Nr. 53: Disobedient Lutherans!

Nr. 53:

Disobedient Lutherans!

Personal Testimony

When my wife and I were fairly newly married, we received a visit from a theology student who had gone to church the faculty for 7 years. He went on house calls and we invited him. When we got to talking, he was inquiring about what he should do. Said my wife that it is not difficult to know. What he asked? My wife said that he had to go the way of baptism, and he was quite distressed, but there was a way for him to go and all others who are not believers baptized!

Psalm 68:7 God gives the single house, leads prisoners out of happiness, just the rebellious live in a dry land.

This is a "promise" given to all stubborn. This includes all the Lutherans who do not want and refuses to take believers and the biblical baptism. Baptism is something that should take place after you have come to believe, not before. And by immersion and in the name of Jesus, so baptized the first Christians, and so shall we be baptized today!

Here on baptism from the web:

Baptism has been a difficult issue for Christians for a long time. If we disagree we can still have respect for each other. In Norway, the Lutheran Church a strong foothold. Nevertheless, we must remember that in global terms, the Lutheran church with a very small church, maybe something like 60 million nominal. What percentage actually believers of them know well no. For comparison, counts Baptists and Pentecostal Christians as many as 800 million faithful.
Since 80% of the population nominally belongs to the Lutheran state church, the people in Norway are baptized as infants with what we call infant baptism. Although many attempts to coat this practice based on the Bible, there is no biblical evidence to suggest that the early Christians practiced infant baptism that the children might be saved. It is simply not mentioned at all.
When the individual raises the apostles saw the baptism that salvation is completely wrong. Nowhere in the Bible it says the only clear words that infant baptism was practiced. And if God had really thought that infant baptism was the natural way he saved a man, is it not a little strange that it is not mentioned in the Bible?
From what we can say that the practice of infant baptism for the young to become children of God, not a biblical baptism in water, but a human baptism that has emerged from an initial need to get everyone in the community to participate in a state church community.
Baptism's a nice tradition, some say. Yes it can be, but if it does not match God's Word is unfortunately nothing more than that.
The Christian baptism.
The apostles and early Christians did as Jesus had taught and commanded them. Baptism was now a wider meaning in relation to the baptism of John. Now it was not baptism just a conversion, but a baptism into Jesus' death, an association with his death, and an association with his resurrection. It also came with a promise of the Holy Spirit. We can read about the Christian baptism throughout Acts.

Peter said unto them, Repent, and let all of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38:

But when they believed Philip preaching the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ, then they were baptized, both men and women. Acts 8:12:

He asked: What were ye baptized? They said, John's baptism. Then said Paul, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in it that came after him, it is in Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord. And when Paul laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophecy. Acts 19:3-6

After the first church formed the first Pentecost, and beyond the apostolic times, knows the New Testament Christian church, only that a baptism was practiced. There was a constant struggle to preserve the apostles' doctrine. We must understand that at that time had not yet an overall passage of Jesus and Paul's teaching. Therefore, it was easy breeding ground for heresy and fanaticism. We can see from Paul's letters that heresy was still an issue.

But it was also the false prophets among the people. This will also be among you false teachers, those who wonder into heresy that leads to destruction. They deny the Lord that bought them, and brings upon themselves sudden destruction. 2 Peter 2:1

