Remember JS,
Jesus' primary audience for Matthew 5-7 is believers. Of course He's teaching His Disciples also (Mt 5:1).
We all have a nature to denigrate others junk rather than our own.

Chapter 7, the Greek word krino, a verb meaning "to pass judgement" is used twice in the first 5 words of verse 1 (I can't show Greek on Tman).
The first krino is called an imperative (mood) so it's a command and it's in what's called an active voice... an action done by someone on themselves.
The second krino is a subjunctive (mood = might happen) and it's in a passive voice.... an action done by someone else to a person.

All of this to say, Greek is helpful in that that passage DOES NOT READ, don't judge others.
It reads.... pass judgement on yourself as you are going to be judged by another (guess who ).
See the difference?
This passage is NOT talking about discernment and judgement of others.

Of course darkness uses phrases like this, as the great deceiver, to twist the logos and tickle ears.
Remember logos twisted by Satan as the serpent in the beginning; "You surely will not die!"

Blessings,
Mark

Paul said this about it.....According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it . . . Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become manifest; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and fire will try each one's work, of what sort it is (1 Corinthians 3:10,12,13).

I always thought the Bema was considered as the judgement seat of Christ for believers. What judgement are you referring to LLL that occurs before the Bema occurs?

The Apostle Paul's letters, often written from a prison, are the reason us Gentiles even type these words.

Look up his Roman prison pics online if you'd like to see what real suffering for the Gospel looks like.
Incredible persecution and incredible Apostolic strength by the Holy Spirit through it all.
The man's back must have been a mess of scars.

Blessings,
Mark

Mark, as the Marxist take power we may have the very pleasure of experiencing such things.

Two years in a dungeon (it's really not posh enough to be called a prison) with the only water you have seeping in on rocks to a rock gouge in the floor.
And for a while, there were 47 other prisoners at one time in this hole in the Mamertine prison in Rome.
Peter and Paul baptized people in the cup of water in this dungeon.

Oh, and they drop you down in through the hole on the top of the cell.
There were no lights.

The Judgement of whether you are to be in heaven or (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) will have occurred at this point. The rapture is over which is the resurrection for believers. The Bema seat or Judgement seat is the place where Christ will judge you for the works you have done since you excepted salvation as a mortal man. Some will have many crowns while others will have few. It is actually the place where your deeds will have merit and is not based on the Grace and belief that got you into heaven. LLL

It's important to note Scripture tells us that the blessed hope of the gospel is not to end up in heaven, but rather as embodied (resurrected) upon the New Earth. (Rev. 21).
The Sadducees didn't believe in resurrection while others (some Pharisees & others) believed resurrection had already happened in the time of Paul.

We still have both these groups among us today.

Oh and Revelation 20:11-15 helps understated all will stand embodied for judgement (believers and unbelievers) Everybody gets a body.

Blessings,
Mark

The church has never been tested in this country. We've had times of revival and awakenings but never any serious persecution. That may be about to change.

I have wise people teaching that believe exactly that Posco.

Well worth the watch.

I doubt any literal baptism took place in the prison. The apostles understood that baptism was by full immersion in water not a a sprinkling or a splash of water like many do today.

^^^ Where does Scripture direct us to a mandate of only full immersion?

Mark 1:9, 10: “Jesus . . . was baptized in the Jordan [River] by John. And immediately on coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being parted.”

Acts 8:38: “They both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.” They both “went down into the water.” Afterward they came “up out of the water.”

These instances imply, not a small ankle-deep pool, but a large body of water into and out of which they would have to walk. Further, the fact that baptism was also used to symbolize a burial indicates complete submersion. Ro 6:4-6: Col 2:12.

Ohhh, I was going to reply, but then I saw that Mark was the one that posed the question.

Hopefully, I'm smarter than the yotes he traps, because me thinks he set a trap in cleverly concealed bed..... I await his reply.

(If I'm right, kudos for getting us to break old habits and mindsets, and to think outside of the box when necessary).

Since baptism is not salvific, what you quote comes from the narrative (story). Where is the imperative command to do this was my question? I'm not aware there is any, but perhaps you see something in the text?

To take what happens in the biblical story to those who went before us, is not an imperative. It's just blessed story for us to better know the character of God.

Blessings,
Mark

The Bible says that baptism is an important step to gaining salvation. 1 Pet. 3:21: Baptism, which corresponds to this, is also now saving you (not by the removing of the filth of the flesh, but by the request to God for a good conscience), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We are passed from death unto life the moment we believe, not the moment we're baptized.

While I also agree with immersion, I expect one could be baptized with dirt if that were the only thing available. I see baptism as the first act of obedience.

OK, I'll cautiously throw my understanding out there:

"Baptize" is a transliteration- a Greek word "made" English.
From the Greek:

βαπτίζω baptízō, bap-tid'-zo; from a derivative of G911; to immerse, submerge; to make whelmed (i.e. fully wet); used only (in the New Testament) of ceremonial ablution, especially (technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism:—Baptist, baptize, wash.

Uses of this word in other Greek context, included making of pickles ("submerging" them in a pickling substance, not merely sprinkling or rinsing), and also in dyeing cloth (same idea). The word used indicates a full submersion.

New Testament baptism, shows identity with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection to new life. It is an outward expression of an inward change.

My understanding goes back to the Jewish practice of the "mikvah", more precisely the "tevilah"- the ritualistic cleansing of the whole flesh, prior to a sanctified act taking place (the priest on the day of Yom Kippur), or the act of an individual showing a change from one aspect of life to another (marriage ceremony, entering the temple, etc).

Jewish rabbis would pay boys to watch as they lowered themselves into the mikvah pool to ensure that their head was completely covered by the water. It was... well, an "immersive" experience, a total commitment.

John the Baptizer was baptizing individuals prior to the crucifixion, calling upon people to "repent" from their ways. The "tevilah", aka the baptism, showed an outward manifestion of an inward repentance, Change from trusting in keeping the law, or doing good works, or believing in self, to the way of the Messiah.

When Jesus told the 10 lepers to bath in the river, it is my understanding, he told them to go practice a "tevilah", using the river as their "mikvah" to "baptize" themselves. A change from leprousy, to cleanliness, and then to show themselves to the priest.

Here is where I thought the 'trap" might be. I deal with some individuals who are 100% against death bed confessions and salvation. I guess to them, it doesn't seem fair that someone was able to live a life contrary to God, and then at the last minute, on the last breath, make it into heaven. My counter is always the thief on the cross, and the fact that God is longsuffering and patient towards us, not willing that any should perish, and that as long as man has breath, God extends grace.

Same mentality follows with baptism. "Unless they can be dunked, it don't count". Well, what about the man on the death bed, embracing the gift and wanting to be obedience in baptism? Isn't there allowance for "the best we got" and it's the intent that matters? Not that we are going to make it the practice, but when the exception is evident, mercy is allowed.