Is Getting Baptised Needed?

We cannot gain salvation by good behaviour, nor can we lose it by bad behaviour. Heaven is the home of those who have received the free gift of righteousness in Christ by God's great grace through faith.

The truly regenerated believer may still fall, but Holy Spirit brings them to repentance, and because he is a child of God, He will never let him go as His rightful child. Do you abandon your children when they disobey?

Wait, did you just say that as long as you have faith you can do whatever you want? If you can't lose salvation by bad behavior then that's a great excuse for people to start going out there and having sexorgies, doing drugs and committing mass murder. I'm pretty sure that God will erase your name from the book of life if you continue to do things against him without asking for forgiveness meaningfully.
 
If one disagrees that God doesn't have a firm grip on His own, then more revelation about God and salvation is needed.
 
Wait, did you just say that as long as you have faith you can do whatever you want? If you can't lose salvation by bad behavior then that's a great excuse for people to start going out there and having sexorgies, doing drugs and committing mass murder. I'm pretty sure that God will erase your name from the book of life if you continue to do things against him without asking for forgiveness meaningfully.

Of course that's the question that comes up in people who have a problem with GRACE. No--we have no license to sin. Why would you think that, when the scriptures are clear about taking God's grace for granted? Has anyone said that we should go on sinning?

True believers do not want to sin, and they do not commit sin wantonly. He isn't about to erase anyone's name from His Book of Life when we are His own children.
 
Of course that's the question that comes up in people who have a problem with GRACE. No--we have no license to sin. Why would you think that, when the scriptures are clear about taking God's grace for granted? Has anyone said that we should go on sinning?

True believers do not want to sin, and they do not commit sin wantonly. He isn't about to erase anyone's name from His Book of Life when we are His own children.
I'll admit, I have intentionally sinned knowing I was offending God. I have come forward and confessed my sins and asked for forgiveness, but sadly, this is the nature of man, including Christians.

Even Christians sin grievously. But when we do and have no intention of owning up to them, are we still in God's graces? If so, then what function do his commandments have?
 
The subject of justification can be very simple, yet very complex.

We ARE justified by faith, but not faith alone. (Romans 3:28)

We ARE justified by works, but not our own works—rather works animated by the spirit of Godly charity. (James 2:26)

One side can easily fall into the trap of misinterpreting and saying "if the bible says you can't work your way into heaven, then it must be faith alone!"

The other extreme may interpret "it says we need good works, so I'll do these good deeds and earn salvation that way."

Both sides are wrong, but that doesn't mean it's one or the other. It's BOTH faith AND works, and it's important in what we put our faith in and what is animating our good works.
 
Of course that's the question that comes up in people who have a problem with GRACE. No--we have no license to sin. Why would you think that, when the scriptures are clear about taking God's grace for granted? Has anyone said that we should go on sinning?

True believers do not want to sin, and they do not commit sin wantonly. He isn't about to erase anyone's name from His Book of Life when we are His own children.
But you just said that we can't lose it by bad behavior, when in fact you can if you don't ask for forgiveness and mean it and try not to do it again. But if you keep doing it over and over, you are showing God that his Grace means nothing to you.
 
The subject of justification can be very simple, yet very complex.

We ARE justified by faith, but not faith alone. (Romans 3:28)

We ARE justified by works, but not our own works—rather works animated by the spirit of Godly charity. (James 2:26)

One side can easily fall into the trap of misinterpreting and saying "if the bible says you can't work your way into heaven, then it must be faith alone!"

The other extreme may interpret "it says we need good works, so I'll do these good deeds and earn salvation that way."

Both sides are wrong, but that doesn't mean it's one or the other. It's BOTH faith AND works, and it's important in what we put our faith in and what is animating our good works.

There is only one small problem, we are not saved by faith or works. We are only saved by grace!! If we think faith or works or any combination of the two is what is needed for salvation we are wrong in our thinking. Faith is only the key to access grace by which we are saved not to acquire it. We are saved by grace through faith.
 
I think the focus needs to be on this chapter in Romans as it settles this argument once and for all. Please read it anew, especially the last verse proving we are dead to the Law and that we are free through our minds:

Romans 7:1-25 (ESV2011)
Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress. Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

This is why when Jesus returns we get a new body!
 
There is only one small problem, we are not saved by faith or works. We are only saved by grace!! If we think faith or works or any combination of the two is what is needed for salvation we are wrong in our thinking. Faith is only the key to access grace by which we are saved not to acquire it. We are saved by grace through faith.

Not a problem because that is precisely it. In fact, that is the good news! Saved by grace ALONE through faith fueling works. Christ free gift of grace is the starting point. The gift of grace is free, but I mean to highlight how one obtains it.
 
Wait, did you just say that as long as you have faith you can do whatever you want? If you can't lose salvation by bad behavior then that's a great excuse for people to start going out there and having sexorgies, doing drugs and committing mass murder. I'm pretty sure that God will erase your name from the book of life if you continue to do things against him without asking for forgiveness meaningfully.
What real Christian wants to do these things? None that I know!... And real faith accepts Gods standards and attempts to walk in His good ways.
 
I'll admit, I have intentionally sinned knowing I was offending God. I have come forward and confessed my sins and asked for forgiveness, but sadly, this is the nature of man, including Christians.

Even Christians sin grievously. But when we do and have no intention of owning up to them, are we still in God's graces? If so, then what function do his commandments have?
His Commandments? Are you speaking of the law of Moses or the "law of Christ" Here are the New Covenant Commandments ...

1Jo 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 ¶ And this is his commandment,(1) That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and(2) love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

"nothing profits but faith working by love"
 
His Commandments? Are you speaking of the law of Moses or the "law of Christ" Here are the New Covenant Commandments ...

1Jo 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 ¶ And this is his commandment,(1) That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and(2) love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

"nothing profits but faith working by love"
I mean divine law as opposed to Mosaic law. New covenant.
 
I'll admit, I have intentionally sinned knowing I was offending God. I have come forward and confessed my sins and asked for forgiveness, but sadly, this is the nature of man, including Christians.

Even Christians sin grievously. But when we do and have no intention of owning up to them, are we still in God's graces? If so, then what function do his commandments have?

As God's children, we can depend on Holy Spirit to do His job of convicting and---keeping. I do.
 
But you just said that we can't lose it by bad behavior, when in fact you can if you don't ask for forgiveness and mean it and try not to do it again. But if you keep doing it over and over, you are showing God that his Grace means nothing to you.

That's right. We are not saved by our good behaviour. If we sin, we may fall out of relationship with God, but because we are blood-bought, we cannot lose our family status with God. We may lose certain rewards, but we will not lose heaven as our home---that is, unless one really never had a relationship with the Lord in the first place.

God's grace is all God's and all His doing.
 
I mean divine law as opposed to Mosaic law. New covenant.
Still not sure what you are referring to? Folks can turn New Covenant "laws in the Spirit" back to the "letter" or legalism. There are "divine" laws of God that are fulfilled by faith working by love... obedience from the heart, not obedience to the "letter"...
 
I'll admit, I have intentionally sinned knowing I was offending God. I have come forward and confessed my sins and asked for forgiveness, but sadly, this is the nature of man, including Christians.

Even Christians sin grievously. But when we do and have no intention of owning up to them, are we still in God's graces? If so, then what function do his commandments have?

Can a man out sin the grace of God? "Where sin abounds grace does much more abound" Grace does not match sin it supersedes it. The new nature of a Christian is the nature of Christ, and this nature can not sin because he is born of God, and his seed remains in him. When a Christian sins it is because of his flesh not his heart. Sin resides in the flesh of man as the Apostle Paul tells us that when we sin it is not "I" that sins but sin that dwells within me. A Christian can not sin and not feel it effects on his heart, and conscience. Confessing sin is the only way to clear ones conscience from its agitating guilt and shame which is torment. The divine nature of Christ which is our life can never be tempted to sin as God can not be tempted. The only part of man that can be tempted is that which is common to man, which is his human nature. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed.
 
I agree, Love is the greatest of the three, yet we read this that, "faith works by love" so if we don't have love (God, since God is love) Then our faith will never work because only God (love) can do the works of faith. :)
Boo yah! Right there, that's why I picked my pseudonym. Actually now that I think of it, my pseudonym was really impulsive. I think God was trying to remind me of something I had forgotten. Good ol' Holy Spirit is even picking my account name's now, haha. God really does take over your life once you surrender to him XD
 
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