I believe the sun will rise tomorrow, that the light will come on when I flip the light switch, that a hot stove will burn me, or if the gas guage on my truck reads empty that I'll be walking soon if I don't get a fill up. Whether I get out of bed at sunrise, turn on the light, decline to touch a hot stove or get gas in my vehicle only shows that I can RESPOND (a verb) to the cognitive function of belief.
Baptism is a response to faith in Jesus Christ and all HE entails. You make the decades old mistake of putting some mystical quality to water baptism that doesn't exist.
It ain't holy water and it can't save you, confer more grace to you, or regenerate you. Of course you believe it, and if by doing it somehow satisfies your soterialogical points, more power to you.
The old black hymn
"I know it was the blood" is totally right on!
"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood," Revelation 1:5
"And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" Revelation 7:14
In an earlier post you said something about understanding Paul's opinion. It really sounds to me like you are quoting talking points. JMO
"For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:2
There's nothing about baptism here.
"For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
1 Corinthians 1:17
Paul makes a distinction-if you'll read the context-between baptism and the preached gospel. Paul CLEARLY explains in verse 18 that gospel he preached:
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18
I respect your right to disagree, even though I think you are clearly wrong in YOUR opinion. It's ok, it's not too late to relearn (think Apollos and Aquila and Priscillla)!
You are equating faith/belief in the finished work of Jesus Christ as: faith + works = grace.
Just so you know, I'll say again for the record. I am "oneness", I preach repentance and baptism in Jesus' name. I preach living for God and the gospel of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. I hold the same apostolic positions as many of our forebears; there are MANY apostolics that hold the position I have presented here.
I'll add again that the differences between us and the ones leading to the merger of the PAJC and PCI aren't so many that we can't join arm and arm and battle for Jesus together.
I asked on another thread about Apostolic Unity and this discussion has only illustrated why there is such a lack of it.
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