Oldbear83 said:
BusyTarpDuster2017 said:
Oldbear83 said:
BusyTarpDuster2017 said:
Oldbear83 said:
BusyTarpDuster2017 said:
Oldbear83 said:
BusyTarpDuster2017 said:
Oldbear83 said:
BusyTarpDuster2017 said:
I have not followed this thread closely. But is it really the position of some here that works and water baptism are requirements for salvation? So, for example, if someone hears the gospel and believes it with all his heart, and asks Jesus to save him and then puts his trust in Jesus, but then immediately dies right after, before he can do a single work or get baptized.....then he is NOT saved?
The problem is assuming that professing a faith in Christ but never acting on it will result in Heaven.
When you accepted Christ as your Savior, you did not immediately die, right?
The scenario you describe applies to very few people, and none of us here.
There are many verses in Scripture, where Christ gives specific commands to do things.
He also clearly warned that some would fall away. Jesus said many times, that if we are His servants we will do His work.
Faith is the essential power, yes, except that Salvation is always of the Lord, and just as no man can do any work to effect his own Salvation, so too can no one change God's mind by their belief.
By their fruit you shall know them, remember?
That's all well and good, but you didn't answer the question. Is that person saved, or not?
Yes, I did answer. That is God's verdict, not mine.
Exodus 33:19 and Romans 9:15, for those scoring at home.
Now answer my question, please:
Once you accept Christ, is that all He wants from you? Or is there something He would like you to do?
(hint, see my prior references to Christ's quotes on that one)
If your answer is that it's God's verdict and not yours, then you are ignorant to that person's salvation status, which would mean that you DO NOT KNOW whether works and water baptism are requirements for salvation, that it may be in fact that they are NOT.....correct?
To answer your question, no, I don't believe that's all He wants from me. But that's different from the question of salvation.
Nice duck, but come on.
You cannot know someone's condition with the Lord. Consider how even Jesus' disciples did not realize it was Judas who would betray Him, nor Peter deny Him. If they had known, who among them would have known that Judas would die in his sin, while Peter would be restored?
It can be fun to play theoretical games, but we live in a world of real people. For the record, I believe that we are saved by the Atonement of Christ, as confirmed in Scripture, and that we receive the Grace of God through Acceptance, Belief and Confession.
I say it this way because Jesus warned us that
James 2:19
"You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror."
To say you have faith is worthless if you do not do anything with it. This is why Christ warned his disciples:
Matthew 13:3-8
"And He told them many things in parables, saying, "A farmer went out to sow his seed. And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
"Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings.
"Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a cropa hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold."
This is clear instruction, and should not be ignored.
Can you please answer my question? If you are saying you don't know whether that person is saved or not, you can NOT say that works and water baptism are required, correct? Let's lay aside the citing of scripture for a moment, and focus on this logically.
First, I have answered you plainly twice, a courtesy you have yet to return.
Second, this matter depends completely on Scripture in context.
Now please gut it up and answer my question, please.
I don't understand why you are being so angry and confrontational about this. All I want to know is your position on salvation, whether works and water baptism are REQUIRED. According to your response, it appears your answer is NO. Is that correct?
Dusty, I would say it is you who is being confrontational. You have offered a binary choice, both of which I find false. The correct answer lies in Scripture, but you seem to fear that for some reason.
If you want to understand what is required for Salvation, simply look to the accounts of people who were saved. Saved from what, and how?
Frodo looks to unusual accounts, like the thief on the cross. What did we see there? Obviously, as he was about to die he could not do any works in service to God after that moment, nor obviously could he be baptised. In the Gospel accounts, the thief confirms in words that he is dying of his own sin and asks Christ to remember him when He is in Heaven (acceptance and belief and confession) upon which Jesus promises the thief he will be in Paradise with Jesus that day.
So Frodo and others fall into the assumption that you don't need to be beptised or do anything to go to Heaven. But that is not true for all, as Acts 8:36-38 shows. This was clearly after Christ's ascension to Heaven, yet baptism was clearly directed. Same for Acts 16:30-34.
Now, does this mean that baptism is what saves a person? No, Christ's atonement does that, but the baptism matters because it marks the person. That is also why we are told about Christ's own baptism (Matthew
3:13-16), because it demonstrates the value of public observance of the rite.
Consider also that some fall away. I called upon Christ's own warnings in Matthew 5:13, 5:18-19, Mark 9:50, Matthew 7:16-17, and Mark 12:28-34.
The works do not earn Salvation, but are nonetheless the clear duty of any who would claim to belong to Christ.
All of this I have posted before, all of it in context and alignment with other Scripture. Frodo, sadly, refuses to do the same, but uses only Paul to support claims not made anywhere in Scripture, such as his insistence that Paul received "doctrine" from Christ Himself, something not even Peter claimed.
Now in all of this I have not been angry, but have used Scripture in context and from multiple sources, especially Christ's own words. I have also answered every question put to me, again something you have not done, nor has Frodo.
The Holy Spirit Marks a person through the Baptism of the Holy Ghost
1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. {Gentiles: Gr. Greeks}
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
(KJV)
Ro 8:9 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. KJV
Holy Spirit Baptizes a man into Christ, NOT Water Baptism.
Ga 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
(KJV)
Ro 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
(KJV)
Not Water, but an answer of a good conscience toward God:
1Pe 3:21 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:
(KJV)
This was John's Ministry BEFORE Christ came:
Ac 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Ac 10:37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
Ac 13:24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
Ac 18:25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
Ac 19:3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
Ac 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus