I was raised catholic. I never read the Bible. I was told that the Bible was for priests and nuns. I thank God every day that by reading his word me to the truth of Christ
Hello everyone. I just wanted to let you know that on Sunday's service at Parkside they announced that Pastor Begg was asking for prayers for his niece that is having a craniotomy on February 3rd in Cleveland. No other information was provided. God bless! 🙏♥️🙏 James 5:16 New King James Version 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective,fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Lord I join in prayer for pastor's niece. I pray all go well with the surgery and give the doctor wisdom, guide their hands, strengthen his niece's body to do well throughout the surgery and the recovery. In Jesus name, amen 🙏
Listening eagerly to Truth for Life, I was able to hear God speak through Alister Begg. Praise be to God. Act 17:11 These were nobler than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Shalom my brothers and sisters.... If I may prophesy from the Word of God.... John 3:3-6 NKJV - Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Must be born again. Unless born OF water and THE Spirit Born of flesh is flesh... Born of Spirit is spirit.... If born OF water is necessary, then we need to understand why OF and not IN or THROUGH or WITH...if in fact baptism means water (H2O) Matthew 3:11 NKJV - “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ....I indeed baptize you WITH water UNTO repentance The Gospel writer clearly distinguishes John's method of baptism is WITH water....and it is UNTO (for or leading to) repentance. Jesus however baptises with the Holy Spirit and fire... Ok let's continue.... Acts 2:36-38 NKJV - “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “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. Ok so here the order has moved from pre cross.... Before... baptise UNTO repentance After... repent and be Baptised and receive the Holy Spirit. .... Hmmm.... Let's continue.... Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV - And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the NAME of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Jesus said baptise, in the NAME and make disciples. .... This is key as to make a disciple you need to teach a student. Therefore teach what....? A few more passages.... 1 Peter 1:22-23 NKJV - Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the WORD OF GOD which lives and ABIDES forever, John 15:3-4 NKJV - “You are already clean because of THE WORD which I have spoken to you. “ABIDE in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it ABIDES in the vine, neither can you, unless you ABIDE in Me. John 15:9-10 NKJV - “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; ABIDE in My love. “If you keep My commandments, you will ABIDE in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and ABIDE in His love. Ephesians 5:25-27 NKJV - Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the ***washing of water by THE WORD,*** that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. Is the baptism by the Holy Spirit accomplished in water....or fire And so what do we make of FIRE, and what about the NAME....? Firstly the FIRE Malachi 3:1-5 NKJV - “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the LORD of hosts. “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s FIRE And like launderers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness. “Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem Will be pleasant to the LORD, As in the days of old, As in former years. And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness Against sorcerers, Against adulterers, Against perjurers, Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, And against those who turn away an alien- Because they do not fear Me,” Says the LORD of hosts. Revelation 11:3-5 NKJV - “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, FIRE proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. And now to the NAME.... Revelation 19:11-13 NKJV - Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of FIRE, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His NAME is called THE WORD OF GOD. I welcome feedback, however I seek only to rely on scripture as interpreted by the Holy Spirit... For since the beginning our Father told us to Hear and Obey for in it were life and death (Deut 30) 2 Timothy 3:14-17 NKJV - But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you WISE FOR SALVATION through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. Does baptism look clearer now.... Acts 10:44 NKJV - While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard THE WORD. Ephesians 1:13-14 NKJV - In Him you also trusted, after you heard THE WORD OF TRUTH, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Much Love and Shalom 🙏❤
Sorry but you don't receive the Holy Spirit after water baptism. It is a miraculous gift from God who does the choosing. If water baptism and faith in Christ provides you with the Holy Spirit then why would John 3:1-8 even exist? I was baptized (water) at birth. I believed for over 50 years before the miracle of regeneration. 🙏😊🙏
I've been going to a Salvation Army church for the past year, and I just learned that they don't practice baptism or communion. I don't like that, I'm probably leaving soon.
