Salvation by Faith Only

Verses showing justification by Faith Only: Faith Only arose in about 1500 and rejects all previous understanding about Christ's plan of salvation. This makes the direct command of Jesus as used to open the door to the church by Peter of non effect.

See how Paul defines FAITH as the confidence which drives one to be a DOER of the Word.

Salvation by Faith Only people miss the markers to the narrow trail by failing to understand that to Paul WORKS, LAW AND FLESH have to do with the Law of Moses. At the same time GRACE, FAITH and SPIRIT stand for the System of Faith of the Christian System.

All of the Faith Only passages are lifted out of context and teach false dogma which has to explain-away every Biblical statement about baptism as the DOING which makes faith alive.

Ken, this is a quick review of the FAITH ONLY passages. This has pushed the body beyond its limits and it just wouldn't move to look at it all. But this sample should be enough.

This is a topic which needs examination as our "brethrens" tippy toe backward into legalism and paganism including "Believer's Baptism" cooked up by Zwingli about 1500 too years too late to be CHRISTIAN. Even then, Zwingli was not discussing FAITH ONLY versus FAITH AND OBEDIENCE. Rather, the issue of BELIEVING had to do with infants and those who had never heard the gospel plan.

8/23/02, 2:38 p.m.

Matthew J. Slick: Justification is the legal act where God declares the sinner to be innocent of his or her sins. It is not that the sinner is now sinless, but that he is "declared" sinless. This declaration of righteousness is being justified before God.

Salvation by Faith Only means salvation by GRACE through FAITH. Ephesians 2 includes Baptism as the way we receive Salvation by Faith Only.

Anyone who does RIGHT is righteous in that instant. On the other hand, Abraham was justified by faith each and every time God told him to do something and he didn't argue with God and he did not consider his act as EARNING God's approval.

We will see that Abraham's justification BY FAITH meant that God APPROVED of Abraham because his faith had an OBJECT: faith which does not act upon what it believes is a dead faith because as Paul and James says "they are not DOERS of what they believe." Now, add God to that list who APPROVED OF Abraham because he was a DOER:

Because that Abraham

obeyed my voice, and
kept my charge,
my commandments,
my statutes, and
my laws. Gen 26:5

You are left to choose between Zwingli and Jesus.

The protestant, Alistair McGrath, justification and regeneration Iustitia Dei, Vol. 1 makes it clear that FAITH ONLY did not exist for 1500 years.

Therefore, no one for this period ever understood the Bible to teach the Calvinistic dogma taught by Zwingli who never said what modern people understand:

p. 184 "The significance of the Protestant distinction between justification and regeneration is that a fundamental discontinuity has been introduced into the western theological tradition where none had existed before.

Despite the astonishingly theological diversity of the late medieval period, a consensus relating to the nature of justification was maintained throughout.

The Protestant understanding of the nature represents a theological novum, whereas its understanding of its mode does not."

Only by accepting Zwingli as a Latter Day Apostle superceding Jesus and the original apostles does Faith Only have any reason to exist.

In that, latter day Faith Only teachers stand in the tradition of Joseph Smith with his peep stones.

MARTIN LUTHER the STOLEN author of Sola Fide: Not: Salvation by Faith Only

For 1500 years no one taught FAITH ONLY. Were all of those people lost before Luther and Zwingi? At the same time, only infant baptizers believed in baptismal regeneration.

But modern faith only people DO NOT GRASP EITHER LUTHER OR ZWINGLI:

But as our would-be wise, new spirits assert that faith alone saves, and that works and external things avail nothing, we answer:

It is true, indeed, that nothing in us is of any avail but faith, as we shall hear still further. But these blind guides are unwilling to see this, namely,

that faith must have something which it believes, that is, of which it takes hold, and upon which it stands and rests.

Thus faith clings to the water, and believes that it is Baptism, in which there is pure salvation and life;

not through the water (as we have sufficiently stated), but through the fact that it is embodied in the Word and institution of God, and the name of God inheres in it.

Now, if I believe this,

what else is it than believing in God as in Him
who has given and planted His Word into this ordinance,
and proposes to us this external thing wherein we may apprehend such a treasure?

In John's baptism for the Jews, failure to be baptized repudiated God and therefore was not saving faith:

And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God,
......being baptized with the baptism of John. John 7:29

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves,
...... being not baptized of him. John 7:30

Now, they are so mad as to separate faith and that to which faith clings and is bound though it be something external.

Yea, it shall and must be something external,

that it may be apprehended by the senses, and understood and thereby be brought into the heart, as indeed the entire Gospel is an external, verbal preaching.

In short, what God does and works in us He proposes to work through such external ordinances.

Wherever, therefore, He speaks, yea, in whichever direction or by whatever means He speaks, thither faith must look, and to that it must hold.

Now here we have the words: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. To what else do they refer than to Baptism, that is, to the water comprehended in God's ordinance?

Hence it follows that whoever rejects Baptism rejects the Word of God, faith, and Christ, who directs us thither and binds us to Baptism.

As we have noted, believer's baptism even perverts the PURPOSES for which Zwingli RADICALLY ALTERED 1500 years of the Bible and Scholarly opinion. Furthermore, it repudiates the prophetic types of the Ark and the Red Sea and other Old Testament statements.

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5

And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. Genesis 6:6

And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. Genesis 6:7

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Gen 6:8

Grace is:

Chen (h2580) khane; from 2603; graciousness, i. e. subj. (kindness, favor) or objective (beauty): - favour, grace (-ious), pleasant, precious, [well-] favoured.

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Ge.6:8

And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Ge.18:3

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. Zec.12:10

IN that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. Zech 13:1

The fountain is:

Maqowr (h4726) maw-kore'; or maqor maw-kore'; from 6979; prop. something dug, i. e. a (gen.) source (of water, even when naturally flowing; also of tears, blood [by euphem. of the female pudenda]; fig. of happiness, wisdom, progeny): - fountain, issue, spring, well (-spring)

Grace in the sense of using music As worship which is "charismatic" is of the carnal world and is always sexually perverted.

Noah was justified by faith because he lived a RIGHTEOUS LIFE. That is, he was not part of the wicked crowd. Noah did not need saving in a SPIRITUAL sense because he wasn't lost. He walked in the steps of God and we are justified if we walk in the steps of ABRAHAM.

Paul refers to 6:8 by saying that FAITH demands being a DOER of what one believes.

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet,

  1. moved with fear,
  2. prepared an ark to the saving of his house;
  3. by the which he condemned the world,
  4. and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Heb.11:7

Peter looked backward to Noah to see one of the BEGINNING types of how God would save the SPIRITS of mankind in a FORM of the flood. Again, Anti- as in Anti-type means BECAUSE OF. God saves mankind in other TYPES but saves the spirits of righteous people who WALK by faith and obey the command to be baptized

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 1 Pet 3:18

By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 1 Pet 3:19

Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of NOAH, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were SAVED BY WATER. 1 Pet 3:20

Instead of drowing in the flood, the GRACE of God accessed BY FAITH saves us:

And corresponding to that, BAPTISM now SAVES you--
...... not the removal of dirt from the flesh,

but an appeal to God for A good conscience--
...... through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 1 Peter 3:21

GRACE is GRATIA. Noah could not save himself from the FLOOD. However, was righteous because he was a man of faith which meant that he believed in and trusted God. This caused God to INSTRUCT Noah about how to be saved and Noah obeyed in the face of mockery about being saved OUT of water but IN the water, just as God formed the earth or fruitful places for mankind.

Alistair McGrath also points out that the problem arises when words like salvation, remission of sins and regeneration are lumped under the word "justification" which is by faith:

p. 186 "The essential feature of the Reformation doctrines of justification is that a deliberate and systematic distinction is made between justification and regeneration.

Although it must be emphasized that this distinction is purely notional, in that it is impossible to separate the two within the context of the ordo sautis,

THE ESSENTIAL POINT IS THAT A NOTIONAL DISTINCTION IS MADE WHERE NONE HAD BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED BEFORE IN THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE.

A FUNDAMENTAL DISCONTINUITY WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE WESTERN THEOLOGICAL TRADITION WHERE NONE HAD EVER EXISTED, OR EVER BEEN CONTEMPLATED BEFORE. The Reformation understanding of the nature of justification - as opposed to its mode - must be regarded as a genuine theological novum.

Therefore, those who teach FAITH ONLY do so as a LATTER DAY revelation by Zwingli and Luther. But even so, its modern day incarnation does not remotely understand Luther's Sola Fide. So, the whole scheme is based on a misunderstood dogma 1500 years too late to be a Christian Doctrine.

Righteousness in Hebrew does not mean remission of sins or salvation or being IN Christ or regneration of a new birth:

Cedaqah (h6666) tsed-aw-kaw'; from 6663; rightness (abstr.), subj. (rectitude), obj. (justice), mor. (virtue) or fig. (prosperity): - justice, moderately, right (-eous) (act, -ly, -ness).

Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people,

The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression:

as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness;

neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. Eze.33:12

I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. Mi.7:9

Righteousness in Greek does not mean remission of sins or salvation:

Dikaioo (g1344) dik-ah-yo'-o; from 1342; to render (i.e. show or regard as) just or innocent: - free, justify (-ier), be righteous.

Why doesn't the faith-only crowd declare that we are SAVED by our own words?

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Mt.12:37

Can we REMIT God's sin or SAVE Him? No. Therefore, the meaning of justification by faith does not mean remission of sins:

And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. Lu.7:29

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. Luke 7:30

Does humble beating the breast SAVE or REMIT SINS?

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Luke 18:13

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted Lu.18:14

Paul did not teach justification by FAITH ONLY

(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. Ro. 2:13

Poietes (g4163) poy-ay-tace'; from 4160; a performer; spec. a "poet";- doer, poet.

James extends this SPIRITUAL FACT to the New Covenant:

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. Ja.1:22

For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: Ja.1:23

For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. Ja 1:24

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. Ja.1:25

Poiesis (g4162) poy'-ay-sis; from 4160; action, i.e. performance (of the law): - deed.

Speaking into the air was the worship of the Air gods and goddesses such as Juno:

Resource: The Golden Bough:

Zeus in the form of a serpent visited Persephone, and she bore him Zagreus, that is, Dionysus, a horned infant.

Scarcely was he born, when the babe mounted the throne of his father Zeus and mimicked the great god by brandishing the lightning in his tiny hand.

But he did not occupy the throne long; for the treacherous Titans (satans), their faces whitened with chalk, attacked him with knives while he was looking at himself in a mirror.

For a time he evaded their assaults by turning himself into various shapes, assuming the likeness successively of Zeus and Cronus, of a young man, of a lion, a horse, and a serpent.

Finally, in the form of a bull, he was cut to pieces by the murderous knives of his enemies. His Cretan myth, as related by Firmicus Maternus, ran thus.

He was said to have been the bastard son of Jupiter, a Cretan king. Going abroad, Jupiter transferred the throne and sceptre to the youthful Dionysus, but, knowing that his wife Juno cherished a jealous dislike of the child, he entrusted Dionysus to the care of guards upon whose fidelity he believed he could rely.

Juno, however, bribed the guards, and amusing the child with rattles and a

cunningly-wrought looking glass lured him into an ambush,

where her satellites, the Titans, rushed upon him, cut him limb from limb, boiled his body with various herbs, and ate it.

Enoch 8: 1 Moreover Azazyel taught men to make swords, knives, shields, breastplates, the fabrication of mirrors, and the workmanship of bracelets and ornaments, the use of paint, the beautifying of the eyebrows, the use of stones of every valuable and select kind, and all sorts of dyes, so that the world became altered.

Enoch 8: 9 And men, being destroyed, cried out; and their voice reached to heaven.

Peter equates FAITH TO BEING OBEDIENT. Those who believe but are not DOERS simply do not have FAITH which must rest not only upon the fact of Jesus Christ but upon the WORDS of Jesus Christ:

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 1 Pet 2:6

Unto you therefore which believe he is precious:
but unto them which be disobedient, the stone
which the builders disallowed,
the same is made the head of the corner, 1 Pet 2:7

And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them

which stumble at the word,
being disobedient:
whereunto also they were appointed. 1 Pet 2:8
 
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16

FAITH MEANS: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;

FAITHLESS MEANS: but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16

Faith must rest upon something: you might BELIEVE in something but if you do not OBEY what you are told to do you DO NOT have FAITH

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side:

and be not faithless, but believing. Jn.20:27

Believe not is the Greek. A person who disbelieves consiously rejects in disobedience:

Apisteo (g569) ap-is-teh'-o; from 571; to be unbelieving, i.e. (trans.) disbelieve, or (by impl.) disobey: - believe not.

