Why baptize children?

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4617452618_708x372[1]It is best to leave everyone free choice? "Children should decide for themselves, when they grow up ", so repeat some parents. Some evangelical churches rather think that the baptism of children contradicts the order of the Lord: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mc 16,16). This statement does not mean that the personal faith must precede baptism? How can a small child to receive "the sacrament of faith"? It also debated the question of whether infant Baptism was already known to the early Church, or it is not a late introduction of the "popular Church".

The baptism of children is documented from the second century. In the case of Baptism of whole families, documented frequently (for example in Acts 16:15-33), even children could receive Baptism. In the course of the third and fourth centuries, on the other hand, we can sometimes encounter an attitude of reserve towards infant baptism. The reason for this was probably the penitential practices rather severe, which provided for i sins serious long excommunications, also in life, and granted only once the possibility of absolution. certain, for this reason, They hesitate to take upon himself the yoke of Baptism: they, indeed, They preferred to wait for the aged to be baptized, when the enthusiasm of youth had passed.

Today the resistance against the baptism of children is no longer born from fear of the difficult duties that Baptism involves, but rather by the widespread feeling that the child does not need the Baptism. Behind both attitudes is the belief that baptism is a limitation of freedom. Both view the Baptism in an external way.

Baptism is a sacrament to children. Considering the "sacrament of rebirth" especially the work of Christ, his free grace that precedes us, Baptism to infants show that he has loved us first (1 Teacher 4:10): He died and rose for us all, and it makes us sharers in this gift in Baptism. Those who love their son can not deprive him of this gift.

The baptism of children clarifies another truth: all men need salvation, even the newborn baby. The "original sin" means that no one can save himself, but only in Jesus there is salvation (At 4,12). We all need his salvation, for all of us he became a man, our Savior. From childhood he gives us true freedom.

"Let the children come to me and don't stop them" (Mc 10,14)

How could we not bring children to him, who in Baptism welcomes them into his arms and blesses them (Mc 10,16)? Infant Baptism also involves the responsibility to bring the child closer to Christ in a conscious way through religious education. Where this is missing, then there is the danger that the grace of Baptism may not develop. For this reason, even more, we must feel the urgency of presenting our children to Jesus (Mc 10:13).

The position of the Reformed churches is the same as the Catholic one as regards Baptism. All Reformed churches are in favor of infant baptism, the Waldensian ones, Anglican, luterane, etc. Fundamentalist churches that have a legalistic attitude towards baptism are opposed; these are the Baptist churches, the Pentecostal ones (NAME, apostolic), He asked the brothers and all those free and independent evangelical churches that have formed over the past two centuries, and Jehovah's Witnesses. All these refuse to give baptism to the children saying that they have not yet received the gift of faith and can not testify. But what they do not understand is that salvation is not through baptism, which is only a "sign" an outward ritual, but only through faith. If your child baptized become as great atheist, that baptism received as a child he will not grant any grace. Opposite case, is the person, then educated in the Christian way, He has received the gift of faith in a more mature age, that baptism is to be considered effective and there is no need to repeat it in other churches. The Bible says that "there is only one baptism" (Ephesians 4:5). It makes no sense to repeat it. Forcing you to redo the baptism once in an evangelical church coming from the Catholic Church, eg, it's wrong, It goes against Scripture, and it is a sectarian attitude of the members and the pastor of the church in question! He has to do the believer is to witness his faith and not repeat a ritual already done.

Say without a doubt that Baptism is received only in adulthood is to say something that is not in the Bible. Jesus was baptized entire families, we can not believe you refuse to baptize children. We can not imagine Jesus, so tied to children (Marco 10:14), dire “No, children not baptized them, only adults ". Those who believe this have not understood the message of Jesus.

Baptism is the commitment made by the child's family that will educate your son or daughter in a Christian manner bringing / a to Jesus Christ. A new sign, a new covenant between God and his people.

What Baptism?

Rear of the Helvetic Confession 1566:

The baptism was instituted and consecrated by God, and John was the first who baptized, and he baptized our Lord Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. From there the baptism came to the apostles, who also baptized with water. The Lord has clearly commanded them to preach the Gospel and to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Mt. 28:19). Is. Peter responded to the Jews who asked him what they should do, as it is written in the Acts of the Apostles: Each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (At. 2:37-38). Reason for which baptism has been called by some the sign by which God's people, that is, its elect , it is introduced into the Church and consecrated to God.

Being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ is in fact nothing more than being enrolled, introduced and received in the covenant and in the family, that is, in the inheritance of the children of God, and even be called from now on with the name of God, that is, son of God, having been purified from the filth of sin and endowed with various graces of God to lead a new and innocent life. Baptism therefore reminds us and vividly represents this great benefit of God and this inestimable grace given to mankind. In fact, we are all born with the stain of sin and we are children of wrath, but God, who is rich in mercy (If. 2:4), he cleanses and purifies us freely of our sins through the blood of his Son, adopting ourselves in him for his children, and unites us to himself with a holy and sacred covenant, enriching ourselves with various gifts and graces so that we can lead a new life (If. 1,:5). Now all these things are assured to us by baptism. In it, we are in fact internally regenerated, purified and renewed before God by the Holy Spirit, receiving externally a seal and a testimony of the great gifts received in the water of baptism, by which the very great benefits of our God are represented to us and as placed before our eyes.

One Baptism

There is only one baptism in the Church of God and it is enough to have been baptized or introduced into the Church, and consecrated to God, only once. Indeed, the baptism that has been received one day lasts and is enough for a lifetime and is also a perpetual seal of our adoption.

Oh immersion aspersione?

To be baptized by sprinkling (throw water on the forehead) or by immersion, it's the same thing, it does not change its meaning before God. We remember that baptism is only a rite, baptism alone does not save, baptism is an outward sign, so we must not give so much importance to how the water is poured on the head of the baptized person. One cannot be too legalistic, Jesus never was! The only instruction we are given on how to administer Baptism in Scripture is to baptize with water and to baptize in the name of the Father., the Son and the Holy Spirit.

What to think of those who condemn infant baptism?

Rear of the Helvetic Confession 1566:

We also condemn the Anabaptists, all of whom deny that infants, children of believers, are to be baptized. According to the evangelical doctrine fact Children are part of the kingdom of God and are included in the covenant of God. Why then, it would refuse them the sign of this covenant? And why not be consecrated to the Lord through the Holy Baptism, since they are in the Church of God as his conquest and treasure? then condemn the Anabaptists so in this article as in all the others that they profess in particular against the word of God. We are therefore not Anabaptists and have nothing in common with them.

