Before I Leave AFF

[shawndell]

I was 9 years old when i was paptized and i domt remember if I knew what I was doing or not.there has been times I wondered if I should be rebaptized also and I might do so.

[CC1]

Bryan,

You will burn and go to hell if you are rebaptized.











Just Kidding! Sorry you are leaving before I even got to know you. Take care and God bless.

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by CC1

Bryan,

You will burn and go to hell if you are rebaptized.











Just Kidding! Sorry you are leaving before I even got to know you. Take care and God bless.

LOL!! Brian is Berkley.

[berkeley]

Originally Posted by mizpeh

LOL!! Brian is Berkley.

lol

[robert]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

Bryan,

Why does leaving AFF have to be a part of you starting over?

If anything, this could be something you should hold on to for a couple of reasons. One, AFF can be a source of consistency. Two, there are people on here that are spiritual and can be an accountability partner from afar of sorts.

Three, the road you are traveling will be travelled by others in the future. Why not use AFF as a way to "mark the trail" so to speak. Someone may be encouraged by your courage and tenacity as you walk and fight for your life in Christ.


Four, I think we're both single males and we're about the same age and I don't want to be left on AFF by myself!!!

Five, as you evict the things of life that have become distractions to your walk with Christ, you will need to have something else there to fill those spots. For example, since finding AFF, my use of the internet for porn has dropped remarkably. I have something else to do, with access to wholesome entertainment and good hearted people who are trying to make it to Heaven along with me.


But if you feel that leaving AFF will help bring that change in your life in Christ that you are thirsty for, then pursue the ALMIGHTY GOD that is pursuing you.

Oh and I have been baptized at least 3 times I can think of. Once as a really young boy, once as a teenager, once as way of witnessing to someone, but it was underhanded.

Wow, what a testimony.
Is it OK to say that?

[Pastor DTSalaz]

When we consider what baptism is for then we can understand the need for baptism. Before baptism can occur officially it has to be done in faith.

Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Many that get baptized as children don't really understand the significance of baptism. It would be like taking a non believer with a bad habit and feels bad about his/her addiction and comes into service and asks for baptism. Thinking that the act of baptism was going to change their life. They enter the water a dry sinner and exit as wet sinner. No Faith. They then feel God is not real because the act of being baptized didn't change him/her.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

We don't believe in baptismal regeneration for the very act even if pronouncing the correct formula, in the name of Jesus, doesn't magically produce the intended result. Infant baptism doesn't save. We cannot see the fruit of repentance which is produced by faith.

Act 26:20 But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Repent is not only turning away from sin but turning to God. How is it that we are going to repent, by believing Gods Word. Belief or faith will always produce the intended result, works or fruit. By seeing this then the baptizer realizes that the individual has heard, believed, confessed.

Mat 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Now we can see that after hearing the Word it produced faith and a "What must we do to be saved" poured forth. The keys are now used to unlock the doors to salvation.

Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

[Pastor DTSalaz]

One of the major questions is did you know what you were doing at the time? We sometimes may have had an idea but not fully understand. Now is the idea of being rebaptised going to produce in you what you are looking for? Living a victorious life.

Baptism is for the remission of sins. What did sin produce? Death. What does baptism produce? Life

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by (grace ye are saved

God is looking for a few dead People. You won't realize you are dead unless you hear the word. It convicts us of sin. As a dead person how do we walk and whoose desire do we fulfill? We are incapable of doing anything else for we are dead and cannot hear God. WE are dead IN SINS Now are we looking to live a victorious life? BUT GOD!!!!!!!! He quickens us to hear the Word which will produce Life. Stand Back, Dead person needs Resuscitation


Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

After we hear the preacher preach that same Word brings Life. It is in our heart and affirmed with our mouth. It has to produce confession. I am a sinner, I am dead, I am a walking dead man, on death row. Sin has brought the death sentence, though alive physically, I am just awaiting the day of my execution. Now that death sentence has been transferred to Jesus and I am to be set free. I am to live he is to pay for my sin. God is still looking for a few dead people. We are now to be dead but not to God but to sin.

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

We still live a life in the flesh but it is a crucified flesh. Dead to the flesh, dead to sin, alive in Christ. Christ gave me life sentence and took my death sentence and conquered it. We are not in heaven yet. We haven't recieved our glorified bodies just yet. The spirit that died in Adam is now alive to hear and serve God once again.

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Do we really believe this? By faith confess it!

Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

[Pastor DTSalaz]

God is still looking for a few dead men. This is not dead spiritually and dead in sin, but now dead to sin. Are we really dead to sin. Repentance is the evidence of being dead to sin. We turn from sin but to God.

Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

We understand that sin produced death and that we now have life because the price was paid for sin. WE now live a victorious life by letting the life of Jesus produce the fruit of the Spirit. WE don't try to get good to get God, get God to get good. Then he produces in us what we can't do on our own. We can't earn our salvation by being good, we do good because we are saved.

Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

WE dont get baptized until we are dead. You can't bury a person alive. Wait until they are really dead. Do you understand what baptism is for. To bury the dead.

Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

When we come up out of the baptismal waters we are now alive. All things have become new. You now have a resurrected spirit only awaiting a resurrected body one day as long as we continue to exercise faith and find ourselves in Christ. If we are in Christ we walk after the spirit and not the flesh. We are dead to the desires of the flesh.

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.


Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.


Our hope now is in the resurrection.

[Pastor DTSalaz]

Why are we baptized for the remission of sins. Sin produced spiritual death. We are also baptized for the dead. That as Christ was raised from the dead so we too shall also be raised in like manner. WE saw that we were dead in sins and tresspasses and were baptized because of this death, because of sins.

1Co 15:29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

Who are the dead that are being portrayed? The spiritually dead, ourselves. This is in the context of chapter 15 speaking of the resurrection. Not only spiritually but there will also be a resurrection of the physical body. (The "For" is different than the eis in Acts 2.38, I know it is the huper here in the greek. We will leave that for another thread) Our baptism is with the picture in mind of the ressurection. What would be the purpose of baptism if the dead are not going to rise again.

1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

This is the same Paul who wrote both passages. If I am baptized for the dead spirit that is raised again in newness of life then I must Die daily. God is still looking for a few dead men. The life that I now live in the flesh is crucified with Christ in order that one day this flesh will put on incorruption as is my spirit. I have eternal life in Christ Jesus. If I am in Christ and walk after the spirit and not after the flesh.

1Co 15:30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
1Co 15:32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die.

If there is no ressurection then why put the flesh in subjection. Do whatever the flesh wants. Why put our lives in peril if the baptism for remission of sins, baptism for the dead is not really what we believe. Then the baptism will not result in a changed life. We will be baptised but not put the flesh to death. If we believe that the baptism is symbolic of what happens on the inside there will be a change.

1Co 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.


Be Blessed
Pastor DT Salaz

[SOUNWORTHY]

Originally Posted by Bryan

Before I leave AFF (coming back at the end of the yr) I have a question to ask, but first I will state this:
When I was 15 yrs old I repented of my sins, I was filled with the Holy Ghost, and I was baptized in Jesus' name. But, I NEVER lived a victorious Christian life.
Eleven years later , I am ready for a new beginning.

Here is the question:
Is it acceptable to be baptized again? I mean, for the sake of my conscience? To symbolize a new start?

It is no more wrong than someone renewing their marriage vows. Not necessarily required but not wrong either. Do it and go in peace. It's a good time for a new beginning. God Bless you Bryan.