Saved By Faith Only?

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ARE WE SAVED BY FAITH ONLY? -or- THE ENTIRE WORD OF GOD ~Ephesians 2:5 doesn't mention belief in Jesus as being necessary for Salvation. Would it be wise, therefore, to conclude that belief in Jesus is not required for Salvation without considering what the other Scriptures say about eternal Salvation? Eph. 2 (NKJV) ^"4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." ~God’s Word tells us, we are saved by grace: Eph. 2 (NKJV) ^"8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God," ~Are we are saved by grace only? ~God’s Word tells us, we are saved by hope: Rom. 8 (NKJV) ^"24For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance." ~Are we saved by hope only? ~God’s Word tells us, we are saved by faith (belief): John 3 (NKJV) ^"16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." ~Are we saved by faith only? ~God’s Word tells us, we are saved by repentance: 2 Cor. 7 (NKJV) ^"10For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death." ~Or note Luke 13:3 where Jesus puts it in a negative light: Luke 13 (NKJV) ^"3I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." ~Are we saved by repentance only? ~God’s Word tells us, we are saved by calling on the name of the Lord: Acts 2 (NKJV) ^"21And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.’" Rom. 10 (NKJV) ^"13For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” ~Are we saved by calling on the name of the Lord only? ~God’s Word tells us, we are saved by faith and confession: Rom. 10 (NKJV) ^"9...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." ~Can we be saved by faith if we refuse to confess this? ~Can we be saved by confession if we do not believe this? ~God’s Word tells us, we are saved by faith and baptized (Mark 16:16): Mark 16 (NKJV) ^"16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." ~Can we be saved by faith if we refuse to be baptized? ~Can we be saved by baptism if we fail to believe? ~God’s Word tells us, we are saved by baptism: 1 Peter 3 (NKJV) ^"20who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. ²¹There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ," ~Are we saved by baptism only? ~God’s Word tells us, we are saved by acts of obedience: Heb. 5 (NKJV) ^"9And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him," ~Are we saved by acts of obedience only? ~God’s Word tells us, we are saved by acts of obedience: Heb. 5 (NKJV) ^"9And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him," ~Are we saved by acts of obedience only? ~God’s Word tells us, we are saved by God's mercy, justified by grace: Titus 3 (NKJV) ^"5not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. ~Are we saved by God's mercy not being justified by His grace? ~Are we justified by God's grace without His mercy? ~God’s Word tells us, we are saved by the Blood of Christ: 1 Pet. 1 (NKJV) ^"18knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, ¹⁹but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." ~Are we saved by the Blood of Christ only? ~God’s Word tells us, we are saved by enduring to the end: Matt. 24 (NKJV) ^"13But he who endures to the end shall be saved." ~Are we saved by enduring to the end only? ~These Scriptures clearly show that man is saved by a number of things. Therefore, it is quite evident that man is not saved by any one thing only such as "faith only" ~or~ "grace only". James 2 (NKJV) ^"24You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." ~Another interesting Scripture found in God's Holy Word says that "faith (belief) is a work of God". John 6 (NKJV) ^"29Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." ~Author of compilation unknown. ~According to the Bible, there are many things that save a person. ~Some claim that those who follow the Bible are "legalists". Is this true and if so is it good or bad? Is Man Saved By 'Faith Only' ~or~ Grace Through Faith Only? Video 1; Video 2; Video 3; Video 4 ~In James 2, we read that even though the demons believed, they trembled. The reason is because 'even though they believe, they do not obey God. The only place in the Bible that we read the words 'faith only' occurs in James 2:24. It is for certain that we are justified by faith, but NOT justified by 'faith only' or 'faith alone'. James 2 (NKJV) Faith Without Works Is Dead ^"14What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. ¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ¹⁹You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹Was not Abraham our father by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²²Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? ²³And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. ”And he was called the friend of God. ²⁴You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. ²⁵Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? ²⁶For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. ~Many people claim that they cannot be baptized as a condition of salvation because, 'they say, baptism is a work' & 'we are saved by faith, not works'. ~It may surprise them to read in John 6:29 that belief (faith) is a work. John 6 (NKJV) ^"29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” ~The question then becomes, is believing in Christ a work of God or a work of man? It is a work of God. God calls people through His Words in the Bible which causes those with a humble, willing heart to believe. Saying the Sinner's Prayer is an act of doing something which could be called a work though it is not found in the bible and not commanded nor authorized by God. ~Baptism is also the work of God (Col. 2:11-13). However, it is NOT a work of man's righteousness (Tit. 3:5-6). A man cannot save himself without God's Grace and The Blood of Christ, but he can 'work out his salvation' by keeping God's Word. When a person is baptized, Christ, Himself spiritually circumcises the person by cutting off the sin allowing the person to come back into relationship with God. 'Faith (belief) only' does not allow this to happen because the person's sins are not cut off. The person is still in his sins. Col. 2 (NKJV) ^"11In 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, ¹²buried 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, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ¹⁴having 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. Titus 3 (NKJV) ^"5not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Phil. 2 (NKJV) ^"12Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;" ~There are those who teach that 'the thief on the cross' was not baptized, therefore, we don't have to be baptized in order to be saved. The Bible does not tell us that 'the thief' was not baptized. It is very possible that the thief was baptized by either John, or the disciples of Jesus. Nevertheless, whether the thief was baptized or not, he lived and died under the Old Law (Law of Moses, Old Covenant) just as Jesus and John did. Under the Old Law, baptism was not a requirement for salvation, therefore, the baptism of the Thief is a non-issue. Today, mankind lives under the New Law (Law of Christ, New Covenant, New Testament). 2 Tim. 2 (NKJV) ^"15Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Heb. 8 (NKJV) ^"6But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises." Heb. 9 (NKJV) ^"15And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. The Mediator’s Death Necessary ¹⁶For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. ¹⁷For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives." ~It is true that in Eph. 2:8-9; we read 'by grace you have been saved through faith'. The Scripture says that Grace is a gift of God that none should boast. Paul, in Gal. 6:14 says that he boasts in the cross of Christ. Eph. 2 (NKJV) ^"8For 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." ~In Heb. 11:6, we read that without faith, it is impossible to please God. It is undeniable that a person must have faith to be saved, but is the faith that God requires, 'faith only' or is it rather an active or saving faith, a faith that obeys God? Heb. 11 (NKJV) ^"6But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." ~There is a difference between the meritorious works devised by man and those works that are commanded by God: Eph. 2 (NKJV) ^"8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God..." Gal. 5 (NKJV) ^"6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love." ~Grace teaches us to obey God: Titus 2 (NKJV) ^"11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men." John 14 (NKJV) ^"23Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. ²⁴He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me." ~Jesus is the Author of Eternal Salvation to all who obey HIm: Heb. 5 (NKJV) ^"8though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. ⁹And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." ~In Acts 16:30, we read, 'what must I do to be saved'? This tells us that there is something that a person needs to do in order to be saved. This does not mean that a person 'saves himself' without the Blood of Christ, but merely that God commands that men do what He has commanded in order to receive the salvation that God has provided for us through His Grace. Jesus said that the person who loves Him will obey Him and that he who does not love Him will not obey Him. We never read, 'you are saved by grace, you don't need to do anything'. We never read in the bible, 'pray this prayer' and you will be saved. There are many things taught by denominations that we cannot read about in the Word of God. We never read, after you are saved, then 'be baptized because you are already saved'. We never read 'since you are saved find a church to attend'. We never read 'vote on a person to see if he meets the requirements to be a member of the church'. We do read that the Lord adds a man to His church when the man is baptized into Christ (Acts 2:47). Acts 16 (NKJV) ^"30And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ³¹So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” ³²Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. ³³And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized." John 14 (NKJV) ^"23Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. ²⁴He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me." ~Israel did not attain righteousness because they did not seek it by faith, but by works of the law. Israel did not believe in Christ and stumbled at the stumbling stone, not doing the works of God (belief [John 6:29] and Baptism [Col. 2:11-13] are works of God under the New Law which we live today). Romans 9 (NKJV) ^"30What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; ³¹but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. ³²Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. ³³As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”" ~Let's define grace. Grace is a free gift, an undeserved favor. Without God's Grace, man is without hope. Grace is something that a person does not pay for, work for or do anything for. Grace cannot be earned, but it must be accepted on the terms of the Giver. A person is saved by the free gift of Grace through faith (the working of God [John 6:29; Col. 2:12]) and not by the works of man. The only way a person can get grace is if it is given to him. Mankind does not deserve salvation, but God offers salvation from our sins through His grace. Salvation is not by 'works' of man because God does not want anyone to boast that he saved himself apart from God by his own works. Like Paul, we should boast only in the cross of Christ, not ourselves. 1 Cor. 1 (NKJV) ^"28and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹that no flesh should glory in His presence." Eph. 2 (NKJV) ^"8For 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." Gal. 6 (NKJV) ^"14But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." ~Here is a physical example of unmerited favor (grace). Let's say you went sailing. Your boat capsized, floated off and you were left in the water without hope. You are about to drown. Then, a motor boat appears and a man throws you a rope with an attached life jacket to pull over your arms and shoulders. If you decide not to take the life jacket and put it around yourself, you will drown, but you choose to reach out, grab the rope and jacket, put it around you. The man pulls you to the boat and lifts you into the boat. You are saved from drowning. How were you saved? Was it because of the kindness and unmerited favor of the man in the motor boat? Did the man save you by himself? Did the boat save you by itself? Did the rope alone save you? Was the rope and life jacket necessary for your salvation? Did you have to use your own effort to get the jacket and put it around you? Even though you made the effort to get the jacket and put it around you, would you claim to have saved yourself (without help)? Would you say that you were saved by the man only without any effort on your part? Or rather, would you praise the unmerited favor (grace) and kindness the man extended to you (without which you could not have been saved from drowning) realizing, at the same time, that you could not have been saved without the boat, the rope, the life-saving jacket and without your own effort of grasping the jacket (attached to the rope) and putting it on. Now, consider all the Scriptures above concerning Salvation. God has given us conditions for receiving His grace. Rom. 5 (NKJV) ^"8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us... ¹⁵But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many." ~IF 'grace alone' saved mankind, then, all men would be saved because the Holy Spirit says in Tit. 2 that the Grace of God has appeared to ALL men. Titus 2 (NKJV) ^"11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men," ~Paul tells Titus that God's Grace has appeared to all men in the sense that Christ died on the cross and shed His Blood for all mankind. Jesus was the propitiation for the sins of all men. 1 John 2 (NKJV) ^"2And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world." ~Jesus died for all mankind, but we know that all men are not saved. Since Grace appeared to all men, but not all men are saved, something else has to happen. God says that He requires obedience from men. It makes sense, then, that if men want to be saved by God's Grace that they do the things that God says to do to obtain it. Phil. 2 (NKJV) ^"12...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." 