Apistos (g571) ap'-is-tos; from 1 (as a neg. particle) and 4103; (act.) disbelieving, i.e. without Chr. faith (spec. a heathen); (pass.) untrustworthy (person), or incredible (thing): - that believeth not, faithless, incredible thing, infidel, unbeliever (-ing).

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith (g571), and is worse than an infidel. 1Ti.5:8

We will see below that reference to LOOKING at the serpent must follow faith in the LIFTED UP serpent to be alive faith. Here, James makes LOOKING identical to the message of Christ which includes being a DOER or faith has no LIFE in it.

Poieo (g4160) poy-eh'-o; appar. a prol. form of an obsol. prim.; to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct):.. execute, exercise, fulfil, gain, give, have...

There is NO JEW and NO GENTILE under Christ. The use of the KEYS OF THE KINGDOM were used first among Jews but Jesus commanded them to go INTO ALL THE WORLD and baptize WHOEVER believed.

Therefore, FAITH ONLY is not the PLAN for GENTILES while baptism was for Jews:

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Ac.2:36

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?Ac.2:37

Both Paul and James demand:

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. Ja.1:22

Those who believed asked "How can we be a DOER of what we believe"? Therefore, we can rearrange James 1:22:

He that HEARS and DOES shall not forget.

He that DOES NOT HEAR forgets and deceives themselves.

Peter said this is what you MUST do because the people asked 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. Acts 2:38

Zwinglism deceives itself by saying:

Peter DID NOT SAY "he that IS NOT BAPTIZED does not receive the gift of A holy spirit?"

Everyone understands that faith must have an object: God tells us to DO something. If we believe it, we DO IT and our simple belief becomes FAITH or TRUST.

Matthew J. Slick: This justification is based on the shed blood of Jesus, "...having now been justified by His blood..." (Rom. 5:9) where Jesus was crucified, died, was buried, and rose again (1 Cor. 15:1-4). 

That is a fact BEFORE you receive the supposed gift of FAITH ONLY.

As Adam's sin exposed everyone to sin but did not make people personally guilty of sin until they broke the law, the Second Adam's death exposed everyone to living right but did not personally make people righteous.

The Bible shows that those who were exposed to a sinful race of tempters were NEVER charged with being sinners until they violated the laws of God in their oral form.

There is not a clue that Jehovah the ONE and only Elohim ever brought up charges against people simply because their father was Adam. The law was not imposed because of Adam but because of Israel's personal musical idolatry at Mount Sinai.

Even before Christ, Abraham was justified BY faith WHEN he kept God's commandments and laws. That did not make him a Christian. However, Abraham was justified by faith EVERY TIME God told him to do something and Abraham obeyed by faith. However, this was NOT a ONE STEP plan of salvation.

Jesus Christ laid aside His Majesty and Glory and CONFORMED to the image of a mortal to teach us how to be conformed to HIS Image by conforming to HIS sacrificial spirit.

In the same way, no one APPROPRIATES the free gifts of God until they submit to Christ by conforming to the Image of His Death, burial and resurrection:

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Rom 5:8

JUSTIFICATION

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Rom 5:9

SALVATION

Paul discusses the reason for our reconciliation and atonement. Then, later, he attributes this to our baptism:

-

-

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son,

-

much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Rom 5:10

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mk 16:16

Many believed but were fearful, had too much pride or simply BELIEVED and then REJECTED God's counsel for them.

The death of Christ made provisions so that HE had no barrier to reconciliation.

-

-

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Rom 6:3

However, those who refused His provision of grace through batism, did not profit from the PAID BILLS.

Salvation by Faith Only does not RECONCILE.

ATONEMENT

And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

by whom we have now received the atonement. 5:11

Katallage (g2643) kat-al-lag-ay'; from 2644; exchange (fig. adjustment), i.e. restoration to (the divine) favor: - atonement, reconciliation (-ing).

No one receives the ATONEMENT by FAITH ONLY.

The GIFT OF A holy Spirit is not promised to those who just believe. Only after the remission of sins promised as a result of baptism does God give us the gift of A holy spirit or as Paul restates it in 1 Peter 3:21, we ASK FOR the gift of co-perception or a clear conscience or a clear spirit.

Therefore, in Romans, Paul restates the fact that those who HEAR are in one class and those who DO are in another class: faith must become an active verb before one becomes a DOER.

(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. Ro.2:13

In chapter 6 this same insister that we be doers and therefore more faithful than the Jews asks:

WHAT shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Rom 6:1

God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Rom 6:2

Faith Only does not make us DEAD to SIN but makes us aware of sin. This awareness gives us the access to God because He approves our faith in Him.

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Rom 6:3

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into (eis) 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. Rom 6:4

Faith Only does not put us INTO Christ. Righteousness before God by FAITH ONLY is not a "one shot" plan of salvation; it is the WAY we continue to live:

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.Ga.2:20

While Jews had Jesus crucified, it was the sins of all people; past, present or future which nailed Him to the cross.

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Ac.2:36

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?Ac.2:37

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. Acts 2:38

Baptism is the time and place where we participate in a form of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

Faith only never SUBMITS to that "form of doctrine" but insists on being RESURRECTED prior to BURIAL.

This is why BELIEVER'S BAPTISM, like the Catholic Eucharist, is a form of PAGAN BAPTISM. It insists that Christ was crucified for JEWS ONLY. A baptist must have Christ do it for them personly TODAY to be effective.

One with the gift of A holy spirit has a new life and this is not promised to those who JUST BELIEVE. A NEW life means a NEW SPIRIT or clear conscience.

For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Rom 6:5

Faith only is not a LIKENESS of being PLANTED in the waters of baptism.

Therefore, faith only does not show FAITH in the death of Christ.

No one is promised a resurrection like that of Christ by FAITH ONLY.

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Rom 6:6

No one is promised a crucifixion with Christ by faith only.

No one is promised that the old BODY OF SIN will be destroyed by faith only.

For he that is dead is freed from sin. Ro.6:7

Faith only is never said to SLAY the old man of sin.