In this era, we know from other historical sources, that another vanndåp gradually came into use. (200-300's) is what later became known as baptism.
Historical background
To understand why it has come into such confusion when it comes to baptism, we must look at church history. We know from biblical and historical sources that Christians from the outset has been severely persecuted. The Roman emperors tried to eradicate the Christian faith, without success.
The more they kill, the more came to faith. When the Emperor in spite of severe persecution did not get wiped out Christianity, he hit counter, and from the year 382 Christianity was the only permitted religion. The decision was the beginning of a disaster for the living Christianity. It meant that it was easy being a Christian, and since the church went into partnership with the state became increasingly more and more doctrinal and practical compromise. The church entered a period of heresy, apostasy and lukewarmness. Membership in the church were the same as membership in the state.
Decay
The great recession of Christianity was started. State Christianity led to a mixture of faith and power, and to a large drop. Much human ordinances were introduced and heresy came. With it came the christening was an admission of society. The living Christian faith died more and more out. The Catholic church grew and moved away from the primitive community of learning and practice. The church was worldly power that was abused in the grossest.
Martin Luther
Sixteenth century was called the Reformation period. In Germany, lived a monk named Martin Luther. He stood up and rebelled against the Pope in Rome. The break with the Pope led eventually to the formation of a new denomination, the Lutheran Church. Luther found it expedient for the purpose of connecting with the emperor to get the full impact of the Reformation. Thus continued the church's marriage to the state even with the new denomination. It was in itself a big mistake. Although Luther reformed the Catholic doctrine and peeled a lot of tradition, he nevertheless retained infant baptism and communion as sacraments. Luther himself was inside the tank to reject infant baptism, but kept it, probably to save his life. Zwingli and Calvin formed at the same time the Reformed Church.
Revival Movement
But there was a third stream of "reformation" that has received so much space in the official church history. There was a strong evangelical revival movement called anabaptistene, or Anabaptists. In the history of the church we were served at the school were referred to as a peripheral heretics. However, they claimed that God's word was the highest authority for life and learning.
From the font so that the baptism was practiced in the way that only believers should be baptized, and then with full immersion. On 21 January 1525, the first baptisms held. Anabaptist movement brought with it strong radical movements in Central Europe.

Persecution
Because church and state were one, was christening seen as inclusion in society. Once when anabaptistene would not baptize their children, they were seen as rebels, and a threat to the community. The result was therefore persecution from the government and all the three great church directions. Both the Catholic Church, the Lutheran and the Reformed Church persecuted anabaptistene powerful. Luther himself recommended the Emperor to destroy those with the sword. Zwingli was not better. Both Luther and Zwingli also thought that it was appropriate to drown gjendøpere.
Historical sources claim that in the years after 1527 were as many as 35,000 massacred in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Entire villages were wiped out with men women and children. People were burned to death at the stake, they were beheaded, drowned and killed in various gruesome ways. Also in France was anabaptistene massacred by the Catholic Church. Historical sources claim that as many as over 100 000 were killed there in a short period of time.
Norwegian dåpshistorie
The 1 July 1742 was the first believer's baptism held in Norway. It took place in the Drammen River. A motion was called Zionittene, grew in number, and was severely persecuted by church and state.
Although it had no such consequences as in Europe, it cost not to baptize their children at the time. Parents were threatened with losing custody of their children, and those who could not bend at the threats received daily fines until they eventually gave in and let their children baptized. The fact that they stood firm in his conviction of conscience lose more families everything they owned. The leaders were exiled in 1744, and the movement died out in Norway. The believers fled eventually from the country. Many people from Europe fled to America, and found there a refuge for faith and life.

Also, people in the Pentecostal movement that emerged after 1900, experienced a lot of harassment because they would stand for biblical baptism.

Baptism has cost the people who have gone before. Yes, many have lost their lives around the world, even today. But it's so that it does not cost anything is something worth.
Will you be obedient to the Bible's words you must be baptized as believers. It is a great blessing by following God's Word.
Baptism is to be separated from the old life without Jesus. Baptism is to be ikledt Christ as it says in Galatians 3 27.
Baptism is also a good conscience toward God. 1. Pet 3 21
In the church lighthouse to the corpse with a large part of Christendom, we take baptism as the Bible prescribes that it should be practiced. How to make at least 800 million other Christians around the globe. They believe and practice baptism as recorded in the Bible.
Namely, baptism of believers and with full immersion.
Just to make it absolutely clear. We do not believe that either baptism or believer's baptism in itself makes you a Christian or that you are saved by it. There is salvation in baptism, but baptism hear when you have been saved, or in cases where one's guard up in a religious family, and eventually come upon the stage of childhood and a more conscious and self-determined beliefs.

