ONE BAPTISM - Ephesians 4:5

Dan, the jailer and his household were said to have believed after he washed their wounds, after he was baptized in the middle of the night and after he fed Paul and Silas. He rejoiced having believed. (Acts 16: 34)

Lydia and her people were judged to have been faithful after they were baptized. (Acts 16: 15)

The 3,000 were added to those being saved after they received the word and were being baptized. (Acts 2: 41, 47)

Abraham was justified by faith but not faith alone. His faith was working with his works of faith to perfect or complete his faith. We are justified and saved by a completed, mature faith. The works of faith we do are given by God to perfect our faith not to receive personal merit. (James 2: 20- 34) God bless.

Just because verse 34 - "having believed with all his household" follows verse 33 - "he and his household were baptized that same hour of the night" does not mean that they did not believe until after they were water baptized. You don't baptize unbelievers in order to make them believers, but BECAUSE they are believers. Believing is not baptism and believing precedes baptism and we are saved the moment that we believe. It's just that simple.

In Acts 11:17, we read - If therefore God gave them the same gift (Holy Spirit) as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?" These Gentiles believed on the Lord Jesus Christ (compare with Acts 16:31 - Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved) BEFORE water baptism (Acts 10:43-47). *So, it was established that they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ BEFORE they were water baptized. Trusting in Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of their salvation constitutes BELIEVING. Water baptism took place AFTERWARDS.

They were saved through faith BEFORE water baptism, just as Jews and Gentiles alike are (Acts 10:43-47; 11:17,18; 15:8,9). Lydia and her household had submitted to baptism as proof of being "faithful to the Lord," after being saved through faith.

In Acts 2:41, those who gladly received his word (saved through repentance/faith) were (afterward) baptized.. *Remember, 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 3:19; 5:31; 10:43-47; 11:17,18; 15:8,9; 26:18). *Perfect Harmony*

In Acts 2:44, ...all who BELIEVED were together, and had all things in common. In Acts 2:47, ..."And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be SAVED. How are we saved? By grace through FAITH, not works including water baptism (Matthew 3:13-15; Titus 3:5).

Acts 4:4 - However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

Acts 5:14 - And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.

In James 2:21, notice closely that James does 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," not accounted as righteous. So Abraham was justified "accounted as righteous" by faith (rightly understood) in the Lord alone (Genesis 15:6). *Read Romans 4:2 - For if Abraham was justified by works, (legal sense/accounted as righteous) he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it (faith, not works) was accounted to him for righteousness."

False. Abraham was already saved through faith when he believed God in Genesis 15:6 and his faith was accounted for righteousness many years before he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22. Faith perfected or made complete by works means bring to maturity, carry to the end, to complete like love in 1 John 4:18. It DOES NOT mean that Abraham remained a lost man when he believed the Lord and his faith was counted to him for righteousness in Genesis 15:6 and was finally saved based on the merit of his works in Genesis 22. When Abraham performed the good work in Genesis 22; he fulfilled the expectations created by the pronouncement of his faith in Genesis 15:6.

Yet you turn works which are produced out of faith into works of merit because you teach that we are saved based on accomplishing these works. Your false gospel renders Christ an IN-sufficient Savior. Man is saved by grace through faith, NOT WORKS (Ephesians 2:8,9). It's still not too late for you to repent and believe the gospel.

Dan- the point is that being told to believe (v. 31) for salvation includes all those things that a believer should does. If you are a complete a full believer in the Lord you will certainly repentance because God has commanded all men to repent. (Acts 17: 30) If you are a complete believer you will be baptized because those that received the word were baptized. (Acts 2: 41) Saying that they had believed in (v. 34) after he had done the expected, indicates that "believing" includes more than just mental assent. It includes love because faith without love is nothing. (1 Cor. 13: 2) It includes hope because we must believe there is a reward or there will be no motivation. (Heb. 11: 6) It includes obedience because faith without works is dead and and useless (James 2: 17, 20) and our faith is authenticated by our obedience. (Gen. 22: 12; Heb 5: 9) To repeatedly use this verse as an example of salvation by faith alone, IMO. is a disservice to the readers of this forum.

