The Baptism Debate

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BIBLICAL BAPTISM

Introduction
Baptism, in today’s society, is one of the biggest proponents in sending people to Hell; sadly, much of the false theories taught are being taught by churches today and causing this mass belief that baptism does more than its original intent. One may question how a religious person studying religion can believe churches are wrong about baptism. The thought is proposed because it is true. Churches are continually misleading people as to what baptism is, what it is not, who is eligible for baptism, and how one should be baptized. These are questions that should be answered by churches before one is baptized; however, many churches are not answering this question in hopes of increasing their numbers. The mentioned questions will be answered from a biblical view and not indoctrinated by a specific denomination or theory.

What is Baptism?
What is baptism? There are many people who are baptized and they do not know what they are doing; they only know what their pastor or priest has said about the importance of being baptized. Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines baptism as follows: “a Christian sacrament marked by ritual use of water and admitting the recipient to the Christian community.” Taking only Merriam Webster’s Dictionary definition of baptism, one would believe that anyone that wanted to participate in a Christian community would simply need to be baptized. However, the Bible does not teach this theory at all.
Baptism, according to Charles Stanley, is the declaration of believing in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Romans 6:1-5 reads:
What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it...

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Encyclopaedia Britannica. baptism. 2013. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baptism (accessed November 16, 2013).
Gill, John. "Acts 8:12." In John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, by John Gill. Grace Works Multimedia, 2011.
Gill, John. "Matthew 3:16." In John Gill's Expostion of the Entire Bible, by John Gill. Grace Works Multimedia, 2011.
Lucado, Max. Baptism: The Demonstration of Devotion. March 22, 2013. http://maxlucado.com/read/topical/baptism-the-demonstration-of-devotion/ (accessed November 16, 2013).
Stanley, Charles. Baptism: The Clear Teaching of Scripture. 2013. http://www.intouch.org/you/sermon-outlines/content?topic=baptism_the_clear_teaching_of_scripture_outline (accessed November 16, 2013).

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