DaveH wrote: > What other (other than baptism) ways do > you see as ratifying the covenant?
Well, in the case of Abraham, there was a blood covenant. So that would be one other way there. With Jacob, there was wrestling with God. In terms of coming into a relationship with Jesus, the waters of baptism are what I lead a person to in order to establish their covenant with Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, if a person were for some reason kept from that, there are other things that can be done to help that person apply faith in Jesus Christ. There was a man in a nursing home that I shared Christ with, and he came to a point where he wanted to be baptized. There were logistic problems with the nursing home and family member concerns because he was nearing death. Before we could make it happen, he passed away. At that time, we had only prayed with him and helped him to commit to giving his heart to Christ through prayer. I believe and understand that God honors that profession of faith. In my own life, my parents did not consider me old enough at 5 years old to be baptized and understand what I was doing. So although I desired to be baptized and asked to be baptized, I was denied. This did not hinder the work of God in my life, when at the age of 8 Jesus baptized me with the Holy Spirit. When my parents saw that happen, they realized that I was indeed old enough to be baptized in water, and so I was at age 9. The household of Cornelius seemed to have a similar experience, entering into a covenant with God and receiving the Holy Spirit by faith, even before they had been baptized in water. David Miller. ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.