The old man, the man dead in sin, goes into the water and there is separated from sin and brought back to life in Christ, and arises from the water a new creation, washed white and blemish free, and clothed with Christ and adopted as children of God (Eph 5:26-26, Gal 3:26-27, Rom 6:1-7, Col 2:11-14).
Baptism (from the Greek baptizo (verb) and baptima (noun) means immersion. There is no need to qualify it with "full immersion", because it is not baptism without full immersion (that is like saying "wet water").
1 Cor 12 is not about the local congregation. If one is part of the local Church, then they are part of the global Church, and if one is part of the global Church then they should be welcomed into the local Church freely. We do not have to be rebaptized if we change our membership from one local congregation of the Church to another. It is the global Church that we enter when we are baptized, because that is when we go from lost to saved, dead to alive, stained to pure, etc. Only those who have been born again (which happens during water baptism) are saved, and all those who are saved are part of the global Church.
Yes, we must first believe in Jesus in order to be saved, but belief (intellectual assent) alone does not save. Rom 10:9-10 is clear that a verbal confession (that must also be public (Matt 10:32) must come before salvation is received because the confession RESULTS IN receiving salvation. Repentance is also required before salvation is received because Acts 3:19 says that repentance must be done SO THAT your sins may be washed away. Baptism is also required before salvation is received (salvation being received during baptism) as we are told in Acts 2:38 and Mark 16:16.
The supposed 'global church'..
Does not assemble.
A congregation assembles.
Has no doctrine.
A congregation teaches through its leaders.
Can be unified.
A global church has no unity.
A congregation is visible.
A global church cannot be seen visibly as one entity.
Paul called the church (congregation) at Corinth.. 'ye are the body of Christ'
The church of Mathew 16:18.. is the same that is in Matthew 18. And Mathew 18 its a congregation that can be spoken to.
Paul persecuted 'the church of God' ..that was none other than the congregation at Jerusalem.
You dont get baptised again to join another church but are baptized as a pre requisite to join any of God's churches.
Saved, baptised..then you can get accepted for membership into a local NT church.
All redeemed obviously is an entity in itself..and that is in the Kingdom and Family of God. But all redeemed is not 'the church'.
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