Cornelius after being baptized with the Holy Spirit was ordered to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ in water. IMO, it is not finished until we are baptized in both water and Spirit because in order to enter the kingdom of God, we must be born of water and Spirit. (John 3: 3, 5) God bless.

Dan- Lydia and her household were saved by faith when they obeyed by being baptized, just like Abraham who by faith obeyed (Heb. 11: 8) when he was called. She was judged to have been faithful after she was baptized. (Acts 16: 15) God had opened her heart to respond in faith and obedience. Even though it is not mentioned, we know that she received the gift of the Holy Spirit because it was promised to all that repented and were baptized. (Acts 2: 38, 39) She like everyone else must be born of water and Spirit to enter the kingdom. God bless.

Dan- the 3,000 were added to the number of those who were being saved after they were baptized (Acts 2: 41, 47) not before. When they were baptized they received the gift of the Holy Spirit and were baptized with the Spirit when He was poured out upon them richly and abundantly (Titus 3: 5,6) They were baptized in water and Spirit and as they came forth, were born of water and Spirit and entered the kingdom. God bless.

[FONT=&quot]Very good your observation sister CLee622. And I use to add:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
· [FONT=&quot]“Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” [/FONT][FONT=&quot](Ephesians 4.3-6)[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Since unity is of the Holy Spirit, then the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the baptism with water was to last only until John:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
· [FONT=&quot]“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” [/FONT][FONT=&quot](Matthew 3.11)[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT]

Dan writes:
“In James 2:21, notice closely that James does 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," not accounted as righteous. So Abraham was justified "accounted as righteous" by faith (rightly understood) in the Lord alone (Genesis 15:6). *Read Romans 4:2 - For if Abraham was justified by works, (legal sense/accounted as righteous) he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it (faith, not works) was accounted to him for righteousness."---mailmandan
Response:

2For if Abraham was justified (edikaiōthē ) by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited (elogisthē ) to him as righteousness." (Rom. 4: 2, 3) NASB

[SUP]20 [/SUP]But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? [SUP]21 [/SUP]Was not Abraham our father justified (edikaiōthē ) by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? [SUP]22 [/SUP]You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; [SUP]23 [/SUP]and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned (elogisthē ) to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. [SUP]24 [/SUP]You see that a man is justified (edikaiōthē ) by works and not by faith alone. (James 2: 20-24) NASB

James tells us that, in some sense, Abraham was justified by his works when he offered up Isaac. I agree with Dan’s comments, that it was not that his works were reckoned for righteousness, IMO it was because his works resulted in the
perfecting or completing of his faith and it was a completed faith, a proved faith, a genuine faith, that was reckoned for righteousness. This faith was completed by his obedience (Gen. 22: 12, 18; Heb. 11: 8)

We must ask, “What kind of works was Abraham doing?” He was doing works which were by faith (Heb. 11: 8, 9, 17), IMO we would say he was doing works of faith. He was not doing works of the law nor was he doing works of righteous. Why? Works of the law are not of faith in God, they are not of faith (Gal. 3: 12), they are based upon performance. Similarly works of righteousness are not based on faith in God, they are based on faith or trust on one’s self (Luke 18: 9) Also, Abraham lived 430 years before the Law was given.

Was Genesis 15: 6, when his faith was reckoned for righteousness, the beginning of Abraham’s faith? No, he had been living by faith, perhaps 10 years, before Genesis 15: 6. (Heb. 11: 8, 9); and it was an obedient faith, a completed faith, a proven faith. Many have pointed to Genesis 15: 6 as proof that Abraham’s faith was without works, by faith alone. This claim is not supported by the Scriptures and is specifically refuted by James. He makes the point that Abraham was justified by works and he extends that point to include all of us, “You see that a man is justified (edikaiōthē ) by works and not by faith alone.” (James 2: 24)
God bless.

