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ON THIS PAGE: 

· Renewal of our minds must follow the personal rebirth and Scriptural water baptism

· Can it be possible that baptism can be the ‘saving’ sacrament for a denominational ‘chosen elite’? 

· The doctrine of Predestination

· “Standing in” for their children’s salvation at the baby ‘baptism?’ 

· Are babies ‘born again’ and ‘spirit filled’ in this sprinkling or pouring ‘baptism?’

· Jesus was circumcised as a Baby; so why did He insist on being baptized by submersion as an Adult? 

· The verses, which completely refute a sprinkling or pouring as the Scriptural water baptism 

· Did the apostles baptize the unbelieving Lydia, the Prison Guard, and all the “babies” in their households? 

 

after His water baptism, (Mt. 4:17; Jn. 1:1-14.)  “Anointed” in New Covenant terms means the ‘manifest power, presence, teaching, leading, etcetera, of the Holy Spirit,’ Who would, after Pentecost, work in all real believers to teach and guide them in the Truth of His Word, and to “equip” them through His different gifts and callings, which He still entrusts to all the genuine, individual members of Jesus’ spiritual body, (1 Cor. 12:4-11; 1 Jn. 2:20, 27; Eph. 4:11-16.) 

► God’s sign of the Holy Spirit at the water baptism of the Man Jesus shows how serious God views the water baptism of sincere believers, (Mt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-18.)  ►►The sign of the Holy Spirit at Jesus’ baptism is also a symbol of the believer’s spiritual death and resurrection that already occurred when the he or she was moved "from darkness into Light" through their spiritual rebirth when they seriously accepted Jesus — and it emphasized the reality of the Holy Spirit Who indwells all authentic believers at the moment when they were spiritually born again by wholeheartedly believing in, accepting Jesus, and submitting themselves in totality to Him, (Jn. 1:12-13; Mt. 3:11-12! 1 Cor. 3:16-17; Rom. 12:1-2!) 

►  Yet, it does sound as if Peter, in Acts 2:38, taught that one receives God’s forgiveness and the Holy Spirit in water baptism.  However, baptism is not a means of forgiveness or to obtain the indwelling Holy Spirit, (Eph. 1:7; 12-14.)  What’s more, when Peter referred to “the Gift of the Holy Spirit,” he was not talking about the Spirit’s gifts such as healing, prophecy, or speaking in tongues, (Mark 16:15-18.)  He spoke of the indwelling Holy Spirit Himself as the completely free, constantly indwelling Gift from God, (Eph. 1:7 & 12-14;  Gal. 4:4-7.) 

Paraphrased, Acts 2:38 sounds like this, ‘...Be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ as an outward declaration of your inward remission of sins, and that you have received the Holy Spirit when you believed in, and accepted Jesus,’ (Eph. 1:7; 12-14; Jn. 1:12-13; 3:3-5.)

 

CAN BAPTISMAL REGENERATION THROUGH SO-CALLED ‘SAVING’ CHURCH SACRAMENTS BE BIBLICAL?

As seen above, contrary to what Catholicism, Calvinism, and every other –ism of Christianity preaches, water baptism cannot accomplish anything by itself, whether it is administered by a so-called “ordained clergyman,” or not, (see Heb. 7:11-19.)  The dogma of Baptismal Regeneration or ‘salvation through water baptism’ without personal faith in and acceptance of Jesus is totally uncontextual, illogical, unscriptural, and in fact, brutal disobedience to Jesus Christ Himself. 

The Scriptural Commission of the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:18-20, is the only mandate believers have to water baptize people.  Without the believer’s personal, sincere acceptance of Jesus Christ, and a stern commitment to follow Him in a new life of obedience to the truth of His Word as His follower/disciple, even the Biblical water baptism as Jesus Himself demonstrated and commanded, is without true spiritual life and therefore, a dead, occultic church ritual. 

On the other hand, completely unalterably, as a symbol of sincere believers’ submersion into Jesus Himself and His full atonement in their place, true water baptism points directly to the believer’s transition from spiritual death into spiritual life through personal faith in the crucified, risen Christ, Jesus the Savior of Golgotha, (Eph. 1:7, 12-14.)  Thus, we can conclude that obedience to the water baptism, which Jesus demonstrated and commanded, is a powerful, Holy-Spirit anointed step in our New-Covenant relationship with God; as it is truly “the answer of a good conscience toward God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…” (1 Pt. 3:21-24.)  No clergyman with his church rituals dare add or take away from this Truth — yet, they do with God’s Word however they please. 