Paul says that we who are WASHED in the name of Lord Jesus are JUSTIFIED in the name of the Lord Jesus.

This never happens by FAITH ONLY.

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1Co.6:11

Where do we hear about being washed in the name of of Jesus?

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. Acts 2:38

If FAITH ONLY is not a latter day (1500) lie then the Spirit failed Peter: he should have said, "You are already free of sins. Now, you should be baptized as a PLEDGE (NIV)"?

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

FAITH ONLY does not answer to the Ark and Red Sea as FIGURES.

Baptism cannot be the figure or anti-type but the REAL MEANS of asking to be cleansed internally AS our bodies are washed extenally.

FAITH in God meant faith inside of the ARK and it was not FAITH ONLY.

Paul agrees with Peter:

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,

having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and
our bodies washed with pure water. Heb.10:22

Peter promised the gift of A holy spirit or a CLEAR CONSCIENCE AFTER baptism. Paul agrees that we cannot have full assurance of what we believe

until our hearts are PURGED of our EVIL conscience,

And out bodies washed with water.

We were saved in purpose from all eternity but more immediately by the resurrection of Christ. But, don't we trasp that the death of Jesus or the resurrection of Jesus is for ALL people but not ALL people want to have their heart sprinkled to receive the gift of A holy spirit or a clear conscience:

Elect according to the

foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit,

unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 1 Pe.1:2

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1 Peter 1:3

To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 1 Peter 1:4

Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:5

God sprinkles our heart and gives us a PERFECT spirit. This is the same as A holy spirit:

But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, Heb 12:22

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, Heb 12:23

Teleios (g5046) tel'-i-os; from 5056; complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neut. (as noun, with 3588) completeness: - of full age, man, perfect.

And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. Heb 12:24

See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Heb 12:25

Sins were remitted either at John's baptism or Christian baptism. The key was whether they were LISTENING to the One SPEAKING FROM HEAVEN.

And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. Luke 7:29

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. Luke 7:30

Matthew J. Slick: God imputes (reckons to our account) the righteousness of Christ.  At the same time our sins were imputed to Christ when he was on the cross.  That is why it says in 1 Pet. 2:24, "and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."  

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Rom 6:3

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. Rom 6:4

Also, 2 Cor. 5:21 says, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."  Additionally, we are justified by faith (Rom. 5:1) apart from works of the Law (Rom. 3:28). 

To be saved means that God has delivered us (saved us) from His righteous wrathful judgment due us because of our sins against Him. It means that we will not be judged for our sins and be sentenced to eternal damnation.  To be saved means that we are justified before God.  Only Christians are saved.  Only Christians are justified.  The issue at hand is whether or not this salvation, this justification, is attained by faith or by faith and something else. 

We noted that JUSTIFICATION and SALVATION do not mean the same thing or there would not be two Greek words. Nor, is either one the meaning of REMISSION OF SINS.

Matthew J. Slick: Following is a list of verses that show that salvation/justification is by faith.  Bold references are particularly pointed.

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: John 3:14

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:15

But, the example Paul uses includes both FAITH and being a DOER but neither is the WORKS of the Law of Moses but prefiguring Jesus Who must be lifted up.

They both believed and obeyed to make their faith ALIVE as James would say:

And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten,

when he looketh upon it, shall live. Numbers 21:8

God did not GIVE them the faith nor did He heal them without their action of faith. Looking is:

Raa (h7200) raw-aw'; a prim. root; to see, lit. or fig. (in numerous applications, direct and implied, trans., intrans. and causat.): - advise self, appear, approve, behold, * certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed...

Therefore, Paul's use of 'believeth' is proven by his example to include TAKING WHATEVER ACTION IS CALLED FOR. As Jesus and Peter might say:

He that believeth and LOOKS shall be healed.

He that believeth not shall not look and not be healed.

Christ died so that anyone who believeth on Him SHOULD NOT perish because part of the WORK OF JESUS was to tell us how we can keep from perishing: He that believes and is baptized shall be saved:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:17

And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. Jn.12:47

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. Jn.12:48

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16

Now, the a.d. 1500 Salvation by Faith Only sect would say:

But Jesus didn't say "he that is NOT baptized shall be damned." Well, common sense and Jesus answered that one:

He that believeth on him is not condemned:
but he that believeth not is condemned already,
because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:18

The last major command of Jesus was that the Apostles should MAKE DISCIPLES by baptizing and further teaching of what Jesus had taught or inspired. Baptism was to make STUDENTS. The students were then identified as Christians because they were the followers of the teachings of Christ.

Jesus said that "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved." Believes includes the idea of trust and obedience.

He that "does not" believe that God in Christ can save by faith which leads to baptism is defined by BELIEVETH NOT. This word means that, like the Pharisees, they rejected the counsel of God by NOT being baptized by John or the disciples of Christ. The word means that they are treacherous and truly anti-Christ in order to repudiate His direct command to be baptized IN ORDER to the remission of sins or salvation.

Solomon expressed God's counsel:

Turn you at my reproof: behold,

I will pour out my spirit unto you,
I will make known my words unto you. Proverbs 1:23

Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; Proverbs 1:24

But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: Proverbs 1:25

I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; Proverbs 1:26

When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Proverbs 1:27

Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: Proverbs 1:28

For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: Proverbs 1:29

They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Proverbs 1:30

Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. Proverbs 1:31

For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. Proverbs 1:32

The clergy "rejected the counsel" or the words of Jesus by NOT BEING BAPTIZED. Zwinglians may believe in Jesus but they do not believe in the WORDS of Jesus where He lays the ABSOLUTE meaning of salvation against which "salvation by faith" must be measured.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3:19

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. John 3:20

The GIFT OF A holy spirit in Acts 2:38 is defined by the same Peter in 1 Peter 3:21 as A CLEAR CONSCIENCE. The remission of sins gives one a clear view of the light of the Words of Christ. Conscience means a co-perception of truth.

Therefore, insisting that God HAS SAVED one because of predestinated selection didn't work for the Jews and it will not work for Zwinglins.

Jesus says that you have to come to the light and ask Jesus to PURGE you of sin so that he can give you A holy spirit. Zwinglians, therefore, insist that God has cleansed them so that THEY do ot have to COME TO THE LIGHT and be stripped bare by the light of Christ.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved:

And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. Luke 7:29

He that does not believe shall be damned:

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. Luke 7:30

Pharisees saw themselves as predestinated: "Father Abraham stands by the gates of hell and does not permit any Jew to go in."

