Subject: Is baptism a work? |
Bible Note: Indiana, what passage in Acts? I don't recall. What of Acts 2:38? What of Acts 22:16? What of Gal 3:25? What of Rom 6:1f? What of 1 Pet 3:21? When you take all of God's word dealing with salvation, baptism plays a very crucial part. You say, "There are many passages that speak of salvation apart from baptism". Yes this is true but there are also many passages that speak of baptism as a part of salvation. The sum of the parts equal the whole. Subtract one element you have no whole. There are many passages that have the phrase "will be saved" attached. For example, Mt 10.22, Mk 13.13 “…he who endures to the end will be saved” Does enduring save us? Mk 16.15 “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” Does believing and being baptized (because of our belief) save us? Jn 10.9 “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved” Does entering a door save us? Acts 11.14 “words by which you and all your household will be saved” Do words save us? Acts 16.31 “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” Does belief save us? Rom 9.27 “The remnant will be saved” Does being a part of "the remnant" save us? Rom 10.9 “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Does confession save us? Rom 11.26 “And so all Israel will be saved” Does being an Israelite save us? 1 Cor 3.15 “If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved” If my work is burned am I saved? 1 Ti 2.15 “Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing” Does childbearing save us? Now you have to admit that some of these examples are preposterous. The question is which ones are and which ones are not? Does God have to mention everything necessary for salvation in every passage that deals with salvation? No, because his creation man was given the intelligence to put it all together to arrive at the one truth. |