Our Pastor (and all Baptist ministers, and many other evangelical Americans) can readily produce scripture that supports his claim that real, Biblical baptism requires water immersion. Others (Quakers and the Salvation Army, for example) don’t think baptism is necessary and do not perform the ritual. Still others (Lutherans, Presbyterians, etc.) contend that immersion is not necessary and even allow for infant baptism. Sects of each of these Christian denominations treat the issue differently than others.
Yet each will defend it’s viewpoint and practice with a barrage of scripture. And swear that its version of Truth trumps the others’.
Sects disagree on multiple areas in Christian life. Look at differing views on atonement, the doctrine of God, church government, divorce and remarriage, Hell, salvation, women in ministry, eternal security, divine foreknowledge, Revelation, The Lord’s Supper, Predestination and free will, and, well, the list goes on.
Each sect has it’s view point and backs it up with scripture. Each sect’s viewpoint was developed by scholarly, believing, Jesus followers. For the past few hundred years at least, The Bible has been saying different things to different church leaders, and the leaders have used thier findings to create ever new and ever disagreeing sects.
Each sect claims to have the correct, Biblical view.
So, does The Bible really tell us what’s right in baptism, women in ministry, predestination free will, and church government and all?
The old saw, “In essentials, unity, in non-essentials, liberty, in all things, charity,” just doesn’t work here. Some folks call of these items non-essentials, and claim they are minor disagreements, yet these supposedly minor disagreements have caused rifts, breakaway sects and disunity.
Is this what we’re to use The Bible for?
What think you?
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