The confirmed Catholic is charged with communicating the faith by word and example. In the first century, everybody understood what baptism meant the New Testament events pretty much all happen in Jewish territory. Im sorry that you felt ridiculous. Let me know what you think. Have you trusted God with your life? I hope youll join me there. On the topic of baptism, you again pick and choose a few verses, but fail to include other verses that apply. They were commended for doing something that most people will not do today. Im NOT saying that the people in your church are wrong. We know that Jesus did not sin. Would you mind sharing the story about why you wanted to ask it? CARM (Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry). Therefore, I encourage all to delve into it deeper and as they do to ask God to open up their understanding and to bless them with true wisdom and enlightenment to His Word. Thank you so much for your replies! Christianity talks about being good, too (more on that below) but God doesnt bring us to Heaven because were good. I wasnt able to find any information on babies being born with none of their mothers DNA. They dont love me. Turns out my faith was strong enough to not need Him holding my hand all day, like I thought. He still has the body in which He was resurrected. Oh another occasion, I was watching my Television that was on the Wall and Light off , sitting on the edge of my Couch and a Figure appeared to me I seen something that looked like a Robe but the face and arms didnt show , my immediate response was Lord why did you scare me! I would definitely sing 19 songs, if thats what it took. I need answers on how to deal with this. Youre either running TO God or running FROM Godthe choice is yours. Salvation is both a here and now and a not yet kind of thing. Im against the distractions and confusion that come from his teaching. Its nice to meet youthanks for sharing your story. How do you know you have a relationship with god. >> Thanks Tony for taking the time to answer so many questions over the years. I got baptized for a selfish reason. You may have a hard time thinking of God as loving and caring and perfect, but Jesus didnt. Its that everybody Ive ever dealt with who has experiences like yours makes the same mistake. Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. Im now going to give you my best advicethe only advice I have. There's simply no such thing as a Christian who has faith and yet does not desire baptism, much in the same way as there is no such thing as a Christian . If baptism were needed for forgiveness of sins, there would be a whole bunch of other New Testament passages that make no sense. My dead twin sisters are my guardian angels. Like I said before, listen carefully then be like a Berean. He was an investigator, specializing in cold cases that nobody else could solve. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. I prayed for guidance, and heard nothing and things didnt seem to go well. On the other hand, one might suggest that any person who seeks God sincerely is, at the very least, being saved. The thief on the cross wasnt baptized, yet he was saved. I was so scares if we didnt go to heaven like what im hoping for.. Your sins have already been forgiven. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. I know this is a hard subject, but its important to think about this clearly. Have a great day! Theological problems inevitably lead to relationship problems with God, which is why I feel the need to caution you. If God thinks baptism important enough to command it, then we should do it. Hi Tony. So he called to him, Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire. But Abraham replied, Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. You might have said to a friend, I read this guys blog the other day. Thats a relationship, but its not much. i choose cremation due to cost and i dont want this body of mine for worm food. Failure to baptize infants is a deprivation. We have been instructed, by Jesus Himself, to be baptized. There is no checklist. Our churches would be vibrant, godly and convincing the world that we are His disciples (John 13:34-35). Jesus will, as we read in Matthew, judge everybody in the future. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Many of those might think that if a person is baptized as a child, it is not a real baptism. So we must believe upon Jesus, but then we are commanded to repent-the old man dies out, be baptized-going under the blood having our sins washed away, then filled with the Holy Ghost-ressurecting in Newness of life.. You must put line upon line, and precept upon precept.. Is god unhappy with me for not being baptized? For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 1. Write about anything you like on your own individual blog. We all want to be loved, and accepted, and taken care of, and cherished, and valued. No, what Jesus said in Matthew 25 has not all been accomplished. First, we must repent of our sins (Yes, Jesus paid for our sins, yet, we are still born in sin). Imagine if EVERY Christian lived out Matthew 28:19 and taught other would-be Christians this truth as we walked with each other in life. When you finish a Rob Bell book, do you feel more informed or more unsure? Baptism typically accompanies repentance and salvation, but it's not a requirement to be saved and go to Heaven. Im very confused. Hes not that at all. And do i get cremated or is that wrong? First, dont be afraid to ask them to see you get baptized. Trust God. Did you catch that? than man on the cross was not baptis and he went to heaven. I hope youll write back and let me know. Being a