Subject: Do Jesus and Paul agree on salv by faith |
Bible Note: Emmaus, Just to clear up what scripture clearly says about baptism. You will recall that in Acts, many Gentiles are coming to faith. Please read these passages carefuly. You will see that these people already possesed the Holy Spirit and were washed with the blood of Christ, PRIOR to their water baptism. Water Baptism, as many believe, does not save. It is an act of obedience after salvation. These people in Acts were already saved. They had been washed, as in Titus, with the "water" of the Holy Spirit that Christ did on their behalf, hence regeneration and hence realized in time by faith/belief. Since they are truly His,they will obey His commands, but are not saved by them. Acts 10:47 "Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?" Acts 10:48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days. Acts 11:16 "And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' Acts 11:17 "Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?" |