Bible Study Faith in Christ

[Ernest T. Bass]

Have you ever been in a Sunday school class with 7 year old children? They know more about Jesus then many adults as they know Him in simplicity of His word. They are not clouded with doctrines of man and their theology. There is no such thing as an age of accountability as many adults have not reach that stage yet, or maybe will never reach it.

A person can be 70 years old, but if a 70 year old knows nothing about sin, righteousness, faith repentance, confession, baptism he/she cannot be saved.

Again, Romans 7:8-9 show that as a child sin was dead to Paul not until he mentally matured learning then sin sprang up in him having become accountable to God. People mentally mature at different rates so there is no fixed age at which people become accountable to God, sin and die spiritually.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

i fear the one who does not understand is you.. why do you ant complicate the plan of salvation. next you will want to do a class on how to be saved and have a B average

Nothing complicate with believing repenting confessing with the mouth and submitting to baptism. Some want to replace what God said with what Luther said (faith only)...there is the problem.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

realy ? THE SPIRIT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH IT born of the spirit
1 Corinthians 2:12-14 King James Version (KJV)
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 12:3
Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

John 3:3-5 speaks of being born again, being born of Spirit and born of water.

The role of water is water baptism.

The role of the Holy Spirit is His word that instructs men on how to be saved (believe repent confess and baptism). Those that obey those instructions are said to be born again by the word (1 Pet 1:23) begat/born by the word (James 1:18). Eph 3:4 says men and read and understand and says nothing about supernatural intervention of the Holy Spirit.

Again, if understanding requires supernatural intervention of the Holy Spirit then the Holy Spirit has culpability in those lacking in understanding.

1 Cor 12:3 no one can Jesus is Lord except he get his information from the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit gives out that information in His written word which men can read and understand.

1 Cor 2:14 " But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
This does not say men cannot understand the Bible such an idea contradicts Eph 3:4; Eph 5:27.
The natural man in this context is the man that hears God's word understands it but rejects it. It says nothing about inability to understand.

--if the natural man cannot understands the Bible when he reads/hears it, then how can he understand any newspaper, magazine tv show that he hears and sees?

--the verse says the things of God are foolishness to the spiritual man. For the natural man to judge it as foolishness shows he must have some understanding of God's word, processed it (understood it) to judge it as foolishness. For the natural man here to judge the gospel as foolish then he must know something about what the gospel says, claims.
Acts 7, Stephen preached the gospel to lost, "unregenerate", spiritually dead men. They UNDERSTOOD what Stephen preached to them but they did not like it. They rejected and hated it so much they killed Stephen. They did not kill Stephen because they did not understand what he preached but killed him for they DID understand and hated it. Acts 7:54 " When they heard these things.." Heard carrie the idea of understanding. They understood and were "cut to the heart".
On the other hand in Acts 2 we again have lost spiritually dead men who heard the gospel preached by Peter. They understood what Peter preached and 'pricked in the heart" by it and believed it and asked what they must do. They did not ask Peter what they must do because they did not understand what he preached.

--"spiritually judged" things are spiritually judged by the written word (Acts 17:11). Those that hear (understand) the word but reject the word will have no interest in spiritual things as those in Jeremiah 8:9 rejected it.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

View attachment 9902View attachment 9902

Unfortunatley many rather hear Martin Luther rather than God.

You have yet to demonstrate, from the Bible, how the impenitent can be saved. If one knows nothing about repentance then he is an impenitent person.

 

[jerry63935]

Unfortunatley many rather hear Martin Luther rather than God.

You have yet to demonstrate, from the Bible, how the impenitent can be saved. If one knows nothing about repentance then he is an impenitent person.

i dont listen to martin luther ..i have demonstrated much by scriptures

 

[jerry63935]

John 3:3-5 speaks of being born again, being born of Spirit and born of water.

The role of water is water baptism.

