(7) Identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection when we are baptized into Christ. (Rom 6: 3-7)
There is identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection when we are water baptized, but water baptism does not place us into the body of Christ, but Spirit baptism does (1 Corinthians 12:13). Just as there is identification with Moses when the Israelites were "baptized into Moses" (1 Corinthians 10:2) but this does not mean that the Israelites were Spirit baptized into the body of Moses. You are not rightly dividing the word of truth.
(8) Death to self. We die to self in baptism. (Rpm. 6: 6)
Water baptism is the PICTURE of death to self, but not the cause.
(9) Clothed with Christ. We are clothed with the attributes of Christ when baptized. (Gal 3: 27) The work of the Holy Spirit in renewal is to bring our actual life practices into conformity with that which has been reckoned to us in being clothed with Christ.
Notice in Galatians 3:27, that those who were baptized into Christ have
put on Christ. Now for the word
"enduo" (put on). This word also appears in Romans 13:14 where we read, "But
put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill it’s lusts." This exhortation is not to a sinner, telling him to be baptized to "put on" Christ, but it is written to Christians. Evidently then, baptism is not the only way to "put on" Christ. To "put on" Christ is to conform to Him, imitate Him. So it is in baptism; we "put on" Christ, conforming to Him in the ordinance that declares Him to be our Savior. So if we must "put on" Christ to be saved through water baptism, apparently we are not saved yet. We must also “put on” Christ by making no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts (Romans 13:14). *Let’s be consistent.
(10) children of God. We become children of God when by faith we are baptized into Christ. (Gal. 3: 26, 27)
We become children of God by faith. (period) - Galatians 3:26. Not by faith
and baptism. Just as we read in John 1:12 - But as many as
received Him, to them He gave the right
to become children of God, even to those who
believe in His name. Not believe in His name
and baptism there either. You "added" the words "when by faith we are baptized into Christ." You rewrite the Bible in order to make it fit your biased church doctrine.
(11) The gift of the Holy Spirit is promised to those who by faith are baptized into Christ. (Acts 2: 38, 39; 5: 32)
You continue to confuse water baptism with Spirit baptism and identification with Christ with baptized by one Spirit into one body. 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. Also compare the fact that these Gentiles in Acts 10:45 received
the gift of the Holy Spirit (compare with Acts 2:38 -
the gift of the Holy Spirit) and this was BEFORE water baptism (Acts 10:47).
*In Acts 10:43 we read
..whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins. These Gentiles received
the gift of the Holy Spirit - Acts 10:45 - (compare with Acts 2:38 -
the gift of the Holy Spirit) when they
believed on the Lord Jesus Christ - Acts 11:17 - (compare with Acts 16:31 -
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved) BEFORE water baptism - Acts 10:47 - this is referred to as
repentance unto life - Acts 11:18.
We receive the Holy Spirit when we believe the gospel BEFORE water baptism (Acts 10:43-47; 11:17,18; 15:8,9). We receive the Holy Spirit when we
obey Him (Acts 5:32) by
choosing to believe the gospel (Romans 10:16; 1:16).
(12) Salvation. Those that believe and are baptized shall be saved. (Mark 16: 16; 1 Peter 3: 21) We are saved by the washing of regeneration. (Titus 3: 5, 6)
Mark 16:16 - He who believes and is baptized will be saved
(general cases without making a qualification for the unusual case of someone who believes but is not baptized) but he who
does not believe will be condemned. The omission of baptized with "does not believe" shows that Jesus does not make baptism absolutely essential to salvation. Condemnation rests on unbelief, not on a lack of baptism. So salvation rests on belief. NOWHERE does the Bible say "baptized or condemned." If water baptism is absolutely required for salvation, then why did Jesus not mention it in the following verses? (3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26). What is the ONE requirement that Jesus mentions 9 different times in each of these complete statements?