2 Cor. 6 (NKJV) ^"1We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain." ~In Eph. 2:8-9, Paul shows us that grace encompasses all of God's activity concerning redemption to ensure that man can be saved if he chooses. He also shows us that faith encompasses all a man must do concerning his salvation (in response to God's Grace) so he cannot boast nor think he is earning his salvation. Man must have a 'saving faith' and cannot live spiritually by 'faith only'. It is absolutely certain that man is saved by grace, but not 'grace only'. Rom. 5 (NKJV) ^"1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." ~God's Grace is not nullified by man's obedience. Man must obey to walk with God and not fall from His Grace. Note how God's people were saved by God's grace through faith under the Old Law. The following Scriptures show that there are prerequisites to receiving and keeping God's Grace: 1 John 1 (NKJV) ^"7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." Heb. 12 (NKJV) ^"15looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;" Gal. 5 (NKJV) ^"4You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace." Rev. 2 (NKJV) ^"10Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." ~People might say, but I believe. Though many disobedient people 'believe', they are not believers in the Biblical sense. In the Old Testament, God's people knew that there was a God. They knew that God existed by His miracles in Egypt, His miracles in bringing them out of Egypt, the fact that He sustained them all in the desert (food, water, clothing didn't wear out), His voice booming from the Sinai mountain, etc. Nevertheless, many did not obey Him and they perished. Heb. 3 (NKJV) ¹⁸And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? ¹⁹So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief." Titus 1 (NKJV) ⁵But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe." 1 Pet. 2 (NKJV) ^"7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed." ~Jesus advises us to enter the narrow road. He also says that there will be many who say to Him, Lord, Lord, but He will tell them that He does not know them. These are men who think that they know God and have been doing various activities in His Name. Nevertheless, He considered the things that they 'lawlessness' because He had not authorized the people to do those things. Matt. 7 (NKJV) ^"13“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.... ²¹“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²²Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’" ~Jude writes and tells us that there are men who turn God's Grace into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 1 (NKJV) Contend for the Faith ^"3Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. ⁴For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." ~Authority in the Word of God is an important issue. Video 1; Video 2; Video 3; Video 4 To give you a simple example, let's say your mother gave you $10 and told you to go to the store and buy bread, eggs, and milk for dinner and bring her the change. You get to the store and decide you would rather have some candy and ice cream so you buy those, get some milk and return to your mother. Will she be happy? No. Neither will God when you do not obey His authority. Also, imagine that you are going to schedule a trip to Tel Aviv, Israel. You call the airline and tell them the date you want to go and what city you will leave from. You expect to receive the ticket with the parameters that you have set. You do not expect to receive a ticket to a different city, for a different price, leaving on a different day from a different city. When you ordered your ticket, you did not have to specify that you did NOT want to go to New York, NY, USA or Paris, France, etc. You also did not have to specify that you did not want to go on all the other 364 days of the year. You only specified what you wanted (not all the things you did not want). It is the same with the Word of God. ~Jesus says that the Pharisees and teachers of the Law rejected the Will or Counsel of God by not being baptized. (It is good to note that both Jesus and John the Baptist lived and died under the Old Law, Old Covenant or Law of Moses.) Most people today also reject the Will of God by not being scripturally baptized into Christ. Luke 7 (NKJV) ^"29And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. ³⁰But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him." ~Concerning obedience to the Gospel and doing the Will of God, it is important to read Hebrews 11 to see how those who were living under the Old Law were saved 'by faith' when they obeyed God (though they were not redeemed until after Christ shed His Blood on the cross [Heb. 10:4; 9:15]). Though we are not living under the Old Law today, the Old Testament is a tutor or schoolmaster for us today. It was 'by faith' that they obeyed God. Under the Old Law, they did different things to obey God. However, today, God has mankind one Plan of Salvation for everyone. John 14 (NKJV) ^"23Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. ²⁴He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me." Gal. 3 (NKJV) ^"23But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. ²⁴Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor." ~Jesus, being God, submitted His Will to the Will of the Father to bring about justice for the sins of mankind. Though Jesus was sinless, we must feel 'Godly sorrow' for our sins and also submit to the Will of the Father (His Plan of Salvation) if we want to be saved. Luke 22 (NKJV) ^"41And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, ⁴²saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” ~We see in Rom. 6:17 that we are saved after we obey, from the heart, the form of doctrine given to us in the Bible. For example, a person who was baptized without faith (belief) or believing that he was already saved and baptism was only a symbol of his salvation, would not be saved. Rom. 6 (NKJV) ^"17But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered." ~We can know that the doctrine is from God by reading the Bible and the Bible only. John 7 (NKJV) ^"17If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority." ~What is that doctrine outlined in the Word of God? It is obedience to the Gospel, which is the Good New of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. 1 cor. 15 (NKJV) ^"3For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, ~The 'form' is something that looks like or resembles the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Note the 'form' (see pictures) in the lesson Obedience To The Gospel. Col. 2 (NKJV) ^"12buried 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, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses," ~Calling on the Name of the Lord is obeying the Gospel of Christ following through to baptism, it is not a confession. Acts 22 (NKJV) ^"16And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’" ~Some protest saying that water can't save us. However, it is not the actual water that saves a person, but humbling oneself to the Will of God. The Blood of Christ saves a person and the person contacts that Blood in the act of baptism. Eph. 2 (NKJV) ^"13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." Heb. 9 (NKJV) ^"14how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? ¹⁵And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." 1 John 1 (NKJV) ^"7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 5 (NKJV) ^"6This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth." John 3 (NKJV) ^"5Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God... 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 everlasting life... ²²After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. ²³Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized." ~Baptism is commanded of God. John tells us that the man who claims to know God, but do not keep His commandments is a liar. 1 John 2 (NKJV) ^"3Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him." ~The way God has commanded a person to be baptized is immersion in water (as opposed to dirt, air, etc.). Eph. 5 (NKJV) ^"25...Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, ²⁶that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." ~It is the person's repentant heart leading to Godly sorrow for his sins and subsequent 'obedience to God' that saves him through the Blood of Christ. Rom. 5 (NKJV) ^"9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." ~When obeying the command of God to be baptized, it is in the water of baptism (death and burial with Christ [scan down to see both pictures) where a person contacts the BLOOD OF CHRIST. 