Justification is by Grace Alone

c.1558 | John Calvin

[Frumanchu]

In Acts 16 Paul is asked very directly "What must I do to be saved" and the answer was very explicit: "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved."

There is no mention of baptism in this verse, and indeed I don't know how much more plainly the Apostle Paul can state it.

Thank you for your conversation. God bless.

[jkl1122]

If you will look at the entire passage, you will see that after Paul said this, he and Silas started speaking the word of the Lord to them. And the "same hour of the night" the jailer "was baptized, he and all his, straightway".(Acts 16:32-33)

There is no mention of repentance or confession, but this is obviously necessary for salvation. Paul told them to believe, and immediately after the Gospel was preached to them, they were baptized. If baptism was not necessary for salvation, why the hurry? Belief here is obviously more than just belief that Jesus was the Son of God. In today's world, baptism is often put off until a certain time, but in the 1st Century church, it took place immediately.

[Frumanchu]

I know the entire passage, jkl. Apparently, the Apostle Paul was not very forthright in answering a simple question in Acts 16:31.

I'm curious to know if you really believe one who has faith in Christ, confesses and repents of his sins, but dies before they are physically baptized is unsaved and destined for hell.

[jkl1122]

I believe that God will judge that person, and I can't say one way or the other. I do know that faith in Christ, repentance of sins, confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and baptism are taught as coming before salvation. An isolated case, as you have brought up, can never negate plain teaching.

[FreeRep]

Great post! "Justification is by Grace Alone"

SBC-Baptists believe that salvation is "by grace" plus nothing and minus nothing or that "salvation is by grace through faith alone." The Bible to be the Word of God and final authority, and that adult-like faith witnessed by believer's baptism provides a testimony to a watching world only.

God's simple plan of salvation.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved"!

Again, Great post!

[Frumanchu]

I believe that God will judge that person, and I can't say one way or the other.

How can you on the one hand say obedience is necessary for salvation, and yet not say one way or another when a clear example is given of a lack thereof? If physical baptism is absolutely essential to salvation, then the answer is quite clear: the person will not be saved. Otherwise, God's justice is now full of exceptions to the rules.

I do know that faith in Christ, repentance of sins, confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and baptism are taught as coming before salvation.

The example of Acts 16 shows this to be a circumstantial argument. Unless Paul told a half-truth.

An isolated case, as you have brought up, can never negate plain teaching.

On the contrary, plain reason can most definitely negate "plain teaching." Your teaching is unreasonable unless you are willing to state clearly that the person in the situation I gave you will go to hell for failure to obey the commands of Christ.

I will have to address this further at a later time, perhaps this evening if time allows.

[Frumanchu]

Glad you enjoyed it! I hope you found it edifying and encouraging :)

[jkl1122]

If the person willfully doesn't get baptized, then yes, they are not saved. However, I was under the impression you were using the old argument about if the person gets killed on the way to be baptized. In that case, God will judge the individual.

Paul did not lie when he said believe and you will be saved in Acts 16. Belief here is not mere intellectual belief in God. To claim it is such would show a lack of understanding belief as it is taught in Acts.

[thePilgrim]

***Then doesn't that give a person carte blanch to do whatever they want, or commit great immoral sins, as long as they have accepted Jesus into their heart?***

So, let me see if I understand this right. According to the majority of the Christian Right Wing what Michael did is tantamount to a state murder to cover up and legitimize his adultery. So, the question is can a person who has "accepted Jesus" do "whatever they want" and not lose their salvation.

Well, first of all, I would never use the phrase "accept Jesus." I think it highly irreverent. But, I understand the gist of what you mean.

Secondly, do you suppose that if the day after David committed the state murder of Uriah to cover up his own adultery he had died that the man after God's own heart would have wound up in hell? Do you think that it is the height of Divine hyprocrisy to make such a vile disgusting sinner a Christ figure?

Or, do you suppose that, after all, salvation is really 100% the Divine mercy and grace of God for sinners who deserve nothing but to experience the wrath of God? Would you want to trust that your salvation is 99% grace and 1% what man (insert whatever man does or says to be saved).

As for me and my house....

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.


In the service of the Lord,
Christian.

[thePilgrim]

Sola Gratia from a fellow SBC Baptist.

Christian.

[RnMomof7]

I like the verse:
"He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God." John 8:45
Seems pretty straight forward.

I agree

[Frumanchu]

If the person willfully doesn't get baptized, then yes, they are not saved. However, I was under the impression you were using the old argument about if the person gets killed on the way to be baptized. In that case, God will judge the individual.

