WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

[Doug Brents]

The scriptures also say that people can receive it without baptism I’ve given you plenty of examples from the scripture. We’re not talking about ignoring baptism we’re talking about what happens if people cannot be baptized due to circumstances, such as being in an ICU.

There is not a single example of anyone being saved after Jesus' death without baptism. All the examples you have given were from before He died, when He was still at liberty to do with His property as He saw fit. It is not so after He died. When He died, His "last will and testament" was set in stone and cannot be altered. And it says that to receive a share in His inheritance we must repent of our sins (Acts 3:19), confess Him as Lord (Rom 10:9-10), and be baptized in water (Acts 2:38, 1 Pet 3:21).

this is purely a legalistic viewpoint. That God would deny salvation to a repentant sinner, because they could not be baptized due to circumstances beyond their control. This is extremely legalistic. It is saying that it is God‘s grace plus baptism rather than God‘s grace alone, which is clearly what the Bible teaches.

You are trying to find an exception to the rule and then invalidate the rule because of the exception. God may (or He may not) accept this kind of exception to His command, but I cannot teach on the exceptions. I can only teach what He says explicitly in His Word, and He says that repentance, confession, and baptism are ESSENTIAL to receive His gift of salvation.

 

[Mercy Shown]

There is not a single example of anyone being saved after Jesus' death without baptism. All the examples you have given were from before He died, when He was still at liberty to do with His property as He saw fit. It is not so after He died. When He died, His "last will and testament" was set in stone and cannot be altered. And it says that to receive a share in His inheritance we must repent of our sins (Acts 3:19), confess Him as Lord (Rom 10:9-10), and be baptized in water (Acts 2:38, 1 Pet 3:21).

Salvation is God’s to give and it includes repentance and is signified by the ceremony of baptism. But does circumstances preventing the ceremony negate salvation? How does the Bible describe salvation?

Romans 10:
8But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”d that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.

11It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

Here we see confession with the mouth and not baptism as the final act to be saved. And yet belief is the act that justifies us. If wea are then justified by faith will God still condemn us if we can’t be baptized?

The Holy Spirit is the seal of our salvation. (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30)

So Cornelius is a prime example of receiving salvation prior to baptism.

 

[Mercy Shown]

You are trying to find an exception to the rule and then invalidate the rule because of the exception.

Legalism is all about rules and our obeying them to get something from God. Salvation never comes from rule obeying whether it was circumcision as the Judaizers insisted upon or the various rules that moralists desire to impose today.

I am not against baptism nor do I seek exemption from it. It should be a joy an privilege to publicly proclaim you allegiance and gratitude for what Jesus has done for you and to identify with His death and resurrection in a physical way.

But it is not a ceremony that earns you salvation.

God may (or He may not) accept this kind of exception to His command, but I cannot teach on the exceptions. I can only teach what He says explicitly in His Word, and He says that repentance, confession, and baptism are ESSENTIAL to receive His gift of salvation.

If you have not been Justified by God before baptism, the ceremony is no good to you at all for you are never justified by ceremony only by faith. Baptism is by sight not faith.

 

[Doug Brents]

Salvation is God’s to give and it includes repentance

Repentance is not included in the gift of salvation. Acts 3:19 says, "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord". RETURN? That makes repentance something we do, not something we receive.

and is signified by the ceremony of baptism. But does circumstances preventing the ceremony negate salvation? How does the Bible describe salvation?

Romans 10:
8But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”d that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.

11It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

Here we see confession with the mouth and not baptism as the final act to be saved. And yet belief is the act that justifies us. If wea are then justified by faith will God still condemn us if we can’t be baptized?

The word "believes" in Rom 10:11 comes from the Greek "pistis" which means "faith". It is not an intellectual assent "belief", but a fully trusting, active, obedient faith. And as we know from Heb 11:1 and James 2:14-26, faith is the evidence and substance of our "belief" and without action is worthless, meaningless, and dead.