 

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64 comments
  1. Sandro dice

    Beautiful ChristianFaith blog! Thanks again for your work! 🙂

    1. ChristianFaith dice

      Thanks to you for reading it Sandro 🙂

  2. Anonymous dice

    sai, This article didn't clear my mind that much… if salvation is by faith alone, then baptism should not be a necessity, on the contrary it should really be a sign following the reception of faith, which symbolizes membership of the Church of Christ… otherwise children who died without baptism would have to remain outside the plan of salvation and I cannot believe this

    1. ChristianFaith dice

      There is nothing to clarify or understand: Jesus commanded baptism and his people must be baptized, just as he commanded us to pray despite “your Father knows what you need, before you ask him” (Matteo 6:8). Yet we pray anyway, because he said to do it. E’ It is true that salvation is by faith, but baptism is equally necessary. In fact, baptism symbolizes adherence to the Church of Christ, and believing parents can do nothing but baptize him, because they too are part of this church. I baptized my son in the Catholic church peacefully, given that Italian evangelical churches do not baptize children (and in Italy there are no true reformed churches), perhaps only the Waldensians do it. I didn't feel like not making him part of this pact since both his parents are believers and will raise him in a Christian way. I was baptized as a newborn and I thank my parents for this, I don't think I need to do another baptism again, considering that “there is only one baptism” and I confirm what I received as a child with public confirmation. I have already explained everything else in the article. Finally, I do not believe that everything the Catholic Church teaches is wrong, rather, on this point as on many others, he is absolutely right.

      1. Anonymous dice

        honestly it seems more convincing to me that baptism should follow faith(rightly: “whoever believes and is baptized will be saved”) and therefore it shouldn't be “to impose” to a newborn; and by stating that even children need to be saved, those who died without baptism are basically destined to hell. But how can they deserve such an end if they have not yet been able to sin?

      2. ChristianFaith dice

        But who told you that children who die without baptism will go to hell??? I have already explained to you that baptism alone does not save and faith is needed… is baptism just a sign of belonging to the church or do we want to deny children of believers that they are children of God??? This thing isn't very nice!!

      3. Anonymous dice

        mah, I think that even if we discussed it endlessly we wouldn't be able to agree on this. For me, baptism must necessarily follow faith, Furthermore, in the Gospels there is no mention of infant baptisms and in my opinion they should not be assumed based on conjectures; Jesus could very well have refused baptism to children by limiting himself to exhorting parents to have a Christian education

      4. Sandro dice

        Limiting oneself to exhorting parents to have a Christian education is, I believe, precisely one of the meanings of baptism, with which comes a commitment and the will to accept the need to receive salvation and the desire that it can also embrace one's family members, for this reason baptized. If one has faith, as such he will be baptized to seal it, of course, but he will not hesitate to want to make his own family members participate in the blessing and salvation, among which there could also be newborns. I believe that it is an aspect of no small importance to also desire the blessing of one's family members, also because I believe the commitment to Christian teaching is aimed precisely at this. On the other hand, one might ask what sense it would make to have newborns baptized when they themselves are free of sin, but the fact that children are free from sin does not justify the fact that then they should not be baptized! baptism is a symbol and as such has among its many meanings that of bearing witness to the kingdom of God, and the truthfulness of what it represents; without adding that Jesus was also baptized, He who was unquestionably free of sin! and why he did it? To testify and give truthfulness to the last prophet, John the Baptist, who baptized with water, and in this way give truth to baptism itself.

        And on one of those days it happened that, while he taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders arrived, and they told him: «Tell us with what authority you do these things; O, who is the one who gave you this authority?». and he, answering, he told them: «I will also ask you something, and you answer me. John's baptism came from heaven or from men?». And they reasoned among themselves, saying: «If we say from heaven, he will tell us: “Why then did you not believe him??”. If instead we say from men, all the people will stone us because they are convinced that John was a prophet". They therefore replied that they did not know where it came from. Then Jesus said to them: «Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things». (Luca 20:1-8)

      5. ChristianFaith dice

        However, even children are in sin Sandro, original sin, all human beings are in sin regardless of age, so even children need salvation. Salvation is not by works and therefore it is not because one is naive and does not commit sins that one is not in sin. Yes it is all the same. It will only be the grace of God that will save them.

      6. Anonymous dice

        if children also need salvation, how they can get it? with baptism? (but then it is a necessary sacrament, and then what happens to the excluded?) God's grace will save only some? or he will save them all? (but this would be a return to the starting point, with all the children saved just as if they were without sin)

      7. ChristianFaith dice

        We ALL need salvation! And we obtain it by the Grace of God who gives us faith, according to his plan. He doesn't give it to everyone. Those who have faith and have been saved are because God has decided so from the beginning (Read all Romans 8, whole paragraph).
        Children do not obtain salvation through baptism, as I said that is only an outward sign, a promise, joining the church, of the Christian family. Salvation comes from faith (gift of God). Children cannot have faith, and if they die soon they will be saved because children cannot go to hell. This is what I believe. Anyway, this topic makes me feel a little bad, sorry.. talk about children dying… I answered you.

      8. Anonymous dice

        ok you're right, it's not a good topic, in fact such premature death is often used by atheists as a provocation to attack divine goodness; so I'll stop. I agree that “let the children come to me for the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are like them” enlighten us on the salvation granted to children. However, I continue to say that baptism should only be carried out by adults and I don't think I will change my mind, I have a hard head… 🙂

      9. ChristianFaith dice

        For me you can continue to believe what you want.

      10. Sandro dice

        I said something stupid, sorry! Children are not free from sin, because they argue anyway and can, for example, generate evil thoughts, and although they do not know what is good and evil, it can happen even though they also do evil. But even if they died they would go directly to heaven with Jesus, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, right? But I didn't think the same thing applied to newborns; they too are under sin? I realize that my reasoning is contradictory because if they go to heaven it means that they are not in sin, but I would like to understand one thing: if a child or newborn dies without Christ and without having had Grace, – whether or not they have received baptism, – they will go to heaven with Jesus? I want to hope so!! 🙂 Sorry ChristianFaith if I got confused…

      11. ChristianFaith dice

        Here I think no one has understood what sin is. The sin we are talking about is not our daily despicable actions, but the original sin that we have written in our DNA. Nobody is exempt from it, we all come from Adam and inherit this thing. The Bible says that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:2)he means everyone , all human beings. The only one without stain of sin is Jesus. The fact that a newborn does not yet commit sins is only because he has to grow up, he didn't have time, but he'll end up doing them because of that “original sin” which is carried in the DNA, in the heart! Therefore even newborns need salvation. You ask me if children who die go to heaven.. even if the Bible is not explicit and does not touch on this topic, I believe that all children go to heaven, regardless of whether they have received baptism or not (that doesn't save,as I have repeated several times) or faith. I believe in God's justice and goodness and I cannot see children in hell. And then there is that sentence “let the children come to me for the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are like them”. Well this sentence says a lot about it!

      12. ChristianFaith dice

        And in any case, Sandro, don't worry, no need to apologize 🙂

      13. Alessio Rando dice

        Baptizing your child as a newborn is the same mistake as the Roman Catholic Church. Baptism must be the believer's choice, you should have let your child choose to be baptized, but you cannot impose your choice on him.
        In the Bible there was no Christian who was baptized as an infant, and Jesus commanded to baptize, and, but not even newborns. Jesus himself was baptized as an adult.

