I would assume they do. I have no reason to doubt that they can be. Their reasons for cessation of the sacraments are given
here. To me it seems like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
I agree, it does seem they are throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
I don’t think that someone who is truly saved in a Salvation Army church is any less saved than I am. (Because, remember, I don’t believe I was saved the moment I was baptized but well before it.) However, I do believe that once the Salvationist is made aware of Jesus’ commands to be baptized, then he should be baptized in obedience to Christ’s command. As the link above states, the Salvation Army does not prevent their members from being baptized in other churches.
I suppose so, that they are as truly saved as you. That is, if they are truly saved.
Their reasons for cessation of the sacraments are interesting. I reminds me of several groups in the milieu of pre-Reformation and Reformation Europe who ceased to observe the sacraments so as to highlight the greater importance of spiritual communion with Christ.
Of couirse, in my opinion, a physical communion with Christ is also important. That is what the sacraments are–they are physical as well as spiritual. Christ came down in an actual physical body, not an apparent body as the Docetists would like to think. Jesus really suffered, had a real body and was really resurrected; it was not a sham. We are made of matter, therefore the material aspect of our beings must not be neglected either. So to highlight the spiritual aspect, those groups disrepected the physical, and most likely failed to achieve maximum communion with Christ, because both aspects, physical and spiritual, must be accepted.
I believe that the purpose of water baptism is obedience and to receive other spiritual blessings that flow from baptism. I do not believe that the purpose of baptism is to remove original sin or to effect salvation. This is what most “born-again” Christians (besides the outliers like Salvation Army) believe and teach.
That seems to be what they teach all right. However, what are the scriptural citations that describe the ‘other’ spiritual blessings that come from baptism? The purpose of water baptism is to obey? Huh? But why command it in the first place?
We baptize not to save but to obey. Therefore, are we in disobedience?
Good for you, at least you are obeying. And, as a side effect of your obedience, you are saved!
I
've already went over what I believe the purpose of baptism is already in this thread. You may not agree.
You are right, I don’t agree.
Yes, this is the heart of the disagreement. However, I don’t think my side is “manufacturing” anything.
Well, your side’s explanations of baptism are not taken from the bible. If not taken from the bible, they must be from man. Hence, man-made, or “manufactured.”
The important point here is that nowhere does it say that not being baptized condemns! Condemnation comes from unbelief. Belief (rather than water baptism) is the controlling factor.
The point is, it does say it. It is strongly implied in Mark 16:16. “He that believes and is baptized will be saved; he that does not believe will be condemned.” This means that believing is not enough, baptism must follow. And, obviously, he that does not believe will not be baptized. It is not necessary to say, “…and he that disbelieves and is not baptized will be condemned.”
If you are a Jew and all you have to do to stay in Spain in 1492 is get baptized and have some communion and confession every once in a while, the waters of baptism start to look a lot nicer.
Don’t they now.
Unless, he only jumped in and out of the water long enough to tell his mother he got a bath so she wouldn’t spank him (or kick him out of Spain).
A cutsye-pie remark. Another evasion to avoid giving a real answer.
For as long as the boy jumped in and out of the water he will get clean! Water does that, you know.
Excellent post!