The Holy Spirit is the seal of our salvation. (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30)

And His indwelling of us occurs when He cuts sin from us and moves into our hearts during water baptism (Col 2:11-14).

So Cornelius is a prime example of receiving salvation prior to baptism.

No, Cornelius received only miraculous empowerment (praise and tongues) when the Holy Spirit fell on him in tongues of flame, just as the Apostles and the 120 in the upper room (who already had the indwelling of the Spirit (John 20:22)) received miraculous empowerment (praise and tongues)(Acts 2:4). And if Cornelius were saved when the Spirit fell on him so publicly, then water baptism would have been redundant and unnecessary.

Legalism is all about rules and our obeying them to get something from God. Salvation never comes from rule obeying whether it was circumcision as the Judaizers insisted upon or the various rules that moralists desire to impose today.

Correct, for the most part. But when we look at God's history of dealing with mankind, we see that He ALWAYS commands some action before granting the gift He has offered.
For instance: Abraham was given the "promised land" even before Jacob (Israel) was born. Yet after the Exodus, when the nation crossed Jordan, they still had to take possession of the land by force. When they marched on Jericho, they had to march around it once a day for six days, and then seven times on the seventh day, and then God knocked the walls down. The marching had no military or seismic effect on the walls, but if the marching had not been done, the walls would not have been knocked down by God. Their obedience was part of their faith in God's Word, and was a prerequisite for God's actions just as He promised.

I am not against baptism nor do I seek exemption from it. It should be a joy an privilege to publicly proclaim you allegiance and gratitude for what Jesus has done for you and to identify with His death and resurrection in a physical way.

But it is not a ceremony that earns you salvation.

Correct, it is not a ceremony that "EARNS" you salvation. It is a ceremony that God has said is mandatory to receive His gift/blessing, and (as with every example of His gifts/blessings being given in the OT) if it is not done the gift is not received.

If you have not been Justified by God before baptism, the ceremony is no good to you at all for you are never justified by ceremony only by faith. Baptism is by sight not faith.

You cannot be justified by God before baptism, because God says that it is in baptism that He justifies us (Rom 6:1-7, Col 2:11-14, 1 Pet 3:21, Acts 8:36, Acts 22:16, Gal 3:26-27, Eph 5:26-27, James 2:24).

 

[Mercy Shown]

You cannot be justified by God before baptism, because God says that it is in baptism that He justifies us (Rom 6:1-7, Col 2:11-14, 1 Pet 3:21, Acts 8:36, Acts 22:16, Gal 3:26-27, Eph 5:26-27, James 2:24).

Then you cannot believe before baptism so why would you be baptized if you don’t believe?

Romans10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

We are justified by faith, not baptism.

 

[Mercy Shown]

Repentance is not included in the gift of salvation. Acts 3:19 says, "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord". RETURN? That makes repentance something we do, not something we receive.

Acts 5:31 says that repentance was given to Israel by God.

Second, Timothy 2:25 depicts repentance as a gift.

Furthermore, if we are to consider that people are dead in their sins and trespasses, then that would preclude repentance because a dead person cannot repent. A dead person must be brought back to life in order to repent, which would make repentance tacitly a gift.

If the things of God are foolishness to the natural man, then there needs to be a supernatural intervention in order for man to even understand that they need to repent.

 

[Mercy Shown]

The word "believes" in Rom 10:11 comes from the Greek "pistis" which means "faith". It is not an intellectual assent "belief", but a fully trusting, active, obedient faith. And as we know from Heb 11:1 and James 2:14-26, faith is the evidence and substance of our "belief" and without action is worthless, meaningless, and dead.

If it does not produce actions, it is dead. Just like a seed put in the ground if it does not sprout, the seed was dead. But I’m not sure what this has to do with baptism because the argument here has been that if you’re not baptized for any reason, beyond your control you’re lost.

It has been made to appear as if it is a means by which, we earn our salvation which the Bible disagrees with. It is by faith and faith alone that we accounted righteous before God, Almighty.

If someone who is fully capable of being baptized refuses to do so that does not cause him to be lost. Refusing to do so is because they are lost and do not know the saving power of Jesus Christ.

