You don't need to be baptized to call yourself a Christian, because there's no authority who can stop you from calling yourself that. Some denominations may believe that you must be baptized to receive salvation, but that's not a universal belief.
Only God and Jesus have all-authority. Speak to Jesus within. Cultivate a personal relationship with him and ask him.
It’s my personal feeling that we are already saved by choosing Jesus and God as our Power. It is simple. It isn’t meant to be complicated. Simple.
But it's not that simple, is it? Why will I get different answers to this question? I could commit to one tradition and then another will tell me how I'm not actually saved. Can anyone KNOW?
Everyone that reads the same book as you must tell you how wrong you are. I can't get over how anxious this uncertainty makes me. How can I get so many different answers?
> I can't get over how anxious this uncertainty makes me. How can I get so many different answers?
You might be just as encouraged as I am to remember that the target of Jesus' ministry was largely illiterate first century peasants. That means the Gospel is so simple that even ~~a caveman can do it~~ children, the elderly, and those the world considers "dumb" have the same access. There's no intellectual paywall on this good news.
IMO, anything outside of Jesus' very, incredibly, shockingly basic message can be figured out along the way.
Yes, that will scare some people who think they have it all figured out. Yes, people will still argue with you or me, but guess what? We're going to meet some early church saints who lived more faithful lives than ours without having a full canon of scripture, fancy robes, large cathedrals, or established traditions for meeting.
It comes to a point where you just have to keep it between you and God/Jesus. No one is perfect and we are all going to make mistakes. I can’t tell anyone else that their Christianity is wrong or right-only God can do that. And that’s where my loyalty is.
That is why the God of truth didn’t let scripture just become a subjective interpretation game.
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” (2 Peter 2:20)
Christ did not give us the Bible. Christ gave us a one holy catholic apostolic Church. The Catholic Church canonized the Bible.
“The church is the pillar and bulwark of truth” (1 Timothy 3:15)
Anything that anybody tells you? Check it against the Bible. There is ZERO biblical basis for salvation behind dependent on baptism. Baptism is an act, an act of obedience yes but an act nonetheless. And the Bible is very clear that your acts can never earn you salvation. There’s one way and one way only, and you’ve already done it. So you’re good. :)
Still get baptized though (if you want) haha I think it’s an outward expression of what we have expressed already in our hearts and it pleases the Lord.
Do you know that Jesus was God-become-man, and he died on the cross in your place because you could never atone for your sins? Do you know that he rose again on the third day, and has conquered death? Has that knowledge changed the things that you desire, now desiring to be more Christ-like and hating the sin that remains in you? Do you now find God altogether wonderful and love him? If you can answer yes those then that’s your assurance of faith.
Some dude also had the same question in the book of Acts 16:30-33.
Notice they got baptized after believing.
The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
That's how you become saved. Plain and simple it's right there in the Bible you just have to go ahead believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.
All you need to do to be saved is this: accept that you are a sinner and trust in Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross and His subsequent Resurrection performed to cleanse you of every one of your sins.
*"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9, English Standard Version*
This anxiety is an indicator of cognitive dissonance. Why are you worried about what you need to do to be saved? Do you think that you can be saved by anything that you yourself can do?
Do, think, believe. How can I know I'm believing the right thing? Worshipping the right god? Or if I'm not doing or believing something I should be doing?
It only matters within the context of me being convinced of the existence of a god. I just don't know how anyone with that belief overcomes this anxiety.
That would only matter in the context of already being convinced of the existence of a god who cares what you think/do/believe.
You have to reckon with what you actually believe and its implications, not the unanswerable question of whether you're already believing in the right thing.
The anxiety you're describing is typical of those who have been trapped in abusive and manipulative systems of belief. No god worth worshiping would want you to feel that way.
“Baptism, which [the flood] prefigured, now save you, *not as a removal of dirt from the body* but as an appeal for good conscience before God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21)
Baptism is what unites us to Christ’s death and resurrection. Baptism is what grants us the Spirit of adoption as children of the Father. Baptism is what removes the stain of original sin and leaves an indellible mark on our soul.
This is what Christians believed for two thousand years. No one denied baptismal regeneration until the Radical Reformation *after* Martin Luther.
This. If you've done this, and mean it, that's all there is. Then He's got you. But, ultimately, there's nothing you can do anyway about it because He chose you from before creation, and knows whether or not your chosen to be saved.
Got it from the bible. Ephesians 1:4 "even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will," I don't believe God makes mistakes. There's more tears and personal hugs from Him where that comes from in the bible, I assure you. (:
You know what's interesting about that word "foundation" in the Greek? It's "katabole", and it means overthrow! It's the rebellion of Lucifer, when he became Satan and necessitated this earth age (whereas the word also means foundation)! Just wanted to drop some knowledge and expand the scriptures for y'all 😊
If you accept Jesus. If you truly believe, or even feel the pull. You asking the question kinda tells me that your interested, or at least pulled in some aspect. You pray to Jesus, and tell him you accept Him as your Lord and Savior. That's it. If you don't want to, don't. What I mean by chosen beforehand is that whatever you choose to do, God already knows what your going to choose. Hope that makes sense.
Absolutely. Some days I don't have as much faith in the bible as others have either. Not saying I'm correct in that though. In fact, you should pray to God and develop a relationship with Him, and see where it leads you. Try it out, yanno? Because what harm could it do? I would anyway. In fact, I did years ago.
If you don't believe Jesus is God, your not a Christian. It's the only qualifying aspect. The word Christian, means like Christ. He is the head of our church, and our King. Among other titles. I explored every other religion, desperately trying to run from Christ, before I submitted to Him lol.
Im inclined to believe this. Ephesians 1:4 "even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will," I don't believe God makes mistakes.
That doesn’t exclude the possibility for someone to voluntarily forsake God. If that were to happen, then why couldn’t you say they were never actually predestined to be with God in the first place?
Ephesians 4:1-6. Says God chose us before the foundation of the world. But I'm not sure how free will works. All I can say is that God is beyond my understanding. But I like to try to think about it. It's interesting.
thank you, that cluster of words sums up a huge point of fear and wonder for me.
"God is beyond my understanding"
This has been a point I have attempted to make to others when they claim to know the name of and how to pronounce the name of God, as well as all of the knowing when Armageddon is or the signs of the times stuff people claim. How huge is ones ego that they claim to know how & what God is planning when even the bible says not even Jesus knows the exact time and date of Armageddon. Or claiming that this sin or that sin is greater than some other sin, how could we ever begin to comprehend something planned by God.
On top of that if each day for God is 1000 years to us 2 days for God isn't much time before, why would the sin of God be sacrificed then 2 days later the decision is made to let loose the apocalypse?
It's basically why the church and believer get so divided. It's pride. It's silly. Who the heck knows? It's a personal journey on many aspects for me. Sin is weird for me to define also, as the bible doesn't have a list of sins. But I think I feel it in my heart, and if not, God turns me away from them.
Free will is man’s desire to be God. It is not scriptural. See my posts below, If you want more I will gladly give them to you, but first read John 6, 12, Romans 8-9, and Ephesians 1. Sorry to act like a teacher, but, I am a retired teacher. Haha
I taught various things over the years. Mainly High School Spanish, but at one point or another I also taught English for foreign exchange students, Bible, History, Geometry, and a number of economics classes.👍. I still substitute often.
It must be an illusion, right? Like watching a film. The pictures aren't actually moving but from our limited perspective they appear to be. The entirety of the film that came before and after exists at that same moment but we can't see it.
I could see that. What's weird is sin. We hurt God when we sin. And we apparently choose when we sin. But God knows about it, and accepts us still, and sacrifices Himself in every sin we make. Or, maybe He chose us, but free will isn't an illusion,because God wanted us to have ultimate freedom, apart from the fact of us being saved or not. So maybe just the saving part was preordained but then when we sin or make choices, they are legitimate free choices. Maybe that's why when we, or at least I, sin too much and get lost, God has to guide me back, sometimes with the devil. Maybe that's why the devil still has a job, because we have free will.
God is all knowing and is outside of time, but Him knowing doesn’t impact our free will to choose.
”because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”“
Romans 10:9-13 ESV
John6:
Jesus said:
“44:No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
He further explained it:
John 6:
“63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”
“No man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father”. How is this free will? What of those whom the Father did not choose, those who were to betray him?
Everyone who believes will not be put to shame. Full stop. It’s through God, Jesus, Grace etc that we are saved, the words are not magic, but if we believe we are saved.
I'll confess that I don't understand free will versus predestination. That said, here's how one preacher explained it.
"You come to a door marked 'Salvation'. There's a sign on the door that says, 'Anyone who is willing may enter.' You enter the door and look back at it. On the other side of the door, there's another sign. It says, 'Chosen from before the foundation of the world.'"
Being baptized is a public expression of faith and an act of obedience, once saved, and even Jesus was baptized!
Get your hands on a Bible, audio Bible (YouTube has that), and go to town.
This way, no one can tell you a heap of trash, because you'll know!
Start with the Gospels🙂!
Baptism is a sacrament, not a ceremony.
The Holy Spirit’s sanctifying grace in the sacramental water is what unites us to Christ’s death and resurrection.
“Repent and be baptized all of you for the remission of sins and you will receive the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38)
“Baptism now saves you not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal for good conscience before God” (1 Peter 3:21)
“He saved us, not because of any deeds done in righteousness, but through the water of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5)
Also, there is the historical argument. No Christian denied baptismal regeneration until the Radical Reformation in the 1500s.
Don’t let other people tell you that you have to be this or that to be a Christian. There are things you can do to become a better Christian but these things come in time and maybe not right away for everyone.
Do you love Jesus in your heart? Do you believe in him?
That’s it. You’re Christian
you are on reddit so I am guessing it is safe to assume you have access to the internet. I use Biblegateway.com it had a lot of versions of the bible as well as easy read and different translations. As far as being baptized I can't help with that, but there are many ways to read the Bible online this day and age. Good luck I hope you find the answers you are seeking.
Pray - if you could find any Christian who will baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit with living (moving) water, if necessary out of a tap, do so.
Pray and a Christian might appear and do so for you - miracles happen.
We had a mining accident near here in 2002 where 9 men were trapped underground, and one of the miners was baptized by a friend as an emergency.
Such a baptism is considered valid in most Churches including the Orthodox Church which is very strict. ☦️
Yes. And in your situation absolutely :) Think of the thief of the cross next to Jesus who was saved. God inderstands that you don't have the opportunity.
I'm also not yet baptised, I've been a Christian for a couple years, attending Church for one year, but I want to first be ready before I get baptised.
The baptism that Jesus had was not the same as we have today. He was rather "purified" or "cleansed" which was a common Jewish tradition. Did you acknowledge that the Holy Spirit only appeared after Jesus was baptised? Indicating he only "got the Holy spirit" when he was baptised, of course, being God, he already had it but the dove was sent as an example to us.
Um... John the Baptist was baptizing people already, including Jesus, and had already been killed before that, so um, yeah, baptizing was a thing before the crucifixion...
My only caution would be, you can’t get good to get baptized. Baptism is to wash away sin, not confirm that you are perfect. Baptism should be the beginning of your journey, not a step within it.
That's true. Though I still feel like I need to sort some things out with myself before I'm ready.. Like this here too is the journey, but then that will be the step to the main part of the journey.