By repudiating the RIGHT of Jesus to prescribe for the entire Christian Dispensation one "rejects the counsel of God" and later baptism BECAUSE one is predestinated and therefore cannot be lost is still a REPUDIATION of the only COMMANDMENT issued by Jesus Christ for "the entire world."

Matthew J. Slick: Rom. 3:22, "even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction."

Paul isn't contrasting faith only and baptism: he is discussing the SYSTEM OF LAW and the system OF FAITH. It is the faith OF Jesus Christ. He is speaking to Jews who would deprive salvation to the Gentiles BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT PREDESTINATED. Jesus came to all of us and provided A WAY OF ESCAPE. If one believes then they WILL take that way and be baptized and not ARGUE WITH JESUS.

Believing is just as much a work as baptism.

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Rom 3:20

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Rom 3:21

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe;

for there is no difference: Rom 3:22

Baptism is not according to THE LAW OF MOSES. Rather, baptism is an act of FAITH because LAW cannot give life.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Rom 3:23

So, you see the subject is not FAITH ONLY but a system of Faith.

Since the Gentiles were never under the Law, and the Law could not justify, both Jew and Gentile are under Grace. However, grace is the power to obey God's will.

"being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;" Rom. 3:24,

Faith Only is never said to put one INTO Christ where redemption is found.

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:26

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Gal 3:27

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. Rom 6:4

For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Rom 6:5

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Rom 6:6

For he that is dead is freed from sin. Rom 6:7

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Ro.6:11

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2Co.5:17

Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. Ga.6:15

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: Col 2:11

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. Col 2:12

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Col 2:13

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; Rom 3:25

Faith only does not REMIT SINS. We accept HIS righteousness when we are baptized in HIS name:

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. Acts 2:38

Faith only never gives one A holy spirit o a co-perception with Christ.

Matthew J. Slick: Rom. 3:26, "for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time,

that He might be just and the justifier
of the one who has faith in Jesus."

Justification or personal righteousness is not the same as SALVATION and it is not the same as the REMISSION OF SINS. When one believes in Christ, they are given the power TO BECOME the children of God. But they are NOT children of God until they exercise that POWER which Jesus Christ vested in water baptism.

Why water baptism? Because the proud will repudiate baptism as humiliating. Therefore, they DECREE that God picked them out from all eternity and GAVE them faith as proof of their predestination. The Jews also believed in predestination and were so prideful that they "rejected the counsel of God by not being baptized."

Where is boasting then? It is excluded.

By what law? of works?
Nay; but by the law of faith. Rom 3:27

The Law of Moses is Works: the Law of Faith is the Christian System.

Because FAITH takes more WORKS than baptism, Calvinists are forced to claim, 1500 years too late, that God GIVES them faith because of their being so righteousness that He predestinated them.

Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? John 6:28

Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John 6:29

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ,

even we have believed in Jesus Christ,
that we might be justified by the faith of Christ,
and not by the works of the law:
for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Ga.2:16

Paul never makes this a contest between latter day (1500) Faith Only and Faith which includes obedience in baptism.

Paul is speaking about the WORKS OF LAW as opposed to the FAITH OF CHRIST. Faith in Christ DEMANDS baptism because you CANNOT have faith and "reject the counsel of God for your lives."

Matthew J. Slick: Rom. 3:28-30, "For we maintain that a man is

justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29

Or is God the God of Jews only?

Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one."

Rom. 4:3, "For what does the Scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."

Gentiles cannot be justified by the Law of Moses but by doing by nature what the Law demands. The presumed Jewish Predestination does not exclude Gentiles who gain God's approval by believing in Jesus Christ. To believe in Christ means to ACT UPON whatever Jesus tells us to do.

He told us to be baptized or be damned.

What Paul said:

WHAT shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? Rom 4:1

Abraham lived prior to the Law of works but not prior to God's direct commands:

For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. Rom 4:2

Abraham BELIEVED GOD. You CANNOT believe God and refuse to act on faith:

For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Rom 4:3

Abraham obeyed God but this COULD NOT be based on the law which was hundreds of years in the future.

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. Rom 4:4

How God explained this:

Because that Abraham

obeyed my voice, and
kept my charge,
my commandments,
my statutes, and

my laws. Gen 26:5

Abraham lived BEFORE the Law and therefore was not justified by Law. However, Abraham was justified by faith WHEN he obeyed God. No one ever says that Abraham was justified by FAITH-ONLY.

Matthew J. Slick: Rom. 4:5, "But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness,"

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Rom 4:5

Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Rom 4:6

Naaman would have gladly done any mighty deed as a WORK of his own hands rather than being baptized or washed in a non-magical river. However, God did not recognize him until he was WASHED BY FAITH.

This form of baptism repudated WORKS and rested 100% on faith, but Naaman would not have been cleansed without the obedience of Faith.

However, one comes into relationship with God they are JUSTIFIED BY faith each time God asks them to do something and they obey from the MIND or spirit without depending on one's own flesh to satisfy God's righteousness.

But, let's see that David did not speak of FAITH ONLY.

Paul quotes David so again look to see that David was in a relationship with God so he is not discussing FAITH AS A ONE STEP FORMULA FOR SALVATION.

(A Psalm of David, Maschil.) BLESSED is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Psa 32:1

What happiness for those whose guilt has been forgiven! What joys when sins are covered over! What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared their record. Psa 32:1LIV

Blessed is the man unto whom

the Lord imputeth not iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no guile. Psa 32:2

When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. Psa 32:3

For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. Psa 32:4

I acknowledged my sin unto thee,
and mine iniquity have I not hid.
I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord;
and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. Psa 32:5

For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Psa 32:6

So, what do we have:

Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Rom 4:6

One is not justified BY LAW by:

Being without guile,
Admit one's sins and not hide iniquity
Confesses to God
Prays to God
THEN God forgives iniquity.

This is TO WHOM God does not IMPUTE iniquity.

Therefore, in addition to FAITH we can say that these outward acts of David ARE NOT works of the LAW OF MOSES but of being reconciled to God who accepts no iniquity.

Therefore, this PROOF-TEXT:

Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Rom 4:6

Does not mean justification by FAITH ONLY but justification OUTSIDE of the realm of the PREDESTINATED (?) JEWS.