This is from the Norwegian Study Bible on the Lutheran baptism:

DÅPSSYN, the Evangelical Lutheran
The Lutheran Church asks in his Little Catechism: "What does and does baptism? - Answer: It works forgiveness of sins, the Saviour from sin and the devil and give them all the eternal bliss that believe it, so that God's word and promise sounds. "- Moreover, tbs," How can water seem so great things? -Answer: Water does not surely, but the word of God which is with and in the water, and the faith that trusts in God's word is added to the water. Apart from God's word is water just water and not baptism, but with God's word, it is a baptism, that is, a grace-rich water of life and a regeneration bath by the Holy Spirit. "- The Baptism states on the Augustana Art. 9 as: "If baptism, they learn that it is necessary to salvation, and that in baptism provided as the grace of God, and that we should baptize children, that they at baptism should be brought to God and be taken to the grace of Him. »

This confession is normative for all Lutheran churches, saying that the Lutheran view, baptism is a sacrament, that is a sacred act that does what it depicts. And according to Lutheran dåpslære depict baptism a death and resurrection of Christ that sets the baptized into fellowship with Christ's redeeming work. By communion with the crucified of baptism served the forgiveness of sins (justification is), and fellowship with the risen in baptism served the Holy Ghost ('s rebirth and the inauguration of the adoption).

That this dåpssyn the New Testament, justified in the following written statement. The fact that baptism bestows forgiveness of sins (a renselsesdåp), says the fundamental dåpsord in Acts. 2.38 "- ye baptized - for the remission of sins." Similarly, Acts. 22.16; "- stand up and be baptized and receive avtvettet your sins, calling on his name." Sml. also Eph. 5.26: "He cleaned the church using the water bath in a word (namely Jesus dåpsbefaling)." To the Lutheran understanding of the basic text. - It is standing expression throughout the early Church, both in the Apostolic Fathers (Barnabasbrevet, 2 Clement, Hermas the Shepherd) and in the church fathers (Irenaeus, Tertullian, Cyprian, Origen, Clemens Aleksandrinus) that baptism for the forgiveness of sins. This common-religious understanding has been the impact of the ecumenical confessions (the Nicene AD 325): "I confess one baptism for the remission of sins."

But Scripture teaches on the Lutheran understanding of scripture that the Spirit's gift of baptism. In the same fundamentalord, Acts. 2.38, states: - "ye baptized for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost." Baptism is, according to Titus. 3.5 "a bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit." The Christian baptism is a fulfillment of John the Baptist's words about the Messiah: "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost", Mat. 3.11. The New Covenant time åndsutgytelsens time, Joel 2.1 fg. In the church of Christ are all born with the baptism "of water and Spirit", John. 3.5. "We are all baptized by one Spirit into one body," 1 Cor. 12.13. Special Acts. also shows that the Spirit's gift is tied to the Christian baptism, from 19.2 to 6. According to Lutheran understanding is spiritual baptism related to water baptism in Jesus' name and identical to rebirth. The experience in Reformed circles is called "åndsdåp" (or second blessing), called Lutheranism experience of the Spirit's fullness, Acts. 4.31; Eph. 5.18, or "gift of equipment", 1 Cor. 12.8 fg.; 1 Tim. 4.14; Acts. 6.6, 13.3.

At the two important historical events of salvation (Apgj. 1.8) where the gospel is to the Samaritans (halvhedninger, which however was circumcised) Acts. 8.5 to 25, and to the Gentiles (the uncircumcised, Cornelius' house), Acts. 10.1 to 48, Luke tells of two irregular cases, the relationship between baptism and Spirit informs else. In the first case dare deacon Philip, only to baptize halvhedninger for forgiveness in Jesus' name, but also to notify them of the Spirit by the laying on of hands. In the latter case applies to the uncircumcised. Gentile's right to join the kingdom of God was ready, but the premises were not yet ready. May those of ordinary Jewish mentality first going through circumcision and the Assumption of the Jewish people together? -Lord judge even in the question by purifying their hearts by the gospel hørelse and bestow upon them the Spirit of Christ before being baptized. Peter could thus not deny them the baptism, which is normally just gave these good things, from 10.47 to 48, cf. 11,11.15-18. - The Lutheran view of the best jobs these irregular accounts, just considered, Scripture or clear teaching about the relationship between baptism and spiritual communication, only one gives heed to their particular salvation historical issues.