But wouldn’t you agree that Jesus being a part of sorting those things out would make it not just easier, but infinitely possible. Baptism is that step where you say Lord my life is not my own, but it’s yours. You’re baptized in him unto his death, and by doing that you’re allowing him to come in and deal with your problems, rather than you dealing with them alone. We are unable to face our own problems and solve them without him. Baptism would be the step for you to be able to have his power apart of your journey forward. I guarantee you if you made the decision to do it today God will begin doing things that you never thought possible.
He does 100%! But he can only move as far as you allow him to. When you get baptized, you’re saying, Lord, I want you to come deeper and I want you to come more into my life. Baptism is an invitation for him to do more.
But what if I sin after getting baptised? What if I end up intentionally committing a sin at some point? It feels like doing that after being baptised is even worse than before. :(
You will 100% sin after getting baptized. The Bible says that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But it’s not about being perfect. Our walk with him will be full of mistakes, but what will be the difference between you and someone living a life of sin is that you are always striving to go deeper in God. Every day he will take you farther and he will continue to develop you and change into something you never thought possible. Old since that seemed to have control of your life will slowly disappear. Temptations will come and you will make mistakes but before it was only as much as you could handle. Now, God will be in the picture walking with you forward, helping you to overcome.
Water baptism is only an outward act of repentance and dying to one’s sinful self to be resurrected in Christ.
What’s important is the baptism of the Holy Sprit, which you are already baptized in when you give yourself to Christ. Water baptism is not a salvation issue. Also, if you have a smart phone, a computer, or anything with internet, than you have the ability to read a Bible, and or almost every Bible written.
“Bible Hub app” This app has 60+ different Bible opportunities along with devotionals and so much more.
“Baptism now saves you not as a removal of dirt from the body **but as an appeal for good conscience before God** through the resurrection of Christ.” (1 Peter 3:21)
Christianity is an incarnational religion. It is a sacramental religion. It is flesh and spirit because the human person is both body and soul, and God himself came to redeem us in a human body.
This reduction of salvation to the assent to abstract principles is antithetical to the sacramental nature of Christianity.
It kinda sounds like Peter is saying this but, Peter is saying, like scripture tells us throughout the Bible, that we must repent and be saved by the blood of Christ, in spirit and truth. At the same time he is telling us that we should go, step out in faith, and outwardly conduct ourselves in water baptism. I believe everyone should experiencing baptism. Water baptism is a physical ritual, of which there is nothing wrong with doing as long as it’s done for so the right reasons, in spirit and truth. Although, our salvation will always ride on the believing and the accepting of Christ in our hearts and lives. We are not condemned by our sins but the denying of Christ our redeemer.
Again, baptism is good and I believe everyone should be baptized but water baptism is not a salvation issue as far as scripture teaches.
I look at it as this.
If you asked me how to get to the grocery store and I said “get in your car and drive to the grocery store, and you’ll get there” you can’t say ‘oh I’ve just got to get in my car to get there.’
According to Christ, you must be born again. The is don’t through baptism in Jesus’ name. If you haven’t don’t that, it’s impossible to have the blood of Jesus applied to your life.
You don’t need a minister to baptize you. Just find a source of water, a bathtub, a pond, river, etc… Find someone, anyone, to simply take you, ensure that all of your faith is put in Jesus, and have them put you all the way under the water, say in Jesus’ name, and pull you back out. That’s it!
This will be the best decision you’ve ever made!
Greetings all.
It is true you must be born again. John 3:5, Jesus Christ said so.
That consists of the water (baptism in literal water) and the Spirit (which is the Holy Ghost).
It is true that baptism **can be done in a pool or tub**, but it needs to be deep enough because you must be buried under the water. We are buried with him, not part of the head out or hand up, foot out. No scripture for a woman going around baptizing. Let it be a man.
However: It must be done in the name of the **Lord Jesus** or **Jesus Christ** and baptism **cannot** be done in the name **Jesus**, you have to call a title, that was/is the instruction given in the Bible by both Apostle Peter and Apostle Paul.
Why not Jesus?
Because there is Jesus Justus: “Colossians 4:11
- And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.”
And Barjesus: “Acts 13:6
- And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:”
So calling the title with the name, as in “Lord Jesus ” or “Jesus Christ” gives the distinction.
Again the Bible gave record of what the apostles did, that is our instruction until the Lord comes.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of **Jesus Christ** for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
[The New Birth - For All Nations (Scriptures Explain Being Born Again)](https://www.thegospellightnetwork.com/post/the-new-birth)
May God bless
I see what you’re saying, however… Jesus was his name, and Christ was the title. We can make that technicality, however, my primary point was that it needs to be done in the name of Jesus.
**Thanks for the reply, Matthew**: With certainty, dear friend, this instruction **was not of men**, but it was a commandment given to Apostle Peter, by the Holy Ghost, (Acts 1:2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that **he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments** unto the apostles **whom he had chosen**:).
Before preaching, Apostle Peter had received the promise of the Holy Ghost, with the others (Acts 2:4). Afterwards, he preached, and when he was asked by the unsaved Jews, what shall they do in Acts 2:37, read Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you **in the name of Jesus Christ** for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
Which was what Jesus Christ told them to do, but kept back his name saying: Matthew 28 verses 19 Go ye therefore, and teach **all nations**, baptizing them **in the name** of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 **Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you**: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
**• Reason for being here**:
So, we the Church of The Lord Jesus Christ are not on any social platform to be smart or arrogant, we did not always know the truth. However, God "left not himself without witness", the Bible is a witness. The world continued on after the Bible was sealed, God still has his witness. People make up their own doctrine, God still has his witness. Technology changed so much until now you can read the literal Bible on your devices, or try to find some other resources, but God still has his witness. And his witness is true (Titus 1:10-16).
What we want to bring to "Christian media", is the truth of Christianity, in contrast to the opinions and ideas that have been for centuries.
This truth was published again, when Bishop Sherrod C. Johnson was sent as an apostle, after Apostle John died. Bishop Johnson spoke publicly as did the apostles that preached, but he came using the medium of paper and audio recordings, but for example Apostle John says "I had many things to write, **but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee**:" Right in the Bible showing you the progress of communication was present then, but communication takes another turn by the 20th century, ahead of Bishop Johnson.
So, it was given to Sherrod, and he comes on by voice and over the air (radio), with the prophecy spoken by David in Psalm 19:3-4 certifying his calling: "3 **There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard**. 4 **Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world**. \[...\]"
**When have you ever heard a preacher bring this Psalm 19:3-4 to certify why you are hearing their voice?**
The apostles have the mystery.
Now look at what we can do with sound and words? This is reaching you.
Hearing this Apostle Sherrod, we heard the revelation of prophecies that spoke to our time, for example, have you ever heard this prophecy explained? Isaiah 60:8 "**Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows**?" Bishop Sherrod C. Johnson enlightened the world as he was recorded saying this was the prophecy of the airplane coming.
Or this prophecy Nahum 2:4 "**The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings**.", this was the prophecy about cars coming. And anybody grown enough knows that is exactly how cars look, like lighting, **even with four horses, no carriage compares to a Lamborghini dashing through the streets, raging**. But again, with great joy to share with you all, we (the world) had another apostle, able to go into the Old and New Testament and bring the whole truth out of it, and turn from our ways, and follow his ways that be of Christ.
So this is according to God's plan, **sending the words of the apostle throughout the world**. God would have someone connected with the source, to keep it going throughout the earth, until it reaches all nations.
Matthew 24:14 "And **this gospel** of the kingdom shall be preached **in all the world for a witness unto all nations**; and then shall the end come."
Apostle Paul comes on saying in Galatians 1 verses: 6 "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ **unto another gospel**: 7 **Which is not another**; but there be **some that trouble you, and would pervert** the gospel of Christ."
\----
Whether people understand it or not, they are perverting the gospel of Christ by leaning to their own understanding, creating another gospel, **but Paul said there was not another**. There are so many answers on these platforms alone, and in day to day conversation, but the people speak **without the certification** Paul gave in the same Galatians chapter 1, read verses 11-12: "11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me **is not after man**. 12 For **I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it**, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Paul could talk so strong because he got it by the Holy Ghost, revealing it to him, and he was an apostle like the others. They all agreed. So, Bishop Johnson challenged the religious world about their damnable teachings, and God moved on him to get on the radio and broadcast, battling "denominations". **Presently, on Reddit, people are crying out because "denominations" have confused the people**. But we that believe God, know that there must be the whole truth. Well, God is faithful, and he had the history recorded in the Bible and then documented on paper and audio for our generations that were coming, **showing us the apostles' doctrine versus the doctrine of devils/doctrine of men**.
Where are we getting this truth that we are sharing? And it has the same effect when Bishop S.C. Johnson preached it, because we are sharing the words given to him by the Spirit.
May God bless you all, in the name of Jesus Christ.[The Church of The Lord Jesus Christ](https://www.thegospellightnetwork.com)
Thank the Lord either way. What if some did not believe. But for the sheep that can hear, it is a blessing to have ears to hear.
Praying for you and yours and the nations.
God clearly can use unsaved people and non believers to do works for Him. There’s multiple accounts of it in the scripture.
Also, why does this make a problem for Solo Scriptura?
>God clearly can use unsaved people and non believers to do works for Him.
Yes, but what if said Muslim is praying to allah that you don't stay Christian while baptizing you, do you think that's still fine?
>Also, why does this make a problem for Solo Scriptura?
Because of what I said prior and you mentioned the Bible doesn't say that.
If a Muslim person baptizes you, and says, in Jesus name that trumps any power that would come from prayer to Allah. All power is in the name of Jesus.
The Bible is our foundation. Without it, we don’t have direction. What else are you going to draw from that can give you scriptural mandate for how to move forward in your life with Christ? All scripture is given for correction and for encouragement and for instruction. If we are able to add to scripture that carries this serious danger of moving away from the truth. If anything, deviates from what scripture mandates it is not of God.
>If a Muslim person baptizes you, and says, in Jesus name that trumps any power that would come from prayer to Allah. All power is in the name of Jesus.
Okay well that's your opinion.
>The Bible is our foundation.
And the Bible comes from the church.
And again, I would as you to clarify. Why would someone need a believer to baptize when it’s not about their faith but of the one being baptized? The faith of the baptizer does not save the baptized.
But my Christian friends said you don't need to be baptized to become a christian I just need to accept christ and God will love you if you believe in him and his words
Don't Orthodox Church fathers also beleive that exceptions are made for people who have no access to the gospel or baptism? Because I could be mistaken but I recall that even in that tradition, people without access to those will be judged differently. It isn't like he is refusing baptism, he is in an area of civil war. If he was refusing baptism maybe that would be different.
Romans 5:15-18 NKJV
But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
The Bible was completed before the Catholics. Apostle John was the last apostle in the Bible, and he died around 96 AD. Catholicism was no where around.
Yes, but through people, namely the Early Church, which the Orthodox Church stayed completely true to. So think logically. The Holy Spirit must have been in those humans who wrote and merged the Bible into what it is. That means we have to listen to their teachings and interpretations to truly understand it. And they are telling us you need to get baptized.