To so-Jesus-e-deus, post #446---"Since unity is of the Holy Spirit, then the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the baptism with water was to last only until John:

· “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” (Matthew 3.11)."
Response:
I must respectfully disagree; in Matt. 28: 18-20, Jesus authorized a baptism in water, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, which is for all nations, the whole creation, as many as God shall call to Himself. IMO this baptism together with the baptism with the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12: 13), make up the "one baptism" of Eph. 4: 5, which has two elements, water and Spirit. It is only when we come forth from both elements that we can enter the kingdom of God. (John 3: 3, 5)
God bless.

to Roger: Mark 16: 16 which baptism?
Matt. 28: 18-20- seems like our Lord is speaking of baptism in water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as the disciples do the baptizing here and only Jesus baptizes with the Spirit. This baptism is to all nations to the end. Go and make disciples by baptizing them and teaching them.
Mark 16: 16- the disciples are sent into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved. Go and preach the gospel--our Lord does not appear to interject Himself into this situation so IMO the disciples are the ones doing the preaching and the baptizing. If this is baptism in water, it has to do with salvation.
Acts 2: 38, 39- the gospel is preached, the converts are pierced to the heart and ask, "What shall we do?" They are told to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sin and they are promised the gift of the Holy Spirit. To me, it sounds like they allowed themselves to be baptized as in Matt. 28: 19.
Acts 2: 41, 47- those that received the word were baptized in water and they were added to the number who were being saved. So baptism in water does have to do with being saved.
Acts 2: 21- calling on the Lord has to do with salvation and baptism. (Act. 22: 16)
Acts 8: 12- when the Samaritans believed the gospel they were baptized (in water) and received the Spirit some time later.
Acts 8: 35- 38 - preached Jesus to him, Look, here is water, what prevents me from being baptized? Very consistently the people who believed were baptized in water in the name of the Lord. This appears to be the case in Mark 16: 16.
Acts 22: 16- Paul was baptized in water, washed away his sin and called on the name of the Lord. This certainly had to do with salvation.
Acts 10 : 44-48- Cornelius, having received the baptism with the Spirit, was ordered to be baptized in water in the name of Jesus. There is only one baptism-water and Spirit. (Eph. 4: 5) And it had to do with salvation. (Acts 11: 14)
Titus 3: 5- the washing of regeneration has to do with salvation.
1 Peter 1: 21- Peter says the baptism in water has to do with salvation and it is an appeal to God to cleanse us as He promised.
God bless.

The Physical Symbol and the Spiritual Reality

Dr. Daniel B. Wallace proposes an explanation of baptism as follows: “when one spoke of baptism, he usually meant both ideas—the reality and the ritual. Peter is shown to make a strong connection between these two in chapters 10 and 11” (of Acts). “In 11: 15-16 he recounts the conversion of Cornelius and friends, pointing out that at the point of their conversion they were baptized by the Holy Spirit. After he had seen this, he declared ‘Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit….’ (10: 47) The point seems to be that if they had the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit via spiritual baptism, there ought to be a public testimony/ acknowledgment via water baptism as well. This may not only explain Acts 2: 38 (viz. that Peter spoke both of reality and the picture, though only the reality removes sins), but also why the NT speaks only of baptized believers (as far as we can tell): Water baptism is not a cause of salvation, but a picture; and as such it serves as a public acknowledgment (by those present) and a public confession (by the convert) that one has been Spirit-baptized.” Greek Grammar, Beyond the Basics, pgs 370, 371

Response: God willing, I would like to offer a few comments about the following, for consideration.
(1) At least Dr. Wallace acknowledges that both exist and must be considered in any explanation of the “one baptism.”
(2) Are they best referred to as a “realty” and a “picture?”
(3) Is baptism in water in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin, a picture of the baptism with the Spirit?
(4) Is water baptism the cause of salvation?
(5) Is the Holy Spirit the propitiation for sin?
(6) What does baptism in water in the name of Jesus do for us?
(7) What does baptism in the Holy Spirit do for us?
(8) Do we need both?
God bless.

