Dear Isaiah,
Thanks for your in-depth response. You were very thorough with it, and helped me, and all who read, understand your stance. I have a lot to comment on your response and will not be able to get to all of it today. I will start from the beginning and work my way through your comments.
I want to thank you for including the old testament in your response, i do not know much of the old law, but what you had to say I found very interesting. I also like how you talked about the institutions of God, and when God asks something of us, he excepts nothing short of it.
Now like i said before, I don't know a lot about the old law, but what has been taught by the apostles for the last 2000 years is due to Adam and Eves fall in the garden, every man is born with original sin. And before Our Lord had came to the earth to die, and be the ultimate sacrifice, the gates of heaven were not yet opened. When Our Lord died on the cross, the gates of heaven were opened, thus providing a chance that man kind could get to heaven. This does not mean everyone.
(John 3:3-7) "Jesus answered and said to him: Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith to him: How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time in to his mother's womb and be born again? Jesus answered: Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter in to the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh: and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Wonder not that I said to thee: You must be born again." This is a very straight forward commandment by Our Lord and from a conservative view, this must be done for the sake of our salvation. Now what does he mean? It is quiet obvious, and thus been preached for almost 2000 years that he is speaking of baptism.
So because of what Our Lord says in this scripture we KNOW, with out a doubt, that we must pursue getting baptized. This is an institution of God. And later on in that chapter it talks about the disciples going and baptizing in verse 23 through 25. This is something that we should not take lightly because if we do not follow, we are in danger of not entering the kingdom of heaven and thus going to hell.
We also know that we need to believe in Our Lord Jesus, and that he is the son of God(John 3:16), but we should not be so eager to dismiss baptism because of how Our Lord spoke."Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, He cannot enter in to the kingdom of God". "Wonder not that I said to thee: You must be born again." After reading this, we understand now that we must believe, and be baptized, Not just one or the other, but both.
The disciples were also very persistent in baptizing converts due to the necessity.
-(Acts 8:12-13) "12 But when they had believed Philip preaching of the kingdom of God, in the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Then Simon himself believed also and, being baptized, he adhered to Philip. And being astonished, wondered to see the signs and exceeding great miracles which were done."
-(Acts 8:37-38) "37 And Philip said: If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answering, said: I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still. And they went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch. And he baptized him.
-(Acts 9:18) "And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales: and he received his sight. And rising up, he was baptized."
-(Acts 10:48) "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then they desired him to tarry with them some days."
-(Acts 22:16) "And now why tarriest thou? Rise up and be baptized and wash away thy sins, invoking his name."
So what does Baptizing do? When the acknowledgement of Our Lord as God is made(John 3:16), we are then commanded to be baptized(John 3:3), thus washing away the original sin from Adam and Eve, making our souls pure before God.
Now I think you might have miss understood me, or maybe you are clarifying for all that read, when we are talking about works. I hope to make myself very clear so their is no confusion. After reading your posts, I realized i need to be a little clear in some areas.
When it comes to any human acts that glorify God, its credit should all be given to God. This is also true when we come across truth. When we are able to acknowledge Jesus as Lord, and that He did and does still reign, it is not because we have done great works for this, but because Our Lord has given us grace and revealed it to us. Thus a Gift. The action of believing with our free will could be seen as a work, but could not be accomplished without Gods grace. Same goes with being baptized. No one can, on their own account, wish to be baptized. But with the gift of grace we are able to ACT on what has been given to us with our free will, creating a work that goes in line with our faith. Our works are our faith. Believing and baptizing are works that are also faith. These are institutions of God.
In Christ the King
Jimmy
P.S. I would like to comment on tithing and how you spoke of bondage, but feel that it is another conversation for a later time. I think what have said about baptism and works, you may have questions about, and would love to answer some of yours.