 

RENEWAL OF OUR MINDS MUST FOLLOW THE PERSONAL REBIRTH AND SCRIPTURAL WATER BAPTISM

Our human spirits were instantly born again through personal faith in and acceptance of Christ, and are holy and “complete in Him,” (Jn. 1:12-13; 3:3-5.)  That’s when Jesus removed us spiritually from the kingdom of darkness and brought us into His Kingdom of Light through the total cleansing of His blood, (Eph. 7, 12-14; Col. 1:13-14; 1 Jn. 1:8-10.)  So, contrary to what churches teach and I myself swallowed for a long time, according to the contextual truth of Scripture, “spiritual growth” is impossible.  Conversely, emotional growth is what God requires of us on an ongoing basis.  Once spiritually saved from  our state of sin or spiritual position without God, the “renewal” of our minds (or souls, where our will, intellect, and emotions are seated,) must follow, (Rom. 12:1-3; 1 Ths. 5:23.)  1 Peter 1:13-15 commands, “Gird up the loins of your mind, [by renewing your thoughts and beliefs through Scriptural truth,] be sober… as obedient children not conforming to the former lusts…  (v. 23,) having been [spiritually] born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the Word of God which lives and abides forever.”  

Real “transformation of our minds,” (not ‘conformation,’ which means to simply join a church without real Scriptural knowledge of God,) happens only through Holy-Spirit taught knowledge of the truth of God’s Word, to be able to “know or understand His will” and become “doers of His Word,” (Rom. 12:1-3; Jam. 1:21-25.)  So, the renewal of our souls or minds leads Jesus’ sincere believers through a constant process of increasingly understanding God’s Scriptural will, and accordingly, repenting from personal sin, false doctrine, and bad behavior, (Jam. 2:19-22; 2 Cor. 10:3-5.) 

This is the lifelong process of soulical or emotional ‘transformation,’ or ‘making our minds [thoughts and beliefs] new’ through obedience to God’s true Word, and this is the only Scriptural process of ‘sanctification’ that exists.  This type of Scriptural ‘sanctification’ or holiness in thoughts and beliefs, is not the same as church ‘sanctification,’ which is supposedly instantly obtainable through church membership, church doctrines, and “saving” church ‘sacraments’ such as Baptismal Regeneration or “baptismal salvation,” teenage confirmation, etcetera. 

 

CAN IT BE POSSIBLE THAT WATER BAPTISM IS THE ‘SAVING SACRAMENT’ FOR A DENOMINATIONAL ‘ELITE’?   

The opinions and teachings of man do not impress God in the least.  We will all be saved by the truth of God’s Word, or we will all perish according to the truth of God’s Word, (2 Ths. 2:9-10.)  God gave us the entire contextual truth of both the Old and the New Testaments to guide us into “all truth,” (Ps. 119:160.)  That is why He does not allow anyone to make his own gospel from The Word, and still go to heaven, (Jn. 12:48.) 

The Word ‘sacrament’ means a gradual, ritual initiation into Christianity.  Each successive sacrament has the purpose of leading the church member deeper into the ‘mysteries’ of Christianity, supposedly towards ‘completeness in Christ.’  However, I must underscore the following again: the entire New Testament declares, “...You [instantly born again disciples] are [already spiritually fully] complete in Him, Who is the Head of all principality and power,” (Col. 2:9-10.)  Sacraments are manmade rituals, which intend to bring about salvation, the baptism with the Holy Spirit, redemption, emotional growth, and blessing.  Sacraments originated from the Roman Catholic Vatican, who took all their ‘sacraments’ and other doctrines from the occult; Christianizing them as Roman Catholic Church teaching, and so-called church ‘salvation, redemption, and blessing.’ 

In the 16^th century, Protestant Reformers such as John Calvin and Martin Luther allegedly ‘broke away’ from Roman Catholicism.  They altered some Roman Catholic doctrines to suit their own religions, but most still remain the foundation of the entire church system to this day. 

