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xyz said:
The first of these is a general command, but does not mention water;
Then pray tell, what was the medium to be used by the disciples to baptize those who came to faith since they were incapable of baptizing them with the Holy Spirit; a sovereign act of God? What cannot be avoided is that the Lord Christ commanded them to baptize.

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xyz then said:
the next two are not general commands;
The second one is indisputably a command. But you evidently don't see the preaching of Peter to be paradigmatic? Thus neither the content of his message (repent and believe upon Christ) and then to be "baptized for the remission of sins" is to be done today? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/shrug.gif" alt="" />

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lastly xyz said:
the last is not command. The fact that Paul baptized so remarkably few is indication of his own view of its importance.
CONTEXT, CONTEXT, CONTEXT . . . how that idea is so easily dismissed by many today. [Linked Image] The text makes clear that ALL the saints he was addressing were, in fact, baptized albeit by others and not Paul himself with the exceptions mentioned. The point he was addressing was the tendency of some to follow after a man (idolatry) and not after Christ alone. He had no desire to have his own followers; "lest any man should say that ye were baptized into my name." For, one is baptized "unto Christ", thus signifying that they are followers of Him.

In His grace,

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simul iustus et peccator

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