1 John 5 (NKJV) ^"2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. ³For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments... ⁶This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. ⁷For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. ⁸And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one." ~It would be good to read the account of Naaman. We know that water does not cure leprosy, but by Naaman's obedience leprosy was cured under the Old Law. 2 Kings 5 (NKJV) Naaman’s Leprosy Healed ^"1Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria... He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper... ⁵Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” ⁶Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy. ⁸... Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” ⁹Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. ¹⁰And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” ¹¹But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ ¹²Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. ¹³And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” ¹⁴So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. ¹⁵And he returned to the man of God... and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel;" ~The message of God seems foolish to those who do not know Him. 1 Cor. 1 (NKJV) ^"18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God... ²¹For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe." ~The Bible says we are saved by baptism and though it is not the only thing that saves us, it is the point at which the Lord, Jesus Christ, Himself, adds a person (Acts 2:47) to the church He established in Jerusalem on Pentecost in 33 A.D. 1 Pet. 3 (NKJV) ^"21There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ," ~The Lord adds a person to His spiritual church when the person is baptized - after He has cut off the person's sins (Col. 2:11-15). This allows the person to come back into relationship with God - with no sins in between them (sin is what separated man from God in the first place). The person becomes a new creation, dead to self, the old man. Infants being born in the spiritual image of God have no sin. Acts 2 (NKJV) ^"40And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” ⁴¹Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them....⁴⁷...And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." 2 Cor. 5 (NKJV) ^"17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." ~Many people will say, but there is no Law today because we live under the 'Law of Liberty' or the 'Law of Grace'. However, the Law of Liberty does not negate the Law of Love. Neither does the Law of Grace either of those Laws all of which are part of the Law of Christ which is the New Testament. Gal. 5 (NKJV) ^"1Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." Gal. 4 (NKJV) ^"8But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. ⁹But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?" ~The Law of Christ is spiritual. Rom. 7 (NKJV) ^"14For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin." ~The Old Law was abolished as the Law when Christ died on the cross. The New Testament, the Will of Christ did not go into effect until after He died. The same happens with the wills of men today. Also, in courts of law today, a law that was made many years ago and has replaced by a newer law cannot be used in a person's defense - the new law would apply. Col. 2 (NKJV) ^"11In 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, ¹²buried 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, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ¹⁴having 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. ¹⁵Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it." Heb. 9 (NKJV) ^"15And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. The Mediator’s Death Necessary ¹⁶For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. ¹⁷For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives." ~God wants children who love Him and choose to obey Him. He could have easily created robots that would obey Him and not sin. However, He did did not want robot children who will just spit out, 'I love you' whenever He pressed a the button, but children who chose to love Him. Therefore, God gave mankind the power of choice starting back in the Garden of Eden. That choice still applies through the Law of Liberty. We can choose to obey God or not to obey Him. John 14 (NKJV) ^"23Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. ²⁴He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me." Joshua 24 (NKJV) ^"15And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” 2 Cor. 11 (NKJV) ^"3But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. ⁴For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough." ~Each of the four gospels give us a different view of what the sign above the Head of Jesus said (Matt. 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38; John 19:19). Though each Gospel writer was inspired by God, he was giving the account according to his perspective. We need to keep this in mind because the sum of God's Word is truth (not parts of it or Scriptures taken out of context to prove a certain point or doctrine). Psalm 119 (NKJV) ^"160The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever." ~The Apostle Paul tells us that he preached the whole counsel of God. Nevertheless, he said that men speaking perverse things would draw disciples away from the church Christ established in Jerusalem on Pentecost of 33 A.D. Acts 20 (NKJV) ^"26Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. ²⁷For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. ²⁸Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. ²⁹For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves." ~Peter tells us that there are those who twist the Scriptures to their own destruction. Video 1; Video 2 2 Pet. 3 (NKJV) ^"15and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, ¹⁶as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. ¹⁷You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; ¹⁸but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen." ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Is walking by faith a 'blind leap'? ~Are people saved by the Sinner's Prayer which we do not find in the Bible? ~Are we saved by Grace only? ~Does the Thief on the Cross justify salvation by Faith Only? Is baptism a part of The Gospel of Christ? ~Once we are saved, are we always saved? ~Is salvation by 'grace only' or rather must a person have saving faith which leads him to obey The Gospel? ~What must I do To Be Saved? Article 1, Article 2 ~Answers to Baptism Objections: Article 1; Article 2; Article 3 ~Lots of information about baptism. ~What is God's Plan of Salvation? ~Must I be baptized to be saved? ~What is 'Obedience To The Gospel'? ~How do I obey the Gospel of Christ? ~Are there any wrong reasons to become Christians? Video ~What is the purpose of the one baptism? ~A study on Baptism (different topics). ~Can I Fall From Grace or Once I Am Saved Am I Always Saved? INTERACTIVE LESSONS ~Must I be baptized in order to be saved? Interactive Study ~Can a blood bought Christian ever be lost or is he eternally saved? ~Once you are saved, are you always saved? ~Are you really sure of your eternal salvation? ~Are you worshipping God in spirit and in truth? ~Are you married, divorced or remarried? ~Who is the Antichrist? ~When do the last days begin? ~Has the Book of Revelation happened or is it prophesying future events?
For Free, No Obligation Bible Study, Contact: Bible_Study712 @ thebodyofChristJesus.net Please report broken links.