It is harder to explain their view of baptism, whether it is leaning more to the Roman Catholics or Presbyterian view. The Lutherans are somewhere in between, and sometimes leaning more to the one extreme and then to the other. Then it takes much more time to explain. I also think that the pastor's time was running out. These are only speculations, by the way. I hope it helps though!
I humbly disagree with this wonderful servant of the LORD. 1. Baptism is not a confession of faith in Christ, but rather God’s proclamation of His promise of salvation in Christ. Unless we are talking about John’s baptism. Then the Bible has enough clear evidence to close the disagreement. But I am utterly convinced that Pastor Begg is referring to the baptism Jesus instituted in the great commission, and not the heresy of trying to use the baptism of repentance through the one that was sent to prepare the way of the LORD (Luke 7:26-32). 2. Baptism, I'd agree with pastor Alistair Begg, is a communion with Christ. Having communion with Christ does, however, not mean one has faith (Judas and unfaithful, yet baptized Israel - 1 Cor. 10:2-, are clear examples). But one’s communion with Him (and the privileges along with it) is an intensified experience of grace in comparison to being farther away from communion with Christ. However, no one can be completely removed from grace, because there is a common grace of joy, rain, food, etc.! But I want to emphasize that being in a closer communion with Christ intensifies the experience of grace, yet it may be that one is not saved, and after this age, will not experience any amount of grace ever again. That is why we can’t say that faith precedes baptism, and there are also descriptive bible passages that describe baptism accounts not following that order {Acts 8:13-20 (did he really have faith? He certainly haven’t repented yet, before being baptized), Acts 19:1-6 (can one truly believe before receiving the Holy Spirit? Or was the gospel received and preached through this baptism and Latin on of hands?)}. Then pastor Begg alludes to Christ being ‘buried’ and how the water symbolises this burial of oneself, the old self. However, it ties us to Jesus’s death, not the grave (see ROM. 6:5). Yes, his grave is mentioned in verse 4 (and only there), but it alludes to death (verses 1-11, check every verse for ‘death’)! Jesus surely died, and it is this certain death, and death to sin, we are in communion with Christ, not his grave. And what was Jesus’s grave? A modern 6ft grave, or a tomb in a cave? Jesus wasn’t buried 6ft underground, no, and we are not symbolically buried with Christ to be literally resurrected with Him. We are united to Christ with a literal death to sin (like His) and will literally be resurrected like Him (vs.10-11)… now partially(vs11), but in eternity in its fullness! That is Paul’s Gospel argument through this passage, and comforts us in the struggle with sin, yet glorified in Christ (see how he develops this argument 6:22-23, 7:6, 18-20, 24-8:1, 11, 16-18, 29-30 and 31-38). 3. Baptism is consecration, yes. However, I wish that pastor Begg elaborated on this so I can try to understand his view better. However, he pointed to a new life of someone baptized with a fancy suit. It is definitely part of the process that follows consecration, named sanctification. And the pastor portrayed it beautifully to understand the aspect of consummation in his baptismal categories better. Yet he mentioned that believers’ children are consecrated (talking about believers’ children, baptized or not, they are in a special relationship by the providence of God), and I would therefore argue that they should be baptized. I won’t say that unbaptized children of believers are less consecrated, however, preventing them, I believe, is a sign of a distorted view of being consecrated. Set apart, is set apart. Whether you are the most righteous man before Jesus that walked the earth, or whether you are the most wretched sinner on a cross promised to be with Jesus in paradise (or a Tedd Bundy, if he had a true repentance)… the fact of the matter is you are set-apart, made holy. And a matter of genuine faith of a little child or a sceptic mind in a true believer makes no difference. Consecrated is consecrated. Or whether you are a new born baby, mentally disabled adult, genius theologian or unblemished saint, it does not matter. If you are chosen by God or in any form of relational environment with Him, you are consecrated. And believers, being part of a consecrated covenant community, received a child from God in that special setting. Therefore, if it is God that blessed this baby with believers as parents, and it is He who consecrated the baby in that way, and it is He who instituted baptism, and it is He and Him alone that provides salvation, who are we to restrict babies of any of those blessings? We can’t, and where we can, we ought not to. I honestly think that the argument of silence with regards to there being no prohibition of infants (or anyone) to be baptized, shouts much louder than the argument of silence to infants being baptized. 