      14. ChristianFaith dice

        Welcome back Alessio!
        If it was a mistake let me tell you, please! It wasn't, because my son will receive a Christian education and will be saved together with my entire family, believers or not: “Believe in Jesus and you and YOUR WHOLE FAMILY will be saved” (proceedings 11:14). God saves families and not individuals, He works on entire families!
        Then look a little’ via?
        “because the unbelieving husband is sanctified in his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the believing husband; otherwise your children would be impure while now they are HOLY”. (1Corinthians 7:14)- Strangely, fundamentalist churches that advocate individual salvation tend to omit this last bit of the verse “you and your family”, I wonder why!
        All this is to tell you that what the Catholic church says is not wrong at all, or just because it's the Catholic church it must be doing everything wrong? This is a prejudiced and incorrect attitude… and I would add fundamentalist, completely dangerous.
        I choose to baptize my child, how I choose how to raise him, dress it, educate and feed him… he is my child and every parent is responsible for their children. The Bible also says to give Christian education to your children.
        You say that in the Bible newborns were not baptized, with what certainty? The Bible says that Jesus baptized entire families, How do you exclude children? It seems a little to me’ this is unlikely. And even if something is not written in the Bible exactly, it doesn't mean that it has to be one way. They are implicit arguments, everyone does as they want. I absolutely do not feel that I want to exclude the children of believers from this sacrament. I have already explained the rest in the article.
        I see you've come a long way [backwards] with the Pentecostals!

      15. Anonymous dice

        salvation is not individual? Really? it might prove convenient, all you need is a saint in the family and you're good to go… Sorry for the irony but this thing has me disconcerted: you are saved by faith, but your own! otherwise the non-believing children of believers would also be saved and the numbers don't add up…

      16. ChristianFaith dice

        Exactly, just like you say in the last sentence! Unless you want to consider those biblical passages I quoted at all! The children of a believer and non-believer are SAINTS. This is what it means for you? Nothing? Even the unbeliever who unites with the believer is sanctified. God saves families, it doesn't divide them ok? E “believe in Jesus and you and your family will be saved”? Listen guys, believe what you want, but don't make the Bible say what it doesn't say out of courtesy. Everyone thinks what they want, this is not my problem. I'll give you the answers, but it's one thing for concrete objections to be reported to me with the Bible, It's one thing if you tell me “but it still doesn't convince me”, that I have to tell you more?

      17. ChristianFaith dice

        We are saved by faith yes, but by election of believers, it is God who chooses to save you, It doesn't depend on you saying you have faith. So how does he decide to save a person by giving him faith, can very well save the whole family by continuing to “work” on the members and giving faith to everyone to save them, even at the point of death. Nobody can know, none of us can judge the work of God and other people, believers or not. We must be humble and believers NEVER feel SUPERIOR to non-believers, because we don't know.

  3. Sandro dice

    Thanks for the explanation ChristianFaith. I think I confused a bit’ with the terms, by saying that children have not sinned I wanted to express that they go directly to heaven, Yup, even if they have not received faith, and I made the comparison with Jesus which is a bit’ improper... I can't think otherwise either. That phrase of Jesus teaches a lot and it is no coincidence that everything he said and which is contained in the Bible is exclusively for us, nothing is left to chance, and each of his words is a source of truth! Praise be to Jesus Christ who did and continues to do all this, who prays to our Father so that we receive the Holy Spirit to bear witness to Him and to make us understand the truth!

  4. Anonymous dice

    actually logically if salvation does not come from us but from God, if the family members of a Christian are not on the list of the elect no prayer can insert them. Somewhere in this blog ChristianFaith itself says that if despite prayers a person does not find faith then it means that they are not chosen. Otherwise if we want, then the prayer of a saint would be enough to save all humanity. Of course, the desire that all loved ones are with us in eternal life is human but it seems to me that the Gospels indicate salvation by personal faith, that the door is narrow, and if there cannot be contradictions, a lukewarm adherence combined with the true faith of a family member cannot be enough.

    1. ChristianFaith dice

      What you don't want to understand and what I've been trying to tell you for days now is that
      IF GOD HAS ELECTED A PERSON TO SALVATION IT IS PROBABLE THAT HE HAS ELECTED
      ALSO HIS FAMILY and that this, sooner or later, if you don't have it yet
      done, will receive the gift of salvation. We're not talking about people
      strangers. When I say that God saves families, I mean this. And not
      It's me who says it but the Bible itself (1Corinthians 7:12-14).

  5. Sandro dice

    What you say is correct, it is God who chooses and gives faith according to his good pleasure, but you must also compare this with the numerous verses cited by ChristianFaith that explicitly mention the salvation of entire families. According to your reasoning then those verses and Paul's words would be deceptive, because if it were just as you say, Paul would be lying shamelessly to affirm the salvation of families, – he would say it despite knowing that in reality it is God who calls and gives Grace to whoever he wants, and therefore beyond his words, it would hide from the families that it could happen that in the end God decides not to give them faith, thus deluding them! – To resolve the situation we must consider the Scriptures in their entirety, and since there are verses that clearly state it, I don't see why we need to analyze only what appears most reasonable to us, and not what the Bible clearly says.

  6. Anonymous dice

    okay I give up, I add only out of nitpicking: I see you used the term “likely” and not “Safe”… ; the paragraph of 1 Corinthians of which you quote a part begins with “I tell the others, not the Lord”… and ends with “And what do you know, donna, if you save your husband? Or what do you know, man, if you save your wife?”. Feel free to take them as blank provocations and ignore them if you want, you actually almost convinced me

  7. Sandro dice

    I respond calmly to your provocations. First of all Paul says “To others I say, not the Lord...” simply because what he is about to state was not explicitly said by Christ, but it is also clear that he, being an apostle by the will of God (1Corinthians 1:1), has authority to utter those words, being filled with the Holy Spirit given to him by Jesus himself!

    “And what do you know, donna, if you save your husband? Or what do you know, man, if you save your wife?” In the case in question, the Christian spouse has a special reason to avoid the breakdown of the marriage, precisely because he doesn't know whether the bond will last or not. Also reading 1 Peter 3:1-4 we understand how the apostle exhorts Christian wives to be subject to their husbands "so that, if there are any who do not obey the Word, let them be, for the conduct of wives, earned WITHOUT a word, having considered the chaste and respectful conduct" of their wives (1Pietro 3:1-4).

    In ordinary cases the respectful and chaste conduct of Christian wives was to benefit the spiritual life of their husbands, – they are also Christians, – and honor the gospel before the world; but there were also more unfortunate and difficult cases in which the wife, having heard the Word of God, had received it with faith, while the husband is a pagan or Jew, had remained refractory, disobedient to the divine invitation. In those cases, the Christian wife, superior to her husband in knowledge of the truth, entered the path traced by God while her husband remained in the path of sin, she could believe herself authorized to separate from her husband or at least to emancipate herself from the duty of submission due to the fact that she had been called by Christ to the freedom of the children of God (cf.. 1Corinthians 7:10-16). Peter, however, does not stop to inculcate the duty of Christian wives to stay with their husbands who remained pagan; but remind them that respectful and pure conduct is the best means of winning unbelieving husbands to the faith. They will be won to Christ without a word. With this, Bonnet notes, “the apostle means that the wife must preach with her behavior rather than with words. This is the only effective preaching if the husband is still opposed to the Gospel. Unlike, preaching it, especially when the wife's conduct is not in full harmony with her words, it is the surest means of distancing the husband further and further. After all, it would be a misunderstanding of the apostle's wise advice, if one saw in it the prohibition of any serious testimony given to the truth with words, when God provides the opportunity. Peter only means that the conduct will be effective even without the help of the word”. Actions always speak louder than words, as an ancient interpreter observes “the silent work is better than the unpracticed word”. It leaves more time for reflection, while too much verbal insistence can cause disputes and quarrels.