Those to whom God has given grace and salvation, rejoice greatly, and will do anything for Jesus Christ.

 

[Mercy Shown]

And His indwelling of us occurs when He cuts sin from us and moves into our hearts during water baptism (Col 2:11-14).

This is a misreading of the text which states:

In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 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. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

This passage tells us that we are circumcised by Christ removing the body of sin from us and not by a ceremony.

Next it teaches us that baptism is symbolic of being buried with him. Virtually this is talking not about literal body burial but is referring to the death of self. This of course is a process. No one comes up from the water with perfect flesh. There is no indication in the text that baptism does the work nor does it tell us that it precipitates Christs work. As suggested by the order of the text one enters the water already circumcised by Christ.

Lastly this passage teaches us that Christ begins his works while we were dead in our sins and tresspasses and not at baptism.

As I’ve pointed out earlier, the enjoying of the Holy Spirit is a guarantee of our salvation.

 

[Mercy Shown]

No, Cornelius received only miraculous empowerment (praise and tongues) when the Holy Spirit fell on him in tongues of flame, just as the Apostles and the 120 in the upper room (who already had the indwelling of the Spirit (John 20:22)) received miraculous empowerment (praise and tongues)(Acts 2:4). And if Cornelius were saved when the Spirit fell on him so publicly, then water baptism would have been redundant and unnecessary.

It would be redundant and unnecessary if it were about earning salvation. But baptism is not about earning salvation. It is about a public acknowledgment of having been saved by the power of Jesus Christ. Now, you are tacitly arguing that a sinner can receive the Holy Spirit and have the Holy Spirit indwelling in them, but the Bible teaches us this fact: what fellowship have light with darkness. I don’t think there’s a chance that the Holy Spirit would in dwell in a person who is a lost sinner.

 

[Mercy Shown]

Correct, for the most part. But when we look at God's history of dealing with mankind, we see that He ALWAYS commands some action before granting the gift He has offered.
For instance: Abraham was given the "promised land" even before Jacob (Israel) was born. Yet after the Exodus, when the nation crossed Jordan, they still had to take possession of the land by force. When they marched on Jericho, they had to march around it once a day for six days, and then seven times on the seventh day, and then God knocked the walls down. The marching had no military or seismic effect on the walls, but if the marching had not been done, the walls would not have been knocked down by God. Their obedience was part of their faith in God's Word, and was a prerequisite for God's actions just as He promised.

This is not true across-the-board there are cases where Christ gave his gifts without any call for action. The widow of Nain comes to mind as does the crippled at the pool of Bethesda.

 

[Mercy Shown]

Correct, it is not a ceremony that "EARNS" you salvation. It is a ceremony that God has said is mandatory to receive His gift/blessing, and (as with every example of His gifts/blessings being given in the OT) if it is not done the gift is not received.

There’s no place in the Bible that states if one is not baptized, one is not saved. Baptism is tied to salvation only in that it expresses public commitment to Christ.

But salvation has occurred before the baptism occurs. And anybody who is truly been saved, will gladly be baptized unless they cannot.

 

[Mercy Shown]

You cannot be justified by God before baptism, because God says that it is in baptism that He justifies us (Rom 6:1-7, Col 2:11-14, 1 Pet 3:21, Acts 8:36, Acts 22:16, Gal 3:26-27, Eph 5:26-27, James 2:24).

We are Justified by faith in Christ.

Romans 5:1
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Titus 3:7
So that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Romans 3:28
For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Galatians 3:24
So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.

1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you. 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.

Romans 5:9
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

Romans 5:1-21
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. ...

Philippians 3:9
And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

Romans 4:25
Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Galatians 2:16-17
Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!

Romans 8:30
And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Galatians 2:16
Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Romans 4:3
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

Genesis 15:6
And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

2 Corinthians 5:21
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Romans 4:2
For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 3:20
For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Romans 4:5
And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

Romans 3:24
And are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Romans 2:13
For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Galatians 3:11
Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Galatians 3:6
Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

1 Corinthians 1:30
And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Romans 10:1-21
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. ...