Hence, a so-called ‘saving, blessing’ sacrament can never carry God’s real salvation, redemption, and blessing in Christ.  From all their sacraments and supporting doctrines, there is not a single contextual truth of Scripture, although they blended their doctrines with Bible verses!  Jesus left no room for error concerning His Way to eternal salvation and His Will for His sincerely believing disciples here on earth.  In the truth of His New Testament Covenant, Jesus Himself demonstrated, taught, and commanded all the most important foundations of our redemption, salvation, and blessing, and clearly equated obedience to our love for Him, (Rom. 12:1-3.)  He commanded, “You will love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength… If you love Me, Keep My commandments,” (Jn. 14:15.)  He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me… and I will manifest [or make real] Myself to him,” (Jn. 14:21.) 

Jesus never demanded obedience to the Ceremonial law, (the Old Testament Temple Law, or to the so-called ‘saving’ sacraments and doctrines of Christian churches,) but to His New Testament commandments, which are all encapsulated by His inward Moral Law, (Jn. 8:34; Gal. 2:21.) 

 

THE DOCTRINE OF PREDESTINATION

Despite the plain Truth of God’s Word, John Calvin adopted the Roman Catholic dogma of ‘predestination’ as one of the most important doctrines of his Reformed churches.  The Predestination doctrine is also the core of Islamic doctrine.  Christian ‘predestination’ forms the basis of the Baptism of Regeneration in all its many forms, which, in Scriptural context, is another unbiblical doctrine.  (All the babies of ‘predestined’ members must be ‘baptised’ to initiate them into the church, otherwise they are allegedly “lost” and will “burn in hell for all eternity” when they die.)  During the Reformation, this baptism and dogmas were inherited from their mother church, Roman Catholicism, which took it straight from paganism. 

In essence, Calvinist and other predestinationists teach, “God does not deal with humans on equal terms… because Christ died only for the chosen elect or ‘elite’  [of Calvinism, etcetera.]  Thus, God [supposedly] created most of humanity to be damned to hell…”  Substituting Scriptural salvation by personal faith in and acceptance of Jesus, it is said that this water-sprinkling sacrament ‘fully saves their church members for all eternity.’ 

· They abuse verses like Ephesians 1:11 to teach, “[Only they were] predestined according to His purpose…”  but they must simply read that verse in the context of the following verses.  Ephesians 1:12-14 state, “Those who first [personally] trusted in Christ, after they [personally] heard the Gospel of salvation, in Whom also, having [personally] believed, were sealed with the Holy Spirit [at acceptance of Jesus,]”  (Jn. 1:12-14; 3:3-5.) 

Despite all Scriptural truth, they still insist, “Many are called but [only the chosen elect of Calvinism and other –isms] were chosen,” (Mt. 22:14.)  However, the context of this verse is The Wedding Feast and the Five Wise and Five Foolish Virgins, (Mt. 22:1-14; 25:1-13.)  Jesus Himself proclaimed in Matthew 24:13 that only those who “endure” or personally believe in, and follow Him to the end, will be saved. 

· The truth about ‘predestination’ is that John 3:16, which summarizes the Gospel, proves the exact opposite of this dogma.  It states, “God so loved the whole world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever [personally] believe in Him will not perish, but inherit eternal life,” (Jn. 3:16.)  So,  everyone is “called” to Jesus’ New Testament Covenant by the preaching of His Real Gospel, but only those who sincerely choose to personally accept and follow Him are “the chosen,” (Jn. 1:12-14; 1 Pt. 2:9-10!)  Our merciful “God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance [through knowledge of Scriptural truth…]” (2 Pt. 3:9.)  “God wishes all men to be saved and increasingly to recognise, discern and know precisely and correctly the Divine Truth,” (1 Tim. 2:4.)  In contrast to what Calvin also teaches, humanity does have a free will.  And so, they must personally choose to accept and follow Jesus’ Truth to be saved, (Jn. 1:12-14: 8:12!) 

 

THE UNCERTAIN CHURCH ‘ELITE’ THAT ARE “SAVED” BY CHURCH MEMBERSHIP AND SACRAMENTS SUCH AS INFANT ‘BAPTISM’

Concerning salvation, Calvinism and most other churches state, “[Even with the so-called ‘saving’ infant baptism,] no one knows who will go to heaven and who will go to hell…” but Scripture firmly refutes this lie.  John explained, “These things I have written to you who [personally] believe in the Name of [Jesus,] that you may know that you have eternal life…” (1 Jn. 5:13.)  [Some translations omit the latter part of this verse.]  “These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in His Name,” (Jn. 20:31.) 