However, David was freed of guilt when his spirit hid no guile, he acknowledged his sins, he did not hid his iniquity, he confessed and the Lord forgave his iniquity of his sins.

David did no WORK of the Law but of the Spirit: his response was based on FAITH as a system rather than LAW as a system:

Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Psa 4:7

Paul understood it this way:

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Rom 4:8

Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. Rom 4:9

How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. Rom 4:10

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: Rom 4:11

Paul is still speaking of whether being circumcised or being under the Law of Moses allows only some to be predestinated to be saved. It is not about whether Christian baptism is related to salvation as Jesus clearly said.

Matthew J. Slick: Rom. 4:11, "And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised,

that he might be the father of all those who believe,

though they are uncircumcised,

that righteousness might be imputed to them also"

In Galatians, Paul leapfrogs the Law of Moses and shows that the PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT was the covenant made with Abraham.

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:26

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Gal 3:27

Therefore, Paul is not focused on Zwinglian FAITH ONLY but on the fact that the Jews who believed that they were PREDESTINATED and lived under the Law were NEVER justified by the Law but by the faith which they had:

"Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace,

so that the promise might be sure to all the seed,
not only to those who are of the law,

but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham,

who is the father of us all." Rom. 4:16,

Contrary to Zwinglians, the book of Acts is not a COVENANT with the Jews in which Baptism was restricted to Jews. Throughout the Bible, Messiah would save all who accepted Him BY FAITH but never BY LAW.

To the Jews Paul is addressing, circumcison was intimately tied up with being an Israelite under the Law of Moses. However, God gave Israel the Book of the Covenant as a covenant of Grace much like that made with Abraham.

They were told by God to MOVE OUT by faith and they were "baptized in the Red Sea and the cloud." That is, they were covered from sight of the enemy. On the safe side of baptism they were given the Spirit to guide them. However, they rose up in musical idolatry.

God gave them the BOOK OF THE LAW which was related ONLY to the cleansing of the FLESH. Therefore, LAW is Paul's word for the flesh and FAITH is his term for the RESTORED covenant made with Abraham.

Abraham was NOT A JEW but just a "people" or Gentile. God accepted Abraham on the basis of FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE. Therefore, circumcision or cutting of the FLESH had no effect on the MIND or SPIRIT where faith operates.

Matthew J. Slick: Rom. 10:9-10, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."

Well past Faith Only: we must be a DOER OF THE WORD with out mouth. Is it less legalistic to confess with the mouth than to just follow the direct command of Jesus and Peter and be baptized:

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom 10:10

For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Rom 10:11

Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him;

but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: Jn.12:42

For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. John 12:43

Was this Salvation by Faith Only ?

Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. John 12:44

And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. John 12:45

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. John 12:46

And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. John 12:47

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. John 12:48

You see also that BELIEVING IN JESUS is of no value unless you believe the WORDS which He said are Spirit and Life (John 6:63)

Here are some WORDS of God because they are words of Jesus:

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16

The saved person believes AND is baptized.

The unbeliever does not BELIEVE HIS WORDS and they are damned because they REJECT THE COUNSEL OF GOD and are not baptized and are damned.

Paul is saying that salvation does not depend on the LAW or CIRCUMCISION connected to the law much later. Therefore, the Gentiles are not excluded from salvation which is not based on LAW as a system but FAITH as a system. It is THE faith and THE law.

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all

is rich unto all that call upon him. Ro.10:12

Oops! We have moved beyond FAITH ONLY. Now, one must call upon the name of the Lord:

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Ro.10:13

Jesus trumps any latter day (1500) misinterpretation of Paul and He defined the way we call upon Him:

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16

Anything which minimizes this statement of God is caused by spiritual blindness.

Oops! Faith must always have a object. We believe a direct commament of Jesus to be saved; we do not have faith if we are not baptized in order to that salvation.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? Ro.10:14

Oops! Faith comes by hearing and not by a gift ONLY to the predestinated choice people.

God was not looking for FAITH ONLY people but obedient people which is the meaning of faith:

But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. Ro.10:21

Even after encountering the Spirit Whose name was Jesus of Nazareth, Paul was told how to WASH AWAY HIS SINS. Therefore, being justified by God or being approved because one believes IN HIM, does not remit sins. A priest might go into the temple to worship because he believes in God. However, he cannot enter until he has been bathed in the laver.

How did Paul CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD?

And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Ac.22:16

This is exactly what Peter said:

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. Acts 2:38

In secular and proselyte baptism, one CALLED UPON THE NAME of God at baptism.

The clear meaning of being baptized in the name of the Godhead which is Jesus is that you CALL UPON the master teacher to accept you as a disciple.

This same Peter did not define the gift of the Holy Spirit as an indwelling 1/3 of the Godhead. Rather, as Walter Scott says this means A holy or pure spirit, Peter says that it is a clear conscience. The word also means a clear CONSCIOUSNESS or a co-perception. With such a new spirit it is possible to hear Christ through His Word:

And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you-- not the removal of dirt from the flesh,

but an appeal to God for a good conscience-- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 1 Peter 3:21NAS, RSV

This is Calling Upon the Name of God in Christ Jesus.

(That, by the way, is what baptism pictures for us: In baptism we show that we have been saved from death and doom by the resurrection of Christ;[c] not because our bodies are washed clean by the water but because in being baptized we are turning to God and asking him to cleanse our hearts from sin.) 1 Peter 3:21LIV

Therefore, Romans 10 includes all of the logical steps in coming into a complete relationship with God in Christ. The CALLING ON THE NAME is not just saying "Jesus" but ASKING HIM to cleans our conscience, forgive our sins or save us.

Faith Only is never a way to request salvation from God rather than DEMAND it because of Jewish-like predestination who got surprized.

Matthew J. Slick: Gal. 2:16, "nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified

by the works of the Law but

through faith in Christ Jesus,

even we have believed in Christ Jesus,

that we may be justified by faith in Christ,

and not by the works of the Law;

since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified."

Again, Paul is not trumping faith plus obedience with faith only. Rather, the faith only, Jews believing in predestination thought that their status proved that they WERE SAVED and could not be lost.

