6118	Forums / Main Forum / Re: Denomination are you?	on: August 20, 2008, 07:16:43 PM
Quote from: billbennett on August 20, 2008, 05:11:38 PM A baptismal thread would be interesting, as long as we could begin with the premise that it is not necessary for salvation. Since baptism is symbolic of our identification with Christ's death and resurrection, it would seem that immersion would be the most vivid representation of this (lowering the candidate into the water symbolizing his death and raising one out of the water symbolizing his resurrection). Also, I never have understood infant baptism. NT baptism always seemed to come after (often immediately after) a person trusting in Christ. I am all for dedicating a baby/child to the Lord, both from the parents perspective and the church's as well. But this should not take the place of believer's baptism, IMO. Also believer's baptism is a great testimony to the family/friends of the new believer, a testimony by ceremony so to speak. Bill  Bill, I think one of the problems of being involved with these different kinds of physical dedications is that it is not necessarily a reflection of what is going on in the heart of a person. And although these things are important at the moment of time that it happens, yet salvation is mostly a focus of the transformation that is going on in an everyday paradigm. The thief on the cross > although the chances are small in the sense of normal means , yet it speaks of the causes. Its just like being a spiritual infant in sanctification and pointing back to when we were saved that defines who we presently are in Christ, rather than having a testimony of our growth by being transformed. What follows our growth is the amount of fresh understanding we have by that growth and all of the present causes of the use of the means the encourage others to grow in Him. So that our loving Jesus is a fresh love not lukewarm. Then our speech will be seasoned with salt, or we will have the encouragement of the Spirit to cause others to rejoice in Him with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Not only will it go from our lips but it will show itself in our writing as well." My heart have You pierced."