What scriptural references lead one to believe that ONLY BELIEF is necessary for Salvation?
I would just like to say that I am a Christian and I have always believed that Baptism is necessary to become a Christian. I am not going to use this information to put anyone’s beliefs down. I do not believe that is a Christian thing to do. I am very accepting of other’s beliefs and yet, I would like to study the scriptural references fully to see why people believe this.
PLEASE DO NOT be rude to others on this topic. I always read and study every person’s answer and try my best to write each person a note and personally thank them for their time and answers. Have a wonderful week!
Your Friend,
Eds
.
Mobius,
You say there is no requirement of baptism but I find a few that seem to point to it’s importance:
Acts 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
1 Peter 3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Thank You…
_________
Radio,
I sent you an email please add details to your answer in response if you will!
Thanks…
______
MY FRIENDS,
I do not necessarily agree with some of these answers but that does not mean that I will ever give a thumbs down. What a person believes is their right in my opinion. I read and study the BIBLE each and every day that I am able to do so and have for several years now. Please refrain from hurting others when it is not necessary! As a Christian we are supposed to "Love our neighbors" according to CHRIST. HE is the one who we should be listening to the most.
Thank You
________
Hello my friend. I hope you are doing well. I hope you do not nind a pagan answering this question.
There is no scripture that says faith only is what it takes in fact as you know James 2:17 says fiath without works is dead being alone.
People take the scriptures out of context because that is how they are taught they take scripture written to the people already saved, already baptized and take it to mean this is what you do to be saved.
Just like Acts 16:30 by itself without reading the whole story it appears that baptism is not required, but the story is of a jailor who was watching Paul and when he thought Paul had escaped he was going to kill himself. Yes, he was told to believe on the lord Jesus Christ, but that was not all he was told. How do I know because you read further and you find thatin verse32 they spoke to him and all his house verse 33 And he took them the same hour and washed their stripes and was baptized.
You see Paul did not just merely say all you have to do is believe but he said to believe then he taught the man and all his family then after teaching them the man was baptized.
If Paul and his companions meant that baptism was not essential then he was teaching a different gospel than what he had recieved. In Acts 2:37 the people asked Peter and the other men what must we do to be saved and in Acts 2:38 Peter told them to repent and be baptized.
As you pointed out Jesus said in Mark 16:16 that baptism is essentail he that believes and is baptized shall be saved but he that believes not shall be damned.
Paul wrote in Galations 1:8,9 that if we or an angel from heaven teach any other gospel than that which ye have recieved let him be accursed.
Knowing how Paul felt and knowing what Jesus said about Baptism how could Paul teach baptism is not essential for salvation? People get confused because they read you have to believe, but neglect to read what follows belief.
I have left Christianity on my own knowing full well that if I am wrong in my belief change then I will wake up one day in hell, but if the bible is right and if there is only one God and if there is a Satan fighting against God would not the best strategy in this war against God be to convince the majority of Christians that baptism is not essential for salvation and that it does not matter what doctrine one follows?
I have a NIV study bible and in one of the footnoots about baptism being essential the modern scholar says that the writers of the New Testament and Paul and Peter and those who were suppossed to be in the know were confused when they taught baptism was essential. His theory is that baptism followed belief so slosely that Peter, and Paul and other writers weres simply confused. I had to wonder how a modern 20th centruy scholar was more in the know than those who had seen and been taught by Jesus himself.
There are any number of references in the Bible. Paul makes this point many times in his letters, but the clincher is probably in Hebrews where the author recites what has been called the "roll call of the faithful". It talks about those in the Old Testament who were saved by their faith. There is nothing in the Bible that says that baptism is a requirement for salvation. It is an important sacrament but not a requirement.
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All the scriptures about faith.
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None
saving faith, which is not mere right belief, is never presented in isolation from hope and love-anywhere
In James which is the only epistle to mention faith/belif alone mentions it to condemn the concept and its impractice of love
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I love you dearly Eds but I believe that most souls cross over.
With you, I can love you and disagree. I never see you say anything hateful about anyone. You have my respect forever.
((((Eds))))
References :
Luk 23:42 And he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when You come in Your kingdom.
Luk 23:43 And Jesus said to him, Truly I say to you, Today you will be with Me in Paradise.
Did the thief enter Paradise with Christ? Well, Jesus seems to indicate that. Was the thief able to be baptized or do any "good" works? No.