Christian does not mean that we need to get water baptized. I dont like to steal, I forbid myself of stealing. If thats the case, then Jesus didnt actually die for your sinsdid He? If He says more to you, good. What happens if you never get baptized? I could go on and on. He says Baptism should be in jesus name and we say it should be in the father,son,holy spirit. I loved my Grandpas, and I hope theyre in Heaven when I get there. I love confrontation, if theres a good chance it will make things better. Its an interesting question. Im also not trying to call anyone out. Bible says, If we didnt get the holyspirit annointing, we cant go heaven. if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. Make disciples who make disciples who make disciples. If youll read the Parable of the Sheep and Goats the end of Matthew 25:31-46, youll see why I say that no one is in Heaven or Hell at this point. Ill use another passage to illustrate: If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. I was baptized in my Church when i was a baby where i was sprinkled with water on my face in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, yet in the Bible it says you can only be baptized as a grown up in water. I kept asking Ted a simple question: if Salem didnt repent and there was still no earthquake, would he admit on December 26 that he was wrong? Now, on to your question about cremation. Im not against Rob Bell. Reconciling with God is like that. Thats a good question! At no point could my friend conclude that he was simply not actually hearing from God. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this with you, Roger. After becoming a Christian, you should be baptizedbut not being baptized does not make you not a Christian. You may or may not be hearing directly from God. Baptism is just getting wetbut its getting wet in front of people to tell them you want to walk with them in faith. Meet with them regularly. Id love to hear that youve done that, so I can call you my brother. We know we have a relationship with God in exactly the same way we know we have a relationship with anyone! We believe. The Father sent the Son. Baptism is only performed once and can never be done again. What youve written so far is largely tradition and not Scriptural at all. I appreciate your honesty. ), Is there any good way to explain it, or understand it better? I write this because I hope you will listen, and consider what I say, and possibly be spared great difficulty. When you find such a place, ask them when you can be baptizedand then do it. Of course, its pretty dumb. Im very happy to hear that youve taken control with regard to porn and your thoughts. Everyone who has not been baptized by Jesus is NOT saved, and will not go to Heaven. I am not baptized but I am not afraid of Judgment day. Yes I do agree many still do not agree with each other on what happens to your your spirit when you die, which I accept, we will only know the day we die, that is how I feel. In Matthew 25 we read that Jesus speaks of the resurrection of the dead: When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. Its available to everyone, at any time. Don't be baptized for a "fresh start." Only by coming to Jesus' cross and empty tomb and believing in him, the life-giving and death-defying Savior, can you find a new life. Because, as that verse teaches us, all died when Jesus died for us, the problem of sin is no longer a concern in our lives. Every Christian should be baptized. There were many years where I didnt have that confidence as well. I welcome it. Those who believe in baptismal regeneration are focused on Johns baptismthe baptism that signifies to the community of faith that one has chosen to join them. Why do you and I rebel against God? It sounds to me like youve decided to make up your own religion. Its easy to see Gods negative side in the Old Testament, with things like the flood, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the ground swallowing up a bunch of Israelites. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. If God is just (or fair), how can He not accept people just because they have the wrong information? In ancient Israel, baptism was a public ceremony where a person was dunked in a MIKVEH. He had asked his father to remove the cup from him if it was possible and God refused, Jesus was the only son with whom God was well pleased and he was refused his request. That would mean that Jesus did NOT take the punishment for our sins on Himself. What Does Synod Mean In The Catholic Church? At the resurrection, we will rise bodily from the grave, just as Jesus did. It could backfire and hurt your relationship, rather than make anything better. Serve God in all you do, and you can learn what you were created for. Being baptized does not make you a Christian. There are several things Id like to suggest. The Code of Canon Law states:. God knows that we cant be all that we should be without His help, so He offers His help. 2) Was/Is it too late for me to be saved? You are born again. Repentance and baptism went hand in hand. Later, he concluded that the vision was a test from God intended to help him grow. It sounds to me like you were probably saved, or at least that you were in process. Honestly, I wouldnt spend a lot of time debating the idea with anyone, including myself. I hope youre not offended by it: youre climbing into Gods lap so you can reach up and slap His face. Sometimes you have to wait for things to change, but you never have to wait to be faithful to God. While Adam and Eve sinned, Jesus did not. Im talking about growing closer to God by plugging into a healthy local church. I personally know many (many, many) who thought for years that they were saved, only to find later that they had never really understood the gospel at all. The subtle but significant difference between the indwelling and outpouring of the Holy Spirit which can cause confusion as to what is happening at water baptism which now gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit. The remaining sins follow the same pattern as the first sin. This is a requirement for entry into the kingdom of heaven. I never knew how wicked, and how bad I was until now. Ask! Read Romans 10:9 If you believe that Jesus died for us all and rose on the third day, thought shall be saved. I just have to wait and see! I also asked my college theology professor that question and his response was that Jesus made everything clean again. In Matthew 17 we see Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus on a mountaintop, in front of Peter, James, and John. Accepting the fact that God is God and we are not, and taking advantage of His invitation to be loved and protected and nurtured and accepted and taught by Him means that we are not alone in this life, and that we will spend eternity in relationship with Him by choice and that will be wonderful. In the middle east, they understand what a disciple is. I have a question for you, Debbie. You had to buy their tickets, at their prices, and you had to show up during the hours when they were open or you would remain in the parking lot all by yourself. 1 Timothy says it like this I Timothy 3:16 God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory. Im happy to have been even a little bit helpful. I recently dreamed of it 2 nights ago and I went further then I usually do and I woke up fearless I actually cried . Thats life. Instead, God took the first step. You cant be spiritually mature if you dont know what God has said about being spiritually mature! You did more for me with your signing of the check analogy than they did. Thats not to say that you cant be baptized at home, of course. My grandsons were murdered 16 and 14 stabbed to death and burned this year so very hard for our family .They werent baptized but they did believe in Jesus and know what he stood for they werent raised in church .They came from a 1 parent family They were good boys but they were hanging with the wrong crowd .I feel in my heart they are in heaven .The other night I was laying in bed and I know I saw Larry the 14 year old looking around the corner at me I miss them they were my only grandsonvi feel lost empty sad depressed but I keep going wondering why did such a terrible thing happen to these two your boys it still feels like a dream. She cant get it wet. I got baptized because I was scared to go to hell and thought I had to do it to be saved.. This life IS good, and you should work hard to enjoy all that God has made. What I see is a reframing of Christianity, a challenge to orthodoxy, and doubts about whether sincere believers have understood what Jesus really meant. What Ive read is pretty squishy. Thats a beautiful thing, Mer! Its in the New Testament. Again, this is a moot point. Because: following Jesus means that we know what He taught, and we do it. God loves you, and will make sure that you get there. Its pretty awesome, I must say. Again, Im afraid that someone (or many someones) has led you astray. That doesnt mean you have to go to church every time the doors open it means dont give up. Im stuck with a dilemma where i read something in an article, ive been water baptized, but no hands were laid on me to receive the Holy Spirit. I always work to be better. Yeah, my son (12) hasn't been baptised yet. Blessings. If you belong to God, judgement day will be pretty cool. This is modalism, as I outline below and its unbiblical. Hebrews 4:15 says For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. When in the Old Testament it says not to. No need to baptised by the holyspirit. >> The problem is new theology or beliefs that get away from the traditions taught. The only decision to make here is whether to look for, and live by, the truth. GodWords, 2.What happens if you dont get baptized? Its not a spiritual act by itself, and it produces no spiritual change in our hearts. When the son ran out of money and was ashamed of himself, he went home. Still, its better to be safe than sorry with regard to choosing a faith community. Peter is called to Cornelius house, and is given a vision that tells him that Gentiles can be Christians too. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. One can be an apologist for anythingmaking a case for something isnt a religious endeavor. You may be better off if you try to figure out what that point might be. Tony can you explain reconciled to God ? After doing my homework, I can say without doubt that the Bibles we have now are very reliable. Jesus already told us that no one goes to the father except through me JOHN 14:6 He is the way the truth and the life. Im not going to pretend to know something that other people dont. I talked to god, and I was with other Christians who had prayed, and taught me to pray. You are free to be baptized if you wish, but it could mean a lot to not be baptized against their wishes, or behind their backs. God bless.. Also, one more point I like to make, if all we had to do was believe in Jesus to go to heaven, then satan would be going to heaven too, because the Bible clearly states in James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the DEVILS ALSO believe, and tremble. I thought that Jesus was a piece of him in human form but not him entirely. You can contact me directly if you want to be more personal. Heres what Paul wrote about that in 2 Corinthians 5:14-6:1: For Christs love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. Your question is whether a believer who isnt baptized can go to Heaven. What youve written gives me clues to some of those misunderstandings. Do you write them off as unspiritual? You may be tempted, because you know that people need to trust God, to move forward as soon and as quickly as you can. He was explaining the difference between following human traditions, which focus on external things, and following God, who looks at our hearts to see the truth. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. To me, Rob Bell may indeed be a false teacher. Closely following Mormonism or Catholicism will not save anyone. Be patient, little sister. However the bible also surports your soul going on to heaven immediately. When you sin, talk to God about it. Our job is to do what we think God asks us to do, even if others dont get it. I just didnt go today. Have a great day! Thats not at all what Jesus taught. Jesus died to demonstrate Gods love for us. Because of this, there is no disagreement between them. Ancient Jewish converts and early Christians were baptized for the same reason: to tell the faith community that they a) have come to share their faith, and b) wish to join their community and live out their faith together. What I dont like is music that makes me feel bad, and some songs do that to me. Does that make sense? Yes, I do believe in the trinity. There are no private baptisms in Scripture for that reason. Hebrews 10:4, I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! Im not saying youre only reading one verse but I am saying that there are a bunch of verses that you may not be considering here. I've been a Christian my whole life, and I got "sprinkled" as a kid, but it didn't mean a whole to me once I became an adult. >> What defines an action as wrong in the eyes of god? - GodWords. The temptation is to examine your experience, to try to extract its meaning, and then to proclaim to the world what they need to change to be right with God. Wait until you are 100% certain, until your godly friends confirm for you that you seem to understand this situation properly, and until there are no more questions to answer. They idolize material wealth, success, and abstinence from sin (regardless of whether or not it is actually sin). He wasnt a Christian, by the wayHe was a Jehovahs Witness, which is an offshoot of Christianity that denies that Jesus is God. Romans 10:9-10. Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. They will encourage you, support you, and help you when you need it. In the meantime, Im praying for youasking God to make Himself clear to you. We dont want anybody left out. In all I want to be me and do my own Christian thing as well spreading the word of christ. Does that make sense? Obey your parents, young one. Its Christians. I know none of the stuff is demonic because they (BTS) spreads messages about self-love and self acceptance. Thats a common traditional thought in the modern world. Jesus forgave sins without baptizing people. He came to earth as a human, taught us to love unselfishly, to sacrifice for others, to be honest and fair and humble and kind. I have to die to show my faith! So you want to grow in Christ, yes? Jesus told this story to show us what God is like. Rock, rap, blues, easy listeningyou name it. I wish no parent had to suffer in this way. Your confusion is absolutely natural, of course. Not like being healthy and rich, but like being joyful and satisfied and turning into the person you were created to become. Thanks! Im very glad that you came to visit my website. Alex made up his story, and later admitted that he had lied to the world about it. What happens after were born again? When were born again, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in each of us. Youre borrowing those ideas from Christianity, but dont seem interested in the rest of the story. I started listening to a great many sermons and began meeting with a Biblical counselor. The same is true of God, Son and Holy Ghost (John 14:26 But the Comforter, which IS the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in MY name..). Everything that happens each day is because Christ already laid it out before the foundation of the world. After you read it, please come back and let me know whether you still believe that one must be baptized to be saved. That gracious act is only half of the equation, though. If you dont have a community of faith, let me encourage you to find one. If it were important, it would be in there. 4.what happens if im not baptized ? In the course of my childhood through early teen years I must have made 4 professions and been baptized as many times, but still doubt remained. And while we see plenty of baptisms in scripture, we never see in a recorded place that any of the Apostles were ever baptized. Take a deep breath, ask God for help, trade some of the less-important things in your week for some more important things, like finding biblical answers to your questions, like singing songs that inspire you and help you grow, like finding someone else who needs your help and friendship, and spending one-on-one time with God. Jesus DID ask His Father to remove the cup from Him. The Holy Spirit brought me to your message because I was reading this page and decided to say a prayer but was a little confused while praying because I was not sure if they are one. Im telling you to be aware that some in your church may sound wise and mature but still be spiritual infants. Augustine developed the Christian theory of original sin, which asserts that everyone is born in a sinful