being "saved"

[MoNiCa4316]

LilLamb219, I have a question I'm not looking for debate, I'm really curious about this.
I agree with your view on baptism, I also believe that God uses it and that it has a part in our salvation. But there are many parts in the New Testament where it says that we are saved because we believe... how do you view faith? Do you believe that it's enough to just be baptized; so if a baby is baptized, they are still saved even if they grow up to be a non believer? What if a person never got the chance to be baptized?
Again, I'm not looking for debate and I respect your opinion even if it's different than mine


monica

 

[LilLamb219]

Salvation comes from God 100% and He uses means to give us faith in order to believe in Him for eternal life. We can only believe because He gives us faith to believe in the first place...saying it this way gives glory to God who does the saving instead of taking credit for it ourselves by saying I'm saved because I believed.

In baptism, God gives us faith so we can believe. God gives all the benefits won at the cross to the person being baptized and this because He has attached His promises by His Word to the waters in baptism.

But people can throw away faith and reject Christ Jesus. Rejection is what damns. Jesus even says there will be some who fall away.

Baptism is necessary but not absolutely necessary. There will be instances of people who believe first but might not be able to get baptized...they of course are still saved by means (God's Word that has given them faith to believe).

LilLamb219, I have a question I'm not looking for debate, I'm really curious about this.
I agree with your view on baptism, I also believe that God uses it and that it has a part in our salvation. But there are many parts in the New Testament where it says that we are saved because we believe... how do you view faith? Do you believe that it's enough to just be baptized; so if a baby is baptized, they are still saved even if they grow up to be a non believer? What if a person never got the chance to be baptized?
Again, I'm not looking for debate and I respect your opinion even if it's different than mine


monica

 

[MoNiCa4316]

Thanks for the reply

I agree that God gives us faith and that salvation comes entirely from Him. Once we believe, we are able to accept the gift of eternal life and are 'buried and raised again' in baptism.

God bless!

monica

 

[JTLauder]

Salvation comes from God 100%.

You are absolutely right about this point. Even those who believe in infant baptism would have to agree that salvation is granted not from the water administered by a priest, but because God grants the salvation. But baptism alone cannot lead to salvation. Some amount of faith is required in at least the belief that God grants salvation, and that requires a conscious and deliberate decision to act on that faith. Even with those the claim baptism saves must first have the faith in their belief that baptism saves. But if an atheist who has never been baptized, decides to go through the charade of a baptism as a mockery and facetious act, is he thus actually saved just because he went through the motions of a baptism?

 

[LilLamb219]

You are absolutely right about this point. Even those who believe in infant baptism would have to agree that salvation is granted not from the water administered by a priest, but because God grants the salvation. But baptism alone cannot lead to salvation. Some amount of faith is required in at least the belief that God grants salvation, and that requires a conscious and deliberate decision to act on that faith. Even with those the claim baptism saves must first have the faith in their belief that baptism saves. But if an atheist who has never been baptized, decides to go through the charade of a baptism as a mockery and facetious act, is he thus actually saved just because he went through the motions of a baptism?

It's not the waters in baptism that are at work, but God's Word.

Faith comes by hearing and this by the Word of God. Hearing doesn't always mean listening audibly as not everyone is able to hear (the deaf). It's just that God's Word is powerful to convert. God's Word is a part of baptism, so faith is given.

Man CAN and DOES at times reject the faith given in baptism, so the athiest would do just the same...reject.