    1. Anonymous dice

      of (indeed you) I thank you because with your patience you managed to guide me in the direction of the truth. I still have to get used to evaluating the text for what it says and not according to the criteria of its apparent reasonableness, to conceive the verses not as isolated sentences but as part of a whole; after many written words I realize how great my presumption was in putting into difficulty those who have in-depth knowledge of the Bible (although I will probably fall back into it). However, I also launch provocations just to get clarification, that is, my goal is always to understand, I am aware that I know less

      1. Sandro dice

        I'm really happy! 🙂 I believe that your provocations are an expression of a fundamental uncertainty, but at the same time of a fervent desire to reach the truth; so always ask yourself lots of questions, because faith is a gradual experience. I also tell you that my knowledge of the Bible is not very deep, but as I have an absolute certainty and solemn confidence of its authority as the Word of God, I never hesitate to consult it and seek in it the answers to the questions I hear, – which are often the same ones that I had done or that I still do. – I am also blindly convinced, that if the answers are sought with a free heart, then they will be found in abundance! 🙂

    2. ChristianFaith dice

      Excellent Sandro, you gave a good explanation! I want to say to Ivano: beware of fundamentalism, which unfortunately is very widespread in evangelical churches. Fundamentalists are those who are capable of building a doctrine from a biblical verse and defending it with drawn sword at the cost of creating divisions. This is why there are so many Protestant denominations! The Bible must be read and understood as a whole, and it also takes a while’ of experience and culture, and we must never take it for granted that the right meaning is the first one we understand, we might change our minds over time you don't know how many times. It is true, the Bible is difficult to interpret, it's not like many evangelicals say it's clear and easy, then who knows why but there are so many denominations! The only sure truth is the message of Christ, that he came to earth to save us and that by having faith in him we are sanctified. I call them many other things “nuances”. For all these reasons above I am for ecumenism among Christians, dialogue and commonalities, fundamentalism is negative because it only focuses on points NOT in common, and that's not a good thing.

      1. Sandro dice

        🙂

      2. Anonymous dice

        bisogna dire che gli uomini non sono fogli bianchi, hanno già in sè delle idee, dei concetti, of (pre-)giudizi, quindi non è tanto strano che incontrato un versetto che sembri avvalorare le loro tesi dicano fra sè: “aha! allora avevo ragione!” e se anche in seguito leggeranno dei versetti che portano in un’altra direzione è probabile che li snobberanno o forse non ci faranno proprio caso o li dimenticheranno (la mente umana presenta dei meccanismi davvero strani…); è quindi un’impresa difficile accogliere con neutralità un’opera così vasta come la Bibbia ed è probabile che facendo da soli si finisca per non cogliere tutto quello che si potrebbe ottenere con un dialogo il più possibile allargato

  8. Alessio Rando dice

    La salvezza avviene per SOLA FEDE ACCETTANDO GESU’ CHRIST as LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR, in fact the Bible says: “For you are saved by grace, THROUGH FAITH, and that does not COME FROM YOU, it is the GIFT OF GOD, NOT FOR WORKS, so that no one should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 see also Romans 3:21-31). When Philip says: “Believe in Jesus and you and your entire family will be saved” (proceedings 11:14) and when Paul says: “because the unbelieving husband is sanctified in his wife, and his wife
    non-believer is sanctified in the believing husband; otherwise yours
    children would be impure while now they are holy” (The Corinthians 7:14) it means that if in the family there is a believer who follows the norms of’ Gospel of Jesus Christ, the non-believer, looking at the behavior of the believer, he too will convert!!!

    1. Alessio Rando dice

      Paul in 1 Corinthians 7:14 answers questions that the Corinthians had previously asked him about marriage, in fact in 1 Corinthians 7:1 dice: “Now ABOUT THE THINGS YOU WROTE TO ME ABOUT…”.

    2. ChristianFaith dice

      In fact, that's what I said too!

      1. Alessio Rando dice

        I think that baptism should be chosen by oneself and should not be imposed by someone, as it is a personal choice that concerns one's relationship with God

  9. Mario Prospero dice

    the defense of paedobaptism is in all respects an act of pride that outrages the word and logic. together with the refusal of the manifestation of the gifts of the spirit and charisms it denotes an absolute spiritual blindness. let's tell the truth,you so-called reformed people have inherited from your founders a great burden of human doctrines which have continued to be propounded for centuries and today you make ridiculous arguments to continue to defend them. There is no doubt in your mind that Luther and Calvin are not infallible? of course ,because faced with the evidence of the word you prefer to defend their theses,like Catholics who defend their tradition to the bitter end. you defend yours to the bitter end!!!

    1. ChristianFaith dice

      Calvin and Luther are not infallible, who ever said that? In fact, there may be things I don't agree with about them. But, examining the facts, and first of all, God's Word, which nowhere denies baptism to children, rather, suggests that Jesus had them baptized since “he was baptizing entire families”, I come to the conclusion that paedobaptism is right and Christian.
      Thank you for giving your opinion in a polite manner and without judging other people's views, very marginal doctrinally speaking. Typical of fundamentalists and new evangelical currents that throw tradition overboard, the past, history, and they believe they know everything and possess the Truth in a very ignorant way. I remind you that, if the Church Fathers had not put together the biblical canon, you wouldn't read your beautiful Bible now.

      1. ChristianFaith dice

        Ops, pentecostal… everything is understood.

      2. Mario Prospero dice

        sorry in which verse Jesus was baptizing “entire families”?.Frankly, I missed it. And in any case, regarding the canon of the Bible and its authority, I believe it comes from God himself, in fact we call it “God's word” (at least we Pentecostals) and not “word of the church fathers”.the fathers did not put together the canon,they simply recognized the apostolic writings. Otherwise we fall back into the error of Catholicism which claims that the church fixes the canon and adds books at will as in the case of the apocrypha or deuterocanonical ones. If God inspired the scriptures then it was he who highlighted and put aside the inspired books,books which, moreover, have within them the evidence of inspiration, just think of the abyss (in the sense of spiritual depth) which separates the biblical writings,all from the first century,d to those of the second century type Clemente letter o “the shepherd” of hermas.there is no risk of confusion!!

      3. ChristianFaith dice

        All the passages of the Bible, the entire Bible in its entirety, and everything he says, it makes us understand that Jesus and his disciples baptized EVERYONE, certainly not what they said” No, I won't baptize the child for you?” You can see it? I certainly NO!

        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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. here, I am with you every day, until the end of the world. (28,19-20)
        We want to exclude ALL NATIONS from that, the children?

        The jailer, asked for a light, he jumped in and was all shaking, he threw himself at the feet of Paul and Silas; then he led them out and said: "Gentlemen, what must I do to be saved?»And they answered: «Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you AND YOUR FAMILY will be saved." Then they proclaimed the Word of the Lord to him and to all those who were in his house. And he took them with him that same hour of the night, he washed their wounds and immediately he and all his were baptized.Acts 16:29-33

        As you can see here, Jesus saves entire families, and we believe in the predestination of believers, if God saves a person who has faith, it also works on his family (as this episode also demonstrates), over time giving faith to the children who grow up! that's all. Baptism is just a ritual, ALL children of believers receive baptism (faith will then be decisive). When it comes to all families, all nations, How do you exclude children, which are the most important thing in the family?? The gist of the discussion is this: the Bible doesn't say this explicitly, but it alludes to it, but the Bible DOESN'T EVEN SAY NOT TO BAPTIZE CHILDREN. This is a human tradition of yours, not ours. Because you take for granted things that are not written in the Word of God at all.

        Lastly:
        The Bible is the Word of God, certainly it was God who followed her, but if God had not inspired those Fathers of the Church, so hated by you, today you would not read the Scripture. So those men were either by force of circumstances, RINSE yes Part. And we thank them as we thank all the Saints of God. Where is the human tradition here? We talk about Scripture.

        As far as your having lied to the Catholic priest is concerned, oh how superior you feel eh? Or how you believe yourself to be one who knows the Truth compared to others! The problem is not that you have the truth and lie to people, the problem is that YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE THE TRUTH’ but is not so. You Pentecostals are just so full of yourselves and you don't realize how you treat people and how you position yourself. The so-called “gift of the spirit” they went to your head!!! You just have to think sometimes “maybe I'm doing it wrong” since we are all fallible human beings “Maybe I need to be more flexible”. “Maybe we're just seeing it differently”. Because WE are all on the same level. This is why the Catholic priest will have told you those things, regardless of who was right and who wasn't. TAKE A BATH OF HUMILITY’ you are certainly not the example of Jesus. Knowing Catholics, I don't think the priest felt lied to, because he believes in what he teaches and the way he sees it, as we believe in predestination, in paedobaptism and we reject that demonic chaos that is created in Pentecostal churches, as not wanted by God, but only fruit or of Satan (amante del caos e delle menzogne e che fa parlare in lingue anche le religioni indù, africane e durante i culti satanici) o della vostra mente troppo suggestionata. Noi crediamo in quel che crediamo e siamo convinti che sia la verità. Tu credi pure nella tua verità, nessuno viene nel tuo sito pentecostale a dirti che sei un ignorante, stai tranquillo. Una cosa è certa e qui no non sbagliamo “blessed are those who have not seen and believed!” e noi non abbiamo bisogno di segni per credere, non abbiamo bisogno di presunte profezie (che ormai non servono piu) o presunte lingue (non ne vedo lo scopo). Noi non crediamo in queste manifestazioni, e siamo certi che Dio premia chi ha fede e non ha prove o segni. Questa è vera fede, che fede mai sarebbe se si avessero dei segni???

      4. Mario Prospero dice

        guarda con questo intervento termino la miainvasione”,tra l’altro non anonima!!!!si vede che il vostro problema di fondo è la paura del soprannaturale,tuttavia Gesù andava in giro oltre che battenzando (mai gli infanti xerò!!) soprattutto scacciando i demoni e guarendo le persone e nell’ultimo capitolo di marco da un mandato alla chiesa in cui si parla di lingue nuove etc.inoltre paolo spende quasi una intera lettera a disciplinare queste cose,a che pro se da li a poco sarebbe tutto cessato?il movimento pentecostale ha tanti limiti e nel suo mezzo si spacciano tante falsità e si muovono molti falsi profeti e falsi ministri tuttavia questo non toglie che le manifestazioni vere esistono eccome!!!Dio ancora oggi si serve di sogni e visioni per rivelare cose altrimenti inconoscibili,il suo spirito sospinge a parlare in lingue sconosciute ed a profetizzare anche se ovviamente bisogna usare discernimento.non so se sai che in cina le chiese domestiche sono in massima parte pentecostali e sono perseguitate dal governo cinese,mentre le chiese cristiane che si mettono sotto lo stato ,come le vostre,vengono tollerate.in italia la legge buffarini-guidi mise fuori legge i pentecostali ma non i riformati.
        CHE STRANO,SATANA PERSEGUITA I SUOI STESSI E RISPARMIA I VERI SERVI DI DIO,
        MA UN REGNO DIVISO IN SE STESSO POTRADURARE?
        ricordate in quale contesto Gesù disse questo ai farisei?in particolare di quale peccato parlava?suvvia rientrate in voi stessi e convertitevi a CRISTO,non alla filosofia,ai padri della chiesa ed alla religione riformata (male).

        p.s
        il prete di cui prima era entrato lui in una bacheca “pentecostal”,la storia ci dice che sono stati i cattolici a perseguitare i pentecostali (la buffarini-guidi è stata abolita nel 54,dopo il fascismo) e non ho notizie di persecuzioni dei pentecostali verso altre denominazioni sia pure per viatelematica”.idem per i riformati basti vedere le persecuzioni istigate da lutero ed il suo antisemitismo.

      5. ChristianFaith dice

        Guarda che le chiese riformate non sono affatto riconosciute dallo stato, informati meglio! Tutto ciò che c’è da dire sulle dottrine pentecostali l’ho scritto su articoli appositi e non voglio ripetermi. Quindi affermi che SOLO i pentecostali sono convertiti a Cristo: FATTI UN BAGNO DI UMILTA’!!! Poveracci i cristiani che esistevano prima del 1900 e di Azuza Street, da dove prendete le dottrine!! Altro che voi nons eguite dottrine umane: TUTTE LE DENOMINAZIONI NE HANNO!!! Pace e bene!

    2. Anonymous dice

      First of all, dato che questo è il mio primo messaggio su questo sito, colgo l’occasione per salutare i fratelli responsabili. Poi vorrei rispondere a Mario Prospero che a quanto vedo è entrato in questo sito rispondendo con arroganza e mancando dei pur minimi criteri di buona educazione. Quelli del suo gruppo in genere si comportano cosìSignor Prospero, Calvino e Lutero non erano certamente infallibili, sicuramente però conoscevano la Parola di Dio molto meglio di lei e di quelli del suo gruppoessendo DOTTORI della Parola, … their …
      Il battesimo dei bambini e la cessazione dei doni ha base biblica per chi haocchi per vedere” obviously … Quindi cerchi di manifestare più umiltà e meno presunzione e vedrà che avrà una mente più ricettiva e disposta ad imparareIddio lo aiuti in questo.

      Gaetano Rizzo

      1. ChristianFaith dice

        Benvenuto Gaetano!

