Subject: Teacher, when were the 11 rebaptized? |
Bible Note: "We are saved by faith. Does this mean we are saved by faith without repentance? Not at all. We must repent of our sins, or there is no salvation." That is because repentance accompanies saving faith. Some go so far as to call it an aspect of saving faith. "For it is written, EXCEPT YE REPENT, YE SHALL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH-Lk 13:3. Does this mean that we are saved by faith only, and we never need to confess Jesus publicly? Not at all. We should confess that Jesus is (the only Hope) of our salvation to everyone that asks us. If we are ashamed of Jesus, He will be ashamed of us at the judgment." And a result of true saving faith is that we will confess Jesus publicly. That is James 2 in a nutshell. We are saved as a result of God's grace alone through faith alone. However, true grace and true faith will result in accompanying works. So are we saved by works or by faith? Both are present in the truly saved, but which one does Paul mention as the INSTRUMENT of our justification time and again? Not works, but faith. (Romans 5:1) 'So we may ask, "What about baptism?"' Yes, we may. :) You wrote: "THERE IS NO GRACE WITHOUT BELIEVING ON JESUS" Believing in Jesus is a RESULT of God's grace: "A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul." --Acts 16:14 "And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace" --Acts 18:26 You wrote: "THERE IS NO GRACE WITHOUT REPENTANCE" Grace precedes repentance; repentance is a result of God's grace: "Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" --Romans 2:4 "with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth" --2 Timothy 2:25 You wrote: "Is there grace without baptism?" Of course there is. Grace motivates the believer to be baptized. God's grace is absolutely free and is not chained by our own activity or inactivity. Grace moves US to obedience; our obedience does not "let" God be gracious to us. "In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, OTHERWISE GRACE IS NO LONGER GRACE." --Romans 11:5-6 --Joe! |