Because forgiveness and gift of the Spirit according to Scripture is linked to baptism, Lutherans claim that "baptism is necessary for salvation." The salvation provided as gospel preaching, served us in baptism. Therefore, states: "Whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved", NB. 16.16. Mon baptize not the Lutheran view them already by faith are saved, but those who, having taken confidence in the gospel, want to be saved. The belief that wakes and created by the gospel is a salvation-seeking and craving salvation faith, first in the baptismal bath is a frelsesbesittende faith. Only when the desire salvation faith dictates forgiveness and communication to the Spirit of adoption in baptism, it can be a salvation of some faith.

That baptism is a baptism of them before baptism can testify to their salvation, but on the contrary one baptism for salvation, not only shows all of the aforementioned written materials, according to Lutheran skriftsyn, but on the whole of the Pauline dåpslære. Baptism is in Paul the means of grace that puts us into communion with Christ, Rom. 6.1 fg. "Baptism of Christ," v. 3, meaning always with Paul baptized into communion with Christ, so that thereby the salvation of Christ is us part. In baptism we are "grown together (symfýtoi, gr.) With him," v. 5, we have "put on us Christ," Gal. 3.27, made partakers of His death and resurrection force and effect, v. 3-8; Col. 2.12. (It is not, according to the Lutheran interpretation of Rom. 6.4, that we are buried with Christ because we are already ahead of the death with him in the faith, but it says that "we were buried with him by baptism into death" (EIS thånaton - term of the dying). The funeral refers to baptism neddykkingsform that depict the drowning of the old man.

That one is a Christian first baptismal bath, is then also expressed in all the different dåpsformler Scripture user (baptized into Jesus 'name, the name of Jesus, in Jesus' name). All these formulas only the nuances of all of them shared a view that the baptized attributed to Jesus' property, set in the save as that name implies. Therefore, states then also unequivocal: "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit", Mat. 28.20. While John's baptism was a baptism of repentance for circumcision reason and could only apply to adults, is the Christian baptism of a covenant founding baptism, the covenant of grace is also given to the covenant people's children. The Christian baptism is the sign of the new covenant is in essence the initiation of action, the sacrament of consecration to the Christian profession, by the recorder and the Mon in the body of Christ.

Baptism is, because it is such a frelsesdåp, the Lutheran view, entirely a divine act. Therefore, states also everywhere in Scripture, either that a man "be baptized" or "baptized" (ie of God). They say never to a man "baptize themselves". However, it is right that at baptism also is a subordinate element of the act of obedience from the baptismal candidates side (respectively by their parents at baptism), as it happens as part of obedience to the gospel of salvation, showing the salvation-seeking to the baptismal bath. -Baptism also has a confessional element in itself, as it always is accompanied by the motivation and desire to be his property as baptism marriages to (cf. the Lutheran Church dåpsspørsmål both child and adult. Alter the book).

When the Lutheran Church teaches that baptism is necessary for salvation, it will however only have learned that God has bound us to the baptism, but not himself. So leave it the consequence that undeserved lack of baptism unto perdition, but only conscious contempt for it.

Baptism means according to the Catechism of the one who is baptized, he is baptized to live lives of repentance even until death. To live in his baptism means "the old man in us daily through repentance and penance to Tynes and die with all sins and passions, and that a new person a day will occur, which should live for God in righteousness and holiness" (Luther's Little Cat.). Baptism commits to be the baptized to lasting benefit, he uncompromisingly to his death "renounce the Devil and all his works and all his ways" and "learn to keep" all that Jesus has commanded us.

Baptism, faith and children.
The Lutheran church teaches that baptism does not work by virtue of the action execution (ex opere operato), but that it is conditioned by faith (cf. the front of the alleged confession). Baptism and faith are the most intimate connection with the NT, about it is not Lutherans disagree with supporters of the adult. But they claim that "believers baptism", then, firstly can not mean "the frelsesbesittendes baptism." Where in Scripture is called the abundance that we saved "by faith" or "by faith", so this does not mean anyone opposed to the scriptural teaching that we are saved through baptism. All scripture that we are saved by faith, the works of the law to its opposite, Rome. 4.5, 3.28, Gal. 2.16; Eph. 2.8 to 9; File. 3.9, etc. The fact that we are saved by faith alone, therefore say nothing about our salvation without baptism, but only that we are saved without their own works.