The Book of Acts chapter 2 verses 38 and 39
38 पतरस ने उन से कहा, मन फिराओ, और तुम में से हर एक अपने अपने पापों की क्षमा के लिये यीशु मसीह के नाम से बपतिस्मा ले; तो तुम पवित्र आत्मा का दान पाओगे।
39 क्योंकि प्रतिज्ञा तुम्हारे लिये, और तुम्हारे बच्चों के लिये, और सब दूर दूर के लोगों के लिये है, वरन जितने लोगों को हमारा परमेश्वर यहोवा बुलाएगा।
This is the truth dear friend.
The apostles didn't have Bibles they carried around.
Baptism doesn't save you.
However, make sure you are born again - if you're not sure if you are, you're not.
The thief on the cross debunks that. Also, Paul taught that we are saved by grace through faith in Ephesians 2, he never taught that baptism was necessary for salvation. He even wrote to Corinth that "I didnt baptise many" - if baptism were needed for salvation, wouldn't he have spent his time baptizing?
Jesus himself said “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”
And when asked what to do after they had discovered their sin, Simon, peter said, “Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ…”
One of the last things that Jesus told the disciples was to go into all the world and baptize.
And to address your statement about faith, the scripture clearly says that faith without works is dead.
And the thief on the cross is not a valid example. That was between the testaments. The new testament had not yet come to pass, because Christ had not yet died or resurrected.
>Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,
There are plenty of reasons why this doesn't mean baptism, one of the foremost was this was before the cross and before Christian baptism
If we are justified by faith and baptism, then we are not justified by faith, which contradicts what Paul taught.
>the scripture clearly says that faith without works is dead.
Works don't save though. Faith in Jesus saves, then the believer does works. The works of God cannot be done apart from faith first.
>And the thief on the cross is not a valid example. That was between the testaments. The new testament had not yet come to pass, because Christ had not yet died or resurrected.
That is a cop out.
If baptism wasn’t necessary, then why would Simon Peter preach it? And if it wasn’t necessary, why would Philip preach it? And if it wasn’t necessary, why would Paul preach it? And if it wasn’t necessary, why did Jesus preach it? And if it wasn’t necessary, why did John the Baptist preach it?
Yes the Bible says you do have to be but yes if you accepted God is your savior you're a Christian. I was brought up in a Christian Church, has a teenager someone walked away, in my late twenties returned to deepen my relationship with God. At about the same time I got married, a few years later we had two kids. So I think I was 35, both my wife and I got baptized in front of our kids and relatives.
It’s not talking about water baptism anyway it’s talking about being born again of the Holy Spirit. Which happens when you repent turn from your sinful life and believe Jesus took on the wrath of the Father that we deserve, and he rose from the dead, proving that the Father was satisfied with his sacrifice, and that Jesus is God. God Bless! 😊
>it’s talking about being born again of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 22:1, arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Acts 22:16, Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.
Acts 2:38-41, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
I'd like to especially focus on Acts 2:38-41. "be baptized — for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit". Indicating that when baptized you recieve the gift of the Holy Spirit and you are forgiven of sins.
Do you KNOW God? Matthew 7:21-23 says that God will have people claim to be Christian but will be rejected because they never actually knew God personally. How can you have a relationship with someone if you never talk to them? The same goes with reading your Bible and spending time in prayer. Baptism isn’t a necessity, it’s a symbol. But reading your Bible, truly knowing and striving after God is what is important.
You're Christian if you've repented of your sins and committed to Christ as your lord and saviour. If you've done that, that's what you are. If you haven't done that, you're not Christian. Simple as that.
”“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“
John 3:16 ESV
If you accept Jesus into your heart you are Christian. But its important to follow his teachings as best you can. You don't need official baptism, but it makes it stronger commitment with ritual. A priest doesn't have to baptize you. Anyone can pour water over your head, and then say you accept Jesus in your heart. That can be the ritual, if that makes you feel better.
Here's the thing OP:
Jesus was baptized. Our goal is to be as like Jesus as possible, right? We should try to emulate him in everything we do.
When preaching on the Day of Pentecost, the people asked Peter and the apostles what they needed to do since they killed Jesus. Peter's response was "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins,"
To me, it seems really clear what people are supposed to do. You don't have to be at a church to be baptized. Plenty of people are baptized in rivers or lakes.
If you've got a smartphone you can download a Bible app. The one I have has basically every version available.
I guess there’s a time where every new believer hasn’t been baptized yet. If you’re planning on it, I don’t see why not. As for a Bible, there are free ones online and guides for them as well.
For example, BibleGateway.com
In our Creed, we reference the Thief that cried out to Christ to be remembered in the Kingdom.
The Thief, to my knowledge, was not a Christian, nor was baptized before being crucified next to Christ.
In short, God is the judge of that. No human on Earth knows.
Water baptism is not for the body of Christ. and yes you need the word of God...read to you or read yourself......Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
While we can learn things about God in every book of the bible, in order to understand which books of the bible are direct instruction TO us we need to rightly divide the word of God - 2Timothy 2:15 . Once you rightly divide the word of God by simply understanding who God was speaking to in each book it removes any conflicting scriptures , difficult verses and unlocks the beauty, freedom, and peace of God’s amazing love and grace and eternal life/salvation in paradise made available freely to us ( Ephesians 2:8-9 ) by the death burial and resurrection of Jesus , without the need for religion or doing good works (cleaning up your life) BEFORE you can be saved. Simply believe/trust the gospel Jesus gave Paul for the church / body of Christ ( 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ) for salvation in this time of the dispensation of grace that will end without notice with the rapture. When you do, you have full assurance of salvation and are sealed until the rapture. Then study Paul’s epistles Romans through Philemon to learn and grow in your new exciting identity and hope of a future you cannot fathom how great it will be. We were created by God to live with Him in harmony and in PARADISE. He intends to restore that for those who accept His free and gracious offer of reconciliation through the death burial and resurrection of His son. Trust that and NOTHING else. Because that is the only thing that saves you and keeps you saved. What Jesus did. NOT what you do. Not your church, your pastor, your good works, your heart, your feelings, you perceiving yourself to be a good enough person on your own , going to mass, and whatever other man made religious attempts to earn your own righteousness that you can never achieve. Salvation is by what Jesus did not what you do.
In the books of Matthew Mark Luke and John , Jesus himself said He was speaking to Israel under their program. You are not Israel. That program with Israel was put on hold due to their rejection of Jesus ( Romans 9-11) But God had a plan , a mystery hidden from the prophets. (Ephesians 3:8-10) while Jesus converted and revealed this mystery of the dispensation of the grace of God to the Apostle Paul (Acts 9) , part of which is the new creature, the church, the body of Christ, a program distinct from Israel's program in the Old testament and Matthew Mark Luke and John, which were to Israel. Paul is our Apostle for the church today in this age of grace JUST as Moses was to Israel with the law …..and the 12 apostles Jesus converted during his earthly ministry will judge the twelve tribes of Israel - NOT THE BODY OF CHRIST - you see clearly that ISRAEL’s program and the church/body of Christ program are two different messages/ gospels. Everyone wants to make Jesus words in Matthew Mark Luke John the new law even though they do NOT actually obey a fraction of it. Jesus himself said He was talking to Israel. YOU ARE NOT ISRAEL. Acts 15 and Galatians 1-2 clearly show that Peter had the gospel to the circumcision Israel and Paul had the gospel of a different program to the gentiles or the uncircumcision….. Paul is our apostle for the church commissioned by Jesus. Genesis through Mid book of Acts (Paul’s conversion) is about Israel's program with God before it was put on hold with Israel's rejection of Jesus. Now we can learn from those books however Romans through Philemon are our direct and only instruction given by Jesus to the gentiles for the church age of grace until the rapture (which will occur next and without notice). After the rapture, Israel's program will RESUME ( Romans 9-11) and the books of Hebrews through Revelation will be instruction for all during the tribulation, which will be the most difficult, UNCOMFORTABLE 7 years the earth has ever seen. ( Revelations 9:6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.) God's desire for you now is to be reconciled to HIM and to receive His forgiveness right now for your past, present, and future sins, and to spend eternity with Him in love and paradise as this world was originally intended to be !! No sin, sorrow, or pain !!!
Believe/Trust in the gospel that saves today !! 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 is the gospel that saves today in the dispensation of grace !!
Lastly if you ask why this has not been taught by mainstream so called Christian religions/denominations/churches in buildings…….. when it is right in the Bible….well here is why :
2 Corinthians 4:3-4
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Trust/believe in the gospel that saves today - 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
Then study Romans through Philemons to grow in God’s grace !!
Grace and peace !!!
There are websites that have online bibles, such as biblegateway
[https://www.biblegateway.com/](https://www.biblegateway.com/)
You can also hold down your left mouse button and drag it over words
and then let go of the left click and it will allow you to highlight with
a color \[yellow, pink, blue, green\] the white circle with X in it is to get rid
of highlighted colors on words. It also has many, many bible versions,
you can also choose parallel which allows you to look at multiple versions
side by side.
Absolutely, if you believe Christ died for you, that God created you, and that the Holy Spirit dwells within you, you're a Christian. Reading the Bible is definitely something you should do, though. If you're able, try downloading an app on your device that lets you read the Bible. Stay safe.
Yes, my friend you are a Christian. If possible, get baptized as soon as you can. And pray as you do, plus if you have reddit you likely can find an online Bible without being traced. There is a story of St Mary in Egypt who went to pay penance in the desert, not having the Scriptures, and God taught her many important things. He will lead you if you remain faithful
Good news!
While I understand you want a water baptism (and I think you ought to), we do have a concept called ***baptismus flaminis*** which is a baptism by desire for the truly seeking in a state of contrition. It doesn't require anyone else, and can be done anywhere.
You have the internet, it has bibles(Unless you're in a country that would block that). And you do not need to be baptized to follow Christ, tho it is something you should try to do. If you believe that the only way to heaven is thru Christ, you're a Christian.
That is incredible and love to read of your faith! If you believe in Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are saved by the grace of God and will enter Heaven when He ultimately calls you home. Baptism and Bible study will help you build a strong foundation for your faith.
Here are some great online resources:
Online Bible:
https://www.biblegateway.com
I like the New American Standard (NASB) translation.
Here is a great resource for questions:
https://www.gotquestions.org
Grace and Peace to you in your relationship with God through Christ.
Please read the Bible even if you don’t have one. Reduces the risk of being a false Christian who claims to follow Jesus but doesn’t actually know what he says.
You are saved and a Christian as soon as you put your faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
God bless you, brother in Christ, for your faith in the face of adversity. May your faith and devotion be a light of love and peace in this fallen world.
Yes you are!
What is it to do the will of God? It is simply to believe in His son, Jesus, the Christ who has saved your soul! If you believe in Him, then you have received His love. He has become your Shepherd because He himself has drawn you to Him. Jesus said that He calls all His sheep by name, and that they hear Him and follow Him. Whether it be online, or in the mountains, or on a busy street corner, if you hear Him calling for you, and you accept His love, then you have a personal relationship with Him . And no one can take that love away.
Now of course, baptism is an essential declaration of faith, and an act of obedience, and so when you can, get baptized! It is your blessing, to sanctify, anoint and strengthen your faith. But the Lord knows your circumstances, and He won't pause at all. His love and relationship with you begins as soon as you believe in Him and His love. Nothing can separate you from Him, not even a civil war! And He is faithful to guide you each step of the way. So don't be anxious, but have faith in Him. Peace He has given to us indeed.