Romans 1:17
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Galatians 3:8
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”

Romans 8:33
Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

James 2:21
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?

Romans 5:18
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.

James 2:1-26
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? ...

Galatians 2:21
I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Romans 3:22
The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

Habakkuk 2:4
“Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.

Romans 3:4
By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”

Acts 13:39
And by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

Romans 4:16
That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

John 5:24
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Galatians 5:6
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

Romans 3:26
It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

James 2:24
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Matthew 12:37
For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Isaiah 50:8
He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me.

James 2:20
Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 3:10
As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;

Romans 3:30
Since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

 

[Doug Brents]

Then you cannot believe before baptism so why would you be baptized if you don’t believe?

That is probably the most stupid thing I have read in this whole forum, and I have read a LOT of stupid stuff here. Rom 10:14 contradicts you.

Romans10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

We are justified by faith, not baptism.

Faith requires action (works) or it is not real, alive, or effective (James 2:14-26). It is through our actions that we are justified (James 2:24), not through faith alone.
Rom 10:10 specifically says that there is an action (confession of Jesus as Lord WITH THE MOUTH) that results in salvation being received.

Acts 5:31 says that repentance was given to Israel by God.

The opportunity, the efficacy, the value of repentance. Repentance is merely a turning, a change of mind, and even God has done this (Genesis 6:6-7, 1 Samuel 15:11, Exodus 32:12-14, and Jeremiah 26:13). It did not take God to give Israel the ability to turn around, but it did take God to make them turning around have meaning and value to salvation from sin.

Furthermore, if we are to consider that people are dead in their sins and trespasses, then that would preclude repentance because a dead person cannot repent. A dead person must be brought back to life in order to repent, which would make repentance tacitly a gift.

You are thinking of physical death. But spiritual death is not the same. Death in general is simply a separation: physical death is nothing more than the separation of the body from the soul. Spiritual death is the separation of the soul from God. The soul does not cease to function just because it is separated from God, just as a limb still continues photosynthesis (for a time) after it is separated from the tree. The soul can still repent, turn back to God, and be resurrected (reconnected to God) by the Holy Spirit

If the things of God are foolishness to the natural man, then there needs to be a supernatural intervention in order for man to even understand that they need to repent.

Certainly, and that is what happened when Jesus was lifted up on the cross (John 12:32).

If it does not produce actions, it is dead. Just like a seed put in the ground if it does not sprout, the seed was dead. But I’m not sure what this has to do with baptism because the argument here has been that if you’re not baptized for any reason, beyond your control you’re lost.

God put certain conditions upon the reception of His gift of salvation. Faith is one of those conditions (and certain particular actions of faith (repentance, confession of Jesus as Lord, and baptism)). If those conditions are not met, then salvation is not received. Baptism is not something done AFTER salvation is received, because Scripture says clearly that it is in/during baptism that salvation is received.

It has been made to appear as if it is a means by which, we earn our salvation which the Bible disagrees with. It is by faith and faith alone that we accounted righteous before God, Almighty.

Not so (James 2:24). This is the ONLY verse in all of Scripture where even the concept of "faith only" or "faith alone" exists, and it says "NOT by faith only".

If someone who is fully capable of being baptized refuses to do so that does not cause him to be lost. Refusing to do so is because they are lost and do not know the saving power of Jesus Christ.

Correct, it does not cause them to be lost. They are already lost, and baptism is the only way back into union with God through Christ.

Those to whom God has given grace and salvation, rejoice greatly, and will do anything for Jesus Christ.

Absolutely, but they are not given the grace of salvation UNLESS they have already done what He says leads to/results in receiving His gift of salvation.

 

[Mercy Shown]

That is probably the most stupid thing I have read in this whole forum, and I have read a LOT of stupid stuff here. Rom 10:14 contradicts you.

