There is no merit in submitting to baptism. The submitting to baptism is simply part of our faith in God and not ourselves.
Yes there is. If water baptism stands between us and salvation, then there would certainly be merit in being water baptized, which would also render Christ's finished work of redemption as in sufficient to save us, yet Christ's finished work of redemption is sufficient and complete to save BELIEVERS. No supplements needed.
Believing as you do that your trust in faith alone regeneration theology merits your salvation is a self proclaimed work. The esoteric nature of faith alone regeneration theology is rather obvious, as is all new age teachings. Baptism has been the point/moment of salvation since the days of the apostles.
Faith in Christ does not merit salvation because t
hrough faith in Him, we are completely trusting in "Another's work," (Christ's finished work of redemption). Your faith is in your baptism and NOT in CHRIST ALONE. I trust in Christ for salvation through faith and He saves me. No work of merit in that. Jesus Christ gets 100% credit for my salvation. Praise the Lord! Baptism is not the point of salvation (believing the gospel/faith in Christ is) and baptism signifies, but does not procure salvation.
You are quick to call out "works, works, works" in others but are blind to the work that faith alone regeneration theology insist upon. Simple and humble faith in God in not enough, one must come to a peculiar understanding before salvation is given. One must accept the notion of faith alone regeneration theology, anything other then this is not of God.
Water baptism is a work of righteousness (Matthew 3:13-15; Titus 3:5) and we are not saved by works of righteousness which we have done, but we are saved through faith in Christ (Romans 3:24-26; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8,9). *For you to say that faith in Christ is not enough is to say that Christ's finished work of redemption is not enough because Christ's finished work of redemption is the OBJECT of our faith. If you had authentic faith in Christ then you would understand, but unfortunately, the gospel remains hid to you.
If you accept the need for baptism as the moment of the forgiveness of sins, you are lost.
You just described yourself. Your faith is in your baptism (and not in Christ alone) as the moment of the forgiveness of sins.
If you don't accept the superiority of faith alone regeneration theology you are not blessed with the Holy Spirit and are blind to "your" knowledge. Is there merit in understanding & accepting faith alone regeneration theology? You bet there is and some pride as well.
It takes humility and not pride to accept the fact that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. It takes pride to not accept the fact that you are 100% dependent on Christ for salvation and to turn to works as your supplemental savior.
Through repentance/faith/baptism, Christ is still the OBJECT of our faith (belief, trust, reliance) in receiving salvation.
Amen!
This notion seems to be a blind spot in your thinking. There are no bible that translates this verse in such a way as you believe. If your theory is correct the verse should read "because of the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." But this is how it is worded in the bible:
It does not need to specifically read "because of the forgiveness of your sins" in order for my theology to be correct and I already properly harmonized Scripture with Scripture in order to reach the proper conclusion in post #1094. You just don't have eyes to see.
for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift. ISV
so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift. GWT
unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ASV
so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift NOG
There is no "because of" in any bible.
There does not have to be because in Acts 2:38, "for the remission of sins" does not refer back to both clauses, "you all repent" and "each one of you be baptized," but refers only to the first. Peter is saying "repent unto the remission of your sins," the same as in Acts 3:19. The clause "each one of you be baptized" is parenthetical. This is exactly what Acts 3:19 teaches except that Peter omits the parenthesis.
In Matthew 3:11, we read - "I baptize you with water for (eis) repentance.." Now was this baptism "for" (in order to obtain) repentance? OR was this baptism "for" (in regards to/on the basis of) repentance? The answer is obvious.
As I have said before Acts 10:45 is descriptive not prescriptive as is Acts 2:38. The promise is in verse 39 of Acts 2:
Receiving the Holy Spirit was descriptive of those who believed in Him and received the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit
BEFORE water baptism (Acts 10:43-47; 11:17).
39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
It never ceases to amaze me how people with an agenda (water-salvationists) build their doctrine on a handful of verses, taken out of context, then they either ignore those multitude of verses that do not harmonize with their biased interpretation of their handful of pet verses or else they try to "force" the multitude of verses to "conform" to their handful of pet verses, but in the end, the result is always flawed hermeneutics and salvation by works.
So the only logical conclusion when not filtering the Bible through faith alone regeneration theology is that faith in Jesus Christ implied in genuine repentance leads us to baptism as the moment we receive forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; 1st Peter 3:21; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:36-39). No esoteric knowledge necessary.
The only logical conclusion
*when properly harmonizing Scripture with Scripture* is that faith in Jesus Christ "implied in genuine repentance" (rather than water baptism) brings the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 10:43-47; 11:17,18; 15:8,9; 16:31; 26:18). *Perfect Harmony*
*There is more to understanding Scripture and coming to saving faith in Christ than simply paper, ink and human intelligence.
*1 Corinthians 2:11 - For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak,
not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.