What are the Requirements of True Christianity

I enjoyed reading this essay recently written by a brother and thought I would share the link.

What are the Requirements Of True Christianity

Spirit and Truth

So now that I've got more people reading this than ever before I feel a certain obligation to try to write deep meaningful posts. Like it would be a let down to write about my high Tetris score or my love of tacos or the new Daytrip record I just downloaded. Even so, most days I can't get my thoughts together coherently so I haven't been updated. But I do feel a certain need to write down what's been happening, more as a record than anything else.

All and all things have been going great for my family. There have been certain unavoidable complications since my disfellowshiping, mostly from extended family, and it hurts to be shunned by friends but I think on up side our spirituality has increased quite a bit. Mina and I have been pretty steady about doing a Bible study every night. As a family we are making it out habit to say a family prayer before bed so that has been really nice and helping us draw close as a family and toward our God.

I'm studying quite a bit, as usual I'm so ADHD when I study. It seems like I'm learning so much and yet each new thing I learn opens up a whole new arena of questions. Usually I am in Revelation and that book is being opened up quite bit to me. And seems like so many of us are arriving at the same conclusions and yet there are some chapters that we really have a variety of opinions on, such as Chapter 12. I've also fallen into a study on the Divine Name, not pronunciation or syntax, but in use and importance historically, in Jesus' ministry, the Greek scriptures (New Testament) and in these days. At night I'm reading Isaiah from the Dead Sea Scrolls.

I've been praying really hard about my personal ministry. My Heavenly Father has told me to be patient but I'm eager to get going on something. Yesterday though I really had to look back and realise that I was having a ministry but since it wasn't as obvious going door to door distributing magazines I didn't recognize it at first. Lots of interesting doors open up when you are not officially a JW. I've noticed that people are more inclined to talk to you about the Bible. For some reasons JW's are perceived as being arrogant so that tends to create walls. (In all honesty though I can admit that when I went door to door I tended to have superior attitude toward those I talked to.) So with the barriers down there have been some good experiences.

I've been helping out this one guy at work with some personal challenges he's been going through. He says that God sent me to help him. When someone says that it really makes it a challenge to say the right thing - because you really don't want to mess up. All I could think to do was give him some scriptures to read because I honestly didn't no what kind of advice to give him. Anyhow he called me last night and told me how much those scriptures really helped him. As he said, "You can't argue with the word. It's all there in black and red." (He's got a red-letter edition of the Bible, btw.) I think he will be joining me in a Bible study this Saturday which will be neat.

So I'm really having nice little successes despite myself. It's really nothing that I'm doing. But as much as my Father cares to use me I'm willing to be used. Sometimes I think about how easy it would be to just go out and receive instructions from a burning bush and know exactly what to do. But really even looking back at Exodus I wonder if it was just that explicit to Moses. It seems like there was a whole lot of wandering around in the wilderness before he was told what to do and then even thereafter it came it bit by bit.

Well I'm here in the wilderness, wandering around. I think about Moses when he fled Egypt. I think about David hiding out from Saul. I think about Elijah running away from Jezebel into the wilderness. Oh man do I think about Elijah. Like when he felt he was the only one and how God said that there were 7,000 others that hadn't bent their knee to Baal. (1 Kings 19:18) Talk about encouragement!

That has been the most encouraging thing lately is realising that I'm not the only the one. I'm not the only one sighing and groaning over the detestable things in my former denomination. (Ezekiel 9:3) In fact this isn't even limited strictly to the Watchtower society. Right now there is a definate exodus out of apostate Christianity. People are being called outside the camp to the true Congregation/Church - the Ecclesia that literally means "called out ones". This is so beyond anything that could ever be confined to a church building or a religious corporation/organization. As the Samaritan woman asked Jesus at the well, "Where should I worship? On this mountain or Jerusalem?" Where did Jesus direct her to worship? It wasn't a "where" it was was a "how" - He said, "the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth". - John 4:1-54

Is Baptism A Symbol of Dedication?

Let any man who would say that Christian baptism is a symbol of our dedication to God produce one scripture that would substantiate that view. If no scripture can be produced then we have to concede that this view is not Biblical.

That there is no supporting evidence in the Christian Greek scriptures for Christian dedication is evidenced by the "Sing Praises to Jehovah" song book where the two songs concerning Christian dedication (13 & 202) are forced to cite Exodus 39:30 as the song's supporting scripture.

What is Baptism a Symbol of?

Baptism is a symbol of repentance and the means by which we receive forgiveness for our sins.

"Peter [said] to them: “Repent, and let each one of YOU be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of YOUR sins, and YOU will receive the free gift of the holy spirit." - Acts 2:38

"And now why are you delaying? Rise, get baptized and wash your sins away by your calling upon his name.’" - Acts 22:16

"owing to no works in righteousness that we had performed, but according to his mercy he saved us through the bath that brought us to life and through the making of us new by holy spirit." - Titus 3:5

"That which corresponds to this is also now saving YOU, namely, baptism, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the request made to God for a good conscience,) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." - 1 Peter 3:21

If Jesus Was Sinless Why Was He Baptised?

Jesus answers the question himself at Matthew 3:15 "Let it be, this time, for in that way it is suitable for us to carry out all that is righteous"

In order to be sanctified as high priest under the old covenant Aaron had to be cleansed with water and anointed with oil. (Exodus 29:4,7)

Aaron as High Priest was a type for Jesus Christ.

In order to enter into his role as our High Priest Jesus too had to be cleansed with water and anointed with oil. (Hebrews 2:17) Both conditions were fulfilled at the time of his baptism, "After being baptized Jesus immediately came up from the water; and, look! the heavens were opened up, and he saw descending like a dove God's spirit coming upon him." - Matthew 3:16

As firstborn among many brothers Jesus set the example by which we too would be born again as Spiritual sons of God. (Romans 8:29)

In speaking to the Pharisee Nicodemus Jesus described the method by which one would be born again as a son of the Kingdom. "Most truly I say to you, Unless anyone is born from water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. What has been born from the flesh is flesh, and what has been born from the spirit is spirit. Do not marvel because I told you, YOU people must be born again." - John 3:5-7

At the time of his baptism he was born from water and as the Holy Spirit came upon him as a dove he was born from spirit and then the voice called from heaven declaring him, "my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved." (Matthew 3:16,17)

Into Who or What Are We Baptised?

"Furthermore, there is no salvation in anyone else, for there is not another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved" - Acts 4:12

The Scriptures show we are to be baptised in the name of Jesus alone.

"Peter [said] to them: “Repent, and let each one of YOU be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of YOUR sins ... " - Acts 2:38

"For it had not yet fallen upon any one of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." - Acts 8:16

"With that he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they requested him to remain for some days." - Acts 10:48

"On hearing this, they got baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." - Acts 19:5

Did Jesus command that we be baptised in the name of the father, son, and holy spirit?

Many churches use a variation of the baptismal formula found at Matthew 28:19 which reads, "Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit,"

This has been called the trinity formula since it contains the three person of the Godhead.

At present time we do not have any complete manuscripts of Matthew prior to the 4th century. All existing manuscripts written thereafter contain this phrase.

However there is evidence that this reading was a later corruption of the original text. Early Church historian Eusebius appears to quote from a different manuscript then any we have presently. Eighteen times in between 300 to 336 he cited Matthew 28:19,20 as:

"Go ye and make disciples of all the nations in my name, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you."

It is interesting that the traditional trinitarian reading of Matthew 28:19 does not appear in Eusebius' writings until after the council of Nicene wherein the trinity began to formally held as official doctrine.

Evidence strongly indicates that this is a spurious scripture inserted by later Trinitarians in the same vein as 1 John 5:7-8

Are we baptised under men or into a man-made organizations?

"What I mean is this, that each one of YOU says: “I belong to Paul,” “But I to A·pol′los,” “But I to Ce′phas,” “But I to Christ.” The Christ exists divided. Paul was not impaled for YOU, was he? Or were YOU baptized in the name of Paul? " - 1 Corinthians 1:12-13

"Or do YOU not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" - Romans 6:3

"For all of YOU who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." - Galatians 3:27

Is The Baptism of Children Scriptural?

"Do not go beyond the things written," - 1 Corinthians 4:6

As Christians it is our solemn obligation to hold to the Word of God as our ultimate authority and in doing so we rightfully reject the traditions of men when there is a conflict between the two.

As Jehovah's Witnesses we have come to an understanding of the manner of baptism that is scriptural and rejects traditions of some denominations. Thus we have rejected infant baptism and baptise by full bodily immersion instead of a mere sprinkling.

However by our insistance on baptising children we are going beyond both the Scriptures and the early example of the Christian congregation.

What do the Scriptures teach us?

At Acts 2:37-38 we read of 3000 men being baptised, "Men, brothers, what shall we do?" Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins,"

At Acts 8:12 in regards to the Samaritans, "they proceeded to be baptised, both men and women"

What does the example of Jesus teach us?

At Luke 2:21,23 "Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized . . . Futhermore, Jesus himself, when he commenced [his work], was about thirty years old"

What does the first-century Christian congregation teach us?

From the April 1, 2006 Watchtower page 27,28 "Regarding first-century Christians, historian Augustus Neander states in his book General History of the Christian Religion and Church: "Baptism was administered at first only to adults, as men were accustomed to conceive baptism and faith as strictly connected."

Why then does the Watchtower teach us:

"In the case of youths, some develop a measure of spirituality at a relatively tender age, while others take longer. Before getting baptized, however a youngster should have a personal relationship with Jehovah, a sound understanding of the fundamentals of the Scriptures, and a clear comprehension of what dedication involves, as is the case with adults." - Watchtower. April 1, 2006. page 28, par 9.

Did first-century Jewish children meet the Watchtower's criteria for child baptism?

The first converts to Christianity came from the Jews. Could it be said that no jewish children in the first-century met the above criteria established by the Watchtower, namely a personal relationship with Jehovah, a sound understanding of the Scritpures, and clear comprehension of dedication?

We consider point-by-point:

Did Jewish children have a relationship with Jehovah?

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 answers "And you must love Jehovah your God will all your heart and all your heart and all your soul and all your vital force. And these words that I am commanding you today must prove to be on your heart; and you must inculate them in your son and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up."

Did Jewish children have a sound understanding of the Scriptures?

In answer, Alfred Edersheim in his book Sketches of Jewish Social Life says regarding the education of Jewish children in the days of Christ, "home teaching ordinarily began when the child was about three years old. ... Verses of Scripture, benedictions, wise sayings, etc., were impressed on the child, and mnemonic rules devised to facilitate the retention of what was so acquired. ... At five years of age the Hebrew Bible was to be begun."

Could Jewish children comprehend a dedication to God?

"In 1513 B.C.E., the ancient Israelites came into a dedicated relationship with Jehovah. (Exodus 19:3-8) After that, Jews were born into that dedicated nation under the Law covenant. - w03 8/15 p. 30 Do you Remember?

We see then that Jewish children would have fulfilled all of the Watchtower's criteria for child baptism and yet only men and women got baptised in the first century.

If not on Scripture on what basis then do we baptise children?

Are we going beyond the things written?