The role of the Holy Spirit is His word that instructs men on how to be saved (believe repent confess and baptism). Those that obey those instructions are said to be born again by the word (1 Pet 1:23) begat/born by the word (James 1:18). Eph 3:4 says men and read and understand and says nothing about supernatural intervention of the Holy Spirit.

Again, if understanding requires supernatural intervention of the Holy Spirit then the Holy Spirit has culpability in those lacking in understanding.

1 Cor 12:3 no one can Jesus is Lord except he get his information from the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit gives out that information in His written word which men can read and understand.

1 Cor 2:14 " But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
This does not say men cannot understand the Bible such an idea contradicts Eph 3:4; Eph 5:27.
The natural man in this context is the man that hears God's word understands it but rejects it. It says nothing about inability to understand.

--if the natural man cannot understands the Bible when he reads/hears it, then how can he understand any newspaper, magazine tv show that he hears and sees?

--the verse says the things of God are foolishness to the spiritual man. For the natural man to judge it as foolishness shows he must have some understanding of God's word, processed it (understood it) to judge it as foolishness. For the natural man here to judge the gospel as foolish then he must know something about what the gospel says, claims.
Acts 7, Stephen preached the gospel to lost, "unregenerate", spiritually dead men. They UNDERSTOOD what Stephen preached to them but they did not like it. They rejected and hated it so much they killed Stephen. They did not kill Stephen because they did not understand what he preached but killed him for they DID understand and hated it. Acts 7:54 " When they heard these things.." Heard carrie the idea of understanding. They understood and were "cut to the heart".
On the other hand in Acts 2 we again have lost spiritually dead men who heard the gospel preached by Peter. They understood what Peter preached and 'pricked in the heart" by it and believed it and asked what they must do. They did not ask Peter what they must do because they did not understand what he preached.

--"spiritually judged" things are spiritually judged by the written word (Acts 17:11). Those that hear (understand) the word but reject the word will have no interest in spiritual things as those in Jeremiah 8:9 rejected it.

 

[for_his_glory]

Paul then says there was a time in his life he was "alive without the law once" meaning when Paul was an infant/child he was without law therefore sin was dead to him. Not until he learned right from wrong, sinned against God then sin sprang up in him.

You are reading into something that is not there. How do you arrive at Paul being an infant or a child when it does not state this? How many adults are still learning right from wrong?

 

[for_his_glory]

Man's understanding is not dependant upon the Holy Spirit.

So again, you are disregarding scripture.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

1 John 2:26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

 

[jerry63935]

Again, if understanding requires supernatural intervention of the Holy Spirit then the Holy Spirit has culpability in those lacking in understanding.

look were just not going to agree .i am not going along with this when the plan of salvation is by grace through faith. the gift of GOD

 

[jerry63935]

You are reading into something that is not there.

you got that right

 

[for_his_glory]

I agree no one can earn/merit grace. it is a free gift. But it is a CONDITIONAL free gift therefore to receive race one must meet the conditions (obedience) God has placed upon it.

You post "when Jesus said to repent He was talking about a change of heart". Can one be saved while remaining impenitent, unchanged? How can one repent if he does not even know what repentance is?

God has commanded men to repent (Acts 2:38) those that do are obeying, meeting necessary conditions God has placed upon His free gift of grace. Repentance is a work (Matt 12:41 cf Jonah 3:10). Submitting to baptism is something one does but earns/merits nothing. Just as Naaman dipping in the river was a work, but did not earn his gracious healing for the work in dipping was a CONDITION God places upon His free gift of healing.

When people come to accept that free gifts can come with conditions and working to met those conditions does NOT earn/merit the free gift then they will be able to easily understand about salvation.

Again, John 6:27 Jesus GIVES everlasting life meaning it is free. Yet at the same time Jesus said to WORK for the meat that endures unto everlasting life for everlasting life is a free gift that comes with conditions and working (believing) to meet the conditions does not, cannot earn the free gift.

If you want to believe in a work based salvation then go right ahead.

When I was 17 back in 1972 a friend of mine asked me to go to church with him. I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior by repeating what they call "The Sinners Prayer" as the whole congregation stood up and repeated this all at the same time. I spoke this prayer because I didn't want to go to hell, but it was only words from my mouth and not my heart as I knew nothing about God's grace, repentance, baptism or the Holy Spirit at that time. I thought that was all I had to do in order to go to heaven was to repeat this prayer, go to church every Sunday and try to be a good person.

I had no knowledge of sin at that time other than man telling me I was a sinner. All I knew about Jesus was from the stories I heard in Sunday school from the age of 6-14 before I quit going to church because it was boring to me. It wasn't until I was 43 years old back in 1997 that I would come into the knowledge of what it meant to truly repent, to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and having a personal relationship with Christ.

I didn't have to work for any of this as it was by the condition of my heart humbling myself and submitting myself to the Lord that I learned to walk in His greatest commandment of love. Obedience by faith through believing Christ Jesus and who He said He is is what brought about God's favor in my life as God started a good work in me and now Christ through me continues His good works through the Holy Spirit that now indwells me. Matthew 25:34-40 and James 1:27 are the good works we are to continue in as we pick up our cross and follow in the footsteps of Christ.

 

[for_his_glory]

A person can be 70 years old, but if a 70 year old knows nothing about sin, righteousness, faith repentance, confession, baptism he/she cannot be saved.

Again, Romans 7:8-9 show that as a child sin was dead to Paul not until he mentally matured learning then sin sprang up in him having become accountable to God. People mentally mature at different rates so there is no fixed age at which people become accountable to God, sin and die spiritually.

Are you saying we need all this knowledge before we can receive God's free gift of faith through Christ Jesus?

Does not knowledge come by the Holy Spirit?

Why do you insist on making salvation a worked based process in order to receive it?

 

[for_his_glory]

John 3:3-5 speaks of being born again, being born of Spirit and born of water.

The role of water is water baptism.

The role of the Holy Spirit is His word that instructs men on how to be saved (believe repent confess and baptism). Those that obey those instructions are said to be born again by the word (1 Pet 1:23) begat/born by the word (James 1:18). Eph 3:4 says men and read and understand and says nothing about supernatural intervention of the Holy Spirit.

Again, if understanding requires supernatural intervention of the Holy Spirit then the Holy Spirit has culpability in those lacking in understanding.

1 Cor 12:3 no one can Jesus is Lord except he get his information from the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit gives out that information in His written word which men can read and understand.

1 Cor 2:14 " But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
This does not say men cannot understand the Bible such an idea contradicts Eph 3:4; Eph 5:27.
The natural man in this context is the man that hears God's word understands it but rejects it. It says nothing about inability to understand.

--if the natural man cannot understands the Bible when he reads/hears it, then how can he understand any newspaper, magazine tv show that he hears and sees?

--the verse says the things of God are foolishness to the spiritual man. For the natural man to judge it as foolishness shows he must have some understanding of God's word, processed it (understood it) to judge it as foolishness. For the natural man here to judge the gospel as foolish then he must know something about what the gospel says, claims.
Acts 7, Stephen preached the gospel to lost, "unregenerate", spiritually dead men. They UNDERSTOOD what Stephen preached to them but they did not like it. They rejected and hated it so much they killed Stephen. They did not kill Stephen because they did not understand what he preached but killed him for they DID understand and hated it. Acts 7:54 " When they heard these things.." Heard carrie the idea of understanding. They understood and were "cut to the heart".
On the other hand in Acts 2 we again have lost spiritually dead men who heard the gospel preached by Peter. They understood what Peter preached and 'pricked in the heart" by it and believed it and asked what they must do. They did not ask Peter what they must do because they did not understand what he preached.