      2. Anonymous dice

        Ti ringrazio per l’accoglienza ChristianFaith. Iddio ti benedica.

        http://www.gaetano.wikispaces.com

      3. Gaetano dice

        Cia ChristianFaith. Innanzitutto ciao, come stai? Anyway, venendo subito al dunque volevo fare delle rettifiche sulla dottrina riguardante la distribuzione divina dei carismi. Io personalmente non credo piuche Iddio abbia cessato la distribuzione dei doni alla fine del primo secolo, bensianche oggi, if he wants, il Signore li da alla chiesa. sure, si tratta di un modo non ordinario di operare. Ciononosstante, il Creatore li elargisce anche oggi anche se riguardano piueccezioni che regole. Tutto qui’. Iddio ci benedica.

      4. ChristianFaith dice

        Ciao Gaetano, ti ringrazio sto bene 🙂
        Avevo letto tempo fa dei tuoi dubbi su facebook o sul gruppo Riformama cosa diamine ti è successo? Bhe che devo dirti? La mia posizione la conosci bene, è quella riformata, faccio anche riferimento al discorso di S. Paolo e a tutto il contesto pentecostale attuale. Se hai bisogno di parlare puoi scrivermi privatamente.

  10. Milla dice

    dopo la disputa che vedo posto un link di un sito che leggo assiduamente, scritto peraltro in parecchie lingue:
    http://www.gotquestions.org/Italiano/battesimo-dei-bambini.html
    forse molti di voi lo troveranno interessante. una cosa che mi é stata insegnata sin dall´infanzia, anche se non la ho ancora trovata online, é la seguente: con il battesimo del neonato i genitori si prendono la responsabilitá davanti a Dio che il figlio da grande sará cristiano. e se da grande invece va a scassinare banche (un esempio)? che faranno i genitori che si sono presi tale grossa responsabilitá? l´impegno l´hanno preso e non é stato mantenuto. per cui una tale responsabilitá va evitata. Gesú stesso si battezzó all´etá di 30 years. nel link che ho postato ci sono altre questioni che i curatori del sito gotquestions.org prendono in considerazione. qualche notizia in piú su denominazioni varie e riconoscimento: sembra che in Cina e paesi comunisti o islamici nemmeno le chiese dei Fratelli sono riconosciute (non so se conoscete la denominazione, ma nei paesi dove non sanno cosa sono i diritti civili anche loro stanno vedendo persecuzioni). in Cina poi perfino vescovi cattolici sono perseguitati. dove la religione ufficiale é la musulmana in genere non ne é permessa nessun´altra. senz´altro quel che comunque accade é che per essere bene accetti dalla collettivitá bisogna apostatare da alcune dottrine bibliche (il che non giustifica l´apostasia parziale, la Bibbia dice che chi osserva tutta la legge ma fallisce in un solo punto é responsabile dell´intera legge). non bisogna nemmeno andare a cercare ni paesi musulmani o pagani per vedere che queste cose stanno giá accadendo. si pensi solo agli Stati Uniti, dove halloween é ufficializzato. che cos´é halloween se non il giorno delle streghe? dove lo spiritismo ha libera uscita? eppure in svariate chiese é tollerato. gli Stati Uniti, una nazione cristiana per molto tempo, si sta paganizzando. e ora chi vuol essere bene accetto in ogni tendenza filosofica o religiosa ecco che accoglie simili festeggiamenti, accoglie in parte la new age, viene tollerato il fumo, il matrimonio omosessuale che in parecchi punti la Bibbia chiaramente vieta. l´amicizia col mondo é l´inimicizia con Dio. http://www.gotquestions.org/Italiano/omosessualita-peccato.html
    Gesú disse chiaramente che il mondo non Lo avrebbe accettato e di conseguenza non avrebbe accettato chi pratica la sana dottrina. giá autori cristiani scrivono che se il mondo accetta pacificamente il cristianesimo bisogna cominciare a preoccuparsi perché magari quel cristianesimo comincia a somigliare tanto al paganesimo, vedere la festa di halloween che sfortunatamente é stata importata in Italia da qualche anno a questa parte. prima non c´era, ricordo. sembra che ultimamente streghe e stregoni vengano presentati come i migliori amici dei bambini, basti guardare tutto quello che passa in televisione. e da dove vengono tutte queste meraviglie? naturalmente dall´industria del cinema, spesso americano, da hollywood. che ai suoi inizi dava film su Mosé, Abraham, la vita di Gesú

    1. ChristianFaith dice

      Però ho detto di leggere i commenti e gli articoli per bene prima di fare queste domande!!! Chi ha mai detto che i genitori si prendono la responsabilità ce il figlio diventi cristiano? Semmai si prendono la responsabilità di educarlo in maniera cristiana, poi quel che sarà sarà, dipende da Dio, che comunque opera sulle famiglie (“credi in gesù e sarai salvo TU E LA TUA FAMIGLIA”) e non solo sui singoli. Gesù battezzava intere famiglie e non troviamo nessun passo biblico che impedisca il battesimo degli infanti. Sono stata chiara? A tutte le altre domande che ti verranno in mente trovi la risposta in questo articolo, se lo leggi bene bene e lo rifletti. Questa è la mia posizione.

  11. Milla dice

    piú che domande volevano essere spunti di riflessione (formulati male purtroppo, non dovevo inserirli come domande e infatti anche per questo ho postato il link di gotquestions.org, che spero leggerete quando potrete), non intendevo dire che qualcuno nel sito lo ha detto, che si prendono la responsabilitá, ma che accade di fatto. il resto del post era dedicato ad altre persone che hanno fatto commenti anche su altre questioni

    1. ChristianFaith dice

      Conosco bene quel sito (e quellì’articolo), come conosco tutti i siti cristiani italiani e inglesi che ci sono sul web: sono anni che studio. Un tempo ero anche io contro il battesimo infantile, ma poi con l’approfondimento e, grazie a Dio, il fatto di aver abbandonato le vedute fondamentaliste (e farisaiche) ho cambiato idea, come ho cambiato idea su altre cose NON vietate dalla Bibbia, ma che i fondamentalisti negano e vietano come fossero proibizioni di Dio. Il Cristianesimo è bem altro che fondamentalismo, il Cristianesimo è la GRAZIA di Dio in Gesù Cristo.

