was water baptism something that happened before John the Baptist, or not?
821261
yes before the time of Jesus the Jews would purify themselves before they would inter a holy place, the temple of Solomon for example. outside these holy places they would have huge tubs where the Jews would "Bathe" (I guess is a good way to put it) and after a woman would give birth she was ordered by Jewish law to purify herself in the same manner.
943470
John the Baptist was the prophet preparing people for Jesus to come, and no human is greater-or has greater faith-than John.  However, even though John is the greatest human, anyone in heaven is free of sin and therefore greater than John.\nAt least that's what I got out of it.
136556
Before the time of Jesus Christ there were the "Jews" and the "Gentiles" there were probally more with regards to the Native Americans, Myans, Incas etc. However; the "conflict" occured because some of those in the Jewish faith which at the time claimed you had to be born into the religion and at around the time of Christ's departure some of the Jews whom rejected Christ as the "Massiah" continued to follow the Law of Moses while some of the Jews accepted Christ and this was the start of the New Testiment in the Bible and around that time Christianity was "born" The Old Testiment in the Bible is the same as the Koran in the Jewish faith ( or very similar! There may be more details however; this is the "bulk" that I am aware of!
697362
There's apparently a big debate about this. If you're part of an older church, then yeah, God would've given the smackdown before rapture. Newer churches take the view of the rapture occurring before the mayhem begins.
1098037
Baptism, is a step in the right direction but not the end result of your efforts. If you die while being baptized you still have no hope of getting to heaven if your heart is evil. Likewise if you die with a pure heart right before you get baptized, God saw the intent of the heart, and you would be saved. He doesn't do the doctrinal nit-picking people do.
117666
The pouring of water or the going under the water has no real value unless your heart accepts Christ.\n\nIn the Catholic Church, Lutheran Church, Orthodox Churches and Anglican churches, baptism is always done to the children since they are born with orginal sin, and why risk the soul of the young people, Plus of course entire families were baptised in the New Testment so babies would have been included.\n\nThe majoriy of all Christian religions baptise infants.\nNext it was the accepted method for the first 1600 years of the christian Church.  One has to wonder to those who claim it is of Satan, that it was the proper procedue the entire history of christianity untill just recently last few hundred years.\n\nThe traditoin of baptism comes from the Jewish rite of purification, that is why no one had a problem with Johns baptism,  people were cleanses all the time for all types of reasons,  This is combined with the early blessing of the infants in the temple, dedicating them to God.\n\nSo as you grown, and come of age, you are then asked to make a public expression of your faith, choice to follow God,  in most churches that is called confirmation.\n\nSo you can get baptismed again, it does not do anything extra for you, but can be a sign of you committment, but that is done normally in a confirmation service.\n\nThe Mormoms and a few other churches require a new baptism but it is not bibical to require it.
