threadkiller referenced a few passages, as if those passages somehow nullified the fact that water baptism is a work of the law (or at least a work) and do away with the fact that Paul was not sent to baptize with water, saying
Read John 10.34-36 and know that scripture cannot be broken, then read Matthew 28.19-20 and obey.
I have and here are my conclusions.
Here is what John 10:34-36 says
John 10:34-36 Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, “You are gods” '? 35 "If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (
and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 "do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
The Greek word for broken is
luo. Here is the definition given in Strong’s Concordance
3089 luo {loo’-o}
a root word; TDNT - 2:60 & 4:328,543; v
AV - loose 27, break 5, unloose 3, destroy 2, dissolve 2, put off 1,
melt 1, break up 1, break down 1; 43
- to loose any person (or thing) tied or fastened
1a) bandages of the feet, the shoes,
1b) of a husband and wife joined together by the bond of matrimony
1c) of a single man, whether he has already had a wife or has not
yet married
- to loose one bound, i.e. to unbind, release from bonds, set free
2a) of one bound up (swathed in bandages)
2b) bound with chains (a prisoner), discharge from prison, let go
- to loosen, undo, dissolve, anything bound, tied, or compacted together
3a) an assembly, i.e. to dismiss, break up
3b) laws, as having a binding force, are likened to bonds
3c) to annul, subvert
3d) to do away with, to deprive of authority, whether by precept
or act
3e) to declare unlawful
3f) to loose what is compacted or built together, to break up,
demolish, destroy
3g) to dissolve something coherent into parts, to destroy
3h) metaph., to overthrow, to do away with
Which specific meaning to apply here is not absolutely clear. We can be sure its not 1c since the context has nothing to do with being divorced or “loosed” from a husband or wife as Paul uses the word (1 Cor 7:27). Of the available options in that definition, I gotta go with 3d.
We know from following the history of God relating to His creation from Genesis 1:1 on that Jesus’ statement “the Scripture cannot be broken” cannot mean that God cannot change or do away with a requirement or law if he so pleases. For example, God changes the dietary law several times in the Bible - from eating only plant life from creation to the flood, to allowing the consumption of everything for Noah and his family on, to allowing everything except specific animals for Israel, then again to allowing the consumption of whatever you like for those in the Body.
Likewise, if God wants to change the requirement of a work like water baptism, then He has the right to do that.
Now, let’s look at Matt 28:19-20. It says
Matthew 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, [even] to the end of the age.” Amen.
I do not follow this command because
*]Water baptism is no longer a part of the gospel and not necessary for the remission of sins (Rom 3:21; 4:5; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5).
*]The all things that I have commanded you consists partly of obedience to the Mosaic Law . The Body of Christ is not required to obey the Mosaic law in order to be accepted by God (Acts 10).
I follow what I like to refer to as The Greater Commission found in 2 Cor 5:16-21
2 Corinthians 5:16-21 16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know [Him thus] no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone [is] in Christ, [he is] a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things [are] of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore [you] on Christ’s behalf, BE RECONCILED TO GOD. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin [to be] sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