But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? Gal 2:14

We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, Gal 2:15

Knowing that a man is not justified

by the works of the law, but
by the faith of Jesus Christ,

even we have believed in Jesus Christ,

that we might be justified

by the faith of Christ, and
not by the works of the law:
for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Gal 2:16

Matthew J. Slick: Gal. 3:8, "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "All the nations shall be blessed in you."

Gal. 3:14, "in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles,

so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."

The LORD is the SPIRIT and He made a promise which Abraham accepted BY FAITH. But, wait a bit! When GOD as Deity appears or works in the material world He is LORD or ruler:

And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Gen 26:2

And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Gen 26:4

Because that Abraham

obeyed my voice, and
kept my charge,
my commandments,
my statutes, and
my laws. Gen 26:5

And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord,

for because thou hast done this thing,

and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, Gen 22:16

Paul confirmed this and denied that Abraham was SAVED or HAD HIS SINS REMITTED the instant he believed:

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing.
...... Keeping God's commands is what counts. 1Co.7:19

Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. Ga.6:15

And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. Gal 6:16

And hereby we do know that we know him,
...... if we keep his commandments. 1Jn.2:3

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 1Jn.5:2

Matthew J. Slick: Gal. 3:22, "But the Scripture has shut up all men under sin, that

the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe."

Gal. 3:24, "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith."

The Law of Moses was added because of the transgressin of musical idolatry at Mount Sinai. People were justified by faith WHEN they obeyed God under the Abrahamic covenant of Grace. Paul then PROVES that he has never talked about FAITH ONLY which excludes obedience or being a DOER of the Word.

People were justified by faith before, during and after the Law of Moses. Therefore, FAITH is the system of faith rather than a system of Law.

But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. Gal 3:25

We are justified by that SYSTEM OF FAITH ONLY as opposed to the Law of Moses. The QUESTION of all Jews was: "Aren't we justified by the Law of Moses"? Paul did not look silly and pronounce Zwinglian FAITH ONLY. No, he says, you are justified by the FAITH WHICH HAS COME. That FAITH is the Christian System.

Next, Paul explains HOW one is saved by the SYSTEM OF FAITH which includes BAPTISM as the last important command of God in Christ:

What? For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:26

How? For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Gal 3:27

You GET IN Christ by being baptized INTO Christ. If we are IN Christ then we are IN God because Christ is FULL deity:

And we know that Christ, God's Son, has come to help us understand and find the true God.
...... And now we are in God because we are in Jesus Christ his Son,
...... ...... who is the only true God; and he is eternal Life. 1Jn 5:20LIV

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. Jn 6:63

Martin Luther defined Sola Fide or Faith Alone this way: since we are not inspired and because the Bible is the resource God in Christ gave us, faith only demands faith in Scripture Only. Because the Bible teaches baptism, faith only demands that we "speak where the Bible speaks." That means that faith only is faith in Scripture only which insists that this is faith in Baptism Only because God told us so.

The "spirit" prophesied to Rest on Messiah was not a PERSON of a polytheistic Godhead. The prophesy was:

AND there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: Isa 11:1

And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; Isa 11: 2

And shall make him of quick understanding (spiritual) in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: Isa 11: 3

But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. Isa 11: 4

No one is every said to get INTO Christ by FAITH ONLY.

Matthew J. Slick: 1 Tim. 1:16, "And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life."

Please note that Christ came INTO the world to save sinners. The Greek word INTO is EIS.

This means: "Jesus came IN ORDER to save sinners."

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 1 Tim 1:15

Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy,

that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering,
for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 1 Tim 1:16

We know that Paul had his sins washed away at Baptism. Therefore, he is not telling people that BELIEF is a one step process.

But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 1 Tim 1:16NIV

But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as an example to show everyone how patient he is with even the worst sinners, so that others will realize that they, too, can have everlasting life. 1 Tim 1:16LIV

But we already know that the initial step of grace did not exempt Paul from letting Christ wash him:

And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Ac.22:16

Zwinglism wants to say: "BUT, Paul DID NOT say, 'that IF he was not baptized his sins WOULD NOT be washed away'." So true. But WHAT would be the motive for bringing the positive command of God Incarnate into question?

James 2:24, not by faith alone

Matthew J. Slick: The scriptures clearly teach that we are saved (justified) by faith in Christ and what He has done on the cross.  This faith alone saves us.  However, we cannot stop here without addressing what James says in James 2:24, "You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone."

There is no contradiction.  All you need to do is look at the context.  James chapter 2 has 26 verses: Verses 1-7 instruct us to not show favoritism. Verses 8-13 are comments on the Law. Verses 14-26 are about the relationship between faith and works.  

James begins this section by using the example of someone who says he has faith but has no works: verse 14.  In other words, James is addressing the issue of a dead faith, an empty faith that is nothing more than a verbal pronouncement that is empty of life and action.  He begins with the negative and demonstrates what an empty faith is (verses 15-17, words without actions). Then he shows that that type of faith isn't much different from the faith of demons (verse 19). Finally, he gives examples of living faith that is words followed by actions.  He writes of Abraham and Rahab as examples of people who demonstrated their faith by their deeds.

In brief, James is examining two kinds of faith: one that leads to godly works and one that does not. One is true, and the other is false. One is dead, the other alive; hence, "Faith without works is dead," (James 2:20).  

Also, notice that James actually quotes the same verse that Paul uses to support the teaching of justification by faith in Rom. 4:3. 

James 2:23 says, "and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'and Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.'" If James was trying to teach a contradictory doctrine of faith and works than the other New Testament writers, then he would not have used Abraham as an example.

True: but God said that this FAITH meant obeying HIS commandments. Without the obedience God would not have said that Abraham and ANY kind of faith: a dead faith is not a saving faith. Belief or Faith means that one obeys: how can there be faith in "build thee an ark" if the does not build an ark. Yet, Noah could not save himself.

The problem arises because in ZWINGLISM (c. 1500) there is no distinction between justification/righteousness and salvation or the remission of sins:

PAUL

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing.
...... Keeping God's commands is what counts. 1Co.7:19

Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything;
...... what counts is a new creation. Ga.6:15

JAMES

Was not Abraham our father justified by works,
...... when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? James 2:21

Seest thou how faith wrought with his works,
...... and by works was faith made perfect? James 2:22

What Scripture said:

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 James 2:23

What this meant to Bible literate James:

Ye see then how that by works a man is justified,
...... and not by faith only. James 2:24

Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works,

when she had received the messengers,
and had sent them out another way? James 2:25

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:26

What Bible Literate James knew:

Because that Abraham

obeyed my voice, and
kept my charge,
my commandments,
my statutes, and
my laws. Gen 26:5

And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord,

for because thou hast done this thing,

and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, Gen 22:16

Conclusion

Matthew J. Slick: Justification is by faith. 