Act 15:11 But through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe to be saved, according to which manner they also believed.
Is baptism mentioned here? No. They (Paul and Barnabbas) believed to be saved. How? Through the grace of God.
Act 16:30 And leading them outside, he said, Sirs, what must I do that I may be saved?
Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.
Act 16:32 And they spoke the Word of the Lord to him, and to all those in his house.
Did Paul say believe and be baptized? No. Belief or faith is all that was necessary for the salvation of this man and his household.
Rom 10:9 Because if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the Scripture says, "Everyone believing on Him will not be put to shame." (Isa. 28:16)
Again, no baptism mentioned as a condition for salvation.
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For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” -Ephesians 2:8,9
Baptism for salvation is not Scriptural, and if that’s your belief, you DID take it out of context. The Scripture says he who believeth and be baptized will be saved, but clarified by John it has a different meaning when he says, I baptize you in water but a mightier one than I comes who will baptize you in the holy spirit. Nowhere does it say, you must be baptized. The thief on the cross was never baptized and Jesus gave him a promise of salvation.
But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. Romans 4:5
Now does that mean that he SHOULDN’T do good deeds? No, we’re told to bear fruit, but the fruit isn’t what SAVES us.
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none believing is only a part of it
Jesus said you must be born again by the Spirit of God
believe and you will receive Salvation and be filled with the spirit of God, then water Baptism that was Johns , and then the Baptism of Jesus that was of fire
jlu
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Romans 10:9-13 (no mention of Baptism here).
I John 1:9 (no mention of Baptism here).
This is just the two that came to my heart when I read your question. Baptism is important, but but as a symbol of your obedience, and commitment, to make it a prerequisite of Salvation removes Grace from the equation.
God Bless you !
~OM~
SFCU
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belief of what……
what about faith and works….
Love incorporates everything necessary
john 1;12
References :
John 3:16, 11:25, 3;36, 3:18, 6:37, romans 10:9, 13, hebrews 10:13, 12;2, romans 3:20,21,22,24,26,28,30, 4:5,7,6,7,9 4:18, 5:2,16,18, 10:4, gal. 2:16 , 3:11,12,13,14,26, gal,5:1, Eph. 1:13 2:8,9, phil, 3:9, 2tim. 2:16, titus 3:5 ,7, Heb.7:35, 9:11; there are lots more just read all these and you will get the truth…….
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the Holy Bible k.j.v.
Mt 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do what my Father in heaven wants will enter.
Mt 7:22 “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord! Lord! Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we drive out demons in your name? Didn’t we do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will tell them clearly, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who do evil!’
I believe the Bible does NOT say one can be saved by belief only. If one can be saved that way, we will be in heaven with the demons. Would that be heaven if the demons who believed are there?
If you want what the Bible says, I will help you. If you do not believe the Bible as most of the people on here do not believe, then don’t listen. If you want what the Bible says, then I will attempt to lead you through the Bible.
We must believe the faith taught in the New Testament by the Last Will and Testament of Jesus the Christ. His will, like ours, began after His death, not while He lived. Jesus was not nor did He ever teach a Christian. Jesus was a Jew that taught Jews to be better Jews. Jn 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Speaking of the Old Testament: Col 2:13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
We find that without faith (belief with actions) it is impossible to please God. Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:6 and others
We must repent of our past sins and strive to sin no more. Acts 2:38; Acts 17:29-31
We must confess Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Romans 10:9-10 +17; Hebrews 13:15.
Put Jesus on in baptism is the way we find to get into Him using the Bible and this act will wash away our sins – is the only scriptural way to "Call on God/Jesus". Romans 6:3-4; Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21; Acts 22:16.
That gets us into Christ and His church where all spiritual blessings are found. Ephesians 1:3-4. We find where we receive any blessings outside of Christ’s body/kingdom/church.
After we are inside the body of Christ we still have to press on toward the goal by praying, worshiping Him, and continue steadfast in Him. After we put Jesus on in baptism, we pray to be forgiven of the future sins. We have already been baptized to put on Christ and have past sins put away, but this only cleanses past sins but we must repent and pray as we continue to sin in this world. James 5:16; 1 John 5:16-17.
We also have examples of requests to God to guide our path. We must study and seek Him in prayer before we try to really understand Him.
