Felix Manalo in his old age
INC ministers do claim that Manalo was NOT BAPTISED as an INC. They rationalise this by saying that St. John the Baptist himself was NOT BAPTISED. Is this a good EXCUSE for someone NOT TO BE BAPTISED? Well, not really.
Here is WHY, St. John can be said that he is under the OT dispensation. He closed the OT as he INTRODUCED Christ who is the new covenant of God. Thus, like the OT people St. John was not required Jesus’ baptism.
Let us read:
Luke 16:16 NASB
[16] “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed UNTIL John; SINCE that TIME the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, ………..”
John the Baptist introduced Christ who is the New Covenant:
John 1:29,36 NASB
[29] The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! [36] and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
Question for INC:
Is Felix Manalo NOT under Christian dispensation? If he is WHY IS HE NOT BAPTISED? The argument that it’s because NO INC was BEFORE him is NOT a good EXCUSE. If that is the case he is NOT a Christian.
Jesus WAS EVEN existed BEFORE Saint John the Baptist, yet he was baptised by John.
Please read:
John 1:30 NASB
[30] This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed BEFORE me.’
Here is what Jesus said about baptism:
John 3:5 NASB
[5] Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
St. Paul echoes the SAME teaching of Christ:
Colossians 2:12 NASB
[12] having been BURIED with Him in BAPTISM, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
1 Corinthians 12:13 KJV
[13] For by one Spirit are we all BAPTIZED into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
INC TEACH that Manalo was NOT BAPTISED hence:
1. He WAS NOT BORN into the kingdom of Christ/God.
2. He was NOT BURIED in Christ nor will be RAISED up with Jesus.
3. He was NOT BAPTISED INTO ONE BODY, hence he IS SEPARATED FROM CHRIST.