I'm sorry plain talk, but I have already refuted your erroneous arguments ​above and elsewhere multiple times in numerous posts on this thread and in other threads, but unfortunately, you are thoroughly indoctrinated into Campbellism and you simply REFUSE to BELIEVE the gospel (Romans 1:16; 2 Corinthians 4:3,4).

You continue to distort and pervert passages of Scripture in an effort of "patching together" your "watered down" gospel plan. Your false gospel is the result of bad semantics and flawed hermeneutics. I am tired of wasting my time beating a dead horse and there is really nothing left for me to do except shake the dust off my shoes and move on. You are not fooling me or any other believers on Christian Chat with your perverted gospel. I will continue to hope and pray that at least a seed has been planted from our conversations that one day soon will get watered and lead you to saving faith in Christ. That would be wonderful! Continue to seek FOR the truth and God bless. I will continue to pray for you.

Whereas a lot of believers err on Jesus Christ having saved us alone by faith in Him without works from us in order for us to declare Him as our Savior, many labor in unbelief supernaturally when seeking to receive the Holy Spirit after a sign of tongues without interpretation as if they can receive Him apart from salvation... or again.

Romans 8:[SUP]9 [/SUP]But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Neither one of these kinds of erring believers can testify that Jesus has saved them to go around telling others the Good News when in works they deny Him as the Savior in having saved us.

Man is saved by grace through faith apart from the merit of works, yet genuine faith is not apart from the presence of works. That is the balance between Paul (Romans 4:2-6) and James (James 2:14-24). Believers are saved FOR good works, but not by good works (Ephesians 2:8-10).

The gospel is the "good news" of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who BELIEVES.. (Romans 1:16).

The gospel is not a set of rituals to perform, a code of laws to be obeyed or a check list of good works to accomplish as a prerequisite for salvation. The gospel simply sets forth Christ crucified, buried and risen as the Savior of all who believe (trust) in His finished work of redemption as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation.

Acts 11:17 - If therefore God gave them the same gift (Holy Spirit) as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?

Ephesians 1:13 - In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

How does one use genuine faith for good works as a standard for proof or evidence of salvation?

Do you believe that there are saved believers still when they do not depart from iniquity or if some fell away from the faith and that had stopped believing in Him? 2 Timothy 2nd chapter addresses the reality of that in reproving your P.O.V.

The Book of Revelation has God acknowledging good works in those seven churches, and yet five of them were at risk, even one having faith & good works like the church at Thyatira but yet engaging in iniquity. They were at risk of being cast into the bed of the great tribulation & incurring physical death, but they are still His and thus still saved.

James 2nd chapter was never about faith in Jesus Christ for salvation; it was about a church that was neglecting the poor by verbally applying faith in God's Providence to the poor after church service without meeting the need of the poor from the bounty collected during church service. It was the abuse of using faith in God's Providence to the poor when the church was not leading by example; that was the point of James referring to Abraham of the offering up of Isaac as that incident and place in the O.T. was about faith in God providing; nothing else if you expect Paul's words to mean exactly what he has shared for why it is not running counter to James words.

So we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ to such a point that if a believer stops believing in Him, He still abides in that believer ( 2 Timothy 2:13 ) even though he is at risk of being a castaway ( 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 ) and thus to be received later on as a vessel unto dishonor in His House ( 2 Timothy 2:18-21 )

His disciples are to run that race by faith in Jesus Christ that He will help them lay aside every weight & sin as He will finish His work in them to His glory and to His crowning achievements in the vessels unto honor in His House.

Yes, even to those left behind at the pre trib rapture that did not look to Jesus for help in proving everything by Him to help them depart from any work of darkness as exposed by Him & His words in the KJV.