That is true but salvation and the remission of sins is based on being baptized into Christ. When we walk into the Human Resources office we are justified or considered HUMAN MATERIAL based on our faith.

However, we are not on the payroll until we enroll with the company. Baptism was a common way of dying to the old life, taking on a new name and being dedicated to the teacher.

Matthew J. Slick: True faith results in regeneration of the sinner which, in turn, results in good works. 

We know of no connection between faith and regeneration. Baptism is not a GOOD WORK but a way to accept the free grace of God bestowed in baptism.

The Book of Jubilees, Chapter One reads:

And the Lord said unto Moses: 'I know their contrariness and their thoughts and their stiffneckedness, and they will not be obedient till they confess

23 their own sin and the sin of their fathers. And after this they will turn to Me in all uprightness and with all (their) heart and with all (their) soul,

and I will circumcise the foreskin of their heart and the foreskin of the heart of their seed,

and I will create in them A holy spirit,

and I will cleanse them so that they shall not turn away from Me from that day unto eternity.

24 And their souls will cleave to Me and to all My commandments, and they will fulfil My

25 commandments, and I will be their Father and they shall be My children.

And they all shall be called children of the living God, and every angel and every spirit shall know, yea, they shall know that these are My children, and that I am their Father in uprightness and righteousness, and that

26 I love them. And do thou write down for thyself all these words which I declare unto thee on this mountain, the first and the last, which shall come to pass in all the divisions of the days in the law and in the testimony and in the weeks and the jubilees unto eternity, until I descend and dwell

27 with them throughout eternity.'

And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: Col 2:10

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: Col 2:11

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. Col 2:12

In saying "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved" Jesus was speaking of a faith which must confess that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God. Paul to the Romans in chapter Six says that baptism is the FORM of the "prototype" Gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This faith MUST believe the statement made by Jesus Christ that "He that believes and is baptized SHALL be saved" or the "believeth-nots are traitors. In the same way, the faith is not faith in a few facts ABOUT Jesus: it is faith in the operation of God proven by resurrecting Jesuss

Matthew J. Slick: But it is not these works that earn our place with God nor keep it. Jesus accomplished that on the cross.

That is a fact but Jesus has the RIGHT which cannot be abrogated by Zwingli in about 1500 to say how we accept the free accomplished work of Christ on the cross.

That "form of doctrine" is that we should identify with Christ by permitting our own body to be crucified, buried and resurrected IN CONNECTION with Christ.

If we repudiate that form of doctrine then we must ask: "Do we really have faith" where faith must always have a object. If Jesus tells us to jump just believing in Jesus has no value. We jump because faith means TRUST in Jesus. Indeed, water baptism puts our lives in the hands of another who could easily drown us.

Matthew J. Slick: All that we need, we have in Jesus.  All we need to do to be saved, to be justified, is to truly believe in want God has done for us in Jesus on the cross.  This true belief with justification before God and regeneration in the new believer, results in good works.

Baptism is not a work of the law, the work of self righteousness or a good work on our part. Indeed, if the water is warm we get back more energy than we expend. Our friend has spend much more WORK trying to prove that baptism is not required than anyone will ever spend just BELIEVING and being baptized which is the ONLY place to CALL UPON GOD for a clear conscience.

All that we need is IN Jesus. And all the gold in California is in a bank in the middle of Beverly Hills...

The question is how we get INTO the bank or INTO Christ. We cannot get IN either one by FAITH ONLY. We have to STICK GOD UP and demand that He shut the mouth of Jesus or we have to get the KEY to the Kingdom. Peter used that key on the day of Pentecost and those who were baptized were ADDED TO the kingdom. Again:

Faith: For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:26
Not works: For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Gal 3:27

You see, we don't BAPTIZE OURSELVES: we have been baptized into Christ when we request His Spirit at the time and place of water baptism. Therefore, baptism is not a work which we do.

You GET IN Christ by being baptized INTO Christ. If we are IN Christ then we are IN God because Christ is FULL deity:

And we know that Christ, God's Son, has come to help us understand and find the true God.
...... And now we are in God because we are in Jesus Christ his Son,
...... ...... who is the only true God; and he is eternal Life. 1Jn 5:20LIV

We do not GET INTO GOD BY GETTING INTO CHRIST BY FAITH ONLY.

Once we are IN Christ all that we do counts for nothing: obeying Christ's command is simply exercising FAITH. This is why Paul used the concept of FAITH to speak of those who are already IN Christ where their WALK BY FAITH continues until they die.

No one prior to Zwingli told you that you could get IN Christ by Faith Only.

Faith is the ticket: you cannot move out of the way until you believe that you see a rattlesnake. However, if you have faith-only you will get nibbled.

So, just as the model of baptism at the Red Sea, God says:

"Don't cry out to me: raise your arms and march into the water."

Believer's Baptism is not Christian Baptism. Rather, it is quite identical to Pagan Baptism.

It is dangerous to believe in the pride of predestination just like the Jews. Jesus sent the apostles into ALL THE WORLD and that includes all people who are APPROVED or JUSTIFIED by their faith in Jesus as the Son of God AND faith in the WORDS which Jesus spoke.

The ONLY words we have from God through Jesus Christ is that BAPTISM is absolutely required for the salvation or discipling to Jesus. Since we are NOT God, we will not apply the DIRECT COMMAND for baptism to those who have heard the gospel and given the opportunity to believe it or reject it.

Believer's Baptism REPUDIATES it because it insists on being saved PRIOR to the conditions Jesus taught and the apostles preached and the WORLD believed prior to ad 1500. Therefore, the direct command of Jesus must be the foundation on which all imagined "salvation by faith only" must be tested.

If you don't have faith in the FOUNDATIONAL TEACHING of Jesus about faith and baptism then you simply do not have faith.

Faith Only fails the test and is, therefore, not Christian Baptism but Pagan Baptism.

Kenneth Sublett

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