"What must I do to be saved?"

Following the clear commands must not be confused with works so-called. Everything we do here requires physical action and such actions that are done in the form of command must not be confused with works of the flesh or of the old law which is no longer in force. To call baptism a work as some do, is incorrect, unscriptural, and makes no sense and would also be disobedient to ignor it.

You are misinterpreting the scriptures to fit your own preconceived beliefs.

Your misunderstanding of the scriptures comes from not understanding that salvation=deliverance, saved=deliver, and save=deliver, according to Strong's concordance.

There are many deliverances that the, born again, child of God receives as he sojourns here in this world, by his good works, and he is delivered eternally only one time, by God's sovereign grace, without the works of mankind.

No, I am just interpreting the word as written.

Since you are ignoring the rules of language, You would be the one who is interpreting to fit your belief

I'm simply reading, obeying, and applying the scriptures which is not misunderstanding, disobeying, or ignoring as you choose to do.

Obedience is the active part of faith, without it faith is dead. Faith according to many today requires no obedience. Consider Abraham's action in attempting to sacrifice Isaac in accordance with God's instruction. That action was the evidence that he believed God. Those who believe the NT gospel message will express their belief through corresponding action as well.

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Mark 16:15-16

I guess the bottom line is people don't believe the gospel message presented on the Day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:2-39) Even though confirmation is seen throughout the biblical record.


"But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
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.
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." James 2:20-24

Placing one's trust in Jesus is what saves:

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Acts 2:36-39


"And he (Jesus) said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Mark 16:15-16

Actually Jesus said,
Unless a man is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom. (John 3:5) This is consistent with the first salvation message presented on the Day of Pentecost as well as afterward. The message included the need to be baptized in water in the name of the Lord Jesus for remission of sins and the need to be indwelt by the Holy Ghost/Spirit as well. Yep, there it is Water and Spirit. (Not water pertaining to one's natural birth as some suggest) Take note that Jesus prophesied that repentance and remission of sins (the connection to water baptism) would be preached in HIS NAME to all nations BEGINNING in Jerusalem. ( Luke 24:47) Administering water baptism in Jesus' name began at Pentecost after His death, burial, and resurrection.

Then when will you do this?
Your faith is in water baptism, and the persons who baptizes you, Not Christ.

Obedience is works which is produced "out of" faith. Faith that merely "says/claims" that it's genuine, yet produces no works demonstrates that it's dead. (James 2:14-18)

Obedience/works is the fruit, by product and demonstrative evidence of faith, but not the essence of faith and also not the basis or means by which we obtain salvation.

Key word - "evidence." In James 2:21, notice that James does not say that Abraham's work of offering up Isaac resulted in God accounting Abraham as righteous. 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 account him as righteous, but it showed or manifested the genuineness of his faith. That is the "sense" in which Abraham was "justified by works." He was shown to be righteous.

Yes, all genuine believers are fruitful, yet not all are equally fruitful.

The gospel is not "water baptized or condemned." (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

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.

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 1 requirement that Jesus mentions 9 different times in each of these complete statements? *BELIEVES. *What happened to baptism? *Hermeneutics.

1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.. Nothing there about salvation by water baptism. Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who BELIEVES, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. BELIEVES plus what? Plus nothing.

In James 2:20, "faith without works is dead" does not mean that faith is dead until it produces works and then it becomes a living faith or that works are the source of life in faith. That would be like saying that a tree is dead until it produces fruit and then it becomes a living tree and the fruit is the source of life in the tree. James is simply saying faith that is not accompanied by evidential works demonstrates that it's dead. If someone says-claims he has faith but lacks resulting evidential works, then he has an empty profession of faith/dead faith and not authentic faith.

In James 2:22, faith 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 based on merits of his works after he offered up Isaac on the altar 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.

In James 2:23, the scripture was fulfilled in vindicating or demonstrating that Abraham believed God and was accounted as righteous. Abraham was accounted as righteous based on his faith (Genesis 15:6) not his works (Romans 4:2-3) long before he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22.

In James 2:24, James is not using the word "justified" here to mean "accounted as righteous" but is "shown to be righteous." James is discussing the proof/evidence of faith (says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18), not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God (Romans 4:2-3). Works bear out the justification that already came by faith.

In the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the Greek word for justified "dikaioo" #1344 is:

1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2. to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be

In Matthew 12:37, we read - "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." This is because our words (and our works) reveal the condition of our hearts. Words/works will appear to be evidences for, or against a man's being in a state of righteousness.

God is said to have been justified by those who were baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 7:29). This act pronounced or declared God to be righteous. It did not make him righteous. The basis or ground for the pronouncement was the fact that God IS righteous. Notice that the NIV reads, "acknowledged that God's way was right.." The ESV reads, "they declared God just.." This is the sense in which God was justified, "shown to be righteous".

Matthew 11:19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified/vindicated/shown to be right by her deeds."

The Catholic Church also gives supernatural powers to the water of baptism, not to mention the "holy water" which is their their churches.