Absolutely contrary to the Truth of Scripture, John Calvin, (just like other churches that were born from the Roman Catholic Church,) also teaches that the ‘saving’ sacrament of infant ‘baptism’ is the “ordinary way that a person is brought to faith in Jesus Christ.”  But isn’t it impossible for a baby to believe anything?  All through Scripture God confirmed what He said in Ephesians 2:8, “By [Christ’s] grace you have been saved through [personal] faith…” (Rom. 3:28.) [Therefore,] we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from [ceremonial, outward, or ritual] deeds…”  Actually, this so-called ‘baptism of salvation,’ which supposedly “brings those people to faith,” made the preaching of the true Gospel “unnecessary” because ‘all’ the citizens of a Christian country were made Christian through church membership and this so-called ‘saving’ baptism.  However, Jesus Himself commissioned all His believing disciples to go into the whole world to preach His Gospel of salvation through His full atonement in the place of all humanity, and thus to make more willing disciples who follow Him! (Mt. 28:19-20.) 

 

‘STANDING IN’ FOR THEIR CHILDREN’S SALVATION AT THE BABY ‘BAPTISM?’ 

Turning Christianity into a national and family affair contrary to the truth of Scripture, Catholicism and Protestantism such as Calvinism allege that the infant’s so-called ‘godparents’ or parents “stand in for the child” and vow to bring the child up in the church, but God’s Scriptural commandments of the inward Moral Law (you will love the Lord Your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself…) are not even mentioned. So, in Calvinism especially, during this ceremonial christening, the infant becomes a “child of the covenant of circumcision.”  (‘Christening’ means, making someone into a Christian through the church’s baptism and other sacraments.)  Hence, the infant also ‘becomes part of the Christian Church for all eternity,’ no matter personal choice or lifestyle.  Yet, Scripturally, there is no such thing that ‘parents can stand in for their children,’ ‘vow for their children,’ ‘make a baptism covenant with God concerning their children,’ etcetera. 

God Himself implemented the following most important principle in both the Old and the New Testament, based on every individual’s choice and personal accountability before God, “The soul [that never repents from sin] will die.  The son will not be punished for the iniquity of the father, [specially once the child reaches the age of accountability and can choose to accept and follow Christ,] neither will the father be punished for the iniquity of the [willfully unrepentant] son, (Deut. 24:16.) The righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself only, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon the wicked only…”  (Ezk. 18:19-28, Amplified Bible, 1930.) 

 

ARE BABIES ‘BORN AGAIN’ AND ‘HOLY-SPIRIT FILLED’ IN THIS SPRINKLING ‘BAPTISM?’ 

Calvinists and other baby-‘baptizers’ allege that the baby is “regenerated” or “born again” in the ritual of Baptismal Regeneration…”  Yet, the entire New Testament Covenant in Christ rests on personal choice, as God Himself assured us in John 1:11-13, “[Jesus] came to His own [nation, the Old Hebrew people – read the context!] However, His own [people] did not receive Him.  [Thus, He sent His Gospel of salvation to the whole world of Gentile nations as well, Mt. 28:19-20]  However, as many as [personally chose to] receive Him [through sincere faith,] to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His Name; who were born [again spiritually,] not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man [or through church doctrine and Christianized pagan sacraments,] but of God!” 

Calvinism, like her mother the Roman Catholic Church and all other adherents of this ‘baptism’ teach, through this sacrament, infant and new adult church members supposedly receive “the holy spirit…”  But Scripture teaches, “… Because you are children as seen in John 1:12-13, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts [or born again human spirits,] crying out, ‘Abba, Father…’”  (Gal. 4:5-7.)  So, those Christianized infants might have received a spirit during their sprinkling-baptism, but sadly, it is not God’s Holy Spirit of the Bible. 

Calvinism and other Baptism-Regeneration churches also teach that through this sacrament “infants (and adults) receive eternal life…”  But Jesus Himself undeniably declared, “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me…  This is eternal life, that [My believing disciples] may know You, [Father,] the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent...” (Jn. 14:6; 17:3.)  

 

THESE CHURCH MEMBERS CAN ALLEGEDLY ‘NEVER GO TO HELL’

Through the baby “baptism sacrament,” church members can allegedly never go to hell, no matter the life they lead or the choices they make…    This is the opposite of their predestination dogma that teaches none really know if they are going to heaven or hell!  However, in God’s eternal Word, Jesus Himself warned, “...Not everyone who says to Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does [or obeys and follows] the will of My Father in heaven, [not the false will of man,]  (Mt. 7:21-24.) 