~Ephesians 2:5 doesn't mention belief in Jesus as being necessary for Salvation. Would it be wise, therefore, to conclude that belief in Jesus is not required for Salvation without considering what the other Scriptures say about eternal Salvation?

Eph. 2 (NKJV) ^"4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."

Eph. 2 (NKJV) ^"8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,"

Rom. 8 (NKJV) ^"24For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."

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

2 Cor. 7 (NKJV) ^"10For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death."

Luke 13 (NKJV) ^"3I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

Acts 2 (NKJV) ^"21And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.’"
Rom. 10 (NKJV) ^"13For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

Rom. 10 (NKJV) ^"9...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

Mark 16 (NKJV) ^"16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."

1 Peter 3 (NKJV) ^"20who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. ²¹There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,"

Heb. 5 (NKJV) ^"9And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,"

Titus 3 (NKJV) ^"5not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

1 Pet. 1 (NKJV) ^"18knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, ¹⁹but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

Matt. 24 (NKJV) ^"13But he who endures to the end shall be saved."

James 2 (NKJV) ^"24You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only."

John 6 (NKJV) ^"29Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."

~In James 2, we read that even though the demons believed, they trembled. The reason is because 'even though they believe, they do not obey God. The only place in the Bible that we read the words 'faith only' occurs in James 2:24. It is for certain that we are justified by faith, but NOT justified by 'faith only' or 'faith alone'.

James 2 (NKJV) Faith Without Works Is Dead
^"14What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. ¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ¹⁹You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹Was not Abraham our father by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²²Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? ²³And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. ”And he was called the friend of God. ²⁴You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. ²⁵Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? ²⁶For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

~Many people claim that they cannot be baptized as a condition of salvation because, 'they say, baptism is a work' & 'we are saved by faith, not works'.
~It may surprise them to read in John 6:29 that belief (faith) is a work.

John 6 (NKJV) ^"29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

~Baptism is also the work of God (Col. 2:11-13). However, it is NOT a work of man's righteousness (Tit. 3:5-6). A man cannot save himself without God's Grace and The Blood of Christ, but he can 'work out his salvation' by keeping God's Word. When a person is baptized, Christ, Himself spiritually circumcises the person by cutting off the sin allowing the person to come back into relationship with God. 'Faith (belief) only' does not allow this to happen because the person's sins are not cut off. The person is still in his sins.

Col. 2 (NKJV) ^"11In 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, ¹²buried 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, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ¹⁴having 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.

Phil. 2 (NKJV) ^"12Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;"

~There are those who teach that 'the thief on the cross' was not baptized, therefore, we don't have to be baptized in order to be saved. The Bible does not tell us that 'the thief' was not baptized. It is very possible that the thief was baptized by either John, or the disciples of Jesus. Nevertheless, whether the thief was baptized or not, he lived and died under the Old Law (Law of Moses, Old Covenant) just as Jesus and John did. Under the Old Law, baptism was not a requirement for salvation, therefore, the baptism of the Thief is a non-issue. Today, mankind lives under the New Law (Law of Christ, New Covenant, New Testament).

