Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on November 22-23/15 ISIS is inherently cowardly — to defeat it, hit it hard/By Amir Taheri/New York Post/November 22/15
Some Thoughts on Reforming Islam interpretations and Fighting Terrorism/Middle East Briefing/November 22/15
The Defeat of ISIL and the Revival of Humint/Middle East Briefing/November 22/15
After Vienna and G-20: Paris Attack Haunts Obama’s Final Year/Middle East Briefing/November 22/15
Vienna: The Missing Link between Fighting ISIL and Making Peace in Syria/Middle East Briefing/November 22/15
Is China Heading to a 1930s-Style Crash/Gordon G. Chang/Gatestone Institute/November 22/15
Turkey’s Oppression Machine/Burak Bekdil/Gatestone Institute/November 22/15
Jeb Bush Lies, Says Bashar Assad ‘Executes’ Christians/Raymond Ibrahim/PJ Media/November 21/15
The five mistakes which brought back terrorism/Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Al Arabiya/November 22/15
Why I will not apologize for the Paris attacks/Khaled Almaeena/Al Arabiya/November 22/15
Can a single terrorist attack bring down a state/Dr. Azeem Ibrahim/Al Arabiya/November 22/15
America’s latest failure on Syria? The refugee crisis/Brooklyn Middleton/Al Arabiya/November 22/15|
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin for Lebanese Related News published on November 22-23/15
Independence Day Protesters Urge President Election, Voice Social Demands
Report: IS Threatens Holy Spirit University of Kaslik
Report: Hariri to Meet Jumblat in Paris over Presidency after Mustaqbal Talks in Riyadh
Report: Security Measures Tightened at Places of Worship
Civil Aviation Returns to Normal after Russia Ends Maneuvers
Alleged IS Supporters Hack Future TV’s Website
Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 22-23/15 Obama Calls on Russia to Focus on Islamic State Group
Iran Says U.S. Reporter Jason Rezaian Sentenced to Jail
Brussels to Stay at Highest Security Alert Level amid Major Police Operation
3 Palestinians, 1 Israeli Killed in Fresh West Bank Attacks
Israel Seeks to Strip Citizenship of Those who Join IS
Syrian War Likely to Dominate Putin’s Visit to Iran
Iran Says Arrests IS-Linked Cell near Iraq Border
Assad: Syria Troops Advancing Thanks to Russia Strikes
Iraqi Freed without Charge in Sweden after Terror Arrest
Kurdish Commander Killed in IS Clashes Buried in Istanbul
France: measures taken against chemical attack
Paris police release photo of 3rd stadium suicide bomber
Brussels to stay at highest security alert level on Monday
Belgium to review maximum alert status for Brussels
Obama: U.S. ‘will not relent’ in ISIS campaign
Switzerland probing 33 people over possible militant links
Russia: 11 allied with ISIS killed in North Caucasus
U.S. religious leaders make forceful appeal to admit refugees
Question: “What is the importance of Christian baptism?”
GotQuestions.org?/November 22/15
Answer: Christian baptism is one of two ordinances that Jesus instituted for the church. Just before His ascension, Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20). These instructions specify that the church is responsible to teach Jesus’ word, make disciples, and baptize those disciples. These things are to be done everywhere (“all nations”) until “the very end of the age.” So, if for no other reason, baptism has importance because Jesus commanded it.
Baptism was practiced before the founding of the church. The Jews of ancient times would baptize proselytes to signify the converts’ “cleansed” nature. John the Baptist used baptism to prepare the way of the Lord, requiring everyone, not just Gentiles, to be baptized because everyone needs repentance. However, John’s baptism, signifying repentance, is not the same as Christian baptism, as seen in Acts 18:24–26 and 19:1–7. Christian baptism has a deeper significance.
Baptism is to be done in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit—this is what makes it “Christian” baptism. It is through this ordinance that a person is admitted into the fellowship of the church. When we are saved, we are “baptized” by the Spirit into the Body of Christ, which is the church. First Corinthians 12:13 says, “We were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” Baptism by water is a “reenactment” of the baptism by the Spirit.
Christian baptism is the means by which a person makes a public profession of faith and discipleship. In the waters of baptism, a person says, wordlessly, “I confess faith in Christ; Jesus has cleansed my soul from sin, and I now have a new life of sanctification.”
Christian baptism illustrates, in dramatic style, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. At the same time, it also illustrates our death to sin and new life in Christ. As the sinner confesses the Lord Jesus, he dies to sin (Romans 6:11) and is raised to a brand-new life (Colossians 2:12). Being submerged in the water represents death to sin, and emerging from the water represents the cleansed, holy life that follows salvation. Romans 6:4 puts it this way: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Very simply, baptism is an outward testimony of the inward change in a believer’s life. Christian baptism is an act of obedience to the Lord after salvation; although baptism is closely associated with salvation, it is not a requirement to be saved. The Bible shows in many places that the order of events is 1) a person believes in the Lord Jesus and 2) he is baptized. This sequence is seen in Acts 2:41, “Those who accepted [Peter’s] message were baptized” (see also Acts 16:14–15). A new believer in Jesus Christ should desire to be baptized as soon as possible. In Acts 8 Philip speaks “the good news about Jesus” to the Ethiopian eunuch, and, “as they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?’” (verses 35–36). Right away, they stopped the chariot, and Philip baptized the man. Baptism illustrates a believer’s identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Everywhere the gospel is preached, people are to be baptized.