It is during this baptism of infants that the members of Calvinist churches supposedly become ‘children of the covenant of circumcision.’  Yet, according to the contextual truth of God’s Word, a baptism can never be or become a “covenant,” (read Mt. 28:19-20.) 

The Scriptural water baptism of believing disciples a commandment of Jesus and not a covenant unto ‘salvation’ of any sort!  God’s only legitimate Covenant of Grace in Christ is the New Testament Covenant, written in the blood of Jesus, and solely obtainable through personal faith in Jesus the Savior.  “This is My covenant with them when I take away their sins, [through the blood of Jesus,]” (Rom. 11:27.)  “The days are coming [at Golgotha and Jesus’ resurrection,] when I will make a New Covenant…  In that He says, ‘A New Covenant,’ He has made the first [Old Testament covenant] obsolete [and he did completely away with it to establish His New Testament Covenant…]”  (Heb. 8:7-13.)  “This is the covenant I will make with the people... after that time, [or during the New Testament era,]” declares the Lord. “I will put my [Moral] law in their minds and write it on their hearts [or human spirits.]  I will be their God, and they will be my people,” (Jer. 31:33; Heb. 10:16.) 

 

JESUS WAS PHYSICALLY CIRCUMCISED AS A BABY — SO WHY DID HE INSIST TO BE BAPTIZED BY SUBMERSION AS AN ADULT? 

As seen, water baptism is not a ‘covenant’ or a ‘sign’ with unbelieving babies or their parent, as church members!  God does not state anywhere that the circumcision of Hebrew babies ‘changed’ into a sprinkling of Christian babies, or that the circumcision of Hebrew boys has ceased. 

In Acts 21:20-25, Paul was accused of refuting the Old Covenant circumcision that pertains to the physical land of Israel, (Gen. 17.)   They said, “[We] have been informed that you teach all the [believing] Hebrews... to forsake [the outward ceremonial law of] Moses, saying that they ought neither to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the [Hebrew] customs…”  [But Paul answered,] “That all may know, [that you, being Hebrews,] keep the [ceremonial] law [of circumcision, which pertains to the geographical land of Israel, go, and conform to physical circumcision.]  (Verse 25,) But concerning the Gentiles [all non-Jews] who believe, we have written and decided that they must not observe such a thing, except that they must keep themselves from [spiritual idolatry] and sexual immorality, [adhering to Jesus’ Moral Law in Jn. 13:34.]” 

Jesus was circumcised as a Baby because He was a Hebrew - which has nothing to do with believing non-Hebrews from Gentile nations, the church’s christening of babies, any other type of water baptism, and especially not the so-called ‘covenant of circumcision.’  Jesus redeemed with His blood everyone who personally believes in Him from “every tongue, tribe, and nation” - the Israeli nation as well, (Rev. 5:9-10.)    

To this day, Hebrews circumcise their boys, which is God’s national and geographical covenant with the Hebrew nation in Gen. 17. 

So, Jesus was physically circumcised not baptized as a Baby because the Old Testament circumcision of male Hebrew babies is a covenant between God and Abraham that relate to the physical land of Israel, (Gen. 17.) 

In Genesis 15, God made another covenant with Abraham, promising him generations of believers from all nations, (Gal. 3:10-18.)  This promise was fulfilled when the Hebrews rejected Jesus and He inaugurated the New Covenant, (Heb. 8:13.)  His eternal New Testament Covenant centres wholly on personal faith in Christ through His complete atonement in our place,  (Rom. 3:28-30; 4:13-14: Jn. 1:12-14; Gal. 3:14.)

 