4. Consummation, well, that is, as pastor Begg said, that living hope on waiting for our salvation to be consummated. And it implies that we live different today! That is the same call as his illustration with the man baptized in a suit, and the same call in his illustration of the marine and the same call Paul builds to from Romans 6 to 8. This living repentance… this living struggle with sin as a consecrated saint will be permanent until the consummation of everything, even of our fulfilled consecration and our fight with sin in the eternal history books! And I think it is this perspective that proves this debate to be classified as important, yet not essential. Because put this in an eternal perspective: 1. All falls short of righteousness, whether you are the most ruthless murderer or an ‘innocent’ unborn child. 2. The amount of time in eternity consumes your life to be but a small spec in an unmeasurable universe, whether you were 969 years old, or passed on your 40th day of life. 3. Your time of being a saved wretch is inevitable, whether you grew up in a Christian family or whether you believed taking your last breath. 4. And baptism? Well, I’d say what pastor Alistair Begg said. Go read and search the Scriptures! Struggle with God on this, cause hey! It just might be a better battle choice than choosing to spend your time struggling with sin😉*
I was raised catholic. I never read the Bible. I was told that the Bible was for priests and nuns. I thank God every day that by reading his word me to the truth of Christ
❤️
Hello everyone. I just wanted to let you know that on Sunday's service at Parkside they announced that Pastor Begg was asking for prayers for his niece that is having a craniotomy on February 3rd in Cleveland. No other information was provided. God bless! 🙏♥️🙏
James 5:16
New King James Version
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective,fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Thanks for sharing that so we can pray
@@teegee3691 Amen Tina! 🤗🙏♥️🙏
Lord I join in prayer for pastor's niece. I pray all go well with the surgery and give the doctor wisdom, guide their hands, strengthen his niece's body to do well throughout the surgery and the recovery. In Jesus name, amen 🙏
@@cindynixdorf3575 Amen
Prayers for the surgery and healing afterwards for Pastor Beggs niece and prayers for the family as well 🙏❤️
Good evening Church. Lovely to be with you and in the word again,😊❤️🙏
Listening eagerly to Truth for Life, I was able to hear God speak through Alister Begg. Praise be to God.
Act 17:11 These were nobler than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Thank you Pastor ! I listen and am encouraged, exhorted, corrected and strengthened in my faith! God bless you and keep you!
Amen Thank You Lord Jesus Amen ✝️
I love Alistair, but I have to be honest, the lack of actual Bible used to show what Baptism is was kind of saddening.
Oh, how I thank God for you, Pastor Begg.
As a Marine, I prefer being clothed in the glory and grace of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Begg, I'm a cradle Catholic now 70yrs+ wearing the wrong uniform 🤦. GOD BLESS YOU 🙏💕💕
Shalom my brothers and sisters....
If I may prophesy from the Word of God....
John 3:3-6 NKJV - Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Must be born again.
Unless born OF water and THE Spirit
Born of flesh is flesh...
Born of Spirit is spirit....
If born OF water is necessary, then we need to understand why OF and not IN or THROUGH or WITH...if in fact baptism means water (H2O)
Matthew 3:11 NKJV - “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
....I indeed baptize you WITH water UNTO repentance
The Gospel writer clearly distinguishes John's method of baptism is WITH water....and it is UNTO (for or leading to) repentance.
Jesus however baptises with the Holy Spirit and fire...
Ok let's continue....
Acts 2:36-38 NKJV - “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “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.
Ok so here the order has moved from pre cross....
Before... baptise UNTO repentance
After... repent and be Baptised and receive the Holy Spirit. ....
Hmmm....
Let's continue....
Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV - And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the NAME of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Jesus said baptise, in the NAME and make disciples. ....
This is key as to make a disciple you need to teach a student.
Therefore teach what....?
