]30 [/SUP]And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
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Brother Stephen...........how exactly does one "believeth WITH ALL THEIR HEART in Jesus Christ" and NOT [through that faith/belief] repent? How can one possibly "believe WITH ALL THEIR HEART" before repentance?
See, to me, Luke's account here surely is in keeping with the very words of Jesus found in John 3:16...........
(BTW........I surely agree with the Scriptures you quoted........just think that in his heart, this guy fulfilled them)
Dear Sister in Christ...............There isn't any Biblical support that I am aware of that gives a Pastor, congregation, church the right to place "conditions" on an individuals desire to be baptized................so, I would not have dealings with that church. I don't see where Jesus required anyone to take a "6 week course" before His precious blood cleansed them............just saying.
See, to me, Luke's account here surely is in keeping with the very words of Jesus found in John 3:16...........
(BTW........I surely agree with the Scriptures you quoted........just think that in his heart, this guy fulfilled them)
Dear Sister in Christ...............There isn't any Biblical support that I am aware of that gives a Pastor, congregation, church the right to place "conditions" on an individuals desire to be baptized................so, I would not have dealings with that church. I don't see where Jesus required anyone to take a "6 week course" before His precious blood cleansed them............just saying.
You do realize that the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:3 that "no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit" so if someone says that Jesus is Lord and, yes, they have repented, don't we really have to take their word for it? Note that in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Also, in Acts 16 the jailer asked what he must do to be saved and Paul and Silas answered him by saying, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” "Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house" and he and his household believed in Jesus and they were baptized right away." So, yes, believing in Jesus is enough and but it is important that people recognize that they are sinners who need a Savior in the first place so, I am sure, that in both the Eunuch's situation and the jailer and his household's situation as well, that the word of the Lord that was spoken to them included telling them all that was needed for them to believe in Jesus and that they took it to heart.
But if the eunuch and the Jailer and his household walked into some current churches and told them that they were told the word and believed it with all their hearts and that those churches would not baptize them if they didn't say the formula that those churches use such as, "have you surrendered your life to Christ? Have you made Him your personal Lord and Savior? and do you promise to follow Him for the rest of your life?" Notice the theme in this is have you done this, have you done that, and do you promise but I have noticed that in those same churches they barely mention in passing what Jesus did to take away our sins on the cross and His rising again on the third say and some don't even mention what He did to save us at all.
K
Kerry
Guest
How can anyone deny a person that request to be baptized. We cannot see the heart nor do we know whats going on inside. I would rather baptize someone who is just going through the motions than to deny someone who is true at heart. By doing this you are saying I am the Judge and not God.
John 3:16 does not say, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever accepts Jesus as their personal Savior & Lord of their lives should not perish but have everlasting life" but instead it says whoever believes has everlasting life. Also, from Acts 16, the Bible does not say, "that if you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior you will be saved," but instead it says, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved."
So yes believing in Jesus is enough to be saved as that is what the Bible says but doing so implies that Jesus is Lord and we are not, that we know who He is, the one and only Son of God, Emmanuel, 'God with us,' and that we have faith in what He did to save us by His dying on the cross to take away our sins and faith in that He rose again on the third day.
M