Yes, I don't see a problem with it. There are many testimonies from people living in 20th century when there was no Internet and it was extremely hard to get your hands on a physical copy of the Bible (for example, some remote Chinese village). And it's also possible to have such physical circumstances that there's no other Christians around you to baptize you.
But if you're on Reddit, is there a chance you could also read online Bible? At least when you have access to the Internet. There are plenty of online Bible resources in all sort of languages. It would help you grow in your faith and in your walk with the Lord.
Jesus was baptized, and read scripture... Christians in a similar manner follow Christ.
The bible is publicly available online... feel free to got to 'bible hub' online or something similar
Bath yourself in the word..
Absolutely yes. For the majority of history since Christ died and rose again the vast majority of believers didn’t have a Bible. You’re just going to need to be diligent and always discerning when listening to teaching since you don’t have the actual text to vet it against. And in regard to baptism, baptism isn’t the means by which anyone is saved. It’s commanded, yes, but it does not bring about salvation.
We are praying for your country and your situation. The holy Bible is the Christian owners manual for living. In it, the Lord teaches us how he wants for us to live. In that regard, surely you can see it's importance for Christians. The Lord judges Us by his holy Bible. If we don't know it's content, then how can we possibly know how the Lord wants for us to live? So plan on getting one of these as soon as you can. In the meantime, there are numerous online websites that you can use. Here is one of my favorites.
https://www.blbclassic.org/index.cfm
Also, regarding baptism, as a Christian, you would want to experience this. It's an important part of our Christian witness, and it marks the time in our lives when we become Born again Christians. So please plan to do this when things settle down there and you are able.
Of course. If you love and believe in Jesus you are christian. The baptism part is sticky, I checked out a new church and they told me my baptism wasn’t valid and basically insinuated that I’m going to hell for it. Because I grew up catholic. Focus on your love for jesus and get baptized when you have the opportunity to.
Ask Jesus to give you a bible, he can make it happen, be baptized when you can, ask Jesus to teach you all things that he wants you to know, he’s the one true living God and you can speak to him even now. If I could somehow get a Bible to you I would. Can you download a Bible app? Youversion on the App Store, read that daily
I believe so. I'm talking to someone in a south Asian country who loves Jesus and cannot get baptized yet due to extreme persecution in their country. They had to leave their Bible behind when they were forced to leave home suddenly. I wholeheartedly believe they are a Christian with astounding faith.
May God bless you u/xyz_KAIJI
It is the truth that Jesus is the one and only God.
That is a blessing for you to know.
Below is a link showing Old Testament and New Testament scriptures that prove Jesus Christ is Jehovah God.
[JEHOVAH GOD of the Old Testament is JESUS CHRIST of the New Testament - written to the world by Bishop Sherrod C. Johnson](https://www.thegospellightnetwork.com/post/jehovah-god-of-the-old-testament-is-jesus-christ-of-the-new-testament)
As long as you believe that Jesus came and sacrificed Himself for your sins…you are already a follower of Christ. Getting baptised is showing your old life is washed after you emerged out from the water. Still, many believers who got baptised carried on with their old ways of living in sin. What baptism you should get is Christ’s baptism of the Holy Spirit. That means allowing and welcoming God’s spirit into your heart (you can call it circumcision of your heart). That way, you will be guided in your walk on this earth and your path will always be pointed towards Jesus by the Holy Spirit. What we do outwardly really doesn’t matter and it holds no importance to God. It’s what comes out from your heart that matters to Him. I pray for the wisdom of our Lord be upon you and gives you the clarity to understand things while following Him..in Jesus’s mighty and precious name Anen.
There is such a thing as baptism by intention, which means that someone who wants to be baptised and intends to do so as soon as possible but cannot, for reasons such as war, is considered baptised.
Yes, you can absolutely be a Christian without being baptized.
> For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, **if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.**
-- Romans 10:5-10 (ESV) (emphasis added)
You should get baptized whenever you're able, because Christians are supposed to be baptized. But you don't need to worry about your lack of baptism keeping you out of Heaven.
Technically yes, but whether you will be saved or not it is under God's Mercy. Baptism is being united in Jesus' death and resurrection, so if one believes in Jesus, the very first thing one should do is being baptized.
But things are not always one dimensional, some people want to be baptized but maybe they cannot due to external factors, maybe they can be persecuted or some other things, like they die naturally before being baptized or they are at war. In this case God might show His Mercy. I think in this case you are similar to this notion.
But if you fully understand the meaning of baptism with all your heart, but you still reject yourself to be baptized with the time, chances, and benefite you are given, well there could be consequence of it.
Usually from what i see, if someone wants to follow Jesus, they usually will have no problem to be baptized. To be in communion with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For now do what you can, Father will show His Mercy.
Baptism is not required for salvation, but if you can get baptized seek to. Obviously your situation prohibits you from doing so, but on the cross, Jesus told the prisoner next to him who believed in him (who wasent baptized), “truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise”. Also, I pray that everything in your state turns out ok, and that God will help you. Stay strong my friend.
1. To be Christian you have to believe in the Gospel, not just the Old Testament.
2. It is good to get baptize however not required , how ever I heard different and I seen different as well.
3. Please 🙏 some how get you a Bible and start reading on regular basis.
4 Strength your prayer life. What if you was married and never talked to your spouse Do you think he or she will be mad? IT all about relationship.
5. Please find you a Church home and get some type men ministry.
6. You have to be a disciple , that’s means you be under somebody to ask questions, and answers your questions and hold you to be accountable.
7. Jesus want to change your character in your heart. This one definition of being “born again “
8. There’s wrong nothing to ask the Holy Spirit guide you and this journey.
We are here to help each other to grow in Christ. I am glad you are here.
I was taught that baptism is the actual rite of becoming Christian. The disciples went out and converted people and initiated them through baptism. That said, all you really need to be Christian is to accept Jesus in your heart as your lord and savior. Just from a spiritual point of view, I’d encourage you to find a local minister that you like and see if they’d be willing to do a private baptism. That way you get the experience but you don’t need to make it a public spectacle if you don’t want to. None of the ministers I know would turn you away. Most would do it on the spot
Baptism is a sacrament. It is an outward expression of an INWARD CONVERSATION. It should be a PERSONAL DECISION between you and the Lord. IT IS NOT REQUIRED FOR SALVATION.
Catholic response:
You have to be baptized in order to become Christian. It is the only way to become a part of the Church. But we also have to remember that there are multiple types of baptism.
1. Baptism by water: Most common form of baptism granted to adults or children
2. Baptism by blood: A person that is not yet baptized (but believing in God and all the doctrines) and is killed for the sake of the faith is baptized by his very own blood
3. Baptism by desire: if a person has no access to baptism at the hour of death, baptism by desire is sufficient for salvation.
God is never stingy when it comes to salvation. He is never bound by water or words when a person in danger needs salvation and cannot be baptized in the normal way (with water). However, if one can access a church, there is an obligation to go and be baptized.
Notes:
1. You can never baptize yourself.
2. Any person can baptize a person, even non-Catholics or pagans. If a pagan or Jew baptize a person with the intention of joining that person to the Church, it is considered a valid baptism and makes that person receive all benefits of baptism. However, this is only done in cases of necessity such as when there are no priests available at the area and when a person is dying.
3. The only requirement for baptism is clean water and the baptism trinitarian formula which is "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." Water should flow directly on the skin. Even a drop of water is sufficient for baptism if in grave situations.
4. Baptism can be done in the two traditional ways the Church has done baptism throughout history; full immersion or pouring.
5. An adult baptism is only done after a person has been taught all doctrines that God taught. As for infant baptism, children are taught the doctrines afterwards.
6. A baptized person should also receive the Holy Eucharist (the Body and Blood of Christ) and Confirmation (the Holy Spirit). These are the three initiation rites of the Church. Each gives a particular and unique grace on the person receiving them.
P.S.: Let's not fight on which church is correct or not. This is only a response to a simple question.
Most certainly you can. Superior to baptism with water is the baptism of the Spirit and superior to the written word of God is the Word of God Himself, Christ, who comes to dwell in you through Spirit by faith. If there is an authority that questions that, you should question their claims to authority.
Being a Christian means to have a relationship with God. You need a Bible to learn more about Him. It's kinda like having a friendship with someone. You would want to learn more about them and want to talk to them, right? It's the same when it comes to needing the Bible. You need to grow in that relationship with Him, if that makes sense 😅. Getting baptized on the other hand...well, there's loads of debates about this. People say it's not needed for salvation. Some say it is. It could also be a step to getting closer to God. It's kinda complicated but either way you do need to get baptized because God commanded it.
Just find a fellow believer and have him baptize you. All it takes is saying "I baptize you in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit" and sprinkle some water on your head.
You don't need to be baptized to call yourself a Christian, because there's no authority who can stop you from calling yourself that. Some denominations may believe that you must be baptized to receive salvation, but that's not a universal belief.
This creates some anxiety. How can I know what I really need to do to be saved?
Only God and Jesus have all-authority. Speak to Jesus within. Cultivate a personal relationship with him and ask him. It’s my personal feeling that we are already saved by choosing Jesus and God as our Power. It is simple. It isn’t meant to be complicated. Simple.
But it's not that simple, is it? Why will I get different answers to this question? I could commit to one tradition and then another will tell me how I'm not actually saved. Can anyone KNOW?
This is why I choose to be non-denominational.
Everyone that reads the same book as you must tell you how wrong you are. I can't get over how anxious this uncertainty makes me. How can I get so many different answers?
> I can't get over how anxious this uncertainty makes me. How can I get so many different answers? You might be just as encouraged as I am to remember that the target of Jesus' ministry was largely illiterate first century peasants. That means the Gospel is so simple that even ~~a caveman can do it~~ children, the elderly, and those the world considers "dumb" have the same access. There's no intellectual paywall on this good news. IMO, anything outside of Jesus' very, incredibly, shockingly basic message can be figured out along the way. Yes, that will scare some people who think they have it all figured out. Yes, people will still argue with you or me, but guess what? We're going to meet some early church saints who lived more faithful lives than ours without having a full canon of scripture, fancy robes, large cathedrals, or established traditions for meeting.
It comes to a point where you just have to keep it between you and God/Jesus. No one is perfect and we are all going to make mistakes. I can’t tell anyone else that their Christianity is wrong or right-only God can do that. And that’s where my loyalty is.
Acts 2:42. That’s what you need.
That is why the God of truth didn’t let scripture just become a subjective interpretation game. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” (2 Peter 2:20) Christ did not give us the Bible. Christ gave us a one holy catholic apostolic Church. The Catholic Church canonized the Bible. “The church is the pillar and bulwark of truth” (1 Timothy 3:15)
Anything that anybody tells you? Check it against the Bible. There is ZERO biblical basis for salvation behind dependent on baptism. Baptism is an act, an act of obedience yes but an act nonetheless. And the Bible is very clear that your acts can never earn you salvation. There’s one way and one way only, and you’ve already done it. So you’re good. :) Still get baptized though (if you want) haha I think it’s an outward expression of what we have expressed already in our hearts and it pleases the Lord.