Salvation cannot be obtained by running that race. By the grace of God we have been saved by faith in Jesus Christ thus reconciled with God and thereby IN THAT RACE to live that reconciled relationship with God thru Jesus Christ to be received by Him when the Bridegroom comes.

The reason why those who do not depart from iniquity and get left behind as vessels unto dishonor in His House is to testify to His finished work of redemption as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation which is still to His glory.

From those on a roller coaster ride of emotional supernatural highs and lows of the hills and valleys of continual filling of what they believe is the Holy Spirit apart from salvation....

1 Timothy 4:1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;[SUP]2 [/SUP]Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

To the religious yokes of the will of man and the will of the flesh where men can boast by commitments & promises to God..

Galatians 5:1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.[SUP]2 [/SUP]Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.[SUP]3 [/SUP]For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.[SUP]4 [/SUP]Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.[SUP]5 [/SUP]For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

Jeremiah 50:[SUP]6 [/SUP]My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.[SUP]7 [/SUP]All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the Lord, the habitation of justice, even the Lord, the hope of their fathers.

They are both in error in moving away from their resting place in Him and thus in need of Him to depart from those iniquities as works that deny Him, they will be denied by Him, even though He shall still abide in those left behind at the pre trib rapture event as vessels unto dishonor in His House to testify to the power of God in salvation through Christ Jesus for any that believe in His name.

Titus 1:[SUP]15 [/SUP]Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.[SUP]16 [/SUP]They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

2 Timothy 2:[SUP]12 [/SUP]If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:[SUP]13 [/SUP]If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

To Dan:

Salvation is by grace through faith. (Eph. 2: 8)
Salvation is by calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 2: 21)
Salvation is by repentance. (2 Cor. 7: 10)
Salvation is by confessing His name before men. (Rom. 10: 10)
Salvation is by baptism. (1 Peter 3: 21)
Salvation is by the washing of regeneration. (Titus 3: 5)
Salvation is by obedience. (Heb. 5: 9)
Therefore salvation is not by faith alone but by works of faith.
Therefore salvation is through an obedient faith.

Salvation is by calling on the Lord. (Acts 2: 21)
Those who have been baptized have called on the name of the Lord. (Acts 22: 16)
Cannot call on the name of the Lord unless you have faith. (Rom. 10: 14)
Therefore coming to faith is not by calling on the name of the Lord.
Baptism is an appeal to God for the forgiveness of sins. (1 Peter 3: 21)

Cornelius:
It seems to me that Peter asked if anyone could forbid water. The answer was a resounding, "No".
The he ordered (NASB) Cornelius and his people to be baptized in the name of Christ.
Had Cornelius been baptized into Christ and into his death?
Had Cornelius died with Christ, been buried with Him, and arose with Him in the newness of life?
Had Cornelius died to the old self?
It seems that if we expect to live with Christ, we must die with Him. (Rom. 6: 8)
God bless.

post #450
(1) At least Dr. Wallace acknowledges that both exist and should be considered in any explanation of the “one baptism.”
Although I have some serious disagreements with the interpretation of baptism by Dr. Wallace, it is refreshing that he admits to both baptism in water in the name of Christ and baptism with the Holy Spirit. The fellowship in which I was reared denies the legitimacy of baptism with the Spirit today. In 1962 the church in which my wife and I attended divided over the issue of the baptism with the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. Several of our friends tried to convince us that they had found a better way. An intensive study, for me at any rate, convinced me that speaking in tongues has indeed ceased, but it also convinced me that I needed further study on the Holy Spirit and the one baptism among other things. It has been a great surprise to find the number of believers who hold that baptism in water, in the name of Christ, has ceased and the great number of believers, who although they practice some type of baptism deny its necessity in regard to salvation. Dr. Wallace seems to be among the latter number. God. bless.

Sorry, forgot part of response: #450
IMO both baptism in water, in the name of Christ and baptism with the Spirit by Jesus exist and each one makes differing but necessary contributions to our salvation; both must be taken into consideration when discussing the “one baptism” topic. Those who do not, are making a serious mistake.
God bless.