--"spiritually judged" things are spiritually judged by the written word (Acts 17:11). Those that hear (understand) the word but reject the word will have no interest in spiritual things as those in Jeremiah 8:9 rejected it.

Ephesians 2:8 Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus and not by works, which would make water baptism a work towards repentance. John said I must decrease and Jesus increase. John's water baptism was only for repentance as being prepared for the coming of the Lord as the water represented the washing away of sin, or as John put it "prepare ye the way of the Lord". It is not clear in scripture that Jesus ever baptized anyone in water even though He first came to John's water baptism as a fulfillment of prophecy as He had to identify with humanity even though He had no sin. This was the beginning of Christ ministry as the Holy Spirit fell down on Him that day as God gave Him full power and authority here on earth and there after Jesus went about teaching the disciples as it was not Jesus who the Pharisees heard that He baptized more than John did, John 4:1-3 but His disciples baptizing others in water for remission of sin after the death of John the Baptist as all together they would have baptized others in water for the remission of sin then John could at one time. Jesus could not baptize anyone in the Holy Spirit until the day of Pentecost after He ascended up to the Father and the Father sent down the indwelling Holy Spirit, Acts 2.

John 3:5 never mentions the word baptize, but says only by being born of water and spirit, which means water as living water (word of God) that no one can enter into the kingdom of God unless they are Spiritually renewed (born again) by the hearing of the word, which is Christ Jesus and by the Holy Spirit that came on them in the OT and indwells us in the NT. Many do read into the passage a preconceived idea or theology, but baptism is never mentioned in this verse. Word is living water as described in John 4:10; 7:38; 1 John 5:6; Jeremiah 2:13; Isaiah 55:1-3 to name a few.

If salvation came by actual immersion in water Jesus clearly could have simply stated, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is baptized by being immersed in water and born of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Further, if Jesus had made such a statement, He would have contradicted numerous other Bible passages that make it clear that salvation is by faith (John 3:16; John 3:36; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

i dont listen to martin luther ..i have demonstrated much by scriptures

You have yet to show from the Bible how one can be saved while impenitent.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

You are reading into something that is not there. How do you arrive at Paul being an infant or a child when it does not state this? How many adults are still learning right from wrong?

Adults (age wise) with severe mental problems would not know right from and and are as little children before God.

Paul was speaking of himself being born innocent, without sin and unaccountable to God's law. All are born this way. Paul then learns right from right becoming accountable to God then he spiritually died when sin sprang up in him.

 

[for_his_glory]

Adults (age wise) with severe mental problems would not know right from and and are as little children before God.

Paul was speaking of himself being born innocent, without sin and unaccountable to God's law. All are born this way. Paul then learns right from right becoming accountable to God then he spiritually died when sin sprang up in him.

I'm not talking about the severely mentally handicapped as that is a given. For the rest if you want to read into something that is not there then so be it.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

So again, you are disregarding scripture.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

1 John 2:26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

John 14:26 from the context, the words are being spoken to the Apostles who would be given the Holy Spirit. It is not a reference that all men would be given understanding from the Holy Spirit. The Apostles, as other Bible writers, were miraculous inspired. Therefore this verse has no application to anyone today for no one today is inspired having remembrance of 'all things'.

Scriptures alone (2 Tim 3:16-17) is all man needs to know the will of God and not Scripture plus something else. Why have commentaries, books on Greek and Hebrew language/grammar, books on exegesis of the Bible, etc been written if the Holy Spirit is just going to 'zap' knowledge into the minds of people?

--How can a person objectively prove to myself and others that their understanding has been given to them by the Holy Spirit? They cannot.
--Can a person ever amend/change their view on a particular verse or context from the understanding given them by the Holy Spirit? They cannot else the Holy Spirit was in error.
--If the Holy Spirit is unable to give man in written form (the Bible) that is which is understandable how can we be sure the subjective, claimed knowledge the Holy Spirit gives people today can be understood or is being understood correctly? We cannot.
--earlier I have pointed out verses Eph 3:4 that says one can read and understand the Bible along with Eph 5:17. Therefore if a Christian does not have understanding then the accountability of their lack of understanding is solely upon Holy Spirit and His failure to give them understanding.
--How many people claim their understanding has been "illuminated" by the Holy Spirit yet they contradict the Bible and each other!?!

