Quote Originally Posted by Rhyfelwyr View Post
No, my point was that there is Biblical evidence of early Christians observing Jewish traditions, the important point is who is doing it. In every case, it is Jews. Note how the only figures Paul says he baptised were a synagogue ruler and his companion, while the rest of the baptisms are carried out by Peter, as Apostle to the Jews.

And did Paul preach baptism? Well, as he said himself, "Christ sent me not to baptise, but to preach the Gospel". The early apostles baptised for the same reason they observed other Jewish traditions... so that they might be Jews to the Jews, and Gentiles to the Gentiles. As I said, Paul had Timothy circumcised for that reason, so do you believe all Christians should be circumcised?

I mean, you can get baptised if you really want to make a point with the symbolism, but there is not need to go around baptising everbody as if it were essential to salvation or somehow virtuous in itself.
I don't know what spin you are trying to put on this. I thought you adhered to Presbyterianism and Calvin's teachings? I don't think Calvin saw baptism as an Jewish tradition. I think he argued that Baptism is to the Christians what circumcision was to the Jews. And on the dispute on infant baptism he argued: "To refuse infant baptism is to rage openly at God's institution". He also seems to argue that converts should be baptized after faith and repentance.
I was born a Lutheran and I know that the Lutheran Church teaches damnation if not baptized.

Well Catholics/Orthodox identify by a mix of their scripture/their traditions, Protestants identify by returning to the purity of the early church.
Heh... protestants consists of a large portion of the diversity of branches I talked about. Apparently there is no agreement on what the early church was or how it operated.

IMO the British Israelite version is much better, you even get to mix lots of racial stuff in with it like saying ancient inhabitants of Ulster were Cruithin (Picts, and hence Germanic), whereas the Gaelic Irish were supposedly descended from black people (I'm not joking, that's the story, probably because the movement is quite tied in with the far-right).
That part is no better than the Scandinavian origins. No I am not talking about the BoM story.
I am talking about the Godhead visiting Joseph Smith as a boy of 14. Then the additional heavenly visitations by John the baptist (the Levite priesthood), Peter James and John (the higher priesthood) restoring their authorities back to the earth. Then successively the ancient prophets came and restored their authorities: Moses, "Elias", Elijah came with their keys and powers. In addition to a host of angels including Moroni - the last Christian of ancient America.
Now that is some claim for origin.

The law is not something arbitrary stuck down in a book. It is far more than words, Paul speaks of "the work of the law written in their hearts" (Rom 2:15), and so we "do by nature the things contained in the law" (Rom 2:14).
By that logic - there should be only one way, one church. All Christians would naturally follow the only true way to salvation, not by books, but by their converted heart [guidance by the Holy Ghost?].
Yet 35 000 versions exist and there are by no means any agreement between them on many aspects of the Christian religion. It seems to me that many do use the letter of the law rather that what you suggest. Add to that - crazy interpretations, and you find yourself in the reality of the Christian world of today.