Scott
Puritan Board Graduate
martin: Not going to respond to whole article. A couple of points:
[1] John 3 does not have to be interpreted absolutely, as if no salvation w/o baptism. Jesus says many things that are qualified elsewhere.
[2] Baptism is more than an outward washing. The spirit channels His grace through it.
[3] Viewing John 3 as referring to baptism is consistent with many other passages (Titus 3 is just 1). A few examples:
"¢ Eph. 5:25-27: "œHusbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."
"¢ Mark:16:15-16: He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
"¢ 1 Peter 3. "In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God."
There are many more
[1] John 3 does not have to be interpreted absolutely, as if no salvation w/o baptism. Jesus says many things that are qualified elsewhere.
[2] Baptism is more than an outward washing. The spirit channels His grace through it.
[3] Viewing John 3 as referring to baptism is consistent with many other passages (Titus 3 is just 1). A few examples:
"¢ Eph. 5:25-27: "œHusbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."
"¢ Mark:16:15-16: He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
"¢ 1 Peter 3. "In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God."
There are many more