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NASB | 1 John 5:6 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 John 5:6 This is He who came through water and blood [His baptism and death], Jesus Christ--not by the water only, but by the water and the blood. It is the [Holy] Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. [He is the essence and origin of truth itself.] |
Subject: What does baptism consist? |
Bible Note: Greetings Tim! Again, you have mentioned the verse James 2:24.. Martin Luther said it best: James 2 is not teaching that a person is saved by works. Rather a person is "justified" (declared righteous before God) by faith alone, but 'not by a faith that is alone.' In other words, genuine faith will always 'result' in good works in the saved person's life. James is writing to Jewish Christians ("to the twelve tribes"- James 1:1) who were in danger of giving nothing but lip service to Jesus. His intent, therefore, is to distinguish true faith from false faith. He shows that true faith results in works, which become visible evidences of faith's invisible presence. In other words, good works are the "vital signs" indicating that faith is alive. Apparently some of these Jewish Christians had made a false claim of faith. It is the 'boasting' of faith that James condemned. Merely claiming to have faith is not enough. Genuine faith is evidenced by works. Workless faith is worthless faith- it is dead! Great claims may be made about a corpse that is supposed to have come to life, but if it does not move (if there are no vital signs, no heartbeat, no perceptible pulse) then it is still dead. The false claims are silenced by the evidence. The fact is, apart from the spirit, the body is dead; it's a lifeless corpse. By analogy, apart from the evidence of good works, faith is dead. It is lifeless and nonproductive. That is what James is teaching in this passage. So if we have this genuine saving faith, then we too will be saved by His grace (Eph. 2:8). I fail to see what James 2:24 has anything at all to do with Baptism. As for Salvation and the "requirements" thereof, I would direct you to the following verses, my friend: Matt. 18:3; Luke 19:10; John 3:14-17, 5:24, 6:44-47; Acts 4:12; Romans 5:1-2, 11:6; 1 Cor. 1:21; Eph. 2:1-9; and Col. 1:19-20. These are just a few verses in Scripture that help describe Salvation, and not a SINGLE ONE of them mentions anything about "water baptism"! :) Blessings to you, Nolan |