Requirements of Salvation

That was what Paul felt, I agree with you. He wanted to win both Jews and Gentiles to Christ.

But if you claim that James felt the same way as Paul, that is reading into the scripture. As you have already stated, James was known as James the Just, he was very zealous for the Law of Moses. He already stated in his letter to the 12 tribes that faith without works is dead.

Don't contradict yourself again.

If that is what you are saying, then you are also saying "the moment Jesus starting preaching in Mark, none of the Jews needed to sacrifice animals, be circumcised, and follow the Law of Moses at all".

Either Exodus 19:4-6 held for the Jews during the 4 Gospels, or it doesn't.

Yes, but you obviously ignore certain instructions because you know they are not directed to you correct?

“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:” 1 Peter 3:21 (KJV 1900)

This is a great verse! But I had to go to Biblegateway.com and put the verse into modern English, to understand what it was saying. Instead of using archaic KJV, why not use modern English? When people cannot understand the language, they are not going to rejoice over a good verse! Here it is in today's English:

"and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ," 1 Peter 3:21 NIV

And here it is in Greek, which is more accurate and easier to read than the KJV:

"ὃ καὶ ὑμᾶς ἀντίτυπον νῦν σῴζει βάπτισμα, οὐ σαρκὸς ἀπόθεσις ῥύπου ἀλλὰ συνειδήσεως ἀγαθῆς ἐπερώτημα εἰς θεόν, δι’ ἀναστάσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ," 1 Peter 3:21 SNL Greek NT

well, of COURSE it's pertinent, but it does not establish how the process works. This one time event was an anomaly. You cannot claim that's how it will work for everyone, because this was a singular, special purpose event.

If it was that easy to be saved from hell then we wouldn't have scriptures such as Matthew 7:13-14 that warn us that few people will be saved.

James 2:19 KJB
"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. "

James 2:13-26 KJB
"13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

Matthew 7:13-14 KJB
"13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

I guess salvation would be a hard thing for most to achieve, but I know that God is almighty so He can do anything. I would disagree with you that salvation is not easy, I know that it's actually impossible for a man to save himself. This is why God came into the world to do it for us, so yeah it's very simple to receive the prize on a silver platter.
Jesus never said "you have to do xy&z, all he said was "believe and ye shall be saved" and that's good enough for me. I know that some try to add works to Christ's finished work, but He said "it is finished" and that's good enough for me.
Our best works are as filthy rags in God's sight, so I wouldn't dare add them to Christs spotless garment.

When you read verses like 1 Corinthians 6:11 it certainly sounds like it.

1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

In the phrase “by the Spirit of our God,” by is the Greek word en which means in. So is this by the Spirit or in the Spirit?

Mark 1:8 ESV

I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

With here is also the Greek work en or in.

Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

In this case believers are sealed in him with the Holy Spirit.

These verses show that the Holy Sprit is certainly involved, but John 3:8 also tells us that we can’t fully understand everything involving the Spirit.

John 3:8 ESV

“The wind/pneuma blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit/Pneumatos.”

I certainly understand why there is confusion surrounding the topic of baptism. That’s why we have to clearly define each baptism referenced in the Bible, most especially the ones for a believer in our Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s start with water baptism. I’m sure we can agree, on the most basic level, that this is a human being here on earth baptizing another human being in water, e.g. John baptizing a person in the river Jordan (Mt 3:4-6). Yes?

Jesus also said, the contents of the Word is what everyone will be judged by. That would include Jesus words recorded in Mark, "he who believes and is baptized shall be saved." (Mark 16:16) Faith without works is dead. (James 2)

John’s baptism was in water.

Matthew 3:6 ESV

and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

ebaptizonto en to lordane potamo = were being immersed in the Jordan River.



Jesus’s baptism

Mark 1:9 ESV

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

ebaptisthe eis ton lordanen = was immersed into the Jordan

Since the longer ending of Mark is accepted as spurious by modern scholars, you should stop quoting it as a proof text. In fact, Mark 16:16 conflicts with every other verse about baptism, which proves the longer ending is wrong. Certainly the theology, the vocabulary, the high Christology differs considerably from the rest of Mark, and from the rest of the NT, it is simply not appropriate to constantly quote something which Mark never wrote.

While Mark does seem to have lost its ending, (using gar, or "for" as the last word) the verses following, either the longer or shorter endings are simply not authentic. The longer ending does appear in 2nd century manuscripts, but there are too many factors which are not Markian to use the longer ending.

Further, even if you could somehow show that the longer ending was not spurious, then you would have to make a doctrine out of one verse, which is very poor hermeneutics indeed. A strong doctrine should show up all over Scripture, this "believe AND be baptized" implying that baptism is necessary for salvation, cannot be supported anywhere in the Bible, except a spurious text.

If you want some more solid reasons why the longer ending is spurious, I can give you a list. Just ask!

The biblical record confirms the need for water baptism as I have pointed out over and over. Jesus stated that the word will be the judge. Refusing to accept scriptures as authentic will not be an acceptable defense.

Did you ever read Acts 21:20-25 to see what James felt about the difference between Jewish and Gentile believers, wrt the Law of Moses?

the need for water baptism

If that is what you are saying, then you are also saying "the moment Jesus starting preaching in Mark, none of the Jews needed to sacrifice animals, be circumcised, and follow the Law of Moses at all".

Just a personal request for you- when you quote Greek, also add the Greek in original letters, preferably the SBL Greek translation because it has all of the markings on top the letters. You can put the transliterated letters, if you want, but for those of us who read Greek, it is so much easier to read the original letters, rather than using tedious English letters. Plus, in the example above, it is hard to tell if you used an i or an l for the starting letter of Jordan. Of course the l is wrong. Using the Greek letters helps so much!

Thanks in advance!

I am trying to learn for exactly the reasons you gave in post #334. Already feel like there is so much that you cannot understand from the English translations.

I can give you the names of some Greek profs who are offering online courses. You will be amazed at how much the Greek enriched your Bible studies, and be able to determine yourself simple errors in translations. These are some of the top Greek scholars in the world.