***Unlike, I suppose, the Catholic church who says you must be baptized to be save. Except, ooops, that’s not really enough by itself; you have to add more.. The Catholic church can’t even decide if baptism saves at all.****
I suppose I could go into a lengthy explanation here of Baptism and faith, but I have a feeling it would be a waste of my time and yours.
One is saved by the waters of baptism and remains in Jesus through a life of service to others and obeying His commandments i.e. Loving God and Loving one’s neighbor.
Mark 16;16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
As Jesus tells Nicodemus, one must be born again of water and the spirit to enter the kingdom of God.
Baptism is a Sacrament of Initiation and remission of sin.
Were Baptism the end all and be all of salvation, most of the New Testament is unnecessary as Paul, Peter, John and James write mostly about how to live as a Christian and warn the believer many, many times to stand firm in faith.
Why would they need to do that if all the people they baptized were saved and could not ever again be lost?
***Soul with God upon death/Soul sleeps until judgement day
Not critical to being saved so irrelevant.
Rapture/No Rapture
Not critical to being saved so irrelevant.****
Hardly irrelevant. But since I said nothing about these being critical to salvation, let’s return to the topic at hand, which is the conflicting beliefs of “Bible” churches.
The point is that there is vast disparity in some beliefs and yet all Protestants claim the Bible as the sole teacher of truth.
The point is that even though these differing denomination are reading the VERY SAME Bible, they are coming to VERY DIFFERENT conclusions about some fundamental things.
***Bodily Resurrection/No bodily Resurrection
Which Protestant denominations don’t believe in a bodily resurrection? Not anyone I’ve ever heard of.
Invalid(sic)***
Hardly. Google which churches do not believe in the bodily resurrection.
Without the shedding of blood, there is NO remission of sins. Baptism is not shed blood, therefore CANNOT save.
We do not get saved by works, we don't stay saved by works.
The point is that even though these differing denomination are reading the VERY SAME Bible, they are coming to VERY DIFFERENT conclusions about some fundamental things.
Say, aren't you the one who posted post 159 or did someone hijack your account when you weren't looking?
Nor fundamental things whether you think so or not. I'm telling you they're not and since it is not your faith we are discussing, you have no ability to decide what are fundamental differences or not. It's up to those of us whose faith it is to define it.
Catholics don't get the privilege of defining Protestant beliefs for them.