  12. Milla dice

    Practically, per quel che riguarda le religioni protestanti (quale che sia la denominazione), se non sbaglio la decisione di praticare o meno il pedobattesimo si rifá all´interpretazione biblica calvinista o arminiana. se non mi sbaglio sul punto. mi sembra di capire che l´interpretazione calvinista sia ottimista, mentre l´arminiana sia realista, nel senso che vuole guardarsi dall´ottimismo nell´esperienza di chi non ha visto avverarsi quello in cui sperava. che in pratica si ripercuote nella differenza tra predestinazione e libero arbitrio (speriamo di non spiegarmi male, purtroppo sembra essere un mio difetto il riuscire a spiegarmi solo approssimatamente). come i calvinisti credono nella predestinazione, gli arminiani crediamo nel libero arbitrio . e va bene, sono prevalentemete arminana, ma questo non mi impedisce il dialogo amichevole con chi segue altre correnti. come qualcuno, non so se fosse uno degli anonimi postanti, ha postato alcuni commenti fa, dico che vero é che sia Arminio che Calvino come chiunque di noi, é stato un essere umano e quindi fallibile (per questo poco sopra ho scritto prevalentemente, poiché non si puó mettere la propria sicurezza al 100% nell´uomo, ma al 100% solo a Dio), vero é anche che entrambi hanno dedicato molto tempo allo studio della Bibbia, therefore, non intendo offendere Calvino dichiarandomi arminiana. ciascuno dei 2 é arrivato a un´interpretazione biblica uno all´opposto dell´altro. ho scelto di aderire alla dottrina del libero arbitrio perché la trovo piú coerente, non per denigrare chi aderisce ad altre interpretazioni. e prima ancora mi rifaccio alle parole di Gesú, l´Unico Infallibile, ´´chiunque crede e sará battezzato sará salvato´´, quindi prima viene la fede e poi il battesimo. ho letto quello che hai spiegato successivamente a qualcun altro che ha scritto la stessa cosa. scrivi che Gesú battezzava intere famiglie, ma non c´é scritto quanti anni avessero i componenti di ciascuna. ora la differenza tra un calvinista e un arminiano starebbe nel fatto che forse il primo direbbe che il divieto esplicito al pedobattesimo non c´é proprio per mancanza di questo riferimento, mentre il secondo direbbe che proprio perché nulla c´é scritto a riguardo si deve andare cauti e non fare qualcosa che non é espressa esplicitamente nella Bibbia. ed é li che allora si porta il discorso sul libero arbitrio. perché in fin dei conti aspettare che il bambino cresca e decida da sé non ha nulla di sbagliato, alla fine si tratta di aspettare (continuando ad amministrare al bambino insegnamenti cristiani nell´attesa). un calvinista direbbe che un credente in famiglia garantisce che prima o poi il resto dei componenti si salverá, mentre un arminiano direbbe che per quanto il familiare lo desideri, sfortunatamente questo non sempre avviene. e dico sfortunatamente perché é certo che un credente desidera la conversione dei propri familiari, ma la storia ci insegna che non sempre avviene. e al giorno d´oggi purtroppo capita di vedere l´incontrario, quel che non vorremo mai: cioé che alla fine sia il familiare incredulo a trascinare l´altro. o coppie che alla fine divorziano. il libro ´´Sonhos de Mulher´´, sempre in portoghese, sogni di donna, parla proprio di questo. una donna per 25 anni ha tentato inutilmente di portare avanti il matrimonio con un uomo incredulo, nella speranza che lui si convertisse e alla fine é stato lui a lasciarla perché aveva trovato un´altra donna e si sa che chi é mondano queste cose, almeno oggi, le puó fare essendo ormai il peccato istituzionalizzato, anzi non lo si chiama piú peccato, ma libera espressione dei propri sentimenti, gli impegni matrimoniali oggi non contano piú per il mondo, quel che davvero conta é l´emozione momentanea che va lasciata a briglia sciolta, l´egoismo alla massima potenza su un piatto d´oro, insomma l ímportante al giorno d´oggi sembra proprio vivere unicamente per servire le proprie emozioni a detrimento degli impegni presi, per quanto seri. Once upon a time this didn't happen as easily as it does today.
    the difference between Calvinism and Arminianism is seen more than between denominations, almeno oggi, between different nationalities. indeed, having done research on Italian and English sites you will have seen that newborn baptism is widespread among English-speaking populations. and among the Italian churches in which it was preached by them. in the case of South Americans, including several Indians (and perhaps also of many Africans), despite belonging to the same denomination as a church in English-speaking countries, they would never dream of practicing it. I saw it because during my travels I attended South American churches, with Ecuadorian members, Peruvians (with Spanish shepherd)and finally Brazilians. regarding the Pharisaic gospel, I found it on the book I bought in Brazil, ma riguarda usi e costumi. l´autore, Ciro Sanchez Zibordi, riporta la questione degli uomini che periscono a causa degli usi, elevati a dottrina. ma non riguardano le questioni dottrinali vere (come il ravvedimento, la conversione, il battesimo, una relazione personale con Dio, etc.), ma certe proibizioni che non hanno nulla di biblico, trascurando la santitá vera (come ad es. proibire la lettura di libri all´infuori della Bibbia, proibire tutta la musica secolare, compresa quindi quella innocua). se chi predica questi usi come indice di santitá ha usato il termine fondamentalista, in questo caso l´ha usato impropriamente, se sono stati altri, magari commentatori, I don't know, a dare questa definizione, l´hanno data impropriamente. coloro che scrivono su gotquestions.org si sono definiti fondamentalisti, but they do not give the uses any doctrinal authority. in fact this article http://www.gotquestions.org/italiano/musica-secolare.html e quest´altro http://www.gotquestions.org/italiano/Donne-cristiane-trucco-gioielli.html they demonstrate a vision that is not at all pharisaical (I don't know if you've read the entire site, because it is really vast and takes a long time, but I can say that so far it has clarified some of my doubts regarding various current issues (that between various denominations or even members of the same denomination there will be perpetual controversy, For this reason I fear there is very little that can be done), so I found it very useful, even if there are some disagreements on some points

    1. ChristianFaith dice

      Yes that site has helped me a lot in the past too, but that site believes in predestination, if you read well!
      As regards paedobaptism, yet, because evolution also pervades other fields of science and not just paleontology: everyone does as they want, but baptizing children is not a sin. Baptism alone does not save, so if the baptized grow up they will not believe, they will not be saved, if they believe they will be saved. I didn't feel it, being Christian, not to baptize my children: it is the commitment I make before God to give them a Christian education, which is not a certainty, it's just my commitment. Then this of baptism is like the new covenant of the New Testament: in the OT the sign was circumcision, baptism in the NT. Everyone thinks what they want, but DON'T TELL US THAT THE BAPTISM OF CHILDREN IS’ ANTIBILIC, WHY’ IF YOU DO, BRING ME BIBLICAL EVIDENCE FOR THIS, where Jesus denied baptism to children. Rather, it seems to me the opposite, Jesus loved children more than adults and would never deny them this grace. In fact the bible says that “he baptized entire families”, I already wrote it above! What else can I tell you? E’ so. If someone doesn't want to baptize their children, go ahead, I believe in infant baptism and I believe this, if done by believing parents, give grace to your children and guide them in faith! As far as I'm concerned, I was baptized as a newborn, and I didn't want to do it again after the conversion, as I recognize what has been given to me (who pardoned me). Salvation is then by faith and not by baptism, therefore one can also be saved without baptism (see the thief on the cross) but one cannot be saved by the rite of baptism alone, if you don't have faith. I don't know if I explained myself!

    2. ChristianFaith dice

      Yup, I read that whole site, also articles in English. I don't agree with everything, but it is useful to those who are approaching faith. I also recommend this site to you http://www.riforma.net (Italian) O http://www.monergism.com (in English, chock full of answers to everyday and social questions). I don't know if you know English, but it is very important to get a precise picture of many things: you have complete access to world news. You would also read negative sites about Pentecostals (ex-pentecostals.org) which do not exist in Italy, if not the small section of forma.net. See you soon!

