b-greek-digest V1 #639

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Subject: b-greek-digest V1 #639
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Date: Thu, 30 Mar 95 1:21:08 EST
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b-greek-digest            Thursday, 30 March 1995      Volume 01 : Number 639

In this issue:

        Re: Baptism 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: JefferisP@aol.com
Date: Thu, 30 Mar 1995 00:13:25 -0500
Subject: Re: Baptism 

>  I believe that the utterance of the great commision in Mark and Matthew
> reveal that we have the authority as believers to baptize.
> 
> In the light of orthodoxy...Is this an acceptable interpretation or is
> there any significant "interpretation" that suggests that one must be
> "In authority".
> 
> I am under the authority of Christ "obviously", but I do not hold a
> position of authority in the local church.

Dear Daniel, 
the question is not are you in authority, but are you under authority? We do
not exist in submission to Christ and the Word in Scripture without being
related to others in the Body of Christ.  There is nothing wrong with
Baptizing by the average Christian, but we are not the ones you should be
asking... you should ask your pastor.   Are you joining this new believer to
a congregation? Or as someone else said, just letting him drift? 

While others will cite the tradition of the Church, Calvin and the reformers
only delegated such responsibility to elders so that some measure of
Christian commitment could be established by examination in those seeking
baptism. In other words, anyone could perform the sacraments, but they ought
to be treated with appropriate honor and seriousness. 

However, I believe that every member of a congregation, working in concert
with their pastor and elders can baptize:

I am thankful that I did not baptise any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so
no-one can say that you were baptised into my name. (Yes, I also baptised the
household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptised anyone
else.) For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the gospel--not
with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
(1 Corinthians 1:14-17, NIV).

Paul didn't seem to be too concerned about the fact that even though he was
an apostle, baptizing wasn't one of his things...

Jefferis Kent Peterson
Center For Biblical Literacy
P.O.Box 1736
Lawrenceville, GA 30246-1736

"Love the Lord with all your....mind."

AOL: JefferisP
Internet: JefferisP@aol.com
CompuServe: 73061,1777

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End of b-greek-digest V1 #639
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