Comments on: Colossians Study Questions: Chapters 1-4 http://nathanlewis.org/2007/06/06/colossians-study-questions-chapter-one/ living the gospel Fri, 18 May 2012 15:01:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: nathan http://nathanlewis.org/2007/06/06/colossians-study-questions-chapter-one/#comment-49360 Mon, 05 Nov 2007 16:17:28 +0000 http://nathanlewis.org/2007/06/06/colossians-study-questions-chapter-one/#comment-49360 excellent idea. I am slow to get around to these comments. On the next posting I will implement your suggestion. Thanks. nathan. excellent idea. I am slow to get around to these comments. On the next posting I will implement your suggestion. Thanks.
nathan.

]]> by: Charlie http://nathanlewis.org/2007/06/06/colossians-study-questions-chapter-one/#comment-45535 Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:42:52 +0000 http://nathanlewis.org/2007/06/06/colossians-study-questions-chapter-one/#comment-45535 May I suggest that in the future you post your study questions twice -- one blog-post with as much as you have available at a time, and another set of posts with just one week at a time. That way folks can view or print it the way they prefer. Comments can also be posted to the section to which they directly relate. May I suggest that in the future you post your study questions twice — one blog-post with as much as you have available at a time, and another set of posts with just one week at a time. That way folks can view or print it the way they prefer. Comments can also be posted to the section to which they directly relate.

]]> by: nathan lewis http://nathanlewis.org/2007/06/06/colossians-study-questions-chapter-one/#comment-13793 Mon, 19 Mar 2007 15:38:38 +0000 http://nathanlewis.org/2007/06/06/colossians-study-questions-chapter-one/#comment-13793 Thanks, Ron. Your experience on all sides of this sacrament are quite instructive. nathann. Thanks, Ron. Your experience on all sides of this sacrament are quite instructive.
nathann.

]]> by: Ron Swafford http://nathanlewis.org/2007/06/06/colossians-study-questions-chapter-one/#comment-13493 Sun, 18 Mar 2007 03:17:40 +0000 http://nathanlewis.org/2007/06/06/colossians-study-questions-chapter-one/#comment-13493 I agree that the WCF "allows" for "dipping" as a mode. I was immersed 3 different times, in various Baptist churches, while still in unbelief. When God brought me to Himself (by a Presbyterian minister) he made it clear that I had already been baptized so it wasn't necessary to do it again. I was puzzled, since I had grown up understanding that faith must precede baptism. I accepted his explaination - until my senior year in seminary, thus my "search" for more. I guess I'm kind of like an ex-smoker - can't stand the smell of smokers and smoking and often is on a rampage to stamp out others from smoking too! (I do confess to enjoying a good cigar on occasion!) Frankly, I've been away from regular PCA pulpit ministry for so long I forgot what it's like to be faced with the "problem" in the flesh, so to speak. When I was in the Navy, I didn't have to baptize any way other than what I thought biblical and what my denomination taught. So, I could just hand him/her off to a Credo Baptism chaplain! I DID on several occasions have the opportunity to teach my views to people asking for baptism. Those who accepted it, I baptized. The others were sent to a Credo Baptism colleague. Please understand, t this is not a big deal to me right now. It's just that I really don't have anyone else with whom to "debate" theology! His/yours, Ron I agree that the WCF “allows” for “dipping” as a mode. I was immersed 3 different times, in various Baptist churches, while still in unbelief. When God brought me to Himself (by a Presbyterian minister) he made it clear that I had already been baptized so it wasn’t necessary to do it again. I was puzzled, since I had grown up understanding that faith must precede baptism. I accepted his explaination - until my senior year in seminary, thus my “search” for more.

I guess I’m kind of like an ex-smoker - can’t stand the smell of smokers and smoking and often is on a rampage to stamp out others from smoking too! (I do confess to enjoying a good cigar on occasion!) Frankly, I’ve been away from regular PCA pulpit ministry for so long I forgot what it’s like to be faced with the “problem” in the flesh, so to speak. When I was in the Navy, I didn’t have to baptize any way other than what I thought biblical and what my denomination taught. So, I could just hand him/her off to a Credo Baptism chaplain! I DID on several occasions have the opportunity to teach my views to people asking for baptism. Those who accepted it, I baptized. The others were sent to a Credo Baptism colleague.