I do answer my e-mail from members here if you have a question.
References :
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son, and whosoever believes in him shall have everlasting life.
Peace
Willow
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We are saved by grace, not by works, so that no one can boast.
We are saved by grace alone. Recall that in Acts 16:31 the jailer asked Paul and Silas how to be saved. They responded, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." The jailer believed and immediately became saved.
Close to 200 times in the New Testament salvation is said to be by faith alone – with no works in sight. Consider the following:
John 3:15 tells us that "everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."
John 5:24 says, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my words and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."
In John 11:25 Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies."
John 23:46 says, "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness."
John 20:31 says, "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."
If salvation were not by faith alone, then Jesus’ message in the Gospel of John – manifest in the above quotations – would be deceptive, stating that there is one condition for salvation when there are allegedly two – faith and works.
I must emphasize that we are saved by faith for works. Works are not the condition of our salvation, but a consequence of it We are saved not by works, but by the kind of faith that produces works.
Eph 2:8-10 God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this: It is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
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Well personally I DO NOT BELIEVE only BELIEF is enough to be saved. First one must acknoledge they are a sinner, THEN they must repent and recognize that only through the blood of Christ they might be saved, THEN accept it and accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and King over their lives. It is written at some verses that one must be born again (That is what I just explained) and other verses it says one must be born again and baptised of water.
I believe baptism is a commandment, but those who can not be baptised because of circumstances will still enter the Kingdom of God. For exemple the criminal crucified next to Jesus who asked Him to remember him in His kingdom, he couldn’t be baptized but was saved.
Now I also come to believe that believing only is not enough, the NT is filled with verses who affirm that those who will get the prise, go to God’s kingdom are those who obey His commandments and have the faith OF Jesus, so faith WITH the obedience is the key.
Faith alone, and living only with the knowledge of faith alone, I don’t believe one remains in grace but lose themselves in their own lies. For once born again the Holy Spirit works in our lives, changes our ways of thinking and that alone will bring us to obedience to Christ… If one doesn’t do that well they are not born again and believe a lie.
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The Word of God
Hi Eds, Once I asked a wise older women why both positions could be proved according to scripture and asked her which one she believed. She was a counselor. She told me that the Holy Spirit, knowing human nature gave the correct answer to all people. She said when she was councelling someone who did what they pleased andused grace as a license to sin ,she would show them scriptures requiring works. And when she was counceling people who were basically insecure and neede assurance she would lead them to read about the grace of God. I think that was a pretty good answer. But personally I believe in salvation by grace through faith and not of yourself, it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast. If we could work our way to heaven, why would we need a savior. and the bible says, all your righteousness is as filthy rags. It also says the commandments were given to show man his inability to keep them, and his need for a redeemer. Have a great day.
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Hello my friend. I hope you are doing well. I hope you do not nind a pagan answering this question.
There is no scripture that says faith only is what it takes in fact as you know James 2:17 says fiath without works is dead being alone.
People take the scriptures out of context because that is how they are taught they take scripture written to the people already saved, already baptized and take it to mean this is what you do to be saved.
Just like Acts 16:30 by itself without reading the whole story it appears that baptism is not required, but the story is of a jailor who was watching Paul and when he thought Paul had escaped he was going to kill himself. Yes, he was told to believe on the lord Jesus Christ, but that was not all he was told. How do I know because you read further and you find thatin verse32 they spoke to him and all his house verse 33 And he took them the same hour and washed their stripes and was baptized.
You see Paul did not just merely say all you have to do is believe but he said to believe then he taught the man and all his family then after teaching them the man was baptized.
If Paul and his companions meant that baptism was not essential then he was teaching a different gospel than what he had recieved. In Acts 2:37 the people asked Peter and the other men what must we do to be saved and in Acts 2:38 Peter told them to repent and be baptized.
As you pointed out Jesus said in Mark 16:16 that baptism is essentail he that believes and is baptized shall be saved but he that believes not shall be damned.
Paul wrote in Galations 1:8,9 that if we or an angel from heaven teach any other gospel than that which ye have recieved let him be accursed.
Knowing how Paul felt and knowing what Jesus said about Baptism how could Paul teach baptism is not essential for salvation? People get confused because they read you have to believe, but neglect to read what follows belief.
