Then Jesus* came to them and said: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go, and make disciples of all nations, baptising** them in the name of the Father, and of the Son (Jesus Christ), and of*** the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:18-19)
*)as the resurrected one.
**)By John the baptist more connected with repenting the sins, by Jesus and his
disciples more connected with the openness for the coming "Kingdom of
God". ***)an other possible translation: "...in the Holy
Spirit" or "in a Holy Spirit", as predicted already by John the
baptist, that he, who is coming after him -Jesus- baptises with the spirit
instead of water.
Today in most cases it is baptised with drops of water or
by ducking someone into water.
The Churches usually accept among themselfes at least the baptism of someone,
that means, that he/she is Christian. Free churches stress in most cases, that
baptism either is done consciously as an adult one, or that there is a renewed
baptism as an adult one; additionally they promote the deeper experience of
becoming baptized by the spirit. (In early Christianity they indeed baptised
first adults. But this does not exclude to bless also children, or pray for them.
This would
then have another character, compared with baptism. The original baptism was no
declaration of membership in a special denomination, as it is practised today
especially by the big Churches.
The Churches usually accept, that in case of
need, when no reverend or priest is there, each Christian is allowed to baptise:
"I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy
Spirit. Amen".
Such short quotes from the Bible - based on different translations - are additions to the corresponding chapters of the Ways-of-Christ.net™
main text: However, such characteristic places cannot fully replace the study or meditation of whole chapters of the Gospel(s). |