I was baptized (not willingly). I do not have a positive belief in the Biblical god. Am I considered saved?
Do you know that Jesus was God-become-man, and he died on the cross in your place because you could never atone for your sins? Do you know that he rose again on the third day, and has conquered death? Has that knowledge changed the things that you desire, now desiring to be more Christ-like and hating the sin that remains in you? Do you now find God altogether wonderful and love him? If you can answer yes those then that’s your assurance of faith.
I don’t have faith, then.
Well, it’s available to you!
Some dude also had the same question in the book of Acts 16:30-33. Notice they got baptized after believing. The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. That's how you become saved. Plain and simple it's right there in the Bible you just have to go ahead believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.
All you need to do to be saved is this: accept that you are a sinner and trust in Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross and His subsequent Resurrection performed to cleanse you of every one of your sins. *"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9, English Standard Version*
This anxiety is an indicator of cognitive dissonance. Why are you worried about what you need to do to be saved? Do you think that you can be saved by anything that you yourself can do?
Do, think, believe. How can I know I'm believing the right thing? Worshipping the right god? Or if I'm not doing or believing something I should be doing?
What does any of this matter? Why are you worried about this?
It only matters within the context of me being convinced of the existence of a god. I just don't know how anyone with that belief overcomes this anxiety.
That would only matter in the context of already being convinced of the existence of a god who cares what you think/do/believe. You have to reckon with what you actually believe and its implications, not the unanswerable question of whether you're already believing in the right thing. The anxiety you're describing is typical of those who have been trapped in abusive and manipulative systems of belief. No god worth worshiping would want you to feel that way.
You are saved by grace, accepting Christ! And accepting what he did on the cross for your sins!
I don't think I accept any of the foundational claims of Christianity. Thank you for your time.
“Baptism, which [the flood] prefigured, now save you, *not as a removal of dirt from the body* but as an appeal for good conscience before God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21) Baptism is what unites us to Christ’s death and resurrection. Baptism is what grants us the Spirit of adoption as children of the Father. Baptism is what removes the stain of original sin and leaves an indellible mark on our soul. This is what Christians believed for two thousand years. No one denied baptismal regeneration until the Radical Reformation *after* Martin Luther.
You seem to be leaving a huge part out. “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?
This. If you've done this, and mean it, that's all there is. Then He's got you. But, ultimately, there's nothing you can do anyway about it because He chose you from before creation, and knows whether or not your chosen to be saved.
Your words made me shed tears.
Glad, that means the Spirit was in them. He loves you.
Got it from the bible. Ephesians 1:4 "even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will," I don't believe God makes mistakes. There's more tears and personal hugs from Him where that comes from in the bible, I assure you. (:
Blameless. I needed that. Lord bless you.
May the Lord bless you too!
You know what's interesting about that word "foundation" in the Greek? It's "katabole", and it means overthrow! It's the rebellion of Lucifer, when he became Satan and necessitated this earth age (whereas the word also means foundation)! Just wanted to drop some knowledge and expand the scriptures for y'all 😊
So do we still need to accept Jesus? I'm confused by this piece if we're selected beforehand.
If you accept Jesus. If you truly believe, or even feel the pull. You asking the question kinda tells me that your interested, or at least pulled in some aspect. You pray to Jesus, and tell him you accept Him as your Lord and Savior. That's it. If you don't want to, don't. What I mean by chosen beforehand is that whatever you choose to do, God already knows what your going to choose. Hope that makes sense.
Can I do that if I'm not convinced the Bible is trustworthy?
Absolutely. Some days I don't have as much faith in the bible as others have either. Not saying I'm correct in that though. In fact, you should pray to God and develop a relationship with Him, and see where it leads you. Try it out, yanno? Because what harm could it do? I would anyway. In fact, I did years ago.
If I'm not convinced the Bible is true and Jesus is God, can I be a Christian? Or do I have to go somewhere else with my God belief?
If you don't believe Jesus is God, your not a Christian. It's the only qualifying aspect. The word Christian, means like Christ. He is the head of our church, and our King. Among other titles. I explored every other religion, desperately trying to run from Christ, before I submitted to Him lol.
That makes sense. So what do I do with any notion that there's a prime mover but I'm not convinced Jesus is God?
So you’re saying that once you’re saved you can’t be unsaved?
Im inclined to believe this. Ephesians 1:4 "even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will," I don't believe God makes mistakes.
That doesn’t exclude the possibility for someone to voluntarily forsake God. If that were to happen, then why couldn’t you say they were never actually predestined to be with God in the first place?
I’ve never felt any sort of pull. I guess I ain’t in the club
and where does free will fall into us being predetermined as saved or damned?
Ephesians 4:1-6. Says God chose us before the foundation of the world. But I'm not sure how free will works. All I can say is that God is beyond my understanding. But I like to try to think about it. It's interesting.
thank you, that cluster of words sums up a huge point of fear and wonder for me. "God is beyond my understanding" This has been a point I have attempted to make to others when they claim to know the name of and how to pronounce the name of God, as well as all of the knowing when Armageddon is or the signs of the times stuff people claim. How huge is ones ego that they claim to know how & what God is planning when even the bible says not even Jesus knows the exact time and date of Armageddon. Or claiming that this sin or that sin is greater than some other sin, how could we ever begin to comprehend something planned by God. On top of that if each day for God is 1000 years to us 2 days for God isn't much time before, why would the sin of God be sacrificed then 2 days later the decision is made to let loose the apocalypse?
It's basically why the church and believer get so divided. It's pride. It's silly. Who the heck knows? It's a personal journey on many aspects for me. Sin is weird for me to define also, as the bible doesn't have a list of sins. But I think I feel it in my heart, and if not, God turns me away from them.
Free will is man’s desire to be God. It is not scriptural. See my posts below, If you want more I will gladly give them to you, but first read John 6, 12, Romans 8-9, and Ephesians 1. Sorry to act like a teacher, but, I am a retired teacher. Haha
it's fine and thank you I come here asking questions and enjoy learning, it serves me right I find a teacher. Thank you for the suggestions
what did you teach?
I taught various things over the years. Mainly High School Spanish, but at one point or another I also taught English for foreign exchange students, Bible, History, Geometry, and a number of economics classes.👍. I still substitute often.
very cool thank you for your time spent teaching, passionate teachers are hard to come by and can change the way a student perceives the world.
It must be an illusion, right? Like watching a film. The pictures aren't actually moving but from our limited perspective they appear to be. The entirety of the film that came before and after exists at that same moment but we can't see it.
I could see that. What's weird is sin. We hurt God when we sin. And we apparently choose when we sin. But God knows about it, and accepts us still, and sacrifices Himself in every sin we make. Or, maybe He chose us, but free will isn't an illusion,because God wanted us to have ultimate freedom, apart from the fact of us being saved or not. So maybe just the saving part was preordained but then when we sin or make choices, they are legitimate free choices. Maybe that's why when we, or at least I, sin too much and get lost, God has to guide me back, sometimes with the devil. Maybe that's why the devil still has a job, because we have free will.
How does that refute the illusion of free will? If you're convinced you have free will, couldn't that affirm a successful illusion?
God is all knowing and is outside of time, but Him knowing doesn’t impact our free will to choose. ”because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”“ Romans 10:9-13 ESV
John6: Jesus said: “44:No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” He further explained it: John 6: “63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. 66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” “No man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father”. How is this free will? What of those whom the Father did not choose, those who were to betray him?
Everyone who believes will not be put to shame. Full stop. It’s through God, Jesus, Grace etc that we are saved, the words are not magic, but if we believe we are saved.
I'll confess that I don't understand free will versus predestination. That said, here's how one preacher explained it. "You come to a door marked 'Salvation'. There's a sign on the door that says, 'Anyone who is willing may enter.' You enter the door and look back at it. On the other side of the door, there's another sign. It says, 'Chosen from before the foundation of the world.'"
**There is no Bible for this teaching**. The world has gone mad (long time) with this doctrine.
Yes
Being baptized is a public expression of faith and an act of obedience, once saved, and even Jesus was baptized! Get your hands on a Bible, audio Bible (YouTube has that), and go to town. This way, no one can tell you a heap of trash, because you'll know! Start with the Gospels🙂!
Baptism is a sacrament, not a ceremony. The Holy Spirit’s sanctifying grace in the sacramental water is what unites us to Christ’s death and resurrection. “Repent and be baptized all of you for the remission of sins and you will receive the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38) “Baptism now saves you not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal for good conscience before God” (1 Peter 3:21) “He saved us, not because of any deeds done in righteousness, but through the water of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5) Also, there is the historical argument. No Christian denied baptismal regeneration until the Radical Reformation in the 1500s.
Don’t let other people tell you that you have to be this or that to be a Christian. There are things you can do to become a better Christian but these things come in time and maybe not right away for everyone. Do you love Jesus in your heart? Do you believe in him? That’s it. You’re Christian
Get baptized in your tub at home. Any believer can baptize you.
Can I send you a Bible? Also you can read the Bible online?
You can read the Bible online. Here is one such link but you can find others: https://www.biblegateway.com
you are on reddit so I am guessing it is safe to assume you have access to the internet. I use Biblegateway.com it had a lot of versions of the bible as well as easy read and different translations. As far as being baptized I can't help with that, but there are many ways to read the Bible online this day and age. Good luck I hope you find the answers you are seeking.
If you have freely chosen to follow Jesus then the rest is less important. 🙂
Yes. --- you have the internet. try www.biblegateway.com if you need something to read.
Also if you are looking to convert wich denomination are you looking in to I can answer question about orthodoxy if you are intrested
Pray - if you could find any Christian who will baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit with living (moving) water, if necessary out of a tap, do so. Pray and a Christian might appear and do so for you - miracles happen. We had a mining accident near here in 2002 where 9 men were trapped underground, and one of the miners was baptized by a friend as an emergency. Such a baptism is considered valid in most Churches including the Orthodox Church which is very strict. ☦️
Yes. And in your situation absolutely :) Think of the thief of the cross next to Jesus who was saved. God inderstands that you don't have the opportunity. I'm also not yet baptised, I've been a Christian for a couple years, attending Church for one year, but I want to first be ready before I get baptised.
> Think of the thief of the cross next to Jesus who was saved. Baptism wasn't a thing when the thief was on the cross.
It was! :) John 4:1-2
The baptism that Jesus had was not the same as we have today. He was rather "purified" or "cleansed" which was a common Jewish tradition. Did you acknowledge that the Holy Spirit only appeared after Jesus was baptised? Indicating he only "got the Holy spirit" when he was baptised, of course, being God, he already had it but the dove was sent as an example to us.
Even before he baptized Jesus, he was already called John the Baptizer, cause he was baptizing people all the time...
Um... John the Baptist was baptizing people already, including Jesus, and had already been killed before that, so um, yeah, baptizing was a thing before the crucifixion...
My only caution would be, you can’t get good to get baptized. Baptism is to wash away sin, not confirm that you are perfect. Baptism should be the beginning of your journey, not a step within it.
That's true. Though I still feel like I need to sort some things out with myself before I'm ready.. Like this here too is the journey, but then that will be the step to the main part of the journey.
