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Baptism not a work Titus 3:5. Can we be saved in sins and not in Christ? No. What does the bible say baptism does? Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16 for forgiveness of sins, Washes away sins. Also puts us into Christ Gal 3:27, Rom 6:3-7, Col 2:12. Jesus says whoever has believed past tense and has been baptized past tense shall be saved future tense Mark 16:16. So Jesus says baptism part of salvation Mark 16:16. Peter says its for the forgivness of sins Acts 2:38. Paul says it puts you into Christ Gal 3:27. Peter says baptism now saves you 1Pet 3:21. Not sure what is confusing on this unless some believe they know more than Jesus and His inspired apostles
J
after all of this we will live in a life full of HIS glory and power and strength to overcome any temptation that comes our way. BUT if we fall, if we sin, we have HIS GRACE to come boldly before HIS throne and ask for forgiveness of our sins, when before Christ no one was allowed to come before HIS throne until a set date after a set amount of procedures done by the high priest, when they made animal sacrifices, the washed, then went past the vail to the HOLIEST OF HOLIES. NOW after Christ, after HIS plan of salvation, We have that grace where we didn't have it before. We can go to the HOLIEST OF HOLIES any time we want and say HIS name and HE is with us.
O
Exactly, Romans 4:1-11 states:
[h=3]The Faith of Abraham[/h]4 Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? [SUP]2 [/SUP]If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. [SUP]3 [/SUP]For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”[SUP][a][/SUP]
[SUP]4 [/SUP]When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. [SUP]5 [/SUP]But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. [SUP]6 [/SUP]David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
[SUP]7 [/SUP]“Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sins are put out of sight.
[SUP]8 [/SUP]Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”
[SUP]9 [/SUP]Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. [SUP]10 [/SUP]But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!
[SUP]11 [/SUP]Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith.
If you replace circumcision with baptism, you'd get the idea about how salvation works. That last sentence says it all, "They are counted as righteous because of their faith.
I'm not arguing that water baptism is not to be done at some point in one's life, but I am arguing that it is not required for salvation. Salvation is not meant to be complicated, why must we try to add to God's word?
[h=3]The Faith of Abraham[/h]4 Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? [SUP]2 [/SUP]If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. [SUP]3 [/SUP]For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”[SUP][a][/SUP]
[SUP]4 [/SUP]When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. [SUP]5 [/SUP]But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. [SUP]6 [/SUP]David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
[SUP]7 [/SUP]“Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sins are put out of sight.
[SUP]8 [/SUP]Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”
[SUP]9 [/SUP]Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. [SUP]10 [/SUP]But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!
[SUP]11 [/SUP]Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith.
If you replace circumcision with baptism, you'd get the idea about how salvation works. That last sentence says it all, "They are counted as righteous because of their faith.
I'm not arguing that water baptism is not to be done at some point in one's life, but I am arguing that it is not required for salvation. Salvation is not meant to be complicated, why must we try to add to God's word?
A
FINALLY.
God replaced circumcision with baptism. It is an entry sign into the New Covenant. As circumcision was an entry sign into the Old covenant. But as you very correctly pointed out, by using Scripture in context, Abraham was saved BEFORE ever being circumcised. Thus there was no salvation power in the circumcision. It is our signature to the covenant we entered into with God. And in the new covenant that signature is baptism. This is the Biblical purpose of baptism as stated in Scripture. Jesus commanded it because we are to assent to the covenants we enter into. This is why God threatened to kill Moses for no circumcising his son. Because it serious business when you make a covenant with God Almighty.
So should we be baptized? Yes. Does it do anything to save us? Of course not. Which is why Abraham, Moses and David (and the thief on the cross) are indeed in Heaven right now, without baptism. There is only one Gospel. One salvation and One Savior. And He has been the same Savior, since the foundation of the world. No one, Old Testament or new is saved in any different way. It's always has been and always will be faith in Jesus Christ. God promised Christ to Abraham directly and told him He would be from his lineage. Moses prophesied of Jesus. David prophesied numerous times of Jesus and also knew He would be in his lineage. And they all BELIEVED and were saved.
Thank you, thank you so much for rightly dividing our precious Word of God. That was an excellent post. God bless.
God replaced circumcision with baptism. It is an entry sign into the New Covenant. As circumcision was an entry sign into the Old covenant. But as you very correctly pointed out, by using Scripture in context, Abraham was saved BEFORE ever being circumcised. Thus there was no salvation power in the circumcision. It is our signature to the covenant we entered into with God. And in the new covenant that signature is baptism. This is the Biblical purpose of baptism as stated in Scripture. Jesus commanded it because we are to assent to the covenants we enter into. This is why God threatened to kill Moses for no circumcising his son. Because it serious business when you make a covenant with God Almighty.
So should we be baptized? Yes. Does it do anything to save us? Of course not. Which is why Abraham, Moses and David (and the thief on the cross) are indeed in Heaven right now, without baptism. There is only one Gospel. One salvation and One Savior. And He has been the same Savior, since the foundation of the world. No one, Old Testament or new is saved in any different way. It's always has been and always will be faith in Jesus Christ. God promised Christ to Abraham directly and told him He would be from his lineage. Moses prophesied of Jesus. David prophesied numerous times of Jesus and also knew He would be in his lineage. And they all BELIEVED and were saved.
Thank you, thank you so much for rightly dividing our precious Word of God. That was an excellent post. God bless.
A lot depends upon how we teach the command to go forth into the world and make disciples at places as Matthew 28:19 (and make make no mistake that to make disciples is all Jesus commanded be done there).
For example such things as the humility of the disciples we make depends upon how we teach that.
If we teach it as an authority given us to call men to repent or as an authority given us to call them to baptism, then our focus is wrong and such is what the twisted spirit used as authority to justify inquisitions was founded upon.
Such is a desire for self glorification by means of God's authority and that is what the man of sin does. That is how the son of perdition uses God's authority to make himself appear as God in this earth.
For example such things as the humility of the disciples we make depends upon how we teach that.
If we teach it as an authority given us to call men to repent or as an authority given us to call them to baptism, then our focus is wrong and such is what the twisted spirit used as authority to justify inquisitions was founded upon.
Such is a desire for self glorification by means of God's authority and that is what the man of sin does. That is how the son of perdition uses God's authority to make himself appear as God in this earth.