Then claim the Lutherans that the Scripture puts it prior (salvation desire to) believe that absolutely condition of adults to be baptized, but Scripture itself shows that this requirement does not apply to children's person, as the apostles practiced husstandsdåp. They must obviously have seen it so that the requirement of the prior belief is covered by their parents' wishes and desires that their children will take part in the salvation of the self-seeking or already own. Jesus himself explicitly during his jordliv rejected the reasoning that children can not receive the kingdom of God, if they brought to him by parents desire that they also may come to that, Matt. 19.13 fg. Specifically, it says here that "the kingdom of God belongs to them", that is destined for them. (NB. it is not called the opposite, that the children belong to God.) Therefore they shall be brought to Jesus, kingdom, Lord, that they may partake of it. Not the little ones must grow up to be the right to accept God's kingdom, but the adults are small. "Stop them!" This incident is already in its historical form Pregnana of the apostles designed as Jesus' own decision about baptisms practice, according to Lutheran understanding. (Even in Tertullian (ca. 200) and in "The apostolic constitutions" (ca. 380) is Food. 19 understood that.) Jesus could of course do not baptize their children, just as adults, when he in his work of salvation had not yet made Baptism basis. Therefore it is said as in the fundamental dåpsord explicitly by Peter that the promise related to the new dåpstegnet. "Listen for yourselves and your children" Acts. 2.39.

Lutherans will find this opinion confirmed by the fact that the apostles practiced husstandsdåp, 1 Cor. 1.16; Acts. 16,15.33, 18.8, 11.14. The Greek noun. oikos, house, household, household, equivalent to the Hebrew bet, and this concept has biblical basis a clear content body. The house means the whole family, even infants. (Cf. 1 Sam. 22.16 and 19; 1st Gen. 45.18 to 19 bl. A.) Beth-term is in GT particularly related to the circumcision ritual language. It is this concept that oikos stands for the NT's speech on husstandsdåp. It is natural that it is recorded in the baptismal ritual language, as the baptism in NT explicitly seen as the fulfillment of the sign of circumcision, Kol. 2.11, Rom. 2.28 fg.; Eph. 2.11 fg. If children were to except the Christian baptism, the Scripture could not speak of the apostles baptized "households", because of this word biblical content body. But lest it should be abundantly clear that no one was exempt in these cases of husstandsdåp, added there is also a "whole" (Group Images holos) el. 'All' (Group Images pas, hápantes) to emphasize that absolutely no one was exempt. (The Jewish proselyttdåp was also husstandsdåp, where all the children were baptized along with his parents.)

The parents should act on the child's behalf and bring them into God's covenant community to give them part of the covenant blessing of circumcision, is expressly commanded the old covenant that person. It is a forbillede for the new. Eight days old were all male babies circumcised, 1 Mos. 17.10 to 14, 21.4. As a consequence of which was to the children inculcated all Charter provisions and the commandments, 5 Mos. 6.4 to 7. Family solidarity and family unit plays a major role in the biblical religion, because creating schemes are not dissolved by the false individualism. Husfaren is head of the entire household and his faith is decisive for the whole house's faith.

Lutherans believe therefore that primitive community has seen it for granted that the children should be included in the new church, as in the Old Testament. Also they will be part of "circumcision of Christ", ie the circumcision that Christ has instituted, namely baptism, Kol. 2.11 to 12. Therefore praktisertes husstandsdåp both in Palestine and in the mission field. If the children should not be baptized by their parents' transition to Christianity, had explicitly been mentioned, then something else was really unthinkable for God's peculiar people. We see also how everything in the early Church is built up in the house churches, where husfaren's head (Kefalas) as in GT, Rome. 16.5: 1 Cor. 16.19; Col. 4.15: 1 Cor. 16.15. Sml. Domestic Decalogue, Eph. 5.22 to 6.4; Col. 3.18 to 4.1.