A few more passages....
1 Peter 1:22-23 NKJV - Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the WORD OF GOD which lives and ABIDES forever,
John 15:3-4 NKJV - “You are already clean because of THE WORD which I have spoken to you. “ABIDE in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it ABIDES in the vine, neither can you, unless you ABIDE in Me.
John 15:9-10 NKJV - “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; ABIDE in My love. “If you keep My commandments, you will ABIDE in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and ABIDE in His love.
Ephesians 5:25-27 NKJV - Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the ***washing of water by THE WORD,*** that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Is the baptism by the Holy Spirit accomplished in water....or fire
And so what do we make of FIRE, and what about the NAME....?
Firstly the FIRE
Malachi 3:1-5 NKJV - “Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,”
Says the LORD of hosts. “But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s FIRE
And like launderers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the LORD
An offering in righteousness. “Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
Will be pleasant to the LORD,
As in the days of old,
As in former years. And I will come near you for judgment;
I will be a swift witness
Against sorcerers,
Against adulterers,
Against perjurers,
Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans,
And against those who turn away an alien-
Because they do not fear Me,”
Says the LORD of hosts.
Revelation 11:3-5 NKJV - “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, FIRE proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.
And now to the NAME....
Revelation 19:11-13 NKJV - Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of FIRE, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His NAME is called THE WORD OF GOD.
I welcome feedback, however I seek only to rely on scripture as interpreted by the Holy Spirit...
For since the beginning our Father told us to Hear and Obey for in it were life and death (Deut 30)
2 Timothy 3:14-17 NKJV - But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you WISE FOR SALVATION through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Does baptism look clearer now....
Acts 10:44 NKJV - While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard THE WORD.
Ephesians 1:13-14 NKJV - In Him you also trusted, after you heard THE WORD OF TRUTH, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Much Love and Shalom 🙏❤
Sorry but you don't receive the Holy Spirit after water baptism. It is a miraculous gift from God who does the choosing. If water baptism and faith in Christ provides you with the Holy Spirit then why would John 3:1-8 even exist? I was baptized (water) at birth. I believed for over 50 years before the miracle of regeneration. 🙏😊🙏
@@mikemccormick9667
Amen🙏❤
The Church of Christ believes that your sins are not remitted unless you are Baptised (Acts 2:38, Mark 1:4). What say you?
I've been going to a Salvation Army church for the past year, and I just learned that they don't practice baptism or communion. I don't like that, I'm probably leaving soon.
Can I ask why the Lutheran view is left out?
It is harder to explain their view of baptism, whether it is leaning more to the Roman Catholics or Presbyterian view. The Lutherans are somewhere in between, and sometimes leaning more to the one extreme and then to the other. Then it takes much more time to explain. I also think that the pastor's time was running out. These are only speculations, by the way. I hope it helps though!
I humbly disagree with this wonderful servant of the LORD.
1. Baptism is not a confession of faith in Christ, but rather God’s proclamation of His promise of salvation in Christ. Unless we are talking about John’s baptism. Then the Bible has enough clear evidence to close the disagreement. But I am utterly convinced that Pastor Begg is referring to the baptism Jesus instituted in the great commission, and not the heresy of trying to use the baptism of repentance through the one that was sent to prepare the way of the LORD (Luke 7:26-32).
2. Baptism, I'd agree with pastor Alistair Begg, is a communion with Christ. Having communion with Christ does, however, not mean one has faith (Judas and unfaithful, yet baptized Israel - 1 Cor. 10:2-, are clear examples). But one’s communion with Him (and the privileges along with it) is an intensified experience of grace in comparison to being farther away from communion with Christ. However, no one can be completely removed from grace, because there is a common grace of joy, rain, food, etc.! But I want to emphasize that being in a closer communion with Christ intensifies the experience of grace, yet it may be that one is not saved, and after this age, will not experience any amount of grace ever again. That is why we can’t say that faith precedes baptism, and there are also descriptive bible passages that describe baptism accounts not following that order {Acts 8:13-20 (did he really have faith? He certainly haven’t repented yet, before being baptized), Acts 19:1-6 (can one truly believe before receiving the Holy Spirit? Or was the gospel received and preached through this baptism and Latin on of hands?)}.
