Quote:
Originally Posted by Socialite
I've read, studied and continue to read all those passages you've referenced.
Paul's word pictures, illustrations, articulations of what the rites of baptism are, etc are beautiful and meaningful. To interpret them literally ("baptism saves us") is irresponsible and doesn't even represent Paul's soteriology. Most of Paul's comments on baptism also aren't even about baptism, but about the believer's right living. We have new identities. We are new creatures, etc... To illustrate that point, he shows the picture of baptism.
That the Holy Spirit is the downpayment, that the Spirit of Christ must be in us is also, of course, accepted (great thread on that here called "Spirit and Salvation") --- but Apos have a tendency to see the word "Spirit" and immediately think of snotting, crying and tongues. Spirit-in-the-Box I call it.
The fact is, the Spirit draws us to Him, helps us believe, indwells us, equips us for mission, makes intercession for us, bears witness for us, gifts us, seals us, and one day will resurrect us. There are so many ways the Spirit is active in the believer's life.
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Thats exactly what God has shown me. The Spirit is active is repentance, baptism, and the infilling.
Acts 2:38 is as much the work of the Spirit as it is our response.
The italics above shows what Paul believed regarding what baptism does. It does put us into Christ's death, does help us die to our sin nature. Thats the dogma the institutional church has used for centuries until certain Protestant groups began questioning whether
Romans 6 is allegorical or not or even if its talking about water baptism.
Because we are baptized and have faith, this is what Christ does for us, changes us, makes us new, etc. It isn't the rite of baptism itself, its the response to God's word that changes us. God selected baptism as a rite that we obey. Its that simple.