state. Jesus DID endure a horrible beating and death on our behalf. disobedience and yet spiritual leaders and teachers say that God is forgiving. The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. As long as we dont pretend that our wishes are the truth, and tell others that they should believe as we do, I think were safe. I am not baptized yet and im not sure by which name i have to be baptized. Because #1 is true, and because #2 is true, then #3 is equally true: were you to sin by never being baptized, that would not send you to Hell. I believe so because my sistera favorite color was yellow and she always appears to another sister and I as a butterfly.. Its my understanding that God will never give up. Being together is a primary way we grow and become better followers of Jesus. They will want to see that youve joined them as their sister in Christ, and to celebrate that decision with you. You wouldnt usually repent and NOT be baptized. Its a safety thing, especially for kids. As long as your church has all of these important parts right: Yeah, thats probably it. Throughout the whole Bible, we see this kind of thing in the Old Testament there is no God except me and in the New Testament there is one God. Read His Word, pray often, and listen for Him as He leads you. Thanks! When you responded by seeking more information about Him, that changed the nature of your relationship. Sometimes, things can be very confusing. =), Do you believe in trinity? They all make me feel better. We need to see other people following Jesus well, to see how its done. You dont get to decide who gets in or stays out, do you? From the Nicene Creed: I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. The question is not what you like or dislike, Doug. Physical baptism is not what gets you into Heaven. But, I have a question: when the disciples asked Jesus if they should pray to him he replied, no you pray to the father. When I read it, it seems pretty scary. Maybe YOUR church sucks. When youve given it some thought, Id love to have you leave a comment there. That has nothing to do with reciting a particular prayer, or with being baptized. Jesus did indeed die for all sins, for all people, for all timethere are no sins that were not covered by His death, save one: failing to be reconciled to God before you die. We should not place our hope in our feelings, which may changewe should place our hope in Gods character, which He has revealed to us. Unfortunately, thats not necessarily good enough to convince anyone. If you have been baptized, chances are you are already plugged in at a church. We went to Disneyland a bunch of times. Id without a doubt donate to this fantastic blog! Gina, Thank you for that explanation. If He will accept them without baptism, He will accept you and me. Also, my grandson was born with all of his dads chromosomes and none of his mothersis that uncommon? I have a couple of thoughts. You can still show your faith in ways that your parents will appreciate, and you can be baptized later. All of this is unbelievably, incredibly, totally awesome. If you trust God with your life, you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. Still another kind seems centered around accomplishing a part of His plan. I was told before that sin was bad, but I still commuted it, as I forgot about the will of God. He wrote a book called love wins in which he questioned some of the views of hell and critics have just basically tore him apart for it and in some cases they have discouraged people from reading the book. Talk soon! Are we reading from the same book because if read as it is written my interpretation is that god does not forgive, Jesus forgives and holy ghost guides but God is wrathful angry destructive and demands perfection from an imperfect subject made by his own hands. I feel so bless to be connected to your site, it is a great help to the Christian community. Being reconciled with God is simple, but its not always easy. As you grow, youll begin to see that what you thought was a frustrating situation you couldnt wait to get out of was actually God, doing His thing, growing you and using you. Youre rightthe Bible never says that you cant be privately baptized. The baptized have "put on Christ." Through the Holy Spirit, Baptism is a bath that purifies, justifies, and sanctifies. Sometimes, its not obvious. Its another way to say that we trust God with our lives, which leads to being born again. The Bible was, is and always will be the infallible Word of God. Thats Jesus who is God. If youve been born again like Jesus says in John 3, then you and I are the church. Again, is it too late for me to be saved? We dont really know with certainty what happens, how it happens, or exactly when. Like Paul, I dont baptize. Youre awesome! Thats not how it works. What do I mean by that? I really appreciate it! God wants everybody to be with Him for eternity, because He loves everybody. I dont know if Ill see him in Heaven or not. But becoming baptized wont erase the sins youve already committed. The vast majority of Christian denominations hold that baptism is a one-time occurrence that cannot be reversed or repeated under any circumstances. This one is pretty easy. You can read them online anytime. Our bodies will be transformed at the coming of Jesus. Christianity itself has never been truly explained to me and Im afraid that if I dont do something soon it will be to late. However: it is wise to pay close attention to such criticisms. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. You make a good point, Gina. We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless! For me this includes my computer, and tv.