The Benefits of Baptism and Casting Out Demons
The Benefits of Baptism and Casting Out Demons
You may have heard of christianity, but are you aware of all the benefits of baptism? In the New Testament, Peter told the crowds on the Day of Pentecost that repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ lead to the gift of the Holy Spirit. Then, Ananias brought Paul to Christ and exhorted him to be baptized, calling on Christ’s name to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Today, charismatic Christians focus on evangelism, conversion, and perseverance in faith among the saved. This ethos is rooted in the knowledge that they are locked in a cosmological battle with the demonic forces. Satan, however, is a real deity, and the satanic powers occupy entire nations and seek to undermine the evangelization of the world. This doctrine is a product of the dominant Christian movement of the modern age.
Charismatic faith, in contrast, is not simply a decision or ritual act of conversion. It is an active commitment and performance that produces a “new creature.” Putting on the “whole armour of God” involves de-subjectification and re-subjection. This process is often manifested as a spiritual boot-camp, where intensive physical and mental workouts produce a militant Christian subject.
Modern democracy is threatened by militant evangelical Christian subjectivity. Their radical stances are opposed to reasoned debate, consensus, and freedoms of conscience and speech. The problem lies in their use of rhetoric. The relationship between truth and language is vital. Spiritual warrior violence is primarily achieved through prayers. In the absence of prayer, the church can be viewed as an ideological construct and cannot effectively preach it. However, this is not to say that militant evangelical Christian subjectivity is necessarily anti-democratic or anti-liberal.