I have left Christianity on my own knowing full well that if I am wrong in my belief change then I will wake up one day in hell, but if the bible is right and if there is only one God and if there is a Satan fighting against God would not the best strategy in this war against God be to convince the majority of Christians that baptism is not essential for salvation and that it does not matter what doctrine one follows?
I have a NIV study bible and in one of the footnoots about baptism being essential the modern scholar says that the writers of the New Testament and Paul and Peter and those who were suppossed to be in the know were confused when they taught baptism was essential. His theory is that baptism followed belief so slosely that Peter, and Paul and other writers weres simply confused. I had to wonder how a modern 20th centruy scholar was more in the know than those who had seen and been taught by Jesus himself.
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Yesterday I watched a video at our church of the groundbreaking ceremony and also baptismal service.
For both of the persons being baptized, one an adult, the other a child, the expression on their faces as they came out of the baptismal pool was absolute JOY. And it brought to me the joy of my own salvation.
It is a witness to others of our acceptance of Christ. I believe it is important, though I also think there have been circumstances when a baptism wasn’t possible, it is the baptism of the Holy Spirit that comes from Christ that is the true baptism.
I remember being kind of scared, timid, 8 years old in front of a large congregation. The
pastor took my hand, and led me into the pool, which caused me to giggle, when I realized the water was warm (guess I was expecting cold!), the church laughed when they heard me. The pastor said, "You must become like a child to enter the kingdom of heaven." He led me in prayer, then baptized me, and I remember opening my eyes and feeling joy, pure love throughout my entire being.
Baptism is a sacrament of love, done by us to show our love for Him, and blessed by Him because of our obedience.
((((eds))))
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No scripture, just experience.
I guess instead of adding to the others – I would need clarification.
If a baby is baptized in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit as Jesus asked of converts… and then grows up never being told one word about Jesus… and then dies never believing…
Was the person a Christian – and able to enter heaven?
If the act requires no belief – why did Jesus repeatedly say belief was so necessary? (Too many verses, hon.)
Peace.
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PPl will give you all kinds of answers I know I have been there.
But even the devil believes, HELLO, he isnt saved, is he?
Takes more than believe, and more than even love.
God says if we love Him, we obey Him.
Those arent my words, they are Gods words.
And God says that faith without works are dead.
IF we truly love God we will desire to be like Jesus and live like Jesus, as we are commanded to do.
SIn will be as vile to us as it is to God.
Again, those are all words of God.
SO if anyone disagrees with me, I can only say I still forgive you, but you have to take it to God.
I am not God. God is God, but I know who I am in Christ, and God tells me that all we think, believe and say is to line up perfectly with His word, or it is false
Great question.
SFCU
SIster SHirley
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God, The Holy Bible and the Holy SPirit
REMEMBER JESUS IS LORD>
So that we don’t become imbalanced here, let me stress the fact that Jesus has done all the work necessary to save sinners. Belief in a non-event is worse than useless. Jesus FIRST had to do the work on the cross and when he cried out ‘It is finished’, you can believe that the work of salvation was finished – completed. Done. It is faith (belief) in what Christ did that saves sinners. That is what brings about the new birth, by the Spirit. Once a person has become spiritually alive, then they proceed to mature, to do all the ‘things’ that should be the hallmark of a Christian, like showing love, getting baptized, being a witness for Jesus, doing the good works that God prepared to be done before the creation of the world etc.
This problematic question is only a problem because people are looking at the complete ‘package’ of what it means to be a Christian. I am looking at the elementary, initial act of becoming a Christian. Only after a person has become a Christian can they proceed to act as a Christian! Those who are born again and who then get baptized in water know great blessing for their obedience to Jesus’ command. But baptism, in and of itself, saves no-one! It is symbolic and also a public testimony and very important. Yet if a new Christian fails to get baptized (consider the thief on the cross) they will not lose their salvation. If that was the way it worked, then Christ’s work on the cross would have been incomplete, requiring us to add a work of obedience to it. Not so, my friend!
A few scriptures on this are: Luke 23:42-43 John 3:16; 5:24-31 Acts 15:11; 16:31-32 Rom 10:9-13; 4:5 Gal 5:1 Eph 2:4-9 Heb 7:25 1 Jn 1:9
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Jesus was the example for all of us to follow when he went to John to be baptize, john stated that Jesus should be baptizing him and Jesus stated let it be done this way, baptizing is symbolic of your death and Resurrection and a outward show to all what you have done.
