(Romans 10:9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.~ I believe this is an excuse for many people not to be baptized! And why did Paul write this verse? Do you feel weird, is Paul a Christian? Paul was a Pharisee, and Paul became a Christian because of Jesus' enlightenment! Paul claimed to be an apostle to the Gentiles! Paul was a person with a clear distinction between good and evil, so it is easier to offend people! He should have offended many Jews in the matter of "circumcision"! Christianity has always worshiped the "Trinity God." Is baptism important? Christian "baptism" is the same as Jewish "circumcision". Is Jewish circumcision important? If Jewish circumcision is important, of course Christian baptism is important! But why did Paul say: Just confess with your mouth and believe with your heart?
If Paul said: Baptism is not important, then Paul is different from Jesus! Jesus said: Everyone must be reborn again from the water and the Holy Spirit and can enter to God's kingdom! But Paul even saved himself from water baptism, how can he be reborn from the water? Don’t rush to deny Paul! And "water reborn" we define is~ baptism ceremony! Just like Jewish circumcision, it is a plain circumcision ceremony! "Water reborn" there are many types of Christian baptisms now: submerged in water, a bit in water, Jordan River baptism, swimming pool... too many, too many baptisms! And Paul believes that Christians do not need to be forced to be circumcised. Does Paul deny the importance of circumcision for Jews? Paul was a Pharisee. Didn’t he know that Jewish circumcision was required by the Lord God? So did Paul deny the Lord God?
Paul knew clearly that we believe in the "Trinity God", and Paul knew that the Triune God is the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit! The Jews only recognized Jehovah God, they did not recognize Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and Paul had been illuminated by the Holy Spirit, so Paul knew that there was the Holy Spirit. And Paul clearly tells us in this verse: confessing that Jesus is Lord with his mouth and believing in his heart that God raised him from the dead will surely be saved. The so-called God is God the Father, the Holy Father. First of all, we must understand why there are "circumcision" and "baptism"? "Circumcision" and "baptism" are both symbolic meanings, symbolizing that we are willing to separate ourselves from the crowd, that is, from secular sinners. So the important thing is not this etiquette, but this kind of heart of separation! If Paul abolished circumcision, then the water and Holy Spirit reborn of Jesus is even more abolition of circumcision. But did Jesus really abolish circumcision? Did Jesus really deny the existence of Jehovah God? In fact, we all misunderstand Jesus and Paul!
Many people say: Christianity is an outdated religion. The Bible was completed at least before 1950 ago, and neither the Old Testament nor the New Testament has been updated. How can we keep up with the times? Christianity is not outdated at all, and Paul has always emphasized that the Bible is to read the meaning of the Word, not the words of the meanings! Who does "circumcision" belong to? Circumcision belongs to men, and is that why women can’t go to heaven and women can’t become God’s people? Isn't it true that women among the Jews are not humans? Of course not! However, in ancient times, only men were counted as men, and men who could serve as soldiers in warfare. In ancient times, women were the positions of husbands and sons. It is not unimportant, but women have fewer opportunities to contact the outside world, so women only need to stay in their father’s house. With the correct education of the father, the general behavior is not very deviated, and circumcision is aimed at men. Because men work outside every day, men are more likely to commit crimes and commit adultery. Therefore, men’s hearts and minds must be cleansed, and "water baptism" is not abolished by Jesus to against the Jewish laws, but the completely Jewish laws of Jesus. Jesus allowed everyone to practice "water baptism" so that everyone can be reborn again through water. Therefore, we must understand that both "circumcision" and "water baptism" are a kind of obedience. The mark distinguished from sin and the world!
And Paul and Jesus really understood the meaning of "circumcision". They valued not a sense of ritual, but the actual meaning of "circumcision" to life! Jesus popularized "circumcision", that is, Jesus is reborn through water, so that everyone can receive "circumcision", and "circumcision" is no longer restricted to men, which means that everyone has the opportunity to enter the kingdom of God, no longer restricted that only men can enter the kingdom of God, but why did Paul abolish both circumcision and water baptism? Because Paul was a Pharisee, Paul knew that many Pharisees and pastors had deviated from the Truth. They turned "circumcision" and "baptism" into a red tape, a red tape to manipulate people, just like getting married. "Getting married" it's a form, but what does this form really focus on? How about "marriage" focusing on the holiness of marriage instead of focusing on your wedding? How many banquets did you put on? Because everyone regards "wedding banquets" as more important than holiness in marriage, more and more people choose to live together and not get married. This is because too many people pay attention to wedding banquets instead of the essence of marriage!
When we understand the true meaning of "circumcision" and "baptism", and we are not paying attention to certain forms, then we understand that Paul said: Admits in his mouth and believes in his heart that this is the true meaning of true circumcision and baptism, not seeking a cathedral, great the pastor and certain rabbis helped circumcise, but they truly confessed that Jesus is Lord from their mouths, while believing in their hearts that God the Father raised Jesus from the dead. This is what makes us willing to separate ourselves from the world and let us be willing to follow Jesus. That is real circumcision and baptism! Don't care about the forms, but care about the substantial meaning.