Entire N.T. also show, according to the Lutherans, the children hear the church as full members. There is no suggestion, either in N.T. or throughout the early church literature, that the churches are two categories of Christians, baptized and unbaptized. (1 Cor. 7.14 are listed Lutheran view, no evidence that children in Corinth would be unbaptized. The reference here is made as to the children's purity in the power of one of their parents' faith, refers, according to the thought context not of the Christian Holiness (syndeforlatelsen), for the holiness attributed to the even the infidel majority. Paul will comfort those who live in marriage, intimate communion with a hedonist, and are afraid that this relationship brings defilement due to the heathen sexual impurity. He comforts that the Christian faith prevents such contamination, 1 Tim. 4.4 to 5. If it was not the case, you had to take the consequence that the children were the fruit of an unclean conditions, but the idea has obviously not occurred to the faithful spouse into. ) There is no written evidence that children without baptism are partakers of Christ's atonement. Because children are baptized, assumed such. in that they addressed in Domestic Decalogue as a child, "the Lord", Kol. 3.20; Eph. 6.1, and this formula belongs to dåpsformlene. John appeals to children with the words that "your sins are you left, for his name's sake", 1 Joh. 2.12, which is a direct allusion to their baptism for the remission of sins in Jesus' name. The Baptists of the important questions when the children are ready to be baptized, the head never touched in the first centuries of church history for the simple reason that there has been appropriate because of the barnedåpspraksis that prevailed throughout the early Church.

A unanimous testimony of the oldest church (before 330) witnesses as contrary positive that the baptism of believers parents' children are practiced in the church. To both Justin (d. 165) and Irenaeus (d. ca. 200). Origen testifies that the Church received the tradition from the apostles that children should be baptized. Hippolytus' kirkeordning (220) shows that it already had a fixed custom to baptize children, even those who "can not speak", ie even answer dåpsspørsmålene (deputies to respond to them). Polycarp seems to be baptized as a child is already 80 years Origen is baptized as a child, (approx. 185). Synod of Carthage rejected by Cyprian to wait with the children's baptism to 8 day (after circumcision forbillede) and recommends 2 or 3 day. Tertullian (ca. 200) requires that infant baptism is common practice in churches, but is the only voice in the church's first three centuries that recommends parents to delay their children's baptism. "Why rush the innocent age for the remission of sins?" But his endorsement of delay is because he broke with the church and was montanist. This sect taught that he who sinned after baptism could not receive the forgiveness of sins (based on a flawed understanding of Heb. 10.26 to 29), also rejected the original sin (note: the innocent age!) First, from 330 we get a crisis barnedåpspraksisen, caused partly by the increasingly secular remuneration of the church, some of the perverse understanding of baptism, that it only wiped out the past sins and committed to a life without sin. Therefore we get a period where it began to expose not only baptism of children, but also by adults to the time closest to death, "to die in purity." From this time there are many testimonies about the postponement of the child's baptism. A typical example is Gregory of Nazians (381), he has to wait until at least 3-years old. But the 365 is the crisis overcome.

The Lutheran Church believes, therefore, to have both the apostles and early church practice in its barnedåpspraksis.

The baptismal form.
Lutherans teach that baptism in the form urkristendommen normally have been neddykkingsdåp, and that this is dåpsform forbillede the biblical dåpssymbolikk (death and resurrection of Christ). After today they mostly practice overøsingsdåp, it is only the result of a practical adaptation. Already "the Twelve Apostles doctrine" (from the year 120) says that baptism can be done by pouring where there is water NOK. Luther complained that the Church has not adhered to the baptismal original characters. But from Lutheran dåpssyn it is not the amount of water that makes baptism a right baptism, but "the word of God that is added to the water." Lutherans have not a formalistic view of baptism execution, much less that Scripture itself does not provide any direct regulation of the (end of quote).

Baptism is and remains a lie that one can not find a single scripture in the whole word of God that supports such action.

Where is most Lutherans in the spiritual plane? They move inside at the water's edge and will not continue because his disobedience by not going the way of baptism!