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Just a thought…
In your additional details you cited the following verse:
Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Please note that the second part of this verse only says that one who "does not believe will be condemned". It doesn’t say that someone who is not baptized will be condemned.
It’s interesting that I had a debate many years ago with someone who told me that I was not a Christian because I did not believe a person had to be baptized in order to be justified by God. The funny thing is that I have been baptized TWICE—once as an unregenerated 17 year old, and again as a converted 24 year old.
I am with jimi4950 in his explanation of why we get baptized. In my view, baptism is the initiatory rite a newly regenerated person experiences to show other people his identification with the Lord Jesus Christ.
As a Baptist, I believe a person is saved when God grants him the graces of faith and repentance.
God bless you, Eds!
References :
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Luke 7:50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
Luk 8:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
These are just a few that show that faith is necessary for salvation. Faith is only the first step in salvation. God has put other steps into the plan of salvation. Faith was either made stronger or lost by watching the actions of the savor Christ Jesus. Many who watched Him lost their faith because of unbelief, They harden their harts so they could not see the truth. Before Acts chapter two all those saved by Jesus the law giver were saved under the old testament. After the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior all those being saved were saved by the Good News of the Christ and only by the Gospel. In Acts chapter 9 Saul of Tarsus was walking on the roar to Damascus when He Saw the Savior. In verse 5 Saul said "Who art thou, Lord"? Saul new who was standing before Him, It was the Savior of the world. "and the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks, Saul had faith He believed Jesus was the Lord. verse 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Here is Saul and the Lord standing here, Saul asked the Lord what He must do to be saved "what will thou have me to do"? Jesus could not say to Saul you are saved becaues you have seen me or your faith as saved you because it was not so. Jesus could not save Saul on this road Why? Because the Gospel had been commeted unto earthen vessels: 2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. Jesus told Saul verse 6b And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
In these verses we have Faith, Belief, Repentance, Confession and Baptism (18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized)
all nessary for salvation.
Faith is only the first step in salvation, For even the Apostle Paul was saved just like we are today, Or should I say we are saved just like the Apostle Paul (Saul) was!
God’s Plan for Salvation!
First, we must Hear the Word of God: Romans 10:17 – so then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Second, we must Believe the word of God: Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rearder of them that diligently seek Him.
Third, we must Repent of our sins: Luke 13:3 – I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Forth, we must Confess that Jesus is the Christ: Romans 10:9-10- That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man beliveth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Fifth, we must be Baptized: Acts 2:38 – Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remision of sins, and ye shall receve the gift of the Holy Ghost.
All of these steps are commands from God none can be left out, Duet. 4:2, Pro. 30:6 & Rev. 22:18,19. You cannot join the church of your choise, God will add you to His. The Kingdon of His dear Son (Col.1:13). Act 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
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KJV
I’ve read all the answers and note many good scriptures have been listed showing the primacy of faith. To help clarify the nuances of the connections between faith and baptism, think on what it means to become a child of God (i.e. a Christian).
John 1:12-13 says "Yet to all who received him [Jesus], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God… born of God." Gal 3:21 – 4:7 says (in part, please read it all): "…the whole world is a prisoner of sin so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. For you are all children of God by faith in Jesus Christ, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ… What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father… But… God sent his Son…that we might receive the full rights of sons… So you are no longer a slave but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir".
Heaven is the inheritance of God’s children. An inheritance is not acquired by doing things to become worthy of it. It is that to which children succeed lawfully in virtue of their relationship to their father. Sinful earthly fathers might try to coerce their children into certain behaviors by threatening to cut them out of their will, or by putting conditions into the will. Not so our heavenly Father! "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope… and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-6)
As the son of a king inherits the crown, so do Christians: "The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ" (Rom 8:14-17. See also 5:1-2 & 18-19 & Rev 1:6 ). It is Jesus’ obedience that counts for salvation. Otherwise we would all be kept out of heaven due to our subsequent disobedience after the new birth, for where is the perfectly obedient Christian? We may obey Jesus’ command to be baptized – a one-off act – then go on to live in disobedience to, say, the gospel commission, or to love our enemies, or to lust in our hearts etc. Further, notwithstanding the importance of being baptised in obedience as in Gal. 3 (above) the Bible also refers to baptism symbolically. Being ‘baptized into Christ’ happens by the Holy Spirit at our new birth / conversion. The water is a symbol of what has happened spiritually. Nobody will be damned who put their faith in Christ for salvation but who then failed to be baptized in water, for whatever reasons.
