DOES BAPTISM WASH AWAY SIN?

  Baptism is an outward demonstration of one’s conversion and vow or agreement to serve God Almighty faithfully through Jesus Christ all the days of one’s life, until death but with the hope of resurrection.

If  “Baptism is a Sacrament which cleanses us from original sin” then our Lord Jesus Christ should not have been baptized for he was born without sin and he died sinless. (2 Corinthians 5:21;   Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 7:26; 9:28; 1 John 3:5)  The Bible shows clearly that it is the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses one from sin, not baptism. Matthew 26: 27, 28; Hebrews 9: 22.

However, the blood of Jesus Christ has no effect on anyone who does not believe in him or accept the truth of the gospel. One must have faith in Christ and determine to be guided by His word, to receive forgiveness of sins. An infant should therefore not be baptized because he had not attained the age of reasoning and accepted Christ on his own.   See Mark 16:16; Acts 8:36-38.

When Jesus Christ said: “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” he was not by that giving anyone the authority to baptize infants. The children were brought to him and he did no more than to bless them. – Matthew 19: 13-15; Mark 10: 13-16.

According to the Bible, it is required that a person to be baptised must be immersed and covered by the water as a symbol of burial of one’s sinful desires and determination to serve God until death. Being raised out of the water is a symbol of regeneration or newness of life or resurrection, which is the hope of Christians. (Romans 6: 3-6; Colossians 2: 12) Baptism by pouring or sprinkling of water is meaningless and, is in fact, contrary to the Scriptures. – Matthew 3:16, 17; Luke 3:21-23; John 3:23; Acts 8:26-40.

We must be guided by the words of St. Peter to wit: “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (NOT THE PUTTING AWAY OF THE FILTH OF THE FLESH, BUT THE ANSWER OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE TOWARD GOD,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”  – 1 Peter 3:21.

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