Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire How Old Were You When You Were Baptized?

67 in a horse trough in my driveway.

My views are very similar to Miss Lynn's. I was baptized by full immersion at the age of 13 in essentially, a Baptist church. Became a born-again Christian several years earlier.

I would agree. It is unfortunate that the Agency of God in giving faith and regenerating has been replaced by the agency of man.

HC
My observation of a narrow view of not based on study of world religion but rather the history of the Church and doctrine. The Trail of Blood is notoriously used by people who want to justify a narrow view. It is also notoriously laughed at by serious Baptist scholars.

The agency of God in baptism is something that was taught by the Apostles, post Apostolic Fathers, post post Apostolic Fathers, in the time of Augustine and forward to the Reformation. This isn’t a matter of opinion. It is a matter of historical fact.

Baptist theology, that from which modern Baptist denominations emerge, began in England in the 1640’s over one hundred years after the Reformation. They supposedly found new doctrine concerning Baptism, doctrine that had been missed for 1600 years. They argued from their present into antiquity. J M Carroll did the same thing. This is not the path to sound doctrine.

If you desire to stand where you do and place the agency of salvation and baptism on the shoulders of man as a choice that he makes you are obviously free to do so. I simply ask that you be honest enough to stop acting as though you are an authority on the subject. You have no ground to stand upon other than that which you have made.

Disclosure: Every comment that I have made on this thread is that of one who is learning and makes no overture as to having arrived.

The Jewish religious leaders were thoroughly educated, highly trained, and well versed in their religion. And they practiced a graceless and hypocritical religion. Jesus criticized them for it. This is what happens when championing religious education and religious training and religious rules and religious regulations becomes more important than the people that these things were designed to serve and benefit. With regard to the above, modern day Pharisees are the same as the Pharisees of Jesus’ day.

Don't remember...I was born very young.

Do you agree with Augustine on the doctrines of salvation? I've been quite open and have taught many places on this subject.

So far I only hear empty criticisms from you toward me. So what do you agree with the church "fathers" about baptism's role in salvation?

As an infant in accordance the lower-case "O" Christian orthodoxy.

I agree with Christ, the apostles and the traditions held and down through the reformation. From the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation God’s active agency in the salvation of man is never in question. Throughout the history of the church, Genesis through Revelation, beginning in the Garden, mankind’s repeated mistake is to take that agency and work of God upon themselves. It is our default reaction. Well meaning Christians take this route all too often.

13 Since then, I've felt His presence when having close calls with danger.

Jesus thought less of man-made ‘traditions’ of doctrine and obedience than either the Pharisees of His day, or the modern day Pharisees of today.

And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?... you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. - Matthew 15:3-4

Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.

They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.”

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions....You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!... you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. - Mark 7:6-13

By definition a Pharisee is one who follows rules, liberal or conservative, as a means of earning God’s favor and salvation.

ALL denominations within Christianity follow traditions. All are liturgical in that all follow an order of service be it high order or low order.

The definition of Pharisee does not apply as you are using it. Neither does your definition equate needless tradition that is extra Biblical to traditions that are sound examples of Christian orthodoxy.

Tough to beat a good baptism thread.

Well that ain’t the way that Jesus saw them. He didn’t just call em’ hypocrites, He also called em’ vipers, and whitewashed tombs...which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. Meaning that they also outwardly appeared righteous to others (and themselves), but within they were full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Jesus’ opinion of the Pharisees was clearly different than yours is. No they don’t. Sayin’ it’s so doesn’t make it so. Man-made ‘traditions’ of doctrine and obedience, just like man-made creeds and catechisms, are clearly all important to some...while others choose to put their hope and salvation in the righteousness and resurrection of Jesus alone.
Yes it does. Jesus’ opinion of them...which He made very clear...is an opinion that I happen to share with Him. And it applies to the Pharisees of His day, and to the modern-day Pharisees of today. The history of the church is ripe with examples of ‘Christian orthodoxy’ that is extra Biblical to the Nth degree. If one chooses to live by man-made creeds and catechisms and man-made traditions of rules and regulations and doctrines and obedience...all man-made standards of holiness...that’s their prerogative. Others prerogative is to put their hope and salvation in the righteousness and resurrection of Jesus alone.