THE VERSES, WHICH COMPLETELY REFUTE A SPRINKLING AS JESUS’ WATER BAPTISM   ‘AS’ THE SPRINKLING OF CHRISTIAN BABIES

As seen, Scripturally, water is always the symbol of the truth of God’s Word, which ‘cleanses and renews the minds or thoughts of Jesus’ disciples,’ (Rom. 12:1-3.)  Ephesians 5:26, “Jesus... cleanses [or renews the mind of His bride] with the washing of water by the Word,” (see Rom. 12:1-3.)  John 4:14, “...The water I will give him will become in him a fountain of… everlasting life.”  1 Peter 1:23, “We are born again… [through the water or living] Word of God…” (1 Pt. 1:23.)  Likewise, a “sprinkling” is always of blood and not of water!  Hebrews 12:24, “To Jesus, the Mediator of the New Testament Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel, [meaning, “Abel” as a type of the Old Testament Covenant.]”  1 Peter 1:2 actually teaches, “[Disciples...] in sanctification of the Spirit for obedience, [or the disciples’ minds being “renewed” or made new through the truth Scripture to understand God’s will, Rom. 12:1-3,] and the sprinkling of the blood [not of water] of Jesus Christ.”  Ephesians 5:26, “That Christ might sanctify and cleanse her, [the minds or thoughts and beliefs of His bride of true believers, Rom. 12:1-3,] with the washing of water by the [True] Word! [Not by a ritual sprinkling or even by Scriptural water baptism!]”  Hebrews 10:22, “Let [Jesus’ disciples not unbelieving babies] draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts [spiritually] sprinkled [with His blood] from an evil conscience and our bodies, [minds or souls and thoughts] washed with pure water, [or the truth of God’s Word.]” 

 

DID THE APOSTLES BAPTIZE THE UNBELIEVING LYDIA, THE PRISON GUARD, AND ALL THE ‘BABIES’ IN THEIR HOUSEHOLDS?   

The only Scriptures, which clergies from all the different churches could relate to their baby-sprinkling of ‘spiritual regeneration,’ are those they use entirely out of context.  Acts 16:13-15, where the believing Lydia and her believing household were baptized, and Acts 16:30-34, where the believing prison guard and his believing household were baptized, are all those clergies could find to “justify” their sprinkling ‘baptism’ of babies , which is yoked to their dogma that parents can ‘stand in’ for their households.  How did they get away with such blatant lies, which completely reject and annul personal faith in Jesus and His example of the water baptism disciples?  They simply neglected to tell their church members that both those instances were submersions in water after the apostles preached Jesus’ true Gospel to entire households, (Rom. 6:3-4.) 

The truth about everything is always in the context.  So, let us read the account of the prison guard in Acts 16:30-34 while we remember that our guide to interpret the Scriptures in the Book of Acts, stem from Jesus’ personal demonstration of the water baptism, His commission to preach His Gospel to make disciples, to baptize and then to teach His believing disciples everything He had said, and to know that He is always with them since Pentecost until the end of the world, through the constant indwelling of the Holy Spirit, (Mt. 3:16; 28:18-20.) 

The prison guard asked the apostles, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household,” (Acts 16:30-31; Jn. 1:12-13.) 

To believe that “his household” consisted of a bunch of babies and little children, is a brilliant example of how clergies mess with Scripture and the minds of church members to, (in this instance,) force the apostles to preach the baby ‘baptism’ and the dogma that “god-parents” and parents can “stand in for children.”  The apostles would never have committed such blasphemy with Jesus’ example of the water baptism and His commission, which pertain to personal salvation and the baptism of disciples.  So, if we interpret this sentence in the context of the whole Bible and this passage, the apostles actually said, “If you and your household believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved.” 

How can I say that they shuffled the meaning of that sentence?  Well, in order to “speak the Word of the Lord to him AND TO ALL WHO WERE IN HIS HOUSE,” (Acts 16:32,) they must have seen that the people there were teenagers or adults not babies, because it would have been silly to preach the Gospel to his so-called ‘many babies.’  Verse 33, “...And immediately [after they accepted Jesus,] he and all his family were baptized, [how can this apply to hapless children?]  Verse 34, “And he rejoiced, having believed in God [together] with all his household!” 

Similarly, the story of Lydia and her household began in Acts 16:13-14, where the writer declared, “…We went out of the city to the riverside…

[where they prayed and certainly baptized believing disciples by submersion, just like Jesus was baptized as an example to us,] and we sat down and spoke [Jesus’ Gospel] to the women we met there…  Lydia heard us… and the Lord opened hear heart [and understanding] to heed the things we spoke…  And when she and her [believing] household were baptized [at the river,] she [invited us] to her home to stay there.” 

While attempting to ‘prove’ their sprinkling baptism of entire unbelieving households of babies on the ‘faith’ or church attendance of parents and grandparents, John Calvin and other clergies actually nullify their false gospel!  Clearly, those accounts in Acts 16 are not a mandate for the Christianizing of babies, or of entire households, families, and nations through their so-called “saving” sacrament of infant ‘baptism.’  

 

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