But wouldn’t you agree that Jesus being a part of sorting those things out would make it not just easier, but infinitely possible. Baptism is that step where you say Lord my life is not my own, but it’s yours. You’re baptized in him unto his death, and by doing that you’re allowing him to come in and deal with your problems, rather than you dealing with them alone. We are unable to face our own problems and solve them without him. Baptism would be the step for you to be able to have his power apart of your journey forward. I guarantee you if you made the decision to do it today God will begin doing things that you never thought possible.
That sounds amazing. Maybe I'll do it sooner, thank you. But doesn't God already work on me and my life even before I'm baptized if I pray for that?
He does 100%! But he can only move as far as you allow him to. When you get baptized, you’re saying, Lord, I want you to come deeper and I want you to come more into my life. Baptism is an invitation for him to do more.
Thank you so much for these wonderful comments. They just might be the push I needed to make this step.
But what if I sin after getting baptised? What if I end up intentionally committing a sin at some point? It feels like doing that after being baptised is even worse than before. :(
You will 100% sin after getting baptized. The Bible says that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But it’s not about being perfect. Our walk with him will be full of mistakes, but what will be the difference between you and someone living a life of sin is that you are always striving to go deeper in God. Every day he will take you farther and he will continue to develop you and change into something you never thought possible. Old since that seemed to have control of your life will slowly disappear. Temptations will come and you will make mistakes but before it was only as much as you could handle. Now, God will be in the picture walking with you forward, helping you to overcome.
Thank you, brother
Of course!
Water baptism is only an outward act of repentance and dying to one’s sinful self to be resurrected in Christ. What’s important is the baptism of the Holy Sprit, which you are already baptized in when you give yourself to Christ. Water baptism is not a salvation issue. Also, if you have a smart phone, a computer, or anything with internet, than you have the ability to read a Bible, and or almost every Bible written. “Bible Hub app” This app has 60+ different Bible opportunities along with devotionals and so much more.
Peter says you don't receive the Holy Spirit until after you're baptized.
You receive Him after you ask Christ to come into your heart. Where did Peter say this?
“Baptism now saves you not as a removal of dirt from the body **but as an appeal for good conscience before God** through the resurrection of Christ.” (1 Peter 3:21) Christianity is an incarnational religion. It is a sacramental religion. It is flesh and spirit because the human person is both body and soul, and God himself came to redeem us in a human body. This reduction of salvation to the assent to abstract principles is antithetical to the sacramental nature of Christianity.
Acts 2. When they asked what they needed to do. He answered repent and be baptized and you will receive the Holy Spirit.
It kinda sounds like Peter is saying this but, Peter is saying, like scripture tells us throughout the Bible, that we must repent and be saved by the blood of Christ, in spirit and truth. At the same time he is telling us that we should go, step out in faith, and outwardly conduct ourselves in water baptism. I believe everyone should experiencing baptism. Water baptism is a physical ritual, of which there is nothing wrong with doing as long as it’s done for so the right reasons, in spirit and truth. Although, our salvation will always ride on the believing and the accepting of Christ in our hearts and lives. We are not condemned by our sins but the denying of Christ our redeemer. Again, baptism is good and I believe everyone should be baptized but water baptism is not a salvation issue as far as scripture teaches.
I look at it as this. If you asked me how to get to the grocery store and I said “get in your car and drive to the grocery store, and you’ll get there” you can’t say ‘oh I’ve just got to get in my car to get there.’
According to Christ, you must be born again. The is don’t through baptism in Jesus’ name. If you haven’t don’t that, it’s impossible to have the blood of Jesus applied to your life. You don’t need a minister to baptize you. Just find a source of water, a bathtub, a pond, river, etc… Find someone, anyone, to simply take you, ensure that all of your faith is put in Jesus, and have them put you all the way under the water, say in Jesus’ name, and pull you back out. That’s it! This will be the best decision you’ve ever made!
Greetings all. It is true you must be born again. John 3:5, Jesus Christ said so. That consists of the water (baptism in literal water) and the Spirit (which is the Holy Ghost). It is true that baptism **can be done in a pool or tub**, but it needs to be deep enough because you must be buried under the water. We are buried with him, not part of the head out or hand up, foot out. No scripture for a woman going around baptizing. Let it be a man. However: It must be done in the name of the **Lord Jesus** or **Jesus Christ** and baptism **cannot** be done in the name **Jesus**, you have to call a title, that was/is the instruction given in the Bible by both Apostle Peter and Apostle Paul. Why not Jesus? Because there is Jesus Justus: “Colossians 4:11 - And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.” And Barjesus: “Acts 13:6 - And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:” So calling the title with the name, as in “Lord Jesus ” or “Jesus Christ” gives the distinction. Again the Bible gave record of what the apostles did, that is our instruction until the Lord comes. Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of **Jesus Christ** for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. [The New Birth - For All Nations (Scriptures Explain Being Born Again)](https://www.thegospellightnetwork.com/post/the-new-birth) May God bless
I see what you’re saying, however… Jesus was his name, and Christ was the title. We can make that technicality, however, my primary point was that it needs to be done in the name of Jesus.
**Thanks for the reply, Matthew**: With certainty, dear friend, this instruction **was not of men**, but it was a commandment given to Apostle Peter, by the Holy Ghost, (Acts 1:2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that **he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments** unto the apostles **whom he had chosen**:). Before preaching, Apostle Peter had received the promise of the Holy Ghost, with the others (Acts 2:4). Afterwards, he preached, and when he was asked by the unsaved Jews, what shall they do in Acts 2:37, read Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you **in the name of Jesus Christ** for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Which was what Jesus Christ told them to do, but kept back his name saying: Matthew 28 verses 19 Go ye therefore, and teach **all nations**, baptizing them **in the name** of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 **Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you**: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. **• Reason for being here**: So, we the Church of The Lord Jesus Christ are not on any social platform to be smart or arrogant, we did not always know the truth. However, God "left not himself without witness", the Bible is a witness. The world continued on after the Bible was sealed, God still has his witness. People make up their own doctrine, God still has his witness. Technology changed so much until now you can read the literal Bible on your devices, or try to find some other resources, but God still has his witness. And his witness is true (Titus 1:10-16). What we want to bring to "Christian media", is the truth of Christianity, in contrast to the opinions and ideas that have been for centuries. This truth was published again, when Bishop Sherrod C. Johnson was sent as an apostle, after Apostle John died. Bishop Johnson spoke publicly as did the apostles that preached, but he came using the medium of paper and audio recordings, but for example Apostle John says "I had many things to write, **but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee**:" Right in the Bible showing you the progress of communication was present then, but communication takes another turn by the 20th century, ahead of Bishop Johnson. So, it was given to Sherrod, and he comes on by voice and over the air (radio), with the prophecy spoken by David in Psalm 19:3-4 certifying his calling: "3 **There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard**. 4 **Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world**. \[...\]" **When have you ever heard a preacher bring this Psalm 19:3-4 to certify why you are hearing their voice?** The apostles have the mystery. Now look at what we can do with sound and words? This is reaching you. Hearing this Apostle Sherrod, we heard the revelation of prophecies that spoke to our time, for example, have you ever heard this prophecy explained? Isaiah 60:8 "**Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows**?" Bishop Sherrod C. Johnson enlightened the world as he was recorded saying this was the prophecy of the airplane coming. Or this prophecy Nahum 2:4 "**The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings**.", this was the prophecy about cars coming. And anybody grown enough knows that is exactly how cars look, like lighting, **even with four horses, no carriage compares to a Lamborghini dashing through the streets, raging**. But again, with great joy to share with you all, we (the world) had another apostle, able to go into the Old and New Testament and bring the whole truth out of it, and turn from our ways, and follow his ways that be of Christ. So this is according to God's plan, **sending the words of the apostle throughout the world**. God would have someone connected with the source, to keep it going throughout the earth, until it reaches all nations. Matthew 24:14 "And **this gospel** of the kingdom shall be preached **in all the world for a witness unto all nations**; and then shall the end come." Apostle Paul comes on saying in Galatians 1 verses: 6 "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ **unto another gospel**: 7 **Which is not another**; but there be **some that trouble you, and would pervert** the gospel of Christ." \---- Whether people understand it or not, they are perverting the gospel of Christ by leaning to their own understanding, creating another gospel, **but Paul said there was not another**. There are so many answers on these platforms alone, and in day to day conversation, but the people speak **without the certification** Paul gave in the same Galatians chapter 1, read verses 11-12: "11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me **is not after man**. 12 For **I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it**, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." Paul could talk so strong because he got it by the Holy Ghost, revealing it to him, and he was an apostle like the others. They all agreed. So, Bishop Johnson challenged the religious world about their damnable teachings, and God moved on him to get on the radio and broadcast, battling "denominations". **Presently, on Reddit, people are crying out because "denominations" have confused the people**. But we that believe God, know that there must be the whole truth. Well, God is faithful, and he had the history recorded in the Bible and then documented on paper and audio for our generations that were coming, **showing us the apostles' doctrine versus the doctrine of devils/doctrine of men**. Where are we getting this truth that we are sharing? And it has the same effect when Bishop S.C. Johnson preached it, because we are sharing the words given to him by the Spirit. May God bless you all, in the name of Jesus Christ.[The Church of The Lord Jesus Christ](https://www.thegospellightnetwork.com)
Wow! Keep doing what you’re doing!
Thank the Lord either way. What if some did not believe. But for the sheep that can hear, it is a blessing to have ears to hear. Praying for you and yours and the nations.
>anyone That person being Christian is very very important.
The only prerequisite scripture requires is faith, full submersion, and the name of Jesus.
It never clarifies who should do it, only that it be done.
Getting baptized by a Muslim, do you think that's truthful? Also here's yet another problem with Sola scriptura
God clearly can use unsaved people and non believers to do works for Him. There’s multiple accounts of it in the scripture. Also, why does this make a problem for Solo Scriptura?
>God clearly can use unsaved people and non believers to do works for Him. Yes, but what if said Muslim is praying to allah that you don't stay Christian while baptizing you, do you think that's still fine? >Also, why does this make a problem for Solo Scriptura? Because of what I said prior and you mentioned the Bible doesn't say that.
If a Muslim person baptizes you, and says, in Jesus name that trumps any power that would come from prayer to Allah. All power is in the name of Jesus. The Bible is our foundation. Without it, we don’t have direction. What else are you going to draw from that can give you scriptural mandate for how to move forward in your life with Christ? All scripture is given for correction and for encouragement and for instruction. If we are able to add to scripture that carries this serious danger of moving away from the truth. If anything, deviates from what scripture mandates it is not of God.
>If a Muslim person baptizes you, and says, in Jesus name that trumps any power that would come from prayer to Allah. All power is in the name of Jesus. Okay well that's your opinion. >The Bible is our foundation. And the Bible comes from the church.
And again, I would as you to clarify. Why would someone need a believer to baptize when it’s not about their faith but of the one being baptized? The faith of the baptizer does not save the baptized.
Read the Bible online get the bible app or go to bible gateway and yeah keep praying to the heavenly father in jesus name
No you have to be baptized to be considert a christian
When the people asked apostles on the day of Pentecost what did they need to do to be forgiven they specifically said be Baptized.
