Baptism:
1. Commanded - Mark 16:15-17 "And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (NKJV)
2. Saves us - 1 Peter 3:21-22 "There is also an antitype which now saves us — baptism(not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ," (NKJV)
3. Puts one in Christ - Galatians 3:27 "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (NKJV)
4. Adds one to the Body - Acts 2:47 "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." (NKJV)
5. Washes away sin - Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (NKJV)
Acts 22:16 "'And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'" (NKJV)
6. Is when God works on you - Colossians 2:11-12 "In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead." (NKJV)
Baptism: I understand the following scripture as immersion (besides the very definition of baptism is immersion). I understand this because the scripture says "buried with Him" - I'm sure we all understand what a burial is.
Romans 6:3-11 "3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NKJV)
ALL scripture works together. If I try to read a book in part how am I to understand it's meaning? Also, I refuse to take a chance with my salvation.
Lea
"Baptism: I understand the following scripture as immersion (besides the very definition of baptism is immersion). I understand this because the scripture says "buried with Him" - I'm sure we all understand what a burial is."
The point of sacraments, rituals, is to bring to our minds (through the visible rituals) what God is doing invisibly behind the scenes. Our minds are supposed to call to mind what washing does for us - it cleanses us. That is what God is doing in Baptism. The Fathers (and Paul) see that water also destroys (the flood). So the old man dies through the water. The ritual allows us to participate in this invisible action of God in our lives. To do this in the best manner, we should be immersed! We should get soaked! However, IT IS NOT THE RITUAL ITSELF, BUT GOD, THAT IS DOING THE ACTION! We must remember that. The ritual is for our minds, our senses. The important thing is that it is God's action that cleanses us, not our imagination, the water, or our knowing what is going on. By completing the action perscribed by the Church, we become a child of God - whether by sprinkling or immersion. Immersion is the best way, but not absolutely necessary.
Regards
Thank you for using text chapter and verse and staying on topic. I am guessing by the passages you quoted (the same ones on my list) that you and I agree, at least to some extent. I believe, also that allscripture works together and that many topics, like this one, are misunderstood because of context eradication. Thank you again, Lea, for your insight and time to type all that in. david
Romans 6:3-11 "3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether Jew or greek, we have been made to drink of one spirit.....
Lets make the above easier to understand and see if it makes sense..
Romans 6:3-11 "3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into WATER were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into WATER, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
Somehow, this just does not convey the same meaning as the origional of one being crucified and burried with Christ