994896
First, nowhere does the Bible say that Baptism is merely a "symbolic" act...that passage simply does not exist.\n\nSecond, let's see what the Bible does say about Baptism:\n\nEzek 36:25-27, it says, "I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses...a new heart I will give you and a new spirit I will put within you...and I will put My spirit within you..." \n\nHere, in the Old Testament, we have a foreshadowing of New Testament baptism.\n\nActs 2:38, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." \n\nNote that there is no symbolic language here...this is real! \n\nThe Book of Acts says, "Be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins." Ezekiel says, "I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from your uncleanness." \n\nThe Book of Acts says, "...and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." \n\nEzekiel says: "...and I will put My Spirit within you." Do you begin to see how God, in the Old Covenant, was preparing us for what He gives us in the New Covenant?\n\nActs 22:16 - "And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins...". 1 Cor 12:13 - "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body..." What body was that? The Body of Christ. 1 Ptr 3:21: "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you..."\n\nScripture simply does not support the non-Catholic notion that Baptism is symbolic. \n\nScripture does very directly and very clearly support the Catholic teaching that Baptism saves us; that Baptism makes us members of the Body of Christ; that Baptism washes away sin; and that through Baptism we receive the Holy Spirit...just as the Catholic Church teaches!\n\n\nAlso, Scripture gives us numerous accounts of entire households being Baptized. Here again, the Greek word for "household" assumes that children and babies are included:\n\nActs 16:14-15 -- "One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened, and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying. After she AND HER HOUSEHOLD had been baptized, she offered us an invitation ...."\n\nActs 16:30-33 --"Then he (the jailer) brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' And they (Paul & Silas) said, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus and you AND YOUR HOUSEHOLD will be saved.' So they spoke the Word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house. He took them in at that hour of the night (midnight, v. 25) and bathed their wounds; then he and ALL HIS FAMILY were baptized at once."\n\nActs 18:8 --"Crispus, the synagogue official, came to believe in the Lord along with his ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD, and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized."\n\nSee also Acts 10:24-27 & 10:44-48 where Peter Baptizes the entire family of Cornelius.\n\nSo, that's what we have from the Scriptures. Yet, turning to Sacred Tradition, the writings of the early Church Fathers show quite clearly that the Apostles practiced infant Baptism. And this can be traced back to the Apostles quite easily. It goes like this:\n\nIn the year 215 AD, the Church Father St. Hippolytus of Rome writes:\n\n    "And they shall Baptize the little children first. And if they can answer for themselves, let them answer. But if they cannot, let their parents answer or someone from their family." (Hippolytus of Rome, Apostolic Tradition, 21 c. AD 215).\n\nNow, St. Hippolytus was the disciple of St. Irenaeus of Lyon; and, in AD 180, St. Irenaeus writes:\n\n    "For He came to save all through Himself --all, I say, who through Him are born again to God [i.e., Baptized] -- infants, and children, and boys, and youths, and old men." (Irenaeus, Against the Heres
984066
No it doesn't.  Jesus said that baptism is essential for salvation.  You can't enter the Kingdom without it.  But that isn't the same as saying you get free admission to the kingdom by being baptized.  Baptism gives us the initial grace, makes us members of the Body of Christ on earth, the Church.  But not all members of the Church are going to heaven.  That depends on what each person does with his/her time on earth.
240134
(Assuming you are performing the baptism of Mary Elizabeth)\n\nMary Elizabeth, I welcome you into the true faith brought to us by Christ Jesus nearly 2000 years ago.  Through the power of God and the water He made holy, be cleansed of your sins and made whole in His eyes.\nI baptise you in the name of the Father (pour water)\nand of the Son (pour water)\nand of the Holy Spirit (pour water).\nAmen.\n\n**********\n\n(Assuming you are about to be baptised)\nOh Lord, I desire to enter into your Church, your faith, and your family.  I desire to be numbered among your followers, counted among your worthy, and welcomed into Heaven at the end of days.  I ask you to initiate me into your Holy church, by this rite of Baptism.  I ask you bless me, and allow the holy water to cleans me of my sins.  Make me whole in your sight.\n(water poured)
1047299
I'm thinking it alludes to John the Baptist baptizing Jesus.
847148
I was raised baptist and drinking period was wrong.  They had grape juice for "lord's supper" lmao...thank god (no pun) I do not practice organized religion anymore.  I love some wine. (from wine country, CA)
21864
Baptism is forever.  Your choice of religious affliation is not.
