Transcript Saved By Grace – But When?

Saved By Grace – But When?
The Role of Obedience in
Salvation
Thanks to many…
Including all my teachers, some of
whom are here
Mark Wilhelm
David Gibson
For ideas and thoughts to help this
lesson.
Numerous Passages Teach
Salvation By Grace
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have
been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of
works, lest anyone should boast.
“boast” – Paul refers to works that accrue
credit or merit to the doer.
Not By Works
Titus 3:4-7 But when the kindness and the
love of God our Savior toward man
appeared, 5not by works of righteous-ness
which we have done, but accord-ing to His
mercy He saved us… 7that having been
justified by His grace….
“works of righteousness” – human deeds will
never suffice to save.
...But Not Without Them Either!
James 2:14-24 What does it profit, my
brethren, if someone says he has faith but
does not have works? Can faith save
him?.... 22Do you see that faith was working
together with his works, and by works faith
was made perfect? ... 24You see then that a
man is justified by works, and not by
faith only.
Wrong Kinds of Works
Works to Earn Salvation – Romans 4:1-6
Works of an Obsolete Law – Rom 3:21
Works that nullify Christ -- Gal 5:1-4
Necessary Works
Works that bring faith to life – James 2:26
Obedience to the Gospel – 2 Thess 1:8
Walking in the Light – 1 John 1:7
These are necessary, though not sufficient, to
save.
Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse
the guilt of sin!
Baptism is not a work of merit
Colossians 2:12-13 buried with Him in
baptism, in which you also were raised
with Him through faith in the working of
God, who raised Him from the dead. 13And
you… He has made alive together with
Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
Baptism is not a work of merit
Colossians 2:12-13 buried with Him in
baptism, in which you also were raised
with Him through faith in the working of
God, who raised Him from the dead. 13And
you… He has made alive together with
Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
In baptism you are buried, raised, made
alive, and forgiven, by faith in the
working of God.
Baptism is not a work of merit
Galatians 3:26-27 For you are all sons of God
through faith in Christ Jesus. 27For as many
of you as were baptized into Christ have
put on Christ.
1 Cor 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all
baptized into one body….
Through baptism we come into Christ,
into His body (church), by grace.
Objections to Biblical Baptism
Primary logic: This can’t be true, so we
have to find a reason why.
Primary method: eliminate, minimize, or
change the meanings of the words
used by the Holy Spirit.
So how do opponents of the gospel
try to do away with the connection
between baptism and salvation?
#1 – It isn’t taught that much
By their count, 7 verses, (.0002% of
Bible), even ‘appear’ to teach that
baptism is necessary for salvation.
How many does it take?
Judgment: “I told you seven times!”
Virgin birth: 3 verses
Baptism saves: actually 12
#1 – It isn’t taught that much
About 40 different verses teach about
Christian baptism (excluding John’s)
These verses show consistently:
A connection with salvation
Done when responding to the gospel
Because of the power of the cross
Assumed universal among Christians.
#2 – 1 Cor 1:17
1 Cor 1:17 for Christ did not send me to
baptize, but to preach the gospel….
This refers to the physical act…
1 Cor 1:13-16 …were you baptized in the name of
Paul? 14I thank God that I baptized none of you
except Crispus and Gaius, 15lest anyone should
say that I had baptized in my own name. 16Yes, I
also baptized the household of Stephanas….
(see also John 4:1-2)
This is an extreme example of a “proof text”
without a context!
#3 – Mark 16:16
Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized
will be saved; but he who does not believe
will be condemned.
Their explanation leaves “and is baptized”
meaning nothing. Compare the same
wording in:
Acts 18:8 …And many of the Corinthians,
hearing, believed and were baptized.
#3 – Mark 16:16
Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized
will be saved; but he who does not believe
will be condemned.
Their explanation: only the last half matters:
“It should be noted that in the second half of
this verse the only basis for condemnation
is a refusal to believe…. Therefore the
only basis for salvation is belief, not
baptism plus belief.”
#4 – Acts 2:38
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent,
and let every one of you be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins….”
They contend that “for” here means “pointing
into,” not “in order that.”
In this they differ with every standard Greek
lexicon, and every major “committee”
translation. They have invented a
meaning to support their belief.
#4 – Acts 2:38
Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of
the new covenant, which is shed for
many for the remission of sins.
Jesus’ words are the same as those used
by Peter.
If baptism follows salvation, then so
does the shedding of Jesus’
blood.
#5 – 1 Peter 3:21
1 Peter 3:21 There is also an antitype
which now saves us—baptism….
Because the context is about the flood,
they say that Noah was saved by
staying out of the water.
Thus they go from “baptism saves us” to
“baptism does not save us.”
The Spirit said what He meant!
#6 – Acts 22:16
Acts 22:16 And now why are you waiting?
Arise and be baptized, and wash away your
sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Their abuse of this verse is appalling.
1. Contend that Saul was already saved
because Ananias called him (22:13)
“Brother.” – but Paul addressed the
crowd in 22:1 the same way.
“Brother” here means “fellow Jew.”
#6 – Acts 22:16
Acts 22:16 And now why are you waiting?
Arise and be baptized, and wash away
your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
2. They give a “literal Greek” translation that
turns “arise” into “having arisen” and
“calling” into “having called.”
Grammatically, these are commands,
as every translation shows. I hope
this is nothing but ignorance.
#6 – Acts 22:16
Acts 22:16 And now why are you waiting?
Arise and be baptized, and wash away
your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
3. They misquote from Matthew Henry,
adding “(not our baptism)” to his words.
He neither wrote nor believed that baptism
was not connected to salvation.
They were informed and agreed, but never
retracted the words. They did ask
the paper to retract a misprint.
If God wanted to teach baptism
was essential, could He…
- put a passage in the Bible that says,
“baptism saves us?” He did – 1 Peter 3:21
- make it clear that baptism is the point at
which our sins are washed away? He did -Acts 22:16
- make sure that in every mention of baptism
in conversion, baptism is always
immediate? He did – Acts 2:41, 8:12,
8:36, 9:18, 10:48, 16:15, 16:33,
18:8, 19:5, 22:16,
If God wanted to teach baptism
was essential, could He…
- give an example of someone hearing
the gospel and then asking
immediately to be baptized?
He did – Acts 8:36.
- Give an example of improper baptism
being corrected?. He did -- Acts 19:5.
God has spoken – it is up to us
to listen.
We are saved…
By grace,
Through faith,
On the basis of the blood of Christ,
By the power of His resurrection,
When we hear and obey the gospel,
Through: belief,
confession,
repentance,
and baptism.