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Ask The Pastor
Monday, July 26, 2004
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Question:
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QUESTION 1: Is it true that Pentecostal's baptize in the right way,
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and Baptist's baptize the wrong way? I was told that Baptist's
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should not give salvation to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost
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(that it was the wrong way).
Amanda,
It is not what the person says over the one being baptized. It is what the
person being baptized says. We are saved by believing in Jesus Christ. Our
confession of faith in Jesus Christ puts salvation into effect. Water baptism
then becomes a testimony to our faith in Jesus Christ and that He is our Lord
and Savior.
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I am Baptist, and I am in disagreement with a family member(who is
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pentecostal) as to why she thinks my foster child (whom has lived
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with me for 8 months) should be baptized as a Pentecostal (which "is
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the right way") even though he is not a part of that religion.
This can be a tricky area if we don't understand how salvation actually
works. Pentecostals attempt to make water baptism in Jesus Name a requirement
for salvation. But water baptism is to take place 'after' we have received Jesus
Christ.
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He just wants to be baptized because everyone is doing it.....He
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does not yet understand the meaning behind it. Can you please help
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me?
Hopefully I've helped a bit. You may want to view some of my Hebraic studies
that are available at the Christian Challenge site. Go to http://www.christianchallenge.org,
and click on Hebraic- Foundations. You can preview the studies and select those
you wish to view. You'll get some help there.
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QUESTION 2: I would also like to see if you can explain why a
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Pentecostal says that God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are one
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person. I don't understand that. She says they are not "as one",
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they are "one person, not three". I am very confused.
The doctrine of oneness is not what the earliest Christians taught. Nor is
the doctrine of the trinity. Both these teachings on the Godhead developed over
time. Yet both doctrines contain some truths that the early believers could
accept.
The answer to your question is that Pentecostals would prefer to use the term
'manifestations' rather than 'persons.' This can get very complicated. But there
is a sense in which Trinitarians and oneness people are saying close to the same
thing, but use different terms.
All I can tell you is that there are mysteries in God that we have to leave
as a mystery. Paul says one of these mysteries has to do with Christ Himself. To
get into debates over the Godhead serve little purpose.
One other note --- Our ministry has an educational email conference that you
may wish to subscribe to. We have Christians from many denominations in our
membership including both Pentecostals and Baptists. If interested you can
subscribe at: (Be sure to complete the questionnaire)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hebraic-Foundations/
Hope I've helped a bit.
Blessings,
Buddy
Bro. Buddy Martin - Ask
the Pastor
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Lawrence "Buddy" Martin
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org
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