Subject: Unbaptized children |
Bible Note: Greetings Kin! I think I see where you are coming from! If I understand correctly, you are saying that part of our salvation involves obeying all the commands of Christ, not just baptism. If I missed understood you, let me know. My response would be that there are two lines of thought which much be put into the proper perspective. 1) Salvation by Grace alone! 2) Obedience to Christ! The best passage to do this with is Eph. 2:8-10. This passage says, " For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." This is a terrific passage for several reasons. First of all, it stresses that our salvation is not earned in any way, but it solely the result of God's grace. Secondly, it stresses that good works spring from our salvation and are a part of God's sovereign plan for us. With this in mind, I would say that we should obey the command of Christ to be baptized (or any other command for that matter), but that obedience to any command is not a fundamental basis for our salvation. My experience on this forum is that most who connect baptism with salvation tend to look at salvation as a process more than a completed transaction. While I think there are elements of process in our salvation (regeneration, sanctification, and glorification), I think that it primarily has its focus upon a point of time. When we repent, we are saved. We will grow after that time and mature (hopefully), but we will not ever be more saved than we are at the moment of salvation. Looking at it from this perspective, I believe that the Bible does not connect obedience with the moment of faith. But, obedience is a necessary part of our progression in our faith. In fact, you mentioned 1 Jn. 2:3, which seems to make exactly this point. It says, "We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands." The point of this verse, like the argument of James, is that obedience (or works) demonstrate the reality of our faith. However, it does not make the case that obedience or works produces salvation. In the same way, John 8:31, which refers to Jews who had believed in Him, but uses "ean" in the Greek text and therefore produces doubt about this situation, seems to also be making the case that their continuing obedience would be the natural outflow of their belief, if indeed they were disciples. In summary, I would say that obedience is vital as a Christian, but not saving. In other words, the relationship between faith and works is that faith produces works (or obedience), not the other way around. Thanks for the opportunity to discuss this with you! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |