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Fast Fact - Necessity of Baptism |
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Defense of Baptismal Regeneration and Justification |
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The following verses demonstrate that Baptism is not merely a symbol that someone has already been saved through faith alone, but that it means by which God brings us into his family. (The hyperlinks will open an online NAS bible to the chapter referenced) Major Texts: Acts 2:38– "Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." John 3:3-7 – "Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again [Greek: born again or born from above] he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. "Do not be amazed that I said to you, `You must be born again.'" Acts 22:16– "`Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.'" Romans 6:3-7– "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed [Greek: justified] from sin." Col. 2:11-12– "…and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. Titus 3:5-7– "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." 1 Peter 3:20–"...who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water." Minor Texts: 1 Corinthians 6:11– "Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 10:1-2, 6– "For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea…Now these things happened as examples for us…" Galatians 3:27-29– "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise." Ezekiel 36:25-28– "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances." Jesus’ Baptism reveals what occurs in Baptism. God gives us the Holy Spirit and declares us to be his son – Matthew 3:16-17, Mark 1:9-13, Luke 3:21 (See CCC 536) Baptism incorporates us into Christ and into his body the Church. By it we are "born from above" and we are justified and sanctified by the grace of God. (CCC 536, 1262-1274) |
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www.HandsOnApologetics.com |
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