I believe the Mormons have similar ideas also.
"Mormons believe that baptism is essential if a person is to receive salvation and return to live with their Heavenly Father. People must be spiritually clean and worthy in order to live with God. Through repentance and baptism a person is forgiven their sins and made pure enough to live with the Lord."

But here is what God says in and through His Word: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Actually I did place my trust in Jesus. I believed what He said. So I repented, and received the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues, and was buried with Him, through water baptism in His name where my sins were destroyed in accordance with His sacrifice. You can call it what you want. But the fact is that is God's word. I encourage people to follow Jesus not the traditions of men. Believe and obey.

"The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:" Acts 1:1-3

Men/Denominations can believe whatever they like concerning baptismal water. But the fact is God instituted water baptism in the name of Jesus for remission of sin when man did nothing to deserve it. (God's grace) It is part of the NT rebirth along with being indwelt by the Holy Ghost. God designed both the natural birth, and the Spiritual rebirth. The Spiritual rebirth mirrors God design of the natural birth. (Rom. 1:20)

"And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?
And he (Jesus) answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:

The baptism of John, (water baptism) was it from heaven, or of men?" Luke 20:2-4

Scripture means what it says:
"Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. James 2:24

As to 1 Corinthians 15, resurrection is what is being addressed. Paul specifically states in verse 3 that he delivered to them FIRST OF ALL, how Christ died, was buried and rose again. His statement FIRST OF ALL indicates there was more relative to the gospel message.

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you FIRST OF ALL that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?"

In verse 29 Paul does ask why people are being baptized for the dead (unbiblical practice) if they don't believe in the reality of resurrection.

No

Again, Your faith is in water baptism. Like the jews faith was in their circumcision (another command of God)

You may want to consider what almost happened to Moses for taking God's command lightly. The Angel of the Lord was sent to kill him. (Exodus 4:24-26) Also, people were instructed to obey the OT command of circumcision. If they refused to comply they were separated from God for breaking His covenant. (Gen. 17:14)

The NT command to repent and submit to water baptism in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins was commanded of people of all nations. My trust in Jesus is not misplaced. Obedience to His command results in exactly what Jesus compelled Peter to say on the Day of Pentecost.

I think I understand what you mean. When you get saved and receive the Holy Spirit, He causes you to obey the Lord. If the Lord commands us to be water baptized, you do it as a result of the Holy Spirit working in you (so long as you don't resist Him).

Is that what you mean?

❧

You may want to conisder adding works to the Gospel. Like the jews tried to do. And paul called them anathema and fools

Water baptism is an answer of a good conscience toward God, because of Christ remitting their sins on the cross (1 Pet 3:21)

Water baptism saves (delivers) a born again child of God from their guilty conscience.

Those Jews that Peter was accusing of crucifying Jesus, were already delivered (saved) eternally, evidenced by being "pricked" in their heart.

When a person is born again, God exchanges their heart of stone to a heart of flesh, that can be pricked. Notice the difference in the response of the heart of flesh, contrasted to the heart of stone in those in Acts 7, who heard Stephen preaching the same sermon as Peter on the day of Pentecost, and they were "cut to the heart" and gnashed on him with their teeth.

I believe many confuse acts of obedience in accordance with one's faith in God with the OT law.

Both God's command of OT Circumcision given to Abraham, and water baptism for those in the NT are not related at all with the OT Law. The law was established 430 years after the time of Abraham, see the following commentary:

The legal covenant of Sinai came in as a parenthesis (Rom 5:20) between the promise to Abraham and its fulfillment in his promised seed, Christ. "It was added because of the transgressions" (Gal 3:19), i.e. to bring them, and so man's great need, into clearer view (Rom 3:20; 4:15; 5:13; 7:7-9).(Fausset's Bible Dictionary)

The Bible is clear regarding what God expected of Abraham. In order to be in covenant with God, he was to believe God’s promise (have faith) and perform circumcision on members of his household (take action). This is evidenced by Genesis 17:13-14: “He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.”

Just as in Abraham's time, those living in the New Testament are not under the law. In Galatians chapter 3, Paul asked the Galatians why they were trying to be made perfect by the flesh. Paul goes on to say, “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till (until) the seed should come to whom the promise was made;…” What Paul is saying here is that the law was added until Jesus should come.

Consider that the New Testament mandate propels us back past the law to the promise given Abraham by God. The fulfillment of that promise was the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. Therefore, the New Testament believer is redeemed from the curse of the Old Testament laws through the blood of Lamb of God—Jesus.

As far as Abraham was concerned, he had to believe God’s message and respond to His command to enter into the covenant by circumcision. Remember that God changes not. So, in order to enter into the promise of the New Testament (Jesus) we must obey God's mandate and be water baptized in His name. (Rom. 6:3-6)

Mankind’s obedience to circumcision in the Old Testament and its correlation of water baptism in the New Testament is clearly seen in the book of Colossions:

“In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened (made alive) together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross;
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Colossions 2:11


And again in Galatians:
"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Gal 3:26-27