  13. Milla dice

    and, with us l´inglese, although I tend to read more in Spanish and Portuguese. I haven't had time to see ex-Pentecostals yet. I will do it as much as I can. Good night (but in Italy it will already be morning….)

  14. Milla dice

    The negative sites you speak of do not exist in Italy perhaps because what happens in the empirical churches in Italy will not be a common thing to see. o almeno non é mai capitato a me di vedere quel che avviene nelle chiese empiriche. se gli empirici si chiamano pentecostali impropriamente(la denominazione oppure termine pentecostale, aggiunto alla propria chiesa, oggi definisce centinaia di chiese ciascuna con la propria realtá), per forza non ci si trovano, in realtá il vero nome di alcune é NEO-pentecostali. di altre ho trovato solo il termine empirici. ma anche forse chiesa dell´Unificazione, in cui sono stata una volta nella mia permanenza in Brasile, non conoscevo le loro regole e pensavo fosse (ma alla fine non lo era) una chiesa come le Assembly of God, che frequento con la famiglia di mio marito qui in Brasile, dove lui é diacono e mio cognato pastore. which as far as I remember has differences with the Italian Assemblies of God (both are qualified Pentecostals, but some habits and teachings differ, I also saw it from some writings. and books. However, I cannot say whether the differences depend on the American origin of the ADI, and the Swedish one of the Brazilian Assemblies, in fact the Brazilians were evangelized by Swedes). nowadays you can no longer even look at the denomination of a church to qualify a movement, abroad you will certainly find differences starting precisely from the denomination of your church to which you belong. in fact the South American Waldensian church (Latin American countries, in Brazil it seems to me that the Waldensian denomination is missing) which I also attended, il cui pastore era spagnolo, era uguale o quasi alla Assembly of God brasiliana! nelle pentecostali propriamente dette, quindi non NEO-pentecostali, non ci troverai persone che rotolano per terra o ridono in trance o fanno altre cose ancora che il libro che ho letto descrive (il cui autore, Ciro Sanchez Zibordi, é finanche pastore di una Assembly of God brasiliana). non in quelle di origine battista o wesleyana (i wesleyani oltretutto, con alcuni battisti, si erano prima distaccati dalle chiese episcopali in quanto difendevano giustamente l´abolizionismo della schiavitú razziale, da quanto leggo nella storia) che hanno mantenuto le loro origini senza suddividersi ulteriormente.credo nel battesimo nello Spirito Santo , nel dono delle lingue (oltre alle guarigioni, profezie -che devono avere comunque un riscontro biblico-, to the gift of teaching, etc.), also interpreting in the sense of order that Saint Paul required of the churches and believing that if there is no one who interprets, the person who speaks edifies himself, while 5 words that everyone can understand edify the entire community. I also believe that the other gifts (teaching, etc.)are equally important. in this period I did a study on the point with a commentary on the New Testament, who comments precisely in this sense. it says that every gift has the same dignity as all the others, including that of languages. the church I attended in Italy before La Porta Aperta, close to my Italian home, he was a Waldensian Methodist (which I could only reach by train) and welcomed within it people of all nationalities who interpreted the Bible differently, living in harmony with each other under the same denomination.
    The gotquestions.org website, regarding predestination, we exchanged messages and they clarified to me via email what I had already heard in a Bible study held by the pastor of the church La Porta Aperta (where I was baptized) and which I think fits well: There are 2 points of view to be able to say that both Calvino and Arminio could both be right on the point despite one saying the opposite of the other. from the human point of view (since the human being does not see into the future, Moreover) seeing someone make a profession of faith and then apostatize, it makes one say that that person has lost his salvation. from the divine point of view (God knows the future before it happens) quel tale non é mai stato una pecora dell´ovile. pertanto si puó dire che in realtá non é mai stato salvo. chi non ha mai apostatato é il credente vero, che persevera fino alla morte. fin qui trovo il discorso coerente. at the end, come loro dicono, é anche vero che ci sono credenti seguono un mix di calvinismo e arminianesimo. io propendo per l´arminianesimo in tutti e 5 i punti (ma non ritengo la grazia di Dio inefficace, semmai resistibile, credo solo nella cattiva volontá dell´uomo), comunque intendo rispettare i calvinisti dei 5. anche a casa mia, quella di origine, non eravamo uguali in famiglia. sentivo mia madre faceva discorsi che in alcuni punti si adattavano al calvinismo. mio marito parla di casi rari di predestinazione, mentre io insisto con il libero arbitrio….but we don't break up because of this! Furthermore, I also consider the fact that gotquestions.org contains articles written by many people and therefore inevitably even among them in some points they will have different ideas. but this does not mean that collaboration is abandoned. nor do they exist in the world 2 people with ideas that are identical in every way, so let alone in churches, where there are more than 2 people…..

    1. zuvie dice

      I also think like you about predestination,and I believe in free will, I believe that we were predestined from the Beginning but in Christ Jesus, and when we talk about predestination, refers to the fact that he was already God at the moment of sin, he elected us and predestined us to Salvation, in his plan through Christ Jesus and in him we were chosen. However in the end I think it is both free will and slave will, they are all derived doctrines, in the end, what do we care who is right and who is wrong, If we have free will, our mission is to evangelize the world to save it through the word, if they have already been predestined, in every way we must preach and evangelize the world, because no one knows who the elect are, so why do we have to get lost in stupid theories, what are they for? maybe it will save us’ Calvin's theory or Arminianism ! I believe that we are saved in Christ Jesus.-

  15. Milla dice

    anch´io! Jesus is the only one capable of saving us, no man can do it, even if he was a great Bible scholar like Calvin or Arminius. we can admire their commitment in trying to interpret the Bible and the most difficult passages, but not even theories will save us. we can adhere to one or the other (or a mixture of both, as perhaps often happens). in any case theories are not always stupid. I believe those who interpret the Bible do their best, not out of stupidity since his intention is to help the reader understand the most difficult points. only that by trying to explain the inexplicable the result is a theory that would like to reach the understanding of the truth, he just can't quite get there, because we are all fallible human beings. a me leggerle é servito come orientamento, come lo studio che il pastore della mia chiesa in Italia ha tenuto. ovvio che non dico che le teorie sono la salvezza, perché solo Gesú é la salvezza. ma sono una persona a cui piace imparare e ove possibile capire e se studio una teoria non lo faccio perché essa mi salvi ma perché mi dia una risposta (per quanto incompleta perché di natura umana) a una questione specifica. mi sono orientata verso l´arminianesimo perché sono convinta che Dio ci ha voluto lasciare liberi. forse affinché l´uomo non abbia di che lamentarsi per mancanza di libertá. perché all´inizio quando creó Adamo ed Eva non gli impedí di mangiare il frutto (ma li avvisó delle conseguenze)perché li aveva creati con la capacitá di scegliere. perché Gesú non obbligó nessuno a seguirLo. vero é che Dio sceglie persone per compiti particolari, ma le persone possono disobbedire (pagandone le conseguenze). in ogni caso rispetto chi ha idee calviniste. sono a favore dell´ecumenismo evangelico. at the end, purché in buona fede é Dio che conosce le persone e sta a Lui giudicare. un caro saluto

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