Tag Archives: true vs false believers

1 John 3:4-6 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

The world has always demanded that Christians do what it says. This has never changed. Sometimes the world creeps into the Church. When the world infiltrates the Church, it twists what believers should do.

You’ve probably never heard of Thomas von Imbroek. Thomas was a Christian who believed in his Bible. The “Established Church” at that time was the Catholic Church. Backed by the German state, the Catholic Church began what they called “The Inquisition”, a religious court that examined and executed those they deemed “heretics”. Thomas was considered a “heretic” What was his crime? He refused to have his young infant children baptized. Thomas rightly believed that only believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should be baptized, and he cited Scripture as his proof texts. Catholics teach that water baptism is a SACRAMENT that frees a person (even an infant) from original sin, and brings the child into the Catholic Church to be saved. Catholics equate water baptism to the Old Testament practice of circumcision. The Catholic Catechism states, “1250. … The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth”.

Though there is no instance in Scripture that infants were ever baptized in water, Thomas was brought before the Inquisition. Thomas was tortured for days, and pressured to have his children baptized. While imprisoned, his wife wrote him letters, encouraging him to stand firm in his faith. Thomas replied, “the Lord refreshes the afflicted souls that thirst for Him. He is a shadow from the heat of the sun. Tell the brethren to take care of the novices (young believers) and to pray earnestly for me. I will also pray for them, as much as is in my power. Remember my bonds. The Lord be with your spirit. Amen.” Thomas told his persecutors, … Continue reading →