Baptism Question

[ned1980]

I’m currently an evangelical Christian who is seeking the original, One True Church, and I’m starting to suspect it may be the Roman Catholic Church. I understand that the Catholic church teaches infants must be baptized, due to Original Sin, in order to reach Heaven, should they die? Yet in Romans 7:9, Paul states “once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life, and I died.” This seems to indicate that Paul was alive to God before he understand and could decide the difference between right and wrong–sin and God’s law. Am I understanding this improperly?

 

[srferdave]

I’m currently an evangelical Christian who is seeking the original, One True Church, and I’m starting to suspect it may be the Roman Catholic Church. I understand that the Catholic church teaches infants must be baptized, due to Original Sin, in order to reach Heaven, should they die? Yet in Romans 7:9, Paul states “once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life, and I died.” This seems to indicate that Paul was alive to God before he understand and could decide the difference between right and wrong–sin and God’s law. Am I understanding this improperly?

I think what Paul is saying is that before he understood the law he was alive in the flesh not in the Spirit. Then, once he understood the law, he understood what sin was. Then, he died in the flesh. Basically, before he understood the law, what he thought gave him life really gave him death. (e.g. adultery, which he talks about in beginning of chapter 7). At least this is how I understand it. Can someone tell me if I am correct.

 

[DebChris]

We know that Jesus said that no letter of the law has been eliminated by the New Covenant. In fact, from the teachings of Jesus Christ we are called to live not only by the letter of the law, but by the spirit of the law as well. By focusing on the law, the individual focuses on what he does wrong in the sight of God rather than letting God guide him in the ways of righteousness.
The sin of Adam and Eve separated mankind from union with God. Baptism restores this relationship.

 

[SMHW]

I’m currently an evangelical Christian who is seeking the original, One True Church, and I’m starting to suspect it may be the Roman Catholic Church. I understand that the Catholic church teaches infants must be baptized, due to Original Sin, in order to reach Heaven, should they die? Yet in Romans 7:9, Paul states “once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life, and I died.” This seems to indicate that Paul was alive to God before he understand and could decide the difference between right and wrong–sin and God’s law. Am I understanding this improperly?

It does seem kind of like Paul might be saying that but I think the point of that passage is not age but about recognition of sin that (hopefully) comes with age and familiarity with the law. I also think Paul is using a universal first person voice here that could sort of be applied to the whole Jewish race from the time the law was first given up until the time of Christ.

And remember, that even babies were subject to the Law through their birth into Jewish families (circumcision) even if they were too young to understand.

Changing focus here just a bit.

There seems to be this idea that Catholics (and Orthodox) believe we are saved by works while Protestants and other non-Catholic Christians believe we are saved by faith. In fact Catholics don’t believe we can be saved by either faith or works. We believe that we can only be saved by Grace. (Faith and works could be reasons why God would chose to pour out his Grace on and within us.) We don’t view the sacraments, of which baptism is the primary one, as works but rather as vehicles of that Grace which is bestowed on us through Christ (in response to our faith and/or works). And we believe that even babies should share in that Grace

 

[DebChris]

…

And remember, that even babies were subject to the Law through their birth into Jewish families (circumcision) even if they were too young to understand.

Changing focus here just a bit.

… We believe that we can only be saved by Grace. (Faith and works could be reasons why God would chose to pour out his Grace on and within us.) We don’t view the sacraments, of which baptism is the primary one, as works but rather as vehicles of that Grace which is bestowed on us through Christ (in response to our faith and/or works). And we believe that even babies should share in that Grace

Good restatement of what I was trying to say. We are branches on the vine that is Christ without Whom we can do nothing.