Then pastor Begg alludes to Christ being ‘buried’ and how the water symbolises this burial of oneself, the old self. However, it ties us to Jesus’s death, not the grave (see ROM. 6:5). Yes, his grave is mentioned in verse 4 (and only there), but it alludes to death (verses 1-11, check every verse for ‘death’)! Jesus surely died, and it is this certain death, and death to sin, we are in communion with Christ, not his grave. And what was Jesus’s grave? A modern 6ft grave, or a tomb in a cave? Jesus wasn’t buried 6ft underground, no, and we are not symbolically buried with Christ to be literally resurrected with Him. We are united to Christ with a literal death to sin (like His) and will literally be resurrected like Him (vs.10-11)… now partially(vs11), but in eternity in its fullness! That is Paul’s Gospel argument through this passage, and comforts us in the struggle with sin, yet glorified in Christ (see how he develops this argument 6:22-23, 7:6, 18-20, 24-8:1, 11, 16-18, 29-30 and 31-38).
3. Baptism is consecration, yes. However, I wish that pastor Begg elaborated on this so I can try to understand his view better. However, he pointed to a new life of someone baptized with a fancy suit. It is definitely part of the process that follows consecration, named sanctification. And the pastor portrayed it beautifully to understand the aspect of consummation in his baptismal categories better. Yet he mentioned that believers’ children are consecrated (talking about believers’ children, baptized or not, they are in a special relationship by the providence of God), and I would therefore argue that they should be baptized. I won’t say that unbaptized children of believers are less consecrated, however, preventing them, I believe, is a sign of a distorted view of being consecrated. Set apart, is set apart. Whether you are the most righteous man before Jesus that walked the earth, or whether you are the most wretched sinner on a cross promised to be with Jesus in paradise (or a Tedd Bundy, if he had a true repentance)… the fact of the matter is you are set-apart, made holy. And a matter of genuine faith of a little child or a sceptic mind in a true believer makes no difference. Consecrated is consecrated. Or whether you are a new born baby, mentally disabled adult, genius theologian or unblemished saint, it does not matter. If you are chosen by God or in any form of relational environment with Him, you are consecrated. And believers, being part of a consecrated covenant community, received a child from God in that special setting. Therefore, if it is God that blessed this baby with believers as parents, and it is He who consecrated the baby in that way, and it is He who instituted baptism, and it is He and Him alone that provides salvation, who are we to restrict babies of any of those blessings? We can’t, and where we can, we ought not to. I honestly think that the argument of silence with regards to there being no prohibition of infants (or anyone) to be baptized, shouts much louder than the argument of silence to infants being baptized.
4. Consummation, well, that is, as pastor Begg said, that living hope on waiting for our salvation to be consummated. And it implies that we live different today! That is the same call as his illustration with the man baptized in a suit, and the same call in his illustration of the marine and the same call Paul builds to from Romans 6 to 8. This living repentance… this living struggle with sin as a consecrated saint will be permanent until the consummation of everything, even of our fulfilled consecration and our fight with sin in the eternal history books! And I think it is this perspective that proves this debate to be classified as important, yet not essential. Because put this in an eternal perspective:
1. All falls short of righteousness, whether you are the most ruthless murderer or an ‘innocent’ unborn child.
2. The amount of time in eternity consumes your life to be but a small spec in an unmeasurable universe, whether you were 969 years old, or passed on your 40th day of life.
3. Your time of being a saved wretch is inevitable, whether you grew up in a Christian family or whether you believed taking your last breath.
4. And baptism? Well, I’d say what pastor Alistair Begg said. Go read and search the Scriptures! Struggle with God on this, cause hey! It just might be a better battle choice than choosing to spend your time struggling with sin😉*
Lots of words. No substance! There are so many Scriptures to reference. First and last visit to this void!
💜