Please understand, t this is not a big deal to me right now. It’s just that I really don’t have anyone else with whom to “debate” theology!

His/yours,
Ron

]]> by: nathan http://nathanlewis.org/2007/06/06/colossians-study-questions-chapter-one/#comment-12646 Thu, 15 Mar 2007 18:11:04 +0000 http://nathanlewis.org/2007/06/06/colossians-study-questions-chapter-one/#comment-12646 Thank you, Ron, for your kind note. You are my elder father in the faith and in the PCA, being a founding minister of our denomination. I have been taught in my 17 years as an ordained minister in the PCA that we are not to quibble about the three modes of baptism - sprinkling, pouring, and immersing. If I am not mistaken, all three are used quite often in the PCA. (I realize that this is not an argument for the practice and so we should still meet for coffee so that you can help me along on this matter.) As you know, the Westminster Confession of Faith to which we subscribe includes these words concerning the mode of baptism: "Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but baptism is rightly administered by pouring, or sprinkling water upon the person." This statement strongly favors two modes over immersion, but it stops short of prohibitting immersion. I never recommend immersion. But if a person strongly requests immersion, I am willing to immerse him/her, making sure that the matter of mode does not become a issue preventing a person from receiving the sacrament. If we can't find time for coffee, perhaps I can crash your water aerobics class. nathan. Thank you, Ron, for your kind note. You are my elder father in the faith and in the PCA, being a founding minister of our denomination. I have been taught in my 17 years as an ordained minister in the PCA that we are not to quibble about the three modes of baptism - sprinkling, pouring, and immersing. If I am not mistaken, all three are used quite often in the PCA. (I realize that this is not an argument for the practice and so we should still meet for coffee so that you can help me along on this matter.) As you know, the Westminster Confession of Faith to which we subscribe includes these words concerning the mode of baptism: “Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but baptism is rightly administered by pouring, or sprinkling water upon the person.” This statement strongly favors two modes over immersion, but it stops short of prohibitting immersion. I never recommend immersion. But if a person strongly requests immersion, I am willing to immerse him/her, making sure that the matter of mode does not become a issue preventing a person from receiving the sacrament. If we can’t find time for coffee, perhaps I can crash your water aerobics class.
nathan.

]]> by: Ron Swafford http://nathanlewis.org/2007/06/06/colossians-study-questions-chapter-one/#comment-12639 Thu, 15 Mar 2007 07:58:01 +0000 http://nathanlewis.org/2007/06/06/colossians-study-questions-chapter-one/#comment-12639 Nathan, Re 2:11-15 Circumcision and Baptism. I would love to discuss this with you sometime in regard to your having baptized, by immersion, Jeff Hoekema. I was somewhat shocked. (In fact, I was queried by another CVPC member with the same questions.) Having come from a Baptist heritage (I spent most of the 1st Qtr of my Senior year at RTS studying baptism to see if was to be a Baptist or Presbyterian minister!) My study was so convincing to me that I concluded that immersion is not only wrong, i.e. "unbiblical," it is inheirently Arminian. (The validity of the act depends on the action of the individual.) Plus, it seems to fly in the face of a clear understanding of Col 2:11-15. I would NEVER challenge you in front of another person, but I would love to discuss this with you over lunch sometime. I so appreciate your ministry, so please don't take this as anything other than some "intramural banter" among friends. Nathan,

Re 2:11-15 Circumcision and Baptism. I would love to discuss this with you sometime in regard to your having baptized, by immersion, Jeff Hoekema. I was somewhat shocked. (In fact, I was queried by another CVPC member with the same questions.) Having come from a Baptist heritage (I spent most of the 1st Qtr of my Senior year at RTS studying baptism to see if was to be a Baptist or Presbyterian minister!) My study was so convincing to me that I concluded that immersion is not only wrong, i.e. “unbiblical,” it is inheirently Arminian. (The validity of the act depends on the action of the individual.) Plus, it seems to fly in the face of a clear understanding of Col 2:11-15.

I would NEVER challenge you in front of another person, but I would love to discuss this with you over lunch sometime. I so appreciate your ministry, so please don’t take this as anything other than some “intramural banter” among friends.

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