• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

Definition of "WORK" and Baptism

ratchet30

Wanderer In A Strange Land
Apr 26, 2011
254
8
Pennsylvania
✟17,849.00
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Others
How do confessional Lutherans define the term "work?" I think of how we are not saved by works but faith only. But baptism is necessary or part of the salvation process. In evangelical churches I was taught that we should be baptized because Christ commanded it but it would be considered a work and therefore not a part of salvation. I need to understand the Lutheran definition of work. I'm still learning the new and unlearning the old
 
E

EzioAuditore

Guest
I'm kinda new too - so someone more knowledgeable correct me if I misspeak, but I think this page does a pretty good job of laying out the verses to this point:

www dot orlutheran dot com /html/whoswork.html

Eph 5:25-27 - it is Christ washing us

Titus 3:5-7 - He saved us, not by works but through the washing of rebirth

and tying Heb 10:22 to 1 Peter 3:20 - don't read it as your "pledge" to God, rather, it's Gods action on you "contracting" to you a good conscious through our Lord and Savior. We have our hearts sprinkled - we're not sprinkling them ourselves.
 
Upvote 0

Aibrean

Honest. Maybe too Honest.
Mar 18, 2007
6,298
347
42
Xenia, Ohio
Visit site
✟30,899.00
Faith
Lutheran
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Constitution
Aibrean, please give me scripture to support the view that Baptism is God's work. That might help clear the confusion. Thanks!

Colossians 2


8See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits[a] of the world, and not according to Christ. 9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.[c]
 
Upvote 0

LilLamb219

The Lamb is gone
Site Supporter
Jun 2, 2005
28,055
1,929
Visit site
✟106,096.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Private
My friend Tammy sent this to me at one time:

WHAT BLESSINGS DO WE RECEIVE FROM GOD IN BAPTISM?


1 Peter 3:20-21. … in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it a few people, eight in all, were saved through water — and this water symbolizes Baptism that now saves you also.

Colossians 2:11-12. In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in Baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

Romans 6:3-10. Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through Baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.

* Note: These passages from Colossians and Romans are summarized well by Dr. Lowell Green: “Baptism is the retroactive participation in the work of Good Friday and Easter Sunday — even better, it is incorporation into the body of the risen and ascended Savior ...”

Galatians 3:27. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Eph. 5:26. Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.

Titus 3:5. He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.

Corinthians 12:13. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:11. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Acts 22:16. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.

Acts 2:37-39. Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."

Mark 16:16. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

* Note: In these passages, the Word of God associates Baptism with dying and rising with Christ, being clothed with Christ, being cleansed and made holy by Christ, having sins washed away, receiving the Holy Spirit, being regenerated (reborn) and renewed, receiving the forgiveness of sins, and being saved.

 
Upvote 0

Luther073082

κύριε ἐλέησον χριστὲ ἐλέησον
Apr 1, 2007
19,202
840
43
New Carlisle, IN
✟46,326.00
Faith
Lutheran
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
Thanks for the verses LilLamb. I'll look them up in my Concordia Self-Study Bible. Thanks for your help everyone. If you think of something else let me know

Read the Large Catechism . . .
 
Upvote 0