BELIEVES. *What happened to baptism? *Hermeneutics. John 3:18 - He who
believes in Him is not condemned; but he who (is not water baptized? - NO)
does not believe is condemned already, because he has not (been water baptized? - NO)
because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
In 1 Peter 3:21. Peter tells us that baptism now saves you, yet when Peter uses this phrase he continues in the same sentence to explain exactly what he means by it. He says that baptism now saves you-
not the removal of dirt from the flesh (that is, not as an outward, physical act which washes dirt from the body--that is not the what saves you),
"but an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (that is, as an inward, spiritual transaction between God and the individual, a transaction that is symbolized by the outward ceremony of water baptism). Just as the eight people in the ark were "saved THROUGH water" as they were IN THE ARK. They were not literally saved "by" the water. Hebrews 11:7 is clear on this point (..built an
ARK for the
SAVING of his household). *NOTE: The context reveals that ONLY the righteous (Noah and his family) were DRY and therefore SAFE. In contrast, ONLY THE WICKED IN NOAH'S DAY CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE WATER AND THEY ALL PERISHED.
The washing of regeneration (Titus 3:5) refers to spiritual washing/purification of the soul that is accomplished by the Holy Spirit and not plain ordinary H20.
(13) Obedience to the gospel. We obey the gospel when we—die, are buried and arise—in baptism. (Rom 6: 3: 7; 2 Thess. 1: 8, 9)
Water baptism is the PICTURE, but not the reality. We
obey the gospel when we
choose to believe the gospel. Romans 10:16 - But they have not all
obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has
believed our report?" Those who refuse to believe the gospel are those who do not obey the gospel and do not know God (2 Thess. 1:8,9).
(14) Perfecting of our faith. Our faith is perfected or completed when our faith works with the works of faith, including repentance and baptism. Our faith is completed by the obedience of faith and is deemed by God to be authenticate and efficacious in accomplishing His purpose. (Gen. 22: 12; James 2: 20-24)
James did not say that "repentance and baptism" work with our faith to perfect or complete our faith. James is discussing Abraham here and notice in James 2:21 that James did not say that Abraham's work of offering up Isaac resulted in God's accounting Abraham as righteous. No! The accounting of Abraham's faith as righteousness was made in Genesis 15:6,
many years before his work of offering up Isaac recorded in Genesis 22. The work of Abraham did not have some kind of intrinsic merit to save his soul, but it
proved or manifested the genuineness of his faith. This is the sense in which Abraham was justified by works,
"shown to be righteous."
Made perfect or complete by works means bring to maturity, carry to the end, to complete like love in 1 John 4:18. It doesn't mean that Abraham was finally saved many years later based on his works. When Abraham performed the good work in Genesis 22; he fulfilled the expectations created by the pronouncement of his faith in Genesis 15:6.
The scripture was fulfilled in vindicating or demonstrating that Abraham believed God and was accounted as righteous.
Abraham was accounted as righteous because of his faith (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:2-3) long before he offered up Isaac on the altar and fulfilled the expectations created by the pronouncement of his faith in Genesis 15:6.
The harmony of Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 4:2-3 and James 2:24 is seen in the differing ways that Paul and James use the term "justified." Paul, when he uses the term, refers to the legal (judicial) act of God by which He accounts the sinner as righteous (Romans 3:24; 5:1). James, however is using the term to
describe those who would prove the genuineness of their faith by the works that they do. Man is saved through faith and not works (Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9); yet genuine faith is vindicated, substantiated, evidenced by works (James 2:14-24). *Please pay close attention - The word "alone" in regards to salvation through faith "in Christ alone" conveys the message that
Christ saves us through faith based on the merits of His finished work of redemption "alone" and not on the merits of our works. It is through faith "in Christ alone" (and not by the merits of our works) that we are justified on account of Christ (Romans 3:24; 5:1); yet the faith that justifies is never alone (solitary, unfruitful, barren) if it is genuine (James 2:14-24). *Perfect Harmony.*
Instead of continuing to "parrot off" what your Campbellite predecessors before you have taught like a broken record, why don't you take the time to prayerfully consider the truth. It's time for you to REPENT and BELIEVE the gospel. I will continue to pray for you.