Idk, them threads ‘bout shavin’ your ballsack or schittin’ in Pelosi’s driveway or what kinda coffee pot do you like are all
right up there too.

"Baptize Me, John." Something about the Holy Sprite descending upon Him?

Amen Antlers,. ☕ 🙂 👍 Jesus put it best!



"But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear."
Matthew 13:16

21 years of age. I am now 62 & feel as good about it as the day it happened.

Wabigoon,

I appreciate your question. It shows that you have a sincere interest in our Lord's Word and this event concerning Him.
There was lots of truth packed into that event.
Although these are some brief highlights, you'll benefit most by reading this a few times to remember.

Matthew 3

"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14
But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15
And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
15
And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
16
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
--------------------------------
Baptism is taught by my former denomination as a "sacrament," which imparts grace to the one baptized, to have original sin washed away from babies among other things.
I do not agree with that teaching. As many things, the true teachings in the Bible often get changed by unbelievers to mean something different.
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for this as did the Apostles warn the churches. If it happened back then, it is certainly much worse today.

Did Jesus sin at any time?

Of course not. You've probably read dozens of verses proving this and doubtless agree.
Jesus is Righteous and without any sins.
Whereas man tries to justify himself before God with the sacraments, (good works), Jesus is the only One Who is righteous. He is the acceptable Sacrifice as a lamb without spot or blemish.

Did Jesus require the Pharisee Nicodemus to be baptized in order to be saved?
Read the first half of John 3 for the answer. I think you already did and sent it to me now to think of it.
Verse 16 ! 😄 👍

Here:
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-Chapter-3/
He told the man that he was already condemned and that he must believe on Him (Jesus). Verse 18

Now, back to Matthew 3.
Jesus came to fulfill the Father's will. One of those things that righteous Jesus did was to give the example of Himself demonstrating the death, the burial and the resurrection yet to come. This is one reason why I believe that this took place in a river.

When you lost your bull, your son in law probably did not sprinkle it or pour a little dirt on it did he?
He covered it completely.
A burial is under ground. This is demonstrated by immersion or dipping under the water. The word "baptism" actually means to submerge, immerse, dip under.

Since John was not washing away sins, then why did Jesus tell John the Baptist to do this?

He gave us a physical demonstration of what would happen to Him when He fulfilled the Father's will in being crucified, buried, and arisen.
When you stand upright in the water, it horizontally crosses your body. Jesus was nailed upon a cross.

When John laid Him backward, submerging him under water, He was pointing to Jesus' burial in the tomb upon His back.
When John lifted Him up out if the water, this represented resurrection!

Do you see how rich the meaning is?

Jesus wasn't saved by this act. Of course not.....Neither is anyone else.
It is an identification with our Savior's sacrifice in Whom we believe.
Is it for those who place their faith in the water?...No.
Is the gift of salvation given in exchange for our obedience,(good works), of being baptized?....No.
Does salvation = the Savior PLUS obedience to baptism?....NO.

Salvation is only through faith which is in Christ Jesus the crucified and risen Savior. Period. Exclamation point.

At the moment you quit trusting baptism or any other good work and trust Him alone, two things happen.
1. You are given the free gift if Everlasting life.
It never ends, even though you will sin afterwards. Why? God did not forgive us because of any of our plans to quit sinning. That should not even come to mind. He did so because of His Son's sacrifice. No adding to that.
What happens when we sin afterwards? Discipline happens to His new children upon our time on earth, but he doesn't through us into the fire afterwards. We have that gift forever....

2. We receive the Holy Spirit. One of the very few times in history that He becomes visible to man is in verse 16 above. At the moment of faith in the sacrificed Savior, demonstrated by Jesus in His baptism, the Holy Spirit lives in us. We do not see Him, nor feel this occur. We take it by faith that our body has become the temple of the Spirit of God.

Salvation requires no work on our part.
Walking with the Lord and for growth to occur after that requires consistent work. This distinction must be made in spite of the denominations and church leaderships disregard to do this.

Do you have any other questions about this subject? If you prefer to PM, do so any time.

Lastly, the Trinity is clearly shown and heard at the same time. We see the Son here, the Holy Spirit descend, and the Father speak so that John and the others could audibly hear Him.

"And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Hopefully, this study answered your question.

Best regards,

Happy Camper