726315
You need only one baptized persons consent, here are few quotes to help you along.\nMatt. 28:19-20 - Jesus commands the apostles to baptize all people "in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit." Many Protestant churches are now teaching that baptism is only a symbolic ritual, and not what actually cleanses us from original sin. This belief contradicts Scripture and the 2,000 year-old teaching of the Church.\n\nActs 2:38 - Peter commands them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ in order to be actually forgiven of sin, not just to partake of a symbolic ritual. \n\nMatt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:38 - there is nothing in these passages or elsewhere in the Bible about baptism being symbolic. There is also nothing about just accepting Jesus as personal Lord and Savior in order to be saved. \n\nMark 16:16 - Jesus said "He who believes AND is baptized will be saved." Jesus says believing is not enough. Baptism is also required. This is because baptism is salvific, not just symbolic. The Greek text also does not mandate any specific order for belief and baptism, so the verse proves nothing about a “believer’s baptism.” \n\nJohn 3:3,5 - unless we are "born again" of water and Spirit in baptism, we cannot enter into the kingdom of God. The Greek word for the phrase "born again" is "anothen" which literally means “begotten from above.” See, for example, John 3:31 where "anothen" is so used. Baptism brings about salvation, not just a symbolism of our salvation. \n\nJob 14:1-4 - man that is born of woman is full of trouble and unclean. Baptism is required for all human beings because of our sinful human nature. \n\nPsalm 51:5 - we are conceived in the iniquity of sin. This shows the necessity of baptism from conception. \n\nMatt. 18:2-5 - Jesus says unless we become like children, we cannot enter into heaven. So why would children be excluded from baptism? \n\nMatt 19:14 - Jesus clearly says the kingdom of heaven also belongs to children. There is no age limit on entering the kingdom, and no age limit for being eligible for baptism. \n\nMark 10:14 - Jesus says to let the children come to Him for the kingdom of God also belongs to them. Jesus says nothing about being too young to come into the kingdom of God. \n\nMark 16:16 - Jesus says to the crowd, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." But in reference to the same people, Jesus immediately follows with "He who does not believe will be condemned." This demonstrates that one can be baptized and still not be a believer. This disproves the Protestant argument that one must be a believer to be baptized. There is nothing in the Bible about a "believer's baptism." \n\nLuke 18:15 – Jesus says, “Let the children come to me.” The people brought infants to Jesus that he might touch them. This demonstrates that the receipt of grace is not dependent upon the age of reason. \n\n1 Cor. 7:14 – Paul says that children are sanctified by God through the belief of only one of their parents.
881974
they probably just want to make sure you understand why baptisism is important.  some churches i think are run more like a buisness so they may want to get you in on the chance that you will start tithing.\n\nbaptisism means to change completely on the inside.  dipping in water is an outwardly sign to show that change.  which is still important and i'm sure you will eventually find a church to do this for you.  just tell them that John the baptist baptised anyone who converted without church attendance.
677058
No one knows exactly. It's estimated, based on the timing of his writing Revelation, that John (the only one not to be martyred) was in his 90's)
635994
Yes, you're correct. Baptism is a ritual that symbolizes having dedicated oneself to God. If that weren't the case, just think. There would millions of people getting baptized on a weekly basis, to clean-up the crap from the prior seven days. Just like catholics have confession. They say catholics, so confident of confession removing their sins, will walk-up to the church door, hand-and-hand with the devil, leave the devil at the door of the church, go into the church, confess, walk-out the door, and leave hand-and-hand with the devil. Please note, I'm only sharing what I've heard.
139569
Where is Schneb? Taking a day off at Disneyland-it was great. ;)\n\nBaptism is a point of obedience. You heard that baptism was important, and guess what you did? You obeyed. To me, this fulfilling what baptism is all about. I got baptized one year after I was saved. Gee, do you think I am saved? Why do people put time limits on things when God lives in eternity where time is NOT an issue? It's only an issue with us. And to those who say you need to be baptized to be saved. What was the theif on the cross suppose to do?\n\nNow, how should we interpret Mark 10:38?\nJesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”\n\nSo, in context, what is baptism here? Isn't it death? So when we are baptized, we are saying "in type" that we are dying to ourselves and being raised anew in the spirit. We don't need water to do that, however, being baptized in water shows the world what has happened to us as a witness--and that is important.\n\nNo look at Mark 16:16 veeeeerry carefully.\n"He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."\n\nNotice Jesus did NOT say, "but he who does not believe AND IS BAPTIZED will be condemned."\n\nJesus said that baptism is good because it fulfills all righteousness. So He is calling baptism an act of righteousness, NOT a requirement.