Well now. Let us start off this evening by allowing your very own quotation to bite you in the butt. "
"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you" (Deuteronomy 4:2)""
As I stated in my last post, 'baptism' and 'circumcision' are synonimous terms, both bearing an inference to 'cleansing' and 'sacrifice' but under different dispensations. If you cannot grasp that concept, then perhaps you should look a little deeper into your own soul, as opposed to attempting to deliver some pseudo intellectual interpretation of scripture while at the same time delivering a quotation with which makes you guilty of numerous crimes against God. I make that claim very adamantly due to the fact that you like the rest of us are in a human form, and are subject to the demands of the flesh unless you are leaning 100 % on the guidance of the Holy Spirit in every waking moment and through every action in which you involve your humanistic body. Based upon your quotation, have you been circumcised (not that I need to know, but only as a reference to this conversation)? Have you worshiped another god in the form of adhering to laws that were implemented by man as opposed to the Laws of God? Have you "kept the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you"? Search your own soul.
You also throw in another quote (from what source you do not disclose) "prove all things". Based upon your alleged knowledge of the Bible and the intent of the language of this Holy Scripture, then I likewise challenge you to "prove all things"... prove the existence of God. Prove the existence of Jesus the Christ. Remember, that was your quotation.
You are free to believe as you so desire. I am not here to attempt to change your beliefs. If you believe that baptism of children is not authorized by the Scripture or that there is no similitude between baptism and circumcision, then so be it; that is your belief. Hang on to it. On the same token, don't attempt to dispute the belief system of another by quoting a scripture that immediately condemns you of greater wrong. If you desire to not have your children baptized, then so be it. It is not my children that you are dealing with. My children were baptized prior to reaching that age of consent (either Biblically or under secular chronology of age). My children also bear a great desire to know God and to walk close to Him in their daily lives.
Now on a final note. If these children, not yet having attained an age of consent, were to die prior to being capable of giving such consent to be baptized, what will happen to their souls upon their demise? They have not yet been 'born again' by means of baptism. Then surely they must be condemned to hell for not having surrendered their all to God. Somehow, I remember reading somewhere in the Bible, that as parents we are responsible for the welfare of the children that God has put in our trust. This would make us the trustee for those children. What happens to the trustee that fails to abide by the demands of the office he/she holds in regard to the trust?
Have a nice evening.
Jerry Carlos
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Mark
Forgive me if this is off subject. I don't me to derail this thread, but I just would like to respond to Jerry's theory.
We are not talking about circumcision here. An act hat required no decision from the child (ouch!).
Jerry, you still have not shown scripturally where we are commanded to baptize an infant. Which actually, is an impossibility. For baptism requires a conscious decision--a pledge from the one being baptized. Tell me, how can a infant accomplish such a thing. And where did you get the notion that baptism is symbolic of being washed in the blood of Christ. Sounds like nonsense to me. Scripture clearly states that baptism is symbolic of being buried--dieing (from the old self, the natural man/woman) and being raised up or born again (a new life, dedicated to a good conscience toward YHWY--a spiritual being). This requires a moral decision, an act, I believe, an infant is incapable of making. It cannot be anyone else's decision--parent's, brother's, sister's or neighbor's. “Prove all things...”
"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you" (Deuteronomy 4:2)
Peace
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