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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | What does baptism consist? | 1 John 5:6 | Morant61 | 23330 | ||
Greetings Charis and Tim! May I butt in here? I don't think that the message of James is Faith plus Works equals Salvation. Rather, I think his message is Faith Works! James is not writing that his listeners need to DO something else to be saved. He is writing that they need to DO something because they have Faith. Faith that doesn't work is dead. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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2 | What does baptism consist? | 1 John 5:6 | Tim Sheasby | 23455 | ||
OK, I agree that "faith works". Works demonstrate faith in other words. Though most on this forum seem to agree that baptism is important they do not agree with me on just how important it is. At the same time I have read postings that point to the idea that baptism is not optional -- which says to me it is essential. This may be semantics, I know, and we may be closer in belief that I want to admit but the issue is not whether we are saved by grace or faith or the Blood of Christ since I agree with you on all those points. The issue is at what instant are your sins forgiven? Not what saves you but at what point in time are you saved? When Jesus died on the cross he paid the debt for all our sins -- Rom 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us". Yes, there are many references that say we are saved by grace, saved by faith. But the only verses I recall that talk about remission of sins or washing away sins (except when the Saviour spoke directly to individuals while He was still alive) are in Acts 2:38 "Peter said to them, 'Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." and Acts 22:16 "'Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.'" Since sin has to be removed and baptism is the mechanism for that I cannot see how one can be saved without it. Furthermore Romans 6 draws the analogy even further and says we are baptized into Christ's death and then are raised to walk in newness of life. Not the other way around. According to the timetable of most on this forum you are raised from the dead spiritually (saved) first and then you get burried to prove it. This does not work for me. I was baptised to show I had repented and so that I could wash away my sins (as opposed to the filth of the flesh). Water baptism does not represent spiritual baptism to me -- it is part of the same event. I must now apologise, I get drawn into this argument so easily but that is because I feel it is so vital. I can't help myself! In Jesus Christ our Redeemer Tim Sheasby |
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3 | What does baptism consist? | 1 John 5:6 | Morant61 | 23498 | ||
Greetings Tim! Good morning my fellow Tim! In your post you said, "Since sin has to be removed and baptism is the mechanism for that I cannot see how one can be saved without it." This is the point where we would disagree. Allow me to lay out my basic approach to this issue and then I will respond to your point with a couple of Scriptures. 1) My basic approach to the question of baptismal regeneration is this. a) Clear statements of Scripture take precedent over less clear statements. We know that there are many references which state that salvation is through faith alone. We also know that there are many references which state that works play no part in our salvation. Therefore, there cannot be any work that we do that adds to or iniates our salvation. b) The arguments made for baptismal regeneration are basically the same arguments made by the Judaizers for circumsision being necessary for salvation. Whole books of the Bible were written to refute that position. I think the arguments apply as well to this issue. 2) Now to Scripture! When are our sins forgiven and is baptism the crucial element in forgiveness of sins? I believe that all of our sins are forgiven at the cross - objectively. Subjectively, we receive that forgiveness at the moment of faith. Consider the following verses and notice that baptism is not mentioned in them. a) Acts 10:43 - " All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”" b) Eph. 1:7 - "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace." c) Rom. 3:24 - "and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—" d) Luke 24:47 - "and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." e) Acts 3:19 - "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord," f) Acts 13:38 - "‘‘Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses." There are others as well. But the crucial point is that not one of these verses mention baptism. So, evidently baptism is not essential to salvation. I really believe that this is an important issue. If what you are saying is correct, then salvation is faith plus a work. Yet, Scripture emphatically states that salvation is not by works (Eph. 2:8-10). At the same time, while there are verses which mention baptism in connection with forgiveness, there isn't a single verse which says, "you must be baptized to be saved!" The conclusion I have come to is that baptism is not essential to salvation, but is something which every Christian is commanded to do after they are saved! I hope this post made sense! I just got home from work and I am very sleepy! :-) Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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4 | What does baptism consist? | 1 John 5:6 | Makarios | 23532 | ||
Greetings Tim! Excellent post and very well said, my friend! :-) Your Brother in Christ, Nolan |
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