The means by which we are saved is an unwavering faith in Jesus.
Rom. 3:28-30, "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one."
Rom. 4:5, "But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness,"
Rom. 5:1, "therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"
Romans 9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
Rom. 11:6, "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace."
Gal. 2:16, "nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified."
Gal. 2:21, I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.
Phil. 3:9, "and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith."
Relying on some legal earthly act is law not grace and faith.
Please don’t try to intimate that I don’t read the Bible.
Let’s get really clear, we’re talking about what is required of us for Salvation, not ‘how we are Saved’.
Grace alone. His Grace. My Faith without His Grace is nothing at all, dust in the wind.
Now, what, is Faith works, Calvinism, ... ?
Let’s make a deal — you don’t try to intimate that I don’t read the Bible and I’ll do likewise.
We are baptized, sactified and justified by the Holy Spirit. It is a spiritual baptism, justification, and sanctification. Not one done IN water, or WITH water.
"For by ONE SPIRIT are we all BAPTIZED into one body..." 1 Cor. 12:13.
It is the Holy Spirit, in the dispensation of Grace, that baptizes us into Christ, not baptism by water.
"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Gal. 3:26,27.
Once again, it is the Holy Spirit that baptized us into Christ, not water. Spiritual baptism.
Because of Christ's FINISHED WORK for us, we are no longer bound "by the handwriting of ordinances, which were against us." Col. 2:9-14.
All ordinances have been blotted out-done away with. Col. 2:14. "Which stood only in meats and drinks, and DIVERS WASHINGS and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation". Heb. 9:10.
In the dispensation of Grace, it is the Holy Spirit baptizing us into the Body of Christ. This is the ONE BAPTISM that Paul speaks of.
"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, ONE BAPTISM, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." Eph. 4:4-6. Try to make it say two.
Actually, the means by which we are saved is by grace alone (sola gratia). Faith (sola fide) is the alone instrument by which we are justified in our salvation. In this respect, our salvation is monergistic in that God's acts alone and without cooperation on the part of man in His grace to bring about our salvation.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Eph. 2)Faith, however, is never alone is our salvation, but is always accompanied by good works, which is our sanctification.