Christ Alone is the Only Way of Salvation

Reformed Bibliophile ^ | September 11, 2011 | J.C. Ryle

[LearsFool]

Perhaps we're using the terms symbol and symbolic differently.

There are symbolic things which happen in baptism. As I posted earlier, it's where the slave to sin is killed and buried, and the free man is raised up (Rom. 6). It's where the saving heart operation is performed by Christ (Col. 2). It's how those whom Christ wishes to be added to His church are cleansed and made presentable (Eph. 5). It's how sins are washed away (Acts 19). And so on.

These are all symbolic of our salvation. (I.e. If your sins aren't washed away, they're still on you.)

There is nothing inherent in the water that saves, as God saved based on the acceptance of His gift...You would do just as well to look at a snake on a stick if that is what God says to do.

I wouldn't argue with that! And just as no one was saved from the snakebite until he looked upon the bronze serpent, no one is saved from sin until he's baptized for forgiveness. Whatever conditions God lays down to receive His grace, must be obeyed to receive that grace.

[BlackAdderess]

It’s well worth having one in hard copy around, that and a Strong’s Concordance :)

[Iscool]

"that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead"

There's nothing in that verse about repentance, is there? But of course it's found elsewhere in the Bible, so people understand that there's an implied "and" with reference to repentance.

If you have confessed Jesus with your mouth, you have repented...

[Iscool]

The Catholic Church’s position ALWAYS incorporates all the scriptures using the both/and applications.

We are entirely scriptural - we just use all scripture, not taking a verse, saying it is scripture alone, interpreting the isolated verse on our own opinion, then conveniently ignoring any verse that appears to say the opposite. This effectively leaves out the scriptures supporting the correct, literal and Catholic meaning of the bible,

This reads like a 'Dumb and Dumber' movie script...

[Iscool]

You can follow a FReeper, or an apostle of Christ. You have to decide.

You mean there isn't a third choice? I would have hoped there might be another choice, like following Christ. That might be the safest choice. Mom, it looks like you might have a cult following here, just don't let it go to your head. 🙀😼😇

HuH???? And yet they are lecturing us on scripture???

[Iscool]

I certainly wouldn’t try to force anyone to become “in Christ”. But the Bible says that baptism is for remission of sins, just as the blood of Christ is.

You mean you get baptized because your sins have been remitted??? In the church age, people get baptized after they turn to Jesus...They don't get baptized TO turn to Jesus...

[Iscool]

Beware of those who say there are other ways of salvation besides being in Christ. And beware of those who say there are other ways to get in Christ besides baptism. Anyone who follows such false teachers will end up where they're headed.

So if I drag some drunk out of a whorehouse and con him into getting baptized, the next day he will be a Christian??? In Christ???

[LearsFool]

What do you mean by “turn to Jesus”?

Paul spoke of being “baptized into Christ”. Is that what you meant to say?

[LearsFool]

You know the answer. You've already addressed it.

[metmom]

So when the weight of Scripture shows that the eating of blood is forbidden, then Catholics don’t take one verse out of context to support their eucharist?

And when the weight of Scripture says salvation is by faith, they don’t take one verse out of context to claim that works have to be added?