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

If you want to believe in a work based salvation then go right ahead.

For those that do not want to understand the fact that God's free gift of salvation is CONDIOTNAL and working to meet the conditions that God Himself has placed upon HIs free gift does not in any way earn the free gift will, then they will never have a correct understanding of Biblical salvation.

When I was 17 back in 1972 a friend of mine asked me to go to church with him. I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior by repeating what they call "The Sinners Prayer" as the whole congregation stood up and repeated this all at the same time. I spoke this prayer because I didn't want to go to hell, but it was only words from my mouth and not my heart as I knew nothing about God's grace, repentance, baptism or the Holy Spirit at that time. I thought that was all I had to do in order to go to heaven was to repeat this prayer, go to church every Sunday and try to be a good person.

I had no knowledge of sin at that time other than man telling me I was a sinner. All I knew about Jesus was from the stories I heard in Sunday school from the age of 6-14 before I quit going to church because it was boring to me. It wasn't until I was 43 years old back in 1997 that I would come into the knowledge of what it meant to truly repent, to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and having a personal relationship with Christ.

I didn't have to work for any of this as it was by the condition of my heart humbling myself and submitting myself to the Lord that I learned to walk in His greatest commandment of love. Obedience by faith through believing Christ Jesus and who He said He is is what brought about God's favor in my life as God started a good work in me and now Christ through me continues His good works through the Holy Spirit that now indwells me. Matthew 25:34-40 and James 1:27 are the good works we are to continue in as we pick up our cross and follow in the footsteps of Christ.

This is purely anecdotal with no scriptural basis. One person can claim he was saved this way and another person can claim he saved that way but with no scriptural support it is meaningless.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

Are you saying we need all this knowledge before we can receive God's free gift of faith through Christ Jesus?

Faith is not a gift in the sense one can only have faith if it is given to him miraculously by God apart from the word.
Romans 10:17 faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God. Therefore one must hear God's word, understand what he hears in order to develop faith within the heart.

Does not knowledge come by the Holy Spirit?

Knoweldge comes by the Holy Spirit's written inspired word, the Bible, and not in any subjective, miraculous way apart from the written word.

Why do you insist on making salvation a worked based process in order to receive it?

Can you point to just one post where I have said one could work to earn/merit salvation?

Why do you reject the fact that God's free gift of salvation comes with CONDITIONS that God Himself placed upon His free gift and that working to meet the conditions do not earn/merit the free gift in anyway?

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

Ephesians 2:8 Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus and not by works, which would make water baptism a work towards repentance. John said I must decrease and Jesus increase. John's water baptism was only for repentance as being prepared for the coming of the Lord as the water represented the washing away of sin, or as John put it "prepare ye the way of the Lord". It is not clear in scripture that Jesus ever baptized anyone in water even though He first came to John's water baptism as a fulfillment of prophecy as He had to identify with humanity even though He had no sin. This was the beginning of Christ ministry as the Holy Spirit fell down on Him that day as God gave Him full power and authority here on earth and there after Jesus went about teaching the disciples as it was not Jesus who the Pharisees heard that He baptized more than John did, John 4:1-3 but His disciples baptizing others in water for remission of sin after the death of John the Baptist as all together they would have baptized others in water for the remission of sin then John could at one time. Jesus could not baptize anyone in the Holy Spirit until the day of Pentecost after He ascended up to the Father and the Father sent down the indwelling Holy Spirit, Acts 2.

