ChristianDebates

Since it is a serious issue, for a person to make a doctrinal statement out of HOW to be saved, they have to look at what is common in salvation Scriptures. And what is common to them all? BELIEF. FAITH. Never water baptism.

For the great salvation passages to teach salvation through faith AND water baptism, BOTH would have to be in at least the VAST MAJORITY of Scriptures (and I really think it should be ALL). And it must specify water, and not Spirit. For example:

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believeth in Him and is baptized in water should not perish but have everlasting life."

"I tell you the truth - he that believes on Me and is baptized in water hath everlasting life."

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be baptized in water, and thou shalt be saved."

"And it shall come to pass, that whoever calleth upon the name of the Lord and is baptized in water shall be saved."

"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and is baptized in water, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation after baptism in water."

"For by grace and water baptism are ye saved, through faith and water baptism, not of works (except for water baptism), lest any man should boast."

"All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me, and he that cometh to Me and is baptized in water, I shall in no wise cast out."

"I tell you the truth, he that hears My word, and believes on Him that sent me, and is baptized in water, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death to life."

"Jesus answered and said unto to them, 'This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent and that ye be baptized in water."

"And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, and is baptized in water may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

That is NOT the consistent witness of Scripture. The Scriptures AGREE CONSISTENTLY that BELIEF is the condition of salvation. BELIEVING GOD. Faith alone.

Abraham BELIEVED GOD and it was counted to him for righteousness.

Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, (not through faith AND water baptism) preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

SALVATION IS BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH ALONE.

AFTER SALVATION, you begin to obey what you see commanded in Scripture. It's that simple.

Published 11.27.2008

First Previous 2-5 of 5 Next Last

Message 2 of 5 in Discussion

From:

†FàíthJoYnHÌm�?/nobr>

Sent: 11/27/2008 8:52 PM

I also believe the most important fact the Scriptures point out is this.....ALL are sinners and are in need of redemption.....Jesus Christ is that redeemer....who reconciles ALL back into the fold of God.

Wash me, Savior or I die.

Message 3 of 5 in Discussion

From:

_MrWonder_

Sent: 11/27/2008 9:43 PM

AMEN.

All who will come, may come,

But all who come, MUST COME in the name of Jesus Christ, for there is

no other Saviour. You can't come through Buddha or Mohammed.

Christ alone died for us and Christ alone is the Saviour.

Message 4 of 5 in Discussion

From:

SEB1625

Sent: 11/27/2008 10:50 PM

AMEN

Message 5 of 5 in Discussion

From:

_MrWonder_

Sent: 11/28/2008 1:25 PM

One wrote to me that Acts 2.38 "...is a LITERAL identification with the death and burial of Jesus Christ" I replied:

Yes it is a literal identification with the death and burial (and resurrection) of Jesus Christ, but IT IS NOT a LITERAL death and burial and resurrection with Jesus Christ. You are not killed and then buried and then resurrected literally. You die, are buried, and resurrected with Christ figuratively, which means symbolically, and that is what Peter made clear toward the end of his life in his epistle.

The issue is whether salvation is conditional upon water baptism.

It is not.

Yes, Christians do many things AFTER salvation, and water baptism is normally the first. But they are already saved before they are baptized in water, because they are saved by faith, the same as Abraham was.

Water baptism saves us in a figure, which means symbolically. It IS A SYMBOL of salvation because it symbolizes dying to the old sinful life, being buried with Christ, and rising from the dead with Christ.

But symbols aren't real. That's why they're called "symbols", and that's why Peter says "in a figure". It is acted out and we do not actually die, get buried, and rise again when we are baptized in water, but that is what we portray as we act it out.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Ok, I have believed on Him and I am saved. What next? Well what did they do next in Acts 2? What did they do next in Acts 10? What did they do next in Acts 16? There's your answer. You're a Christian now, so walk in obedience. Go and be a witness to the world by being baptized in the name of the Lord in water, and show them that you HAVE DIED to the old life by faith, and you HAVE BEEN buried with Christ in the grave by faith, and you HAVE BEEN resurrected with Christ by faith to newness of life, because that IS what HAPPENED in the Spirit when you believed and were saved. Now SHOW IT in a figure. That is obedience and obedience out of love is the hallmark of the Christian life, but obedience doesn't save you - faith does.

First Previous 2-5 of 5 Next Last

Return to General