Ways of Christ

Additions to chapters of the main text part 1.

Excerpts from Matthew 28,18-20; with annotations concerning baptism in present time.

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:
"Jesus Christ´s Ways, his contributions to human consciousness and to the changes of mankind and the earth": an independent Info-Page, with new viewpoints from many fields of investigation and experience; with practical hints for personal development.

However, such characteristic places cannot fully replace the study or meditation of whole chapters of the Gospel(s).