Subject: Saved by belief or belief and baptism? |
Bible Note: First, permit me to share that Belief and Faith aren't synonymous contrary to popular teaching and belief. Scripture says even the demons "believe"(James 2:19). Scripture also says "anything not of faith is sin"(Rom 14:23). *Notice it doesn't say "anything not of belief". So this begs the question what is the difference between faith and belief from God's perspective/Truth? The answer is Faith is Christ literally flowing through the crucified soul of a True Believer. Meaning a soul can believe in Jesus, that He is God, that He died on The Cross, and that He can forgive their sins and grant them eternal life, etc...but if that soul hasn't been granted "true repentance" which is Christ flowing through his/her crucified soul, their "believing" is in vain. Scripture is clear "Many will say Lord, Lord...", but Jesus will say "He never knew them." Obviously, these "Many" believed in Jesus, but didn't have faith. Also, Important to note that without question all the Israelites that were delivered out of Egypt "believed in the God that delivered them", but only a few had faith. Again, Christ is Faith Personified. Faith doesn't come from man and when a soul has "true faith" he or she will not sow or reap in the Mammon System (the seen), but will rather by faith (Christ flowing...), sow and reap in New Jerusalem (the Unseen/Far Away Land that all True Believers long for, and by faith, live in while on earth...Heb 11 and the entire Bible support this...). ***Now it is important to note that an Infant Christian due to his or her doublemindedness will try to sow and reap in the Mammon System, but he or she will receive the discipline of God (by cooperating with the crucifixion process...) and through sanctification and transformation be transitioned out of sowing and reaping in the Mammmon System. ***It is also important to note that "To find your life is to lose it and to lose your life is to find it." (Matt 10:39) I cite this verse because if a soul sees no error in them sowing and reaping in the Mammon System (the seen world) he or she has found his or her life and isn't born again. A True Child of God will not be a tower builder in the name of Jesus and will not claim that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob sows or reaps in the Mammon System. ***The Parable of the Talents shows this clearly. The Wicked Servant buried his talent in the ground. The ground represents the Mammon System and it is VERY IMPORTANT to note that the Wicked Servant called God a Hard God because he knew that God didn't sow or reap in the Mammon System. Rom 10 and 2Tim 3 also identify these "Apostate Souls" as souls that have a zeal 4 God, but deny the power there of. So in conclusion, sad to say, as Scripture says "many are called, but few are chosen", and this paints a bleak, but a scripturally consistent picture that there are "many" that believe, but only a "few" that have faith.(Christ flowing producing "true works of repentance" Image of Vine and Body of Christ/True Church.) Now with respect to Baptism. Baptism is simply a physical symbolic act that represents what only the Holy Spirit does...The immersion into water of a "hopefully converted soul" reflects the truth that when we are in Christ, we are buried into "New Jerusalem Soil" and dead to "Mammon System Soil". It is Christ that produces "works of repentance" through our new creation souls. An unredeemed soul can't produce "works of repentance"; It is impossible. Now of course, sadly and deceptively, an unredeemed soul "can appear" to produce "good works", but they are a counterfeit if Christ isn't literally producing the fruit. And a "tell tale sign" that indeed Christ is flowing through a soul is that the world is becoming increasingly dim and that the soul has little to no interest in building and/or finding his/her life in the Mammon System(the seen world). ***The Delusion God sends, as mentioned in 2Thes 2:11, is that He does sow and reap in the Mammon System(also false miracles and healings). Apostates believe the lie and as a result make the Bible, Jesus, and The Cross into Idols to inspire them in their rebellion/tower building and sadly they do this in Jesus' name. Scripture is clear to love the world is to hate God. Let there be no confusion or twisting of Scripture in this regard. If a souls seeks and claims that God sows and reaps in the Mammon System (the world/the seen) he or she is "more than likely" not born again. The only hope would be that the soul is an Infant, but even an Infant will know, although it will not be totally clear that his or her God/Jesus doesn't sow or reap in the Mammon System. So for a soul to be baptized without Christ literally flowing through their crucified soul is just simply a soul getting wet. Their baptism was in vain...I say this with sorrow... There is much more Christ could share through me on this subject, but time and space will not permit... |