2 Tim. 2 (NKJV) ^"15Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Heb. 8 (NKJV) ^"6But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises."

Heb. 9 (NKJV) ^"15And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
The Mediator’s Death Necessary
¹⁶For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. ¹⁷For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives."

~It is true that in Eph. 2:8-9; we read 'by grace you have been saved through faith'. The Scripture says that Grace is a gift of God that none should boast. Paul, in Gal. 6:14 says that he boasts in the cross of Christ.

Eph. 2 (NKJV) ^"8For 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."

~In Heb. 11:6, we read that without faith, it is impossible to please God. It is undeniable that a person must have faith to be saved, but is the faith that God requires, 'faith only' or is it rather an active or saving faith, a faith that obeys God?

Heb. 11 (NKJV) ^"6But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

~There is a difference between the meritorious works devised by man and those works that are commanded by God:

Eph. 2 (NKJV) ^"8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God..."

Gal. 5 (NKJV) ^"6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love."

Titus 2 (NKJV) ^"11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men."

John 14 (NKJV) ^"23Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. ²⁴He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me."

Heb. 5 (NKJV) ^"8though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. ⁹And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him."

~In Acts 16:30, we read, 'what must I do to be saved'? This tells us that there is something that a person needs to do in order to be saved. This does not mean that a person 'saves himself' without the Blood of Christ, but merely that God commands that men do what He has commanded in order to receive the salvation that God has provided for us through His Grace. Jesus said that the person who loves Him will obey Him and that he who does not love Him will not obey Him. We never read, 'you are saved by grace, you don't need to do anything'. We never read in the bible, 'pray this prayer' and you will be saved. There are many things taught by denominations that we cannot read about in the Word of God. We never read, after you are saved, then 'be baptized because you are already saved'. We never read 'since you are saved find a church to attend'. We never read 'vote on a person to see if he meets the requirements to be a member of the church'. We do read that the Lord adds a man to His church when the man is baptized into Christ (Acts 2:47).

Acts 16 (NKJV) ^"30And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ³¹So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” ³²Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. ³³And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized."

John 14 (NKJV) ^"23Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. ²⁴He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me."

~Israel did not attain righteousness because they did not seek it by faith, but by works of the law. Israel did not believe in Christ and stumbled at the stumbling stone, not doing the works of God (belief [John 6:29] and Baptism [Col. 2:11-13] are works of God under the New Law which we live today).

Romans 9 (NKJV) ^"30What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; ³¹but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. ³²Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. ³³As it is written:
“Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense,
And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”"

~Let's define grace. Grace is a free gift, an undeserved favor. Without God's Grace, man is without hope. Grace is something that a person does not pay for, work for or do anything for. Grace cannot be earned, but it must be accepted on the terms of the Giver. A person is saved by the free gift of Grace through faith (the working of God [John 6:29; Col. 2:12]) and not by the works of man. The only way a person can get grace is if it is given to him. Mankind does not deserve salvation, but God offers salvation from our sins through His grace. Salvation is not by 'works' of man because God does not want anyone to boast that he saved himself apart from God by his own works. Like Paul, we should boast only in the cross of Christ, not ourselves.

1 Cor. 1 (NKJV) ^"28and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹that no flesh should glory in His presence."

Eph. 2 (NKJV) ^"8For 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."

Gal. 6 (NKJV) ^"14But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."

~Here is a physical example of unmerited favor (grace). Let's say you went sailing. Your boat capsized, floated off and you were left in the water without hope. You are about to drown. Then, a motor boat appears and a man throws you a rope with an attached life jacket to pull over your arms and shoulders. If you decide not to take the life jacket and put it around yourself, you will drown, but you choose to reach out, grab the rope and jacket, put it around you. The man pulls you to the boat and lifts you into the boat. You are saved from drowning. How were you saved? Was it because of the kindness and unmerited favor of the man in the motor boat? Did the man save you by himself? Did the boat save you by itself? Did the rope alone save you? Was the rope and life jacket necessary for your salvation? Did you have to use your own effort to get the jacket and put it around you? Even though you made the effort to get the jacket and put it around you, would you claim to have saved yourself (without help)? Would you say that you were saved by the man only without any effort on your part? Or rather, would you praise the unmerited favor (grace) and kindness the man extended to you (without which you could not have been saved from drowning) realizing, at the same time, that you could not have been saved without the boat, the rope, the life-saving jacket and without your own effort of grasping the jacket (attached to the rope) and putting it on. Now, consider all the Scriptures above concerning Salvation.
God has given us conditions for receiving His grace.

Rom. 5 (NKJV) ^"8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us... ¹⁵But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many."

~IF 'grace alone' saved mankind, then, all men would be saved because the Holy Spirit says in Tit. 2 that the Grace of God has appeared to ALL men.

Titus 2 (NKJV) ^"11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,"

~Paul tells Titus that God's Grace has appeared to all men in the sense that Christ died on the cross and shed His Blood for all mankind. Jesus was the propitiation for the sins of all men.