I hope this clarifies the point that what Jesus did saves those who put their faith in his act. Then those so born again are liberated from legal acts, which cannot save but can only condemn us as sinners. To then say baptism is also necessary for salvation is to return to bondage of legal deeds! No, Christ died to set us free from all bondage, and that includes the idea that we have to do something in addition to what Jesus did at Calvary.
References :
Act 2
Records the statement …and ye shall be saved, but the preaching is still going on, therefore Peter tells you how you must be saved when you find the Faith to believe.
He tells the people specifically what they MUST do (an imperative), "Repent and be BAPTIZED (I CONCUR, there is no WATER salvation, but you have to have the remittance of sins)…for the remittance of sins. (No sin will enter the Kingdom of heaven)
This is not WORKS, this is Faith in Christ and what He says must be done (Mtt 28.20)
Gal 3.25…Faith has come…26…by Faith in Christ…27…as have been BAPTIZED in HIM
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The bible is right
The Question could be, "Why do people feel they can take away the direct command of God and skip an "ACT" that Jesus could not and did not. He was Baptized in water to show His obedience to His Father our Father and our Faith.
Eph 4.15… always in love and the respect of God’s Holy and Devine Word
Mk 16.16
Acts 1.5…"Recieving theHoly Ghost in Baptism"
Love you Eds
hey eds! i don’t argue about religion, however, i would like to throw in something my pastor said the other day concerning this issue. he said, if all that it took was believing in God to be saved, then wouldn’t that include the satan??
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my pastor
There is no such thing as "initial justification" in Catholic theology.
You are either justified or you are not.
For the infant, he or she is justified at the moment of baptism by the power of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor. 6:11, Titus 3:5, Heb. 10:22).
At the moment of baptism, by God’s grace, faith, hope and love are infused into the soul (see Rom. 5:1-5 and the Council of Trent’s declaration on Justification).
For an adult, he is also first justified through baptism.
The faith and works he does prior to baptism disposes him to justification, but he is not yet justified until baptism.
That is why Paul says in his letter to Titus that we were not justified by the righteous deeds we have done, but by the washing of regeneration which is a reference to baptism (Titus 3:3-5).
However, after baptism, we are further justified by faith and works (see James 2:24).
The Church baptizes babies because baptism is the new circumcision of the New Covenant (Col. 2:11-12), just as the circumcision of eight-day old babies was the sign of the Old Covenant (Gen. 17:12; Lev. 12:3).
In Acts 2:39, Peter says baptism is for children as well as adults.
The word used for children ("teknon") means infants, which is proved by Acts 21:21 in reference to eight-day old infants. We see in Acts 10:47-48; 16:15,33 and 1 Cor. 1:16 that entire households were baptized.
Household ("oikos") included infants and children.
There is nothing in the Bible about a "believer’s baptism."
It would have been unthinkable from a Jewish perspective to exclude children from God’s covenant kingdom.
See also in Matt. 9:2, Mark 2:3-5, Matt. 8:5-13, Luke 6:10, Mark 9:22-25 where people are healed based on another person’s faith (just as babies are washed away of sin based on their parents’ faith).
The early Church Fathers all believed in infant baptism.
This has been the practice of the Church since the very beginning. Even Martin Luther believed in infant baptism! Denying baptism to infants is a very recent phenomenon.
1 Peter 3:21 says that baptism "saves" us. That means baptism isn’t just a symbolic act.
It saves us because it imparts sanctifying grace to the soul.
Just as the eight people on the ark were literally saved through water, those who are baptized are literally saved through water. The only difference is that the OT was about the earthly life, and the NT is about the spiritual life.
Matthew 19:14 does not say that children are the "owners" of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus says only that the kingdom "belongs" to them.
That is, the kingdom is their inheritance. But they don’t enter into the kingdom unless they are first born of water and the spirit (John 3:5).
Jesus says that unless one is born again of water and the spirit, he CANNOT enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Because John 3:5 is about baptism (which EVERY early Church Father taught), baptism is necessary for salvation.
That means that it is for infants as well as adults, because both are in need of salvation.
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