BAPTISM AND SALVATION TODAY No water included. Hear.... Trust.... Believe... Saved... Sealed. No doing or working. Just trusting Ephesians 1:13-14 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. I understand the Church of Christ Position of Acts 2:38 and Mark 16:16... theres a big problem though. You cannot find the message of repent and be baptized... to anyone except for literal, natural Israel. The few times it is spoken to someone outside of Israel, it was spoken to someone who served and adhered to Israel (Acts 10, Cornelius is a very good example) While Peter and the Apostles were expanding Israel with their Comission from Christ, a transition takes place.... 1.) Israel has rejected their Messiah, except for a small group (the remnant or little flock) 2.) Due to their rejection, salvation by that same message of repentance begins to spread to gentiles... Paul talks about this in Romans 10. 3.) But the biggest transition takes place with what is revealed to Apostle Paul. The Revelation of the Mystery is given to Paul. Ephesians 3:2-12 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Compare these 2 Verses... Romans 16:25-27 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. Acts 3:19-21 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. Do you see a difference? The difference is between what was hid from the beginning vs. what was spoke about since the beginning What Christ gave to Paul by revelation is entirely different from what he gave to the disciples to preach. In Acts 2... Read the WHOLE chapter. See if you can find 2 things. 1.) Peter preaching that Christ died for our sins (He doesnt present that, but instead is charging Israel with a murder indictment. ) 2.) Where this Gospel is to make both Jew and Gentile one new body, together without distinction (Peter and the other apostles were not interested in being associated with gentiles, much less preaching a gospel that would include them in Israel’s covenants. Church of Christ: Water Baptism, Confession of Sin and Belief in Christs death and resurrection for forgiveness. Good works and a good lifestyle are required to keep salvation. (This comes from trying to combine both Kingdom Gospel and Grace Gospel together. Also... this stems from not understanding grace, without works. Romans 4:5) It is believed that one may fall from grace if he or she does not remain faithful to the Lord. There are many sections of scripture that the Church of Christ uses and baptists, along with other security of the believer peeps, try to walk around or until explain. Let It be noted that these certain verses of falling or loss of position are almost all found In writings not addressed to the body of Christ, but to the believing remnant of Israel. For Example: Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. Notice here, the impossibility of being saved again if one is to fall away. This is simply something that puzzles many Bible students, although not many are willing to say this to a repentant sinner who was once saved. Baptist: Believe and Confess Jesus, while trusting Christ death and resurrection for forgiveness of sins. Baptism is not for salvation, but is to show an outward representation of an inward change (found no where in scripture) or to depict the death and resurrection of ones self in Christ (idea taken from Romans 6 where no water is included in the passage.) Good works are not required for salvation, but are a fruit of salvation. If someone is habitually sinning, he or she may either still be lost or is backslidden. This comes from understanding grace... but not being able to tie in some of the conditional statements in Scripture. I am In neither camp. Paul says there is one baptism... not 2 or 3... just one. He, throughout his epistles, makes clear that this one baptism is not a wet one, but instead is an identification that the Holy Spirit Himself does. No where in his epistles does Paul instruct water baptism as a means of salvation. Paul, in Ephesians 1:13-14, shows the order of events in being saved. Ephesians 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, Galatians 3:27-28 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 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. Colossians 2:10-12 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 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. Romans 6:3-4 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. It is AMAZING that One baptism done by the Holy Spirit can accomplish so much! !! Our salvation is based on our belief and trust In what Christs cross, by way of death and resurrection, accomplished. It Is not performance based. If and individual, who claims to be saved, is habitually or out right sinning, my vote is not to say he or she is lost or backslidden, but is simply in need of an identity check. We dont, or at least should not, try to get In Gods favor by doing good. We seek to obey Gods word because our purpose has went from selfish sinner to saved saint. We are no longer blinded by SIN, but rather have been made Ambassadors of Christ. You cannot unearn something that you never earned. You cannot undeserve something you never deserved. What are you trusting for Salvation?
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 01:22:01 +0000
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