1 John 2 (NKJV) ^"2And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world."

~Jesus died for all mankind, but we know that all men are not saved. Since Grace appeared to all men, but not all men are saved, something else has to happen. God says that He requires obedience from men. It makes sense, then, that if men want to be saved by God's Grace that they do the things that God says to do to obtain it.

Phil. 2 (NKJV) ^"12...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

2 Cor. 6 (NKJV) ^"1We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain."

~In Eph. 2:8-9, Paul shows us that grace encompasses all of God's activity concerning redemption to ensure that man can be saved if he chooses. He also shows us that faith encompasses all a man must do concerning his salvation (in response to God's Grace) so he cannot boast nor think he is earning his salvation. Man must have a 'saving faith' and cannot live spiritually by 'faith only'. It is absolutely certain that man is saved by grace, but not 'grace only'.

Rom. 5 (NKJV) ^"1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

~God's Grace is not nullified by man's obedience. Man must obey to walk with God and not fall from His Grace. Note how God's people were saved by God's grace through faith under the Old Law. The following Scriptures show that there are prerequisites to receiving and keeping God's Grace:

1 John 1 (NKJV) ^"7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."

Heb. 12 (NKJV) ^"15looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;"

Gal. 5 (NKJV) ^"4You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace."

Rev. 2 (NKJV) ^"10Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."

~People might say, but I believe. Though many disobedient people 'believe', they are not believers in the Biblical sense. In the Old Testament, God's people knew that there was a God. They knew that God existed by His miracles in Egypt, His miracles in bringing them out of Egypt, the fact that He sustained them all in the desert (food, water, clothing didn't wear out), His voice booming from the Sinai mountain, etc. Nevertheless, many did not obey Him and they perished.

Heb. 3 (NKJV) ¹⁸And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? ¹⁹So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief."

Titus 1 (NKJV) ⁵But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe."

1 Pet. 2 (NKJV) ^"7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,” and
“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”
They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed."

~Jesus advises us to enter the narrow road. He also says that there will be many who say to Him, Lord, Lord, but He will tell them that He does not know them. These are men who think that they know God and have been doing various activities in His Name. Nevertheless, He considered the things that they 'lawlessness' because He had not authorized the people to do those things.

Matt. 7 (NKJV) ^"13“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.... ²¹“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²²Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’"

~Jude writes and tells us that there are men who turn God's Grace into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jude 1 (NKJV) Contend for the Faith
^"3Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. ⁴For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ."

~Authority in the Word of God is an important issue. Video 1; Video 2; Video 3; Video 4 To give you a simple example, let's say your mother gave you $10 and told you to go to the store and buy bread, eggs, and milk for dinner and bring her the change. You get to the store and decide you would rather have some candy and ice cream so you buy those, get some milk and return to your mother. Will she be happy? No. Neither will God when you do not obey His authority. Also, imagine that you are going to schedule a trip to Tel Aviv, Israel. You call the airline and tell them the date you want to go and what city you will leave from. You expect to receive the ticket with the parameters that you have set. You do not expect to receive a ticket to a different city, for a different price, leaving on a different day from a different city. When you ordered your ticket, you did not have to specify that you did NOT want to go to New York, NY, USA or Paris, France, etc. You also did not have to specify that you did not want to go on all the other 364 days of the year. You only specified what you wanted (not all the things you did not want). It is the same with the Word of God.

~Jesus says that the Pharisees and teachers of the Law rejected the Will or Counsel of God by not being baptized. (It is good to note that both Jesus and John the Baptist lived and died under the Old Law, Old Covenant or Law of Moses.) Most people today also reject the Will of God by not being scripturally baptized into Christ.

Luke 7 (NKJV) ^"29And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. ³⁰But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him."

~Concerning obedience to the Gospel and doing the Will of God, it is important to read Hebrews 11 to see how those who were living under the Old Law were saved 'by faith' when they obeyed God (though they were not redeemed until after Christ shed His Blood on the cross [Heb. 10:4; 9:15]). Though we are not living under the Old Law today, the Old Testament is a tutor or schoolmaster for us today. It was 'by faith' that they obeyed God. Under the Old Law, they did different things to obey God. However, today, God has mankind one Plan of Salvation for everyone.

Gal. 3 (NKJV) ^"23But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. ²⁴Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor."

~Jesus, being God, submitted His Will to the Will of the Father to bring about justice for the sins of mankind. Though Jesus was sinless, we must feel 'Godly sorrow' for our sins and also submit to the Will of the Father (His Plan of Salvation) if we want to be saved.

Luke 22 (NKJV) ^"41And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, ⁴²saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

~We see in Rom. 6:17 that we are saved after we obey, from the heart, the form of doctrine given to us in the Bible. For example, a person who was baptized without faith (belief) or believing that he was already saved and baptism was only a symbol of his salvation, would not be saved.

Rom. 6 (NKJV) ^"17But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered."

~We can know that the doctrine is from God by reading the Bible and the Bible only.

1 cor. 15 (NKJV) ^"3For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

Col. 2 (NKJV) ^"12buried 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, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,"

Acts 22 (NKJV) ^"16And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’"

~Some protest saying that water can't save us. However, it is not the actual water that saves a person, but humbling oneself to the Will of God. The Blood of Christ saves a person and the person contacts that Blood in the act of baptism.

