[MENTION=394]MennoSota[/MENTION]
Also, for [MENTION=333]Snerfle[/MENTION] just to convey my perspective on the "discussion" with MennoSota in hopes she better understands such... and [MENTION=60]MoreCoffee[/MENTION] whom I reference and who has had the wisdom to depart this thread.....
Please address where I change the text in Matthew 28:19-20.
Put your curser over Matthew 28:19-20. Read the verbatim words.
Now read what you posted it says, "adding nothing, deleting nothing, just accepting the words as stated and nothing more or less" :
When we have made disciples, we baptize them in the name of the triune God. We then teach the disciples all that is in the scriptures Did you add anything? Delete anything? Change anything?
Copy/paste the words of Matthew 28:19-20. Then (without adding or deleting ANYTHING) please embolden and underline each of the following words: Then, When, New.
And for points made earlier in this thread by several, please also underline and embolden these phrases in the quote, all points made in this thread:
"but thou canst NOT go... baptize.... teach.... if they are not yet X years old and have not previously documented and proven their born again status and justification... and if you do this you are denying God's grace, that Jesus ALONE saves and the soverignty of God."
"but don't use water or the word just immerse them under the Holy Spirit."
"God cannot use our going or baptizing or teaching if the receiver is under the age of X"
"Those under the age of X don't need anything from God because they have no sin."
"We can't do anything unless the receivers prove they are among the Elect."
"But this is meaningless unless we have promise that the receiver will as a direct result go to heaven"
Let's see if anything has been added to what Jesus said...... if "you all" are adding or deleting anything.
You hounded (IMO) MoreCoffee because he shared MANY Scriptures (far more than you) and said interpretation is needed - and went on to accurately share in each case the orthodox, traditional (and until the Anabaptist denomination was invented in the 16th Century) universal interpretation. Which you dismissed because "Where did Jesus SPECIFICALLY state that?" Seems to me, reading your posts (and some of others) that a strong illustration of Jesus' Log/Speck thing is being made.
But what is frustrating is that, esteemed friend, you seem to think this is your private blog, you ADMIT to not reading posts to you (to refusing conversation and discussion, to dismissing other's views). You indicated I have to convey EVERYTHING in 2 bullet points because you don't want to read more than that from me (I've gotten the impression you don't even read that). And I feel that you're playing "the shell game" - every time something you said is addressed, you evade it and change the subject (then seem to forget you even said those things earlier in the thread).
Friend, this is not anyone's private blog. It's a DISCUSSION forum, for CONVERSATIONS. And if you state something quite dogmatic (as you have MANY things in this thread) - you need to accept there may be disagreements, challenges, questions. And if YOU YOURSELF set up a limitation for any discussions with you (such as your "I only go by the WORDS on the page - NOTHING added or deleted") then you can't rebuke people by holding you to what you demanded.
I realize I've gone beyond my allowed "two bullet points" with you... but IMO you raised a VERY valid and good point: People have ADDED (and often deleted) a whole bunch to what is actually said in this regard. You've (sometimes rudely) accused MoreCoffee of that - and you're not altogether wrong. But what you fail to acknowledge, what you fail to "see" is that you do it at least as much as anyone else. And your PASSION for this has not only resulted in a "closed mind" here but in some very uncharacteristic poor treatment of others. I WISH, my esteemed friend, you would back off enough to see that. I like you. I respect you. I usually really agree with you, lol. I think you bring a LOT of insight to this forum and I like the zeal and passion and concern you bring! I just think on THIS issue, you need to back up and get some perspective...... And I think you need to embrace that this is a discussion forum, for conversations...... if you cannot/will not read what others say (unless they do so in two bullet points or less - and will be ignored anyway)...then we're not having a discussion. I've repeatedly suggested you take a leave from THIS thread - find some others to engage in.
Blessings to you, friend...
- Josiah
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