Okay, so here I am, perusing church websites in my region of New York State, when I stumble onto a Macedonian Orthodox site. Holy Cow! They are charging $100 dollars for baptism -- it jacks up to $500 if you aren't already a member of the church! (I even called my hubby in from the other room to look at it, just to be sure I wasn't reading it wrong! )
WHAT??!!??:eek:
It's such an obvious greed thing --- I can't believe they actually have a congregation! I searched the bible for something to say that charging for baptism is BAD, but I don't find it. Usually I can find anything, but maybe I'm just too blown away by this to find what I'm looking for. (How do you look for it?????)
Which scriptures am I missing??????!!!! :read:
this is what I thought of Tami :love:
''As you go, preach, saying, ''The Kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.''
cure sick people, raise up dead persons, make lepers clean, expel demons. You received free, give free. :heartbeat:
Do not procure gold or silver or copper for your girdle purses, or a food pouch for the trip, or two undergarments or sandals or a staff; for the wroker deserves his food''
Matthew 10: 7-10 \\...meaning to me, of course, that God would provide
and that people would be generous through the motivations of their heart and not through being charged a fee .... :friends: I know this doesn't directly address baptism but it is all the work of God and Christ ...
(2 Corinthians 2:17) . . .[We are;] for we are not peddlers of the word of God as many men are, but as out of sincerity, yes, as sent from God, under God’s view, in company with Christ, we are speaking.
Warm Christian Love
Bangalore
Although those scriptures don't actually say "baptism", the implication is certainly there!
I'm still galled by the idea: How dare they charge a fee????!!!! And what's worse, how are they convincing their members to actually pay???!!!
Thanks for the scriptures guys, much appreciated. :heartbeat:
Jesus said to go and make disciples of people throughout the earth,, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit, teaching all to observe all that he had taught. :thinking: I can't remember him ever saying to charge for that? He said to teach them all that he had taught. :read: And one of his teachings was, to give freely, as we had all received freely. Jesus never charged anyone for anything, so why should his follpwers do so? There are some very sick people out there claiming to love God, yet denying him by their actions.:thinking:
Agape,
Grateful :giverose::(
Hi!
When I read your post I thought about this scripture.
And when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, Give me this power also, that on whomever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.
But Peter said to him, May your silver perish with you, because you have thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Act 8:18-21
If they were digusted by someone offering to buy the "Holy Spirit"... can you imagine how our Father must feel when some charges for a baptism!
They must be raking it in! Banquets, Bingo, conventions etc etc!:dollar::dollar::dollar: :shocked:Their clergy in their fine garments and elaborate head dresses remind me of the Scribes and the Pharisees! :(They look so arrogant and aggressive. :priest: It's so far removed from what Jesus expects of his footstep followers, isn't it? :( I imagine they are getting their reward in full.:read::(
Agape,
Grateful :giverose: