XPost: rec.arts.books.tolkien, alt.fan.tolkien, alt.religion.tolkienology   
   XPost: alt.religion.christian.roman-catholic, alt.religion.christian   
   From: bigtexan24506@yahoo.com   
      
   > >My reading is that Baptism is required, but not unto Salvation nor for   
   the   
   > >forgiveness of sin. It was required then, and is now, as a sign to the   
   rest   
   > >of the world that you have joined the Cause of Christ.   
   > >-Joe   
   > >   
      
   > >   
   > >   
   > If it were required then Christ would not have said to the thief on   
   > the cross, "Today you will be with me in paradise." (Paradise being   
   > anothername ofr heaven)   
   > Sue   
      
   As I stated, it was "a sign to the rest of the world that you have joined   
   the Cause of Christ." I think it had been made relatively obvious that the   
   thief on the cross had "converted" so to speak. His defense of Christ in   
   this instance, when even His apostles had run away, stood for itself.   
      
   -Joe   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)