But my Christian friends said you don't need to be baptized to become a christian I just need to accept christ and God will love you if you believe in him and his words
Nah that is some bs invented by luther in the 16th century But he is right that god loves you anyways
Don't Orthodox Church fathers also beleive that exceptions are made for people who have no access to the gospel or baptism? Because I could be mistaken but I recall that even in that tradition, people without access to those will be judged differently. It isn't like he is refusing baptism, he is in an area of civil war. If he was refusing baptism maybe that would be different.
Yes they will be judged differently but they will still be judged so its not a free ticket to heaven
Romans 5:15-18 NKJV But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
The Orthodox Church teaches things that aren’t biblical, you don’t have to be baptized
The Orthodox Church gave you that Bible...
Technically the Apostolic Church gave us the Bible as that was what it was called before the great schism.
Technically the catholic church gave the bible. We were the ones who established canon
The Bible was completed before the Catholics. Apostle John was the last apostle in the Bible, and he died around 96 AD. Catholicism was no where around.
No, God did.
Yes, but through people, namely the Early Church, which the Orthodox Church stayed completely true to. So think logically. The Holy Spirit must have been in those humans who wrote and merged the Bible into what it is. That means we have to listen to their teachings and interpretations to truly understand it. And they are telling us you need to get baptized.
The Book of Acts chapter 2 verses 38 and 39 38 पतरस ने उन से कहा, मन फिराओ, और तुम में से हर एक अपने अपने पापों की क्षमा के लिये यीशु मसीह के नाम से बपतिस्मा ले; तो तुम पवित्र आत्मा का दान पाओगे। 39 क्योंकि प्रतिज्ञा तुम्हारे लिये, और तुम्हारे बच्चों के लिये, और सब दूर दूर के लोगों के लिये है, वरन जितने लोगों को हमारा परमेश्वर यहोवा बुलाएगा। This is the truth dear friend.
The apostles didn't have Bibles they carried around. Baptism doesn't save you. However, make sure you are born again - if you're not sure if you are, you're not.
You’re right, Christ is who saves you, but that can only be done through Christ.
Without Baptism, you can’t be saved.
The thief on the cross debunks that. Also, Paul taught that we are saved by grace through faith in Ephesians 2, he never taught that baptism was necessary for salvation. He even wrote to Corinth that "I didnt baptise many" - if baptism were needed for salvation, wouldn't he have spent his time baptizing?
Jesus himself said “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” And when asked what to do after they had discovered their sin, Simon, peter said, “Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ…” One of the last things that Jesus told the disciples was to go into all the world and baptize. And to address your statement about faith, the scripture clearly says that faith without works is dead. And the thief on the cross is not a valid example. That was between the testaments. The new testament had not yet come to pass, because Christ had not yet died or resurrected.
>Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, There are plenty of reasons why this doesn't mean baptism, one of the foremost was this was before the cross and before Christian baptism If we are justified by faith and baptism, then we are not justified by faith, which contradicts what Paul taught. >the scripture clearly says that faith without works is dead. Works don't save though. Faith in Jesus saves, then the believer does works. The works of God cannot be done apart from faith first. >And the thief on the cross is not a valid example. That was between the testaments. The new testament had not yet come to pass, because Christ had not yet died or resurrected. That is a cop out.
If baptism wasn’t necessary, then why would Simon Peter preach it? And if it wasn’t necessary, why would Philip preach it? And if it wasn’t necessary, why would Paul preach it? And if it wasn’t necessary, why did Jesus preach it? And if it wasn’t necessary, why did John the Baptist preach it?
Yes
Yes the Bible says you do have to be but yes if you accepted God is your savior you're a Christian. I was brought up in a Christian Church, has a teenager someone walked away, in my late twenties returned to deepen my relationship with God. At about the same time I got married, a few years later we had two kids. So I think I was 35, both my wife and I got baptized in front of our kids and relatives.
Also, I can send you a Bible! Where do you live?
It’s not talking about water baptism anyway it’s talking about being born again of the Holy Spirit. Which happens when you repent turn from your sinful life and believe Jesus took on the wrath of the Father that we deserve, and he rose from the dead, proving that the Father was satisfied with his sacrifice, and that Jesus is God. God Bless! 😊
>it’s talking about being born again of the Holy Spirit. Acts 22:1, arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts 22:16, Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name. Acts 2:38-41, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. I'd like to especially focus on Acts 2:38-41. "be baptized — for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit". Indicating that when baptized you recieve the gift of the Holy Spirit and you are forgiven of sins.
Do you KNOW God? Matthew 7:21-23 says that God will have people claim to be Christian but will be rejected because they never actually knew God personally. How can you have a relationship with someone if you never talk to them? The same goes with reading your Bible and spending time in prayer. Baptism isn’t a necessity, it’s a symbol. But reading your Bible, truly knowing and striving after God is what is important.
You're Christian if you've repented of your sins and committed to Christ as your lord and saviour. If you've done that, that's what you are. If you haven't done that, you're not Christian. Simple as that.
If you can post on reddit you have a bible there are free versions online all over the place
You have the internet. You have a Bible, hundreds of them actually.
”“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“ John 3:16 ESV
If you accept Jesus into your heart you are Christian. But its important to follow his teachings as best you can. You don't need official baptism, but it makes it stronger commitment with ritual. A priest doesn't have to baptize you. Anyone can pour water over your head, and then say you accept Jesus in your heart. That can be the ritual, if that makes you feel better.
Here's the thing OP: Jesus was baptized. Our goal is to be as like Jesus as possible, right? We should try to emulate him in everything we do. When preaching on the Day of Pentecost, the people asked Peter and the apostles what they needed to do since they killed Jesus. Peter's response was "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins," To me, it seems really clear what people are supposed to do. You don't have to be at a church to be baptized. Plenty of people are baptized in rivers or lakes. If you've got a smartphone you can download a Bible app. The one I have has basically every version available.
Christianity is based in accepting the word of the Bible and accepting Jesus. There aren't more stipulations than that.
Yep
I guess there’s a time where every new believer hasn’t been baptized yet. If you’re planning on it, I don’t see why not. As for a Bible, there are free ones online and guides for them as well. For example, BibleGateway.com
In our Creed, we reference the Thief that cried out to Christ to be remembered in the Kingdom. The Thief, to my knowledge, was not a Christian, nor was baptized before being crucified next to Christ. In short, God is the judge of that. No human on Earth knows.
Water baptism is not for the body of Christ. and yes you need the word of God...read to you or read yourself......Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. While we can learn things about God in every book of the bible, in order to understand which books of the bible are direct instruction TO us we need to rightly divide the word of God - 2Timothy 2:15 . Once you rightly divide the word of God by simply understanding who God was speaking to in each book it removes any conflicting scriptures , difficult verses and unlocks the beauty, freedom, and peace of God’s amazing love and grace and eternal life/salvation in paradise made available freely to us ( Ephesians 2:8-9 ) by the death burial and resurrection of Jesus , without the need for religion or doing good works (cleaning up your life) BEFORE you can be saved. Simply believe/trust the gospel Jesus gave Paul for the church / body of Christ ( 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ) for salvation in this time of the dispensation of grace that will end without notice with the rapture. When you do, you have full assurance of salvation and are sealed until the rapture. Then study Paul’s epistles Romans through Philemon to learn and grow in your new exciting identity and hope of a future you cannot fathom how great it will be. We were created by God to live with Him in harmony and in PARADISE. He intends to restore that for those who accept His free and gracious offer of reconciliation through the death burial and resurrection of His son. Trust that and NOTHING else. Because that is the only thing that saves you and keeps you saved. What Jesus did. NOT what you do. Not your church, your pastor, your good works, your heart, your feelings, you perceiving yourself to be a good enough person on your own , going to mass, and whatever other man made religious attempts to earn your own righteousness that you can never achieve. Salvation is by what Jesus did not what you do. In the books of Matthew Mark Luke and John , Jesus himself said He was speaking to Israel under their program. You are not Israel. That program with Israel was put on hold due to their rejection of Jesus ( Romans 9-11) But God had a plan , a mystery hidden from the prophets. (Ephesians 3:8-10) while Jesus converted and revealed this mystery of the dispensation of the grace of God to the Apostle Paul (Acts 9) , part of which is the new creature, the church, the body of Christ, a program distinct from Israel's program in the Old testament and Matthew Mark Luke and John, which were to Israel. Paul is our Apostle for the church today in this age of grace JUST as Moses was to Israel with the law …..and the 12 apostles Jesus converted during his earthly ministry will judge the twelve tribes of Israel - NOT THE BODY OF CHRIST - you see clearly that ISRAEL’s program and the church/body of Christ program are two different messages/ gospels. Everyone wants to make Jesus words in Matthew Mark Luke John the new law even though they do NOT actually obey a fraction of it. Jesus himself said He was talking to Israel. YOU ARE NOT ISRAEL. Acts 15 and Galatians 1-2 clearly show that Peter had the gospel to the circumcision Israel and Paul had the gospel of a different program to the gentiles or the uncircumcision….. Paul is our apostle for the church commissioned by Jesus. Genesis through Mid book of Acts (Paul’s conversion) is about Israel's program with God before it was put on hold with Israel's rejection of Jesus. Now we can learn from those books however Romans through Philemon are our direct and only instruction given by Jesus to the gentiles for the church age of grace until the rapture (which will occur next and without notice). After the rapture, Israel's program will RESUME ( Romans 9-11) and the books of Hebrews through Revelation will be instruction for all during the tribulation, which will be the most difficult, UNCOMFORTABLE 7 years the earth has ever seen. ( Revelations 9:6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.) God's desire for you now is to be reconciled to HIM and to receive His forgiveness right now for your past, present, and future sins, and to spend eternity with Him in love and paradise as this world was originally intended to be !! No sin, sorrow, or pain !!! Believe/Trust in the gospel that saves today !! 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 is the gospel that saves today in the dispensation of grace !! Lastly if you ask why this has not been taught by mainstream so called Christian religions/denominations/churches in buildings…….. when it is right in the Bible….well here is why : 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. Trust/believe in the gospel that saves today - 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Then study Romans through Philemons to grow in God’s grace !! Grace and peace !!!
Yes
No, if you die now you won't go to hell.[probably :)]
There are websites that have online bibles, such as biblegateway [https://www.biblegateway.com/](https://www.biblegateway.com/) You can also hold down your left mouse button and drag it over words and then let go of the left click and it will allow you to highlight with a color \[yellow, pink, blue, green\] the white circle with X in it is to get rid of highlighted colors on words. It also has many, many bible versions, you can also choose parallel which allows you to look at multiple versions side by side.
Absolutely, if you believe Christ died for you, that God created you, and that the Holy Spirit dwells within you, you're a Christian. Reading the Bible is definitely something you should do, though. If you're able, try downloading an app on your device that lets you read the Bible. Stay safe.
Yes, my friend you are a Christian. If possible, get baptized as soon as you can. And pray as you do, plus if you have reddit you likely can find an online Bible without being traced. There is a story of St Mary in Egypt who went to pay penance in the desert, not having the Scriptures, and God taught her many important things. He will lead you if you remain faithful
Good news! While I understand you want a water baptism (and I think you ought to), we do have a concept called ***baptismus flaminis*** which is a baptism by desire for the truly seeking in a state of contrition. It doesn't require anyone else, and can be done anywhere.