Either way, jkl, you're in the same boat. Supposing he was on the way to being baptized, it still doesn't change the fact that if baptism is an absolutely necessary condition for salvation and the person fails to meet the necessary condition, then that person IS NOT SAVED. If God truly judged the individual according to that standard, then the individual would not be saved. Period. The moment you start introducing circumstantial escape clauses you completely undermine the argument for it being a necessary condition of salvation.

Paul did not lie when he said believe and you will be saved in Acts 16. Belief here is not mere intellectual belief in God. To claim it is such would show a lack of understanding belief as it is taught in Acts.

Thanks, but you don't have to explain that to me...I just got done explaining it to you ;)

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Has He not also atoned for any failure to obey what He has commanded?

Clear and righteous questions like this one reaffirm the Reformed faith for me.

The answer is self-evident. Praise God, Christ has atoned for my sins of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

All that He has ordained comes to pass.

[RnMomof7]

Has He not also atoned for any failure to obey what He has commanded?

I am reminded of this from John Owen

The Father imposed His wrath due unto, and the Son underwent punishment for, either:

1. All the sins of all men.
2. All the sins of some men, or
3. Some of the sins of all men.

In which case it may be said:

1. That if the last be true, all men have some sins to answer for, and so, none are saved.
2. That if the second be true, then Christ, in their stead suffered for all the sins of all the elect in the whole world, and this is the truth.
3. But if the first be the case, why are not all men free from the punishment due unto their sins?

You answer, "Because of unbelief."

I ask, Is this unbelief a sin, or is it not? If it be, then Christ suffered the punishment due unto it, or He did not.
If He did, why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which He died?
If He did not, He did not die for all their sins!"

Justification - we have been saved from the penalty of sin [Past Tense]
Sanctification - we are being saved from the power of sin [Present Tense]
Glorification - we shall be saved from the presence of sin [Future Tense]

[aimhigh]

That is not faith alone. This section also doesn't teach repentance? Does that mean that repentance isn't necessary? This section also doesn't teach confession? Does that mean that confession isn't necessary?

Repentance is a part of faith, and confession is result of faith. To place your faith in Christ includes no longer believing in yourself as your own God.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

I agree with you.
There are many Christians who were saved, and must have sinned ( remember ? even ( ONE SIN ) will separate us from GOD and we are lost from GOD even by ONE SIN ) who didn't have time to confess and repent, is GOD going to condemn them to Hell ?
Is GOD a Indian giver ?
This is the problem with that frame of belief ( that we ALWAYS have to maintain our salvation, and if we still have to EARN our salvation, then, we make Christ's work on the cross non effect, it is still merit ) that if a believer just sins JUST once, and never repents and confesses, that, that believer GOES to hell.
The Bible also tells us, that once we get saved, we are " SEALED " by the Holy Spirit.
The bible says that NO ONE will be able to pluck us out of GOD's hand.
Remember ? NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS.

[HarleyD]

You said in post #34: ”I never said that we can ask for forgiveness before belief. Belief comes first, no doubt about it. After that come repentance, confession, and baptism.”

Then in post #39: ”…baptism is placed before salvation….

As I understand it you are saying one must 1) believe, 2) repent, 3) confess that Jesus is Lord, 4) be baptized and then they become 5) new creatures in Christ. Is this correct?

I would say there’s not much I (nor Calvin) would disagree with except 4 and 5. From the scriptures we read:

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

People cannot confess Jesus is Lord except by the Spirit of God. That creates problems under your scenario because they are not “new creatures” until step 5 but they are confessing that Jesus is Lord under step 2.

I would suggest they become new creatures under step 1 in which they can confess that Jesus is Lord by the Holy Spirit. From Ephesians we find that once we believe we are sealed with the Holy Spirit and this Spirit is our pledge of our inheritance to the praise of God’s glory.

Eph 1:13-14 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Baptism is a work illustrating the changed heart but it isn't necessary for the indwelling Holy Spirit which is our guarantee. I’m sorry but I reject your interpretation.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

I agree with you.
The Bible also tells us, that we have a advocate with the Father.
Those who believe is this kind of belief ( maintaining you salvation ) , are only relying on their own " SELF RIGHTOIUSENSS " , and GOD despises our own SELF RIGHTOIUSNESS.
If we are " Maintaining " our salvation then, it's not by GOD's hand, but, by our own hand.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

As far as we know, the theft on the cross next to Jesus didn't get baptized, and all the theft said " Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom , and Jesus himself said " this day, you will be with me in paradise ".

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Nothing but the BLOOD of JESUS.