Eph. 2 (NKJV) ^"13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."

Heb. 9 (NKJV) ^"14how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? ¹⁵And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance."

1 John 1 (NKJV) ^"7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."

1 John 5 (NKJV) ^"6This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth."

John 3 (NKJV) ^"5Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God... 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 everlasting life... ²²After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. ²³Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized."

~Baptism is commanded of God. John tells us that the man who claims to know God, but do not keep His commandments is a liar.

1 John 2 (NKJV) ^"3Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him."

~The way God has commanded a person to be baptized is immersion in water (as opposed to dirt, air, etc.).

Eph. 5 (NKJV) ^"25...Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, ²⁶that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish."

~It is the person's repentant heart leading to Godly sorrow for his sins and subsequent 'obedience to God' that saves him through the Blood of Christ.

Rom. 5 (NKJV) ^"9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."

~When obeying the command of God to be baptized, it is in the water of baptism (death and burial with Christ [scan down to see both pictures) where a person contacts the BLOOD OF CHRIST.

1 John 5 (NKJV) ^"2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. ³For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments... ⁶This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. ⁷For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. ⁸And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one."

~It would be good to read the account of Naaman. We know that water does not cure leprosy, but by Naaman's obedience leprosy was cured under the Old Law.

2 Kings 5 (NKJV) Naaman’s Leprosy Healed
^"1Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria... He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper... ⁵Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” ⁶Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy. ⁸... Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” ⁹Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. ¹⁰And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” ¹¹But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ ¹²Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. ¹³And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” ¹⁴So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. ¹⁵And he returned to the man of God... and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel;"

1 Cor. 1 (NKJV) ^"18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God... ²¹For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe."

~The Bible says we are saved by baptism and though it is not the only thing that saves us, it is the point at which the Lord, Jesus Christ, Himself, adds a person (Acts 2:47) to the church He established in Jerusalem on Pentecost in 33 A.D.

1 Pet. 3 (NKJV) ^"21There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,"

~The Lord adds a person to His spiritual church when the person is baptized - after He has cut off the person's sins (Col. 2:11-15). This allows the person to come back into relationship with God - with no sins in between them (sin is what separated man from God in the first place). The person becomes a new creation, dead to self, the old man. Infants being born in the spiritual image of God have no sin.

Acts 2 (NKJV) ^"40And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” ⁴¹Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them....⁴⁷...And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

2 Cor. 5 (NKJV) ^"17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

~Many people will say, but there is no Law today because we live under the 'Law of Liberty' or the 'Law of Grace'. However, the Law of Liberty does not negate the Law of Love. Neither does the Law of Grace either of those Laws all of which are part of the Law of Christ which is the New Testament.

Gal. 5 (NKJV) ^"1Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."

Gal. 4 (NKJV) ^"8But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. ⁹But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?"

Rom. 7 (NKJV) ^"14For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin."

~The Old Law was abolished as the Law when Christ died on the cross. The New Testament, the Will of Christ did not go into effect until after He died. The same happens with the wills of men today. Also, in courts of law today, a law that was made many years ago and has replaced by a newer law cannot be used in a person's defense - the new law would apply.

Col. 2 (NKJV) ^"11In 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, ¹²buried 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, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ¹⁴having 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. ¹⁵Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it."

~God wants children who love Him and choose to obey Him. He could have easily created robots that would obey Him and not sin. However, He did did not want robot children who will just spit out, 'I love you' whenever He pressed a the button, but children who chose to love Him. Therefore, God gave mankind the power of choice starting back in the Garden of Eden. That choice still applies through the Law of Liberty. We can choose to obey God or not to obey Him.

Joshua 24 (NKJV) ^"15And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

2 Cor. 11 (NKJV) ^"3But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. ⁴For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough."

~Each of the four gospels give us a different view of what the sign above the Head of Jesus said (Matt. 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38; John 19:19). Though each Gospel writer was inspired by God, he was giving the account according to his perspective. We need to keep this in mind because the sum of God's Word is truth (not parts of it or Scriptures taken out of context to prove a certain point or doctrine).

Psalm 119 (NKJV) ^"160The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever."

~The Apostle Paul tells us that he preached the whole counsel of God. Nevertheless, he said that men speaking perverse things would draw disciples away from the church Christ established in Jerusalem on Pentecost of 33 A.D.

Acts 20 (NKJV) ^"26Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. ²⁷For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. ²⁸Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. ²⁹For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves."

~Peter tells us that there are those who twist the Scriptures to their own destruction. Video 1; Video 2

2 Pet. 3 (NKJV) ^"15and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, ¹⁶as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. ¹⁷You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; ¹⁸but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen."

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

~Is salvation by 'grace only' or rather must a person have saving faith which leads him to obey The Gospel?

ARE WE SAVED BY FAITH ONLY? -or- THE ENTIRE WORD OF GOD

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

INTERACTIVE LESSONS

ARE WE SAVED BY FAITH ONLY?
-or-
THE ENTIRE WORD OF GOD