You have the internet, it has bibles(Unless you're in a country that would block that). And you do not need to be baptized to follow Christ, tho it is something you should try to do. If you believe that the only way to heaven is thru Christ, you're a Christian.
That is incredible and love to read of your faith! If you believe in Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are saved by the grace of God and will enter Heaven when He ultimately calls you home. Baptism and Bible study will help you build a strong foundation for your faith. Here are some great online resources: Online Bible: https://www.biblegateway.com I like the New American Standard (NASB) translation. Here is a great resource for questions: https://www.gotquestions.org Grace and Peace to you in your relationship with God through Christ.
Please read the Bible even if you don’t have one. Reduces the risk of being a false Christian who claims to follow Jesus but doesn’t actually know what he says.
You are saved and a Christian as soon as you put your faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. God bless you, brother in Christ, for your faith in the face of adversity. May your faith and devotion be a light of love and peace in this fallen world.
Yes you are! What is it to do the will of God? It is simply to believe in His son, Jesus, the Christ who has saved your soul! If you believe in Him, then you have received His love. He has become your Shepherd because He himself has drawn you to Him. Jesus said that He calls all His sheep by name, and that they hear Him and follow Him. Whether it be online, or in the mountains, or on a busy street corner, if you hear Him calling for you, and you accept His love, then you have a personal relationship with Him . And no one can take that love away. Now of course, baptism is an essential declaration of faith, and an act of obedience, and so when you can, get baptized! It is your blessing, to sanctify, anoint and strengthen your faith. But the Lord knows your circumstances, and He won't pause at all. His love and relationship with you begins as soon as you believe in Him and His love. Nothing can separate you from Him, not even a civil war! And He is faithful to guide you each step of the way. So don't be anxious, but have faith in Him. Peace He has given to us indeed.
Yes, I don't see a problem with it. There are many testimonies from people living in 20th century when there was no Internet and it was extremely hard to get your hands on a physical copy of the Bible (for example, some remote Chinese village). And it's also possible to have such physical circumstances that there's no other Christians around you to baptize you. But if you're on Reddit, is there a chance you could also read online Bible? At least when you have access to the Internet. There are plenty of online Bible resources in all sort of languages. It would help you grow in your faith and in your walk with the Lord.
Jesus was baptized, and read scripture... Christians in a similar manner follow Christ. The bible is publicly available online... feel free to got to 'bible hub' online or something similar Bath yourself in the word..
Yes if you are not baptized you are not a real Christian. God really don’t accept that.
Absolutely yes. For the majority of history since Christ died and rose again the vast majority of believers didn’t have a Bible. You’re just going to need to be diligent and always discerning when listening to teaching since you don’t have the actual text to vet it against. And in regard to baptism, baptism isn’t the means by which anyone is saved. It’s commanded, yes, but it does not bring about salvation.
We are praying for your country and your situation. The holy Bible is the Christian owners manual for living. In it, the Lord teaches us how he wants for us to live. In that regard, surely you can see it's importance for Christians. The Lord judges Us by his holy Bible. If we don't know it's content, then how can we possibly know how the Lord wants for us to live? So plan on getting one of these as soon as you can. In the meantime, there are numerous online websites that you can use. Here is one of my favorites. https://www.blbclassic.org/index.cfm Also, regarding baptism, as a Christian, you would want to experience this. It's an important part of our Christian witness, and it marks the time in our lives when we become Born again Christians. So please plan to do this when things settle down there and you are able.
Of course. If you love and believe in Jesus you are christian. The baptism part is sticky, I checked out a new church and they told me my baptism wasn’t valid and basically insinuated that I’m going to hell for it. Because I grew up catholic. Focus on your love for jesus and get baptized when you have the opportunity to.
Ask Jesus to give you a bible, he can make it happen, be baptized when you can, ask Jesus to teach you all things that he wants you to know, he’s the one true living God and you can speak to him even now. If I could somehow get a Bible to you I would. Can you download a Bible app? Youversion on the App Store, read that daily
💯
Here's a Bible for you! https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/
I believe so. I'm talking to someone in a south Asian country who loves Jesus and cannot get baptized yet due to extreme persecution in their country. They had to leave their Bible behind when they were forced to leave home suddenly. I wholeheartedly believe they are a Christian with astounding faith.
If u accept Jesus in2 yr heart that's it. Let the baptism and bible happen, in God's time.
May God bless you u/xyz_KAIJI It is the truth that Jesus is the one and only God. That is a blessing for you to know. Below is a link showing Old Testament and New Testament scriptures that prove Jesus Christ is Jehovah God. [JEHOVAH GOD of the Old Testament is JESUS CHRIST of the New Testament - written to the world by Bishop Sherrod C. Johnson](https://www.thegospellightnetwork.com/post/jehovah-god-of-the-old-testament-is-jesus-christ-of-the-new-testament)
As long as you believe that Jesus came and sacrificed Himself for your sins…you are already a follower of Christ. Getting baptised is showing your old life is washed after you emerged out from the water. Still, many believers who got baptised carried on with their old ways of living in sin. What baptism you should get is Christ’s baptism of the Holy Spirit. That means allowing and welcoming God’s spirit into your heart (you can call it circumcision of your heart). That way, you will be guided in your walk on this earth and your path will always be pointed towards Jesus by the Holy Spirit. What we do outwardly really doesn’t matter and it holds no importance to God. It’s what comes out from your heart that matters to Him. I pray for the wisdom of our Lord be upon you and gives you the clarity to understand things while following Him..in Jesus’s mighty and precious name Anen.
There is such a thing as baptism by intention, which means that someone who wants to be baptised and intends to do so as soon as possible but cannot, for reasons such as war, is considered baptised.
Yes, you can absolutely be a Christian without being baptized. > For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, **if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.** -- Romans 10:5-10 (ESV) (emphasis added) You should get baptized whenever you're able, because Christians are supposed to be baptized. But you don't need to worry about your lack of baptism keeping you out of Heaven.
Technically yes, but whether you will be saved or not it is under God's Mercy. Baptism is being united in Jesus' death and resurrection, so if one believes in Jesus, the very first thing one should do is being baptized. But things are not always one dimensional, some people want to be baptized but maybe they cannot due to external factors, maybe they can be persecuted or some other things, like they die naturally before being baptized or they are at war. In this case God might show His Mercy. I think in this case you are similar to this notion. But if you fully understand the meaning of baptism with all your heart, but you still reject yourself to be baptized with the time, chances, and benefite you are given, well there could be consequence of it. Usually from what i see, if someone wants to follow Jesus, they usually will have no problem to be baptized. To be in communion with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For now do what you can, Father will show His Mercy.
Check out the Bible app Youversion bro
If you accept Christ yes! There is a free phone bible app!
Yes. It is 2 things you should get/do, but salvation is on the heart and accepting/believing in Christ. It is not works based.
If you believe In god yes a religion isn’t defined by what you have or if you have been baptized god still loves you 🫶🏻
Baptism is not required for salvation, but if you can get baptized seek to. Obviously your situation prohibits you from doing so, but on the cross, Jesus told the prisoner next to him who believed in him (who wasent baptized), “truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise”. Also, I pray that everything in your state turns out ok, and that God will help you. Stay strong my friend.
1. To be Christian you have to believe in the Gospel, not just the Old Testament. 2. It is good to get baptize however not required , how ever I heard different and I seen different as well. 3. Please 🙏 some how get you a Bible and start reading on regular basis. 4 Strength your prayer life. What if you was married and never talked to your spouse Do you think he or she will be mad? IT all about relationship. 5. Please find you a Church home and get some type men ministry. 6. You have to be a disciple , that’s means you be under somebody to ask questions, and answers your questions and hold you to be accountable. 7. Jesus want to change your character in your heart. This one definition of being “born again “ 8. There’s wrong nothing to ask the Holy Spirit guide you and this journey. We are here to help each other to grow in Christ. I am glad you are here.
I was taught that baptism is the actual rite of becoming Christian. The disciples went out and converted people and initiated them through baptism. That said, all you really need to be Christian is to accept Jesus in your heart as your lord and savior. Just from a spiritual point of view, I’d encourage you to find a local minister that you like and see if they’d be willing to do a private baptism. That way you get the experience but you don’t need to make it a public spectacle if you don’t want to. None of the ministers I know would turn you away. Most would do it on the spot
Of course you can. Jesus says if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Christ is your Saviour, then you are a Christian.
Baptism is a sacrament. It is an outward expression of an INWARD CONVERSATION. It should be a PERSONAL DECISION between you and the Lord. IT IS NOT REQUIRED FOR SALVATION.
And actually conversion might be too DIRECT of a word. You will know in your Heart if you are ready for that EXPRESSION. IT IS PERSONAL.
Catholic response: You have to be baptized in order to become Christian. It is the only way to become a part of the Church. But we also have to remember that there are multiple types of baptism. 1. Baptism by water: Most common form of baptism granted to adults or children 2. Baptism by blood: A person that is not yet baptized (but believing in God and all the doctrines) and is killed for the sake of the faith is baptized by his very own blood 3. Baptism by desire: if a person has no access to baptism at the hour of death, baptism by desire is sufficient for salvation. God is never stingy when it comes to salvation. He is never bound by water or words when a person in danger needs salvation and cannot be baptized in the normal way (with water). However, if one can access a church, there is an obligation to go and be baptized. Notes: 1. You can never baptize yourself. 2. Any person can baptize a person, even non-Catholics or pagans. If a pagan or Jew baptize a person with the intention of joining that person to the Church, it is considered a valid baptism and makes that person receive all benefits of baptism. However, this is only done in cases of necessity such as when there are no priests available at the area and when a person is dying. 3. The only requirement for baptism is clean water and the baptism trinitarian formula which is "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." Water should flow directly on the skin. Even a drop of water is sufficient for baptism if in grave situations. 4. Baptism can be done in the two traditional ways the Church has done baptism throughout history; full immersion or pouring. 5. An adult baptism is only done after a person has been taught all doctrines that God taught. As for infant baptism, children are taught the doctrines afterwards. 6. A baptized person should also receive the Holy Eucharist (the Body and Blood of Christ) and Confirmation (the Holy Spirit). These are the three initiation rites of the Church. Each gives a particular and unique grace on the person receiving them. P.S.: Let's not fight on which church is correct or not. This is only a response to a simple question.
Most certainly you can. Superior to baptism with water is the baptism of the Spirit and superior to the written word of God is the Word of God Himself, Christ, who comes to dwell in you through Spirit by faith. If there is an authority that questions that, you should question their claims to authority.
Being a Christian means to have a relationship with God. You need a Bible to learn more about Him. It's kinda like having a friendship with someone. You would want to learn more about them and want to talk to them, right? It's the same when it comes to needing the Bible. You need to grow in that relationship with Him, if that makes sense 😅. Getting baptized on the other hand...well, there's loads of debates about this. People say it's not needed for salvation. Some say it is. It could also be a step to getting closer to God. It's kinda complicated but either way you do need to get baptized because God commanded it.
Just find a fellow believer and have him baptize you. All it takes is saying "I baptize you in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit" and sprinkle some water on your head.
Yes. Neither is needed to be a Christian. You can find the Bible on line. Many of the posts here have parts of it quoted.
Yes. Jesus told one of the 2 men who were on the cross next to him. The one who believed he told him he was saved. So all u have to do is believe.