Then you are agreeing that “the most stupid thing” posted in this whole forum is when you posted this:

“You cannot be justified by God before baptism, because God says that it is in baptism that He justifies us”

Romans 10:9 says that we are justified by believing. “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. “

So if you are now stating that one believes before baptism then one is saved before baptism.

 

[Doug Brents]

Then you are agreeing that “the most stupid thing” posted in this whole forum is when you posted this:

“You cannot be justified by God before baptism, because God says that it is in baptism that He justifies us”

Romans 10:9 says that we are justified by believing. “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. “

So if you are now stating that one believes before baptism then one is saved before baptism.

Of course a person must believe before they are baptized, justification does not come through belief/faith alone (James 2:24). You conveniently skip over the first part of Rom 10:9 (and the second half of Rom 10:10) which says that confession "with the mouth" (obviously a physical action) results in salvation being received. Similarly, Acts 2:38, 1 Pet 3:21, Gal 3:26-27, Eph 5:26-27, Acts 22:16, and other passages all say that baptism in water also results in salvation being received. And Rom 6:1-7 and Col 2:11-14 both state that it is during the action of being baptized that the Holy Spirit removes our sin, unites us with Christ's death and resurrection, and resurrects our soul making us alive in Christ.

So no, we are not saved before baptism. We are saved during water baptism, just as Scripture says.

 

[Wansvic]

Then you are agreeing that “the most stupid thing” posted in this whole forum is when you posted this:

“You cannot be justified by God before baptism, because God says that it is in baptism that He justifies us”

Romans 10:9 says that we are justified by believing. “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. “

So if you are now stating that one believes before baptism then one is saved before baptism.

As revealed in verse 11 below, people are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus AND by the Spirit. It is no coincidence that being water baptized in the name of Jesus for remission of sin, and receiving the Holy Spirit are the essential elements of the NT rebirth. See: Acts 2:4-41, 8:12-18, 9:17-18, 10:43-48, 19:1-7, 22:16.

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

11 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." 1 Cor. 6:9-11

It is so important to understand that the Sum of God's word reveals the truth on any given subject. (Psalm 119:160)

 

[Mercy Shown]

As revealed in verse 11 below, people are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus AND by the Spirit. It is no coincidence that being water baptized in the name of Jesus for remission of sin, and receiving the Holy Spirit are the essential elements of the NT rebirth. See: Acts 2:4-41, 8:12-18, 9:17-18, 10:43-48, 19:1-7, 22:16.

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

11 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." 1 Cor. 6:9-11

It is so important to understand that the Sum of God's word reveals the truth on any given subject. (Psalm 119:160)

In and by the name of Jesus and the Spirit of God. That is who saves us and we are justified by faith. If you need the references let me know but I trust that you are a diligent student of the Bible and know them already.

Baptism occurs after salvation.

 

[Doug Brents]

Baptism occurs after salvation.

That is not what 1 Pet 3:21, Rom 6:1-7, Col 2:11-14, Acts 2:38 and Acts 22:16 say.

 

[Wansvic]

In and by the name of Jesus and the Spirit of God. That is who saves us and we are justified by faith. If you need the references let me know but I trust that you are a diligent student of the Bible and know them already.

Baptism occurs after salvation.

We are justified THROUGH faith.

Those who believe and obey the gospel message receive what God says they will:
God commands believers to repent, and submit to water baptism in the name of Jesus in order for their sins to be remitted. Those willing to do so are told they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Faith is required for each step; thus the meaning of being "justified through faith."

Paul explained this:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. FOR THEREIN (in the gospel message) is the righteousness of God REVEALED from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Rom. 1:16-17

 

[Mercy Shown]

Of course a person must believe before they are baptized, justification does not come through belief/faith alone (James 2:24).

Focusing on selected texts does not help one divide the word of truth correctly. Take this passage for instance.

Titus 3:5-7​

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

It is clear here what saves us and this message is through out the Bible. You seem to believe that coming to Christ is not enough, but it is. The moment one believes and confesses that belief they are saved.

Baptism has no salvational power. If it is indeed salvational then infant baptism is an important doctrine since in baptized children are damned.