Originally Posted by
James Banta
I am sorry you don't know what the Bible teaches even about John's baptism.. lets explore it together shall we?
In acts we find Paul coming on a group of men that had not received the gift of the Holy Spirit and he asked them to what baptize they had been baptized.. They said to John's baptism.. Lets see from the Bible what Paul said and what he did for these men..
Acts 19:1-6
And it came to p***, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having p***ed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.And it came to p***, that, while Apollos
So as Mark began to relate the Life and Works of Jesus, everything He did to show us who He is, and all He did to bring us salvation, he calls it the Gospel and so it is.. But the works of John are not those works.. Only that which Jesus did is the Good News of God's work to bring us to Himself.. Since the baptism of John is identified by the Apostle Paul and insufficient it is NOT part of the Gospel.. What is identified as the access means for salvation BY JESUS is holding faith in Him.. He said That God loved the world so much that He sent His only begotten Son and that whoever believes in His would never die but have everlasting Life.. So John is preaching his baptism of repentance and not the baptism of Life.. You are stopping way to early in identifying the full Gospel.. You should read more of God's word and find out that we need to be born of the Spirit of God to become His children. That we are by nature children of wrath..
Please explain how we can receive remission of sins through an incomplete baptism.. If remission of sin by water baptism was taught all though the Bible why do you rely on two verses? On the contrary it is salvation by Grace through faith that is taught throughout the Bible From Genesis 15:6, John 3:16, Eph 2:8-9, ***us 3:5, Rev 3:20 to name a few right off the top of my head.. Remember it is also taught that without faith it is impossible to please God, and He rewards those that seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).. So again your p***age here must mean that we are baptized because we have been cleansed not because we are forgiven by baptism.. IHS jim