Water Baptism is ESSENTIAL to salvation!

galen · Ferret Joined: 22 May 2005 Posts: 115 Location: Maine

A wonderful detailed explanation is here:

http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=114

It it titled:

What is True Baptism?

hat lady · Tadpole Joined: 30 Jun 2008 Posts: 20

Have you considered that in Acts 10:34-48 Cornelius and his whole household believed and were saved and the Holy Spirit fell on them before Peter had a chance to Baptize them? We can't undo what scripture records. How about Acts 19:1-7 where the evidence of being saved, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit did not happen when they got baptized by Paul, it happened after he baptized them when he layed hands on them. How about Acts 8:4-17, Philip had preached and many believed and were baptized in the name of Jesus but the Holy Spirit did not enter into any of them until Peter and John came down from Jerusalem and laid hands on them. And then there is Ephesians 1:13 which says that as soon as you hear the message of the gospel and believe the Holy Spirit enters in it does not say that the Holy Spirit enters in when you get baptized. Then there is John the Baptist who said, I baptize with water, but one greater than me will baptize with the Holy Spirit. We are baptized into salvation by the Holy Spirit not by water, water is just a symbol which we obediently do in order to obey Christ, this is true because Jesus did not baptize by water He baptized by the Holy Spirit. Salvation by water baptism is the legacy of John the Baptist, not Jesus. God Bless

Zathrus · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:04 am Post subject:

Excellent points, hat lady!
It seems that rather than work through some formula, God saves and fills with His Spirit all who call on Him. There isn't a formula with steps that must be done in a specific order for it to work.