John 3:5 never mentions the word baptize, but says only by being born of water and spirit, which means water as living water (word of God) that no one can enter into the kingdom of God unless they are Spiritually renewed (born again) by the hearing of the word, which is Christ Jesus and by the Holy Spirit that came on them in the OT and indwells us in the NT. Many do read into the passage a preconceived idea or theology, but baptism is never mentioned in this verse. Word is living water as described in John 4:10; 7:38; 1 John 5:6; Jeremiah 2:13; Isaiah 55:1-3 to name a few.

If salvation came by actual immersion in water Jesus clearly could have simply stated, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is baptized by being immersed in water and born of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Further, if Jesus had made such a statement, He would have contradicted numerous other Bible passages that make it clear that salvation is by faith (John 3:16; John 3:36; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).

--The "not of works" eliminates works of merit and not obedience. If "not of works" eliminates ALL works then that would contract the very next verse Eph 2:10 that REQUIRES the Christian to do works. One cannot become a Christian but then have no good works, have no fruit and expect to be saved anyway, John 15:1-6. Therefore those good works are NECESSARY to be saved but they do not in anyway earn salvation but a necessary condition God has put upon His free gift of salvation. Also, how can one 'boast' about his obedience when no one's obedience is sinlessly perfect but will be flawed with sin?

--submitting to water baptism is something a person DOES but it earns nothing:

1) the healing of Naaman was by grace but God required Naaman dip in the river 7 times. The dipping was a condition God placed upon His gracious gift of healing therefore the work in dipping could not earn this free gracious gift. Likewise, submitting to baptism is just a condition God has placed upon His free gift of salvation and does not earn His free gift no more than Naaman's work in dipping earn God's free gift.

2) Some also do not understand, or do not want to understand, the difference between a man doing GOD'S righteousness and man doing his OWN righteousness. Again, Romans 10:3 has two different types of works in that one verse:
Work #1) establishing their OWN righteousness (does not save)
Work #2) submitting/obeying GOD's rightoeusness (does save)

Doing/obeying God's righteousness does not earn salvation but obeying is simply meeting the conditions God has placed upon His free gift of salvation.

When God says for a man to believe repent confess and be baptized and a man obeys/submits unto these things, then that man is doing GOD'S righteousness. If man does something other than what God has said (as faith only), then that man is trying to save himself by his OWN righteousness.

Those Jews in Romans 10:1-3 were lost for they were going about doing their OWN righteousness (own traditions) and would not obey GOD's righteousness in that they would not believe, would not confess, would not obey the gospel Romans 10:16 as God requires of men.

Note in Titus 3:5 how that washing of water (water baptism) is contrasted from "works of righteousness we have done" that is, works of self-righteousness. Hence submitting to water baptism is a matter of obeying GOD's righteousness and not a matter of man doing his OWN righteousness.

3) lastly, John 3:5 speaks of one birth consisting of two elements, water and Spirit. Nothing in this context shows that water means anything other than literal "water" or that "Spirit" means anything other than the literal Spirit. Water here refers to literal water baptism as can be seen a few verses later John 3:22-23.

The Bible being its own best commentary shows:
John 3:5--------Spirit++++++++++++water>>>>>>>>in the kingdom
1 Cor 12:13-----Spirit+++++++++++baptized>>>>>>>in the body
Titus 3:5--------Holy Ghost+++++laver of water>>>>>>saved


All of these 'born again' verses contain the same two elements, Spirit and water. The role of water in the new birth is obviously water baptism. The role of the Spirit in the new birth is His word that instructs men on how to be saved (water baptism). So those that follow the Spirit's instructions in his word are said to be - born again by the word (1 Peter 1:23), - begat by the word (James 1:18).

Eph 2:8 -----faith>>>>>>>>>>saves
1 Pet 3:21---baptism>>>>>>>>saves

Since there is just one way to be saved, no alternatives, then NT faith includes baptism. It all fits together perfectly while Luther's "faith only" throws a wrench into it causing many contradictions among verses.