m....,I have numerous times....you refuse to accept clear biblical language which is validated by other biblical language.
You refuse to properly harmonize scripture with scripture before reaching your conclusion on doctrine.
Further, you fail to respond to the point that such ...no baptism necessary belief...... has no record in the christian community/teachings prior to the 1960's era.............why?
There was a general consensus among the church fathers that baptism was the instrument of regeneration and washing away of sin. That settles the question for the Roman Catholic, who is amazed that Evangelical Christians have the audacity to disagree with the Fathers on this matter. It may come as a surprise that Roman Catholics too do not follow the practice of the early church Fathers in the administration of baptism.
For example it was common practice that the candidate was immersed three times, whereas the modern Catholic rite consists of pouring water on the head. Before baptism, the candidate was anointed with "oil of exorcism" while the presbyter prayed, "Let all spirits flee far away from you." Apart from the fact that there is no scriptural warrant for this anointing, they were also mistaken in their belief that this oil served for the remission of sins even before baptism:
Now this is blessed by the high priest for the remission of sins, and the first preparation for baptism. For he calls thus upon the unbegotten God, the Father of Christ, the King of all sensible and intelligible natures, that He would sanctify the oil in the name of the Lord Jesus, and impart to it spiritual grace and efficacious strength, the remission of sins, and the first preparation for the confession of baptism, that so the candidate for baptism, when he is anointed may be freed from all ungodliness, and may become worthy of initiation, according to the command of the Only-begotten (Apostolic Constitutions, XLII)
During baptism, the candidates had to remove their clothing and stand naked in the water. The newly baptized was not allowed to take a bath for a whole week. I do not feel obliged to follow the Fathers in their unscriptural inventions, changing the simple ordinance of Christ into a superstition, not to mention their disregard for public decency. (See Tertullian, The Crown; St Hippolytus of Rome, The Apostolic Tradition). These are the same people who insisted on baptismal regeneration.
I find it interesting that Roman Catholics use similar your similar logic to support their doctrines and I've heard Roman Catholics say that prior to the reformation that NOBODY taught FAITH ALONE. To the contrary, we find below:
Clement of Rome: "We also, being called through God's will in Christ Jesus, are
not justified through ourselves, neither through our own wisdom or understanding, or piety, or works which we have done in holiness or heart, but through faith" (Epistle to Corinthians).
Polycarp: "I know that
through grace you are saved, not of works, but by the will of God, through Jesus Christ (Epistle of Philippians).
Justin Martyr: "No longer by the blood of goats and of sheep, or by the ashes of a heifer...are sins purged, but
by faith, through the blood of Christ and his death, who died on this very account (Dialogue with Trypho). "God gave his own Son the ransom for us...for what, save his righteousness, could cover our sins. In whom was it possible that we, transgressors and ungodly as we were, could be
justified, save in the Son of God alone? ...O unexpected benefit, that the transgression of many should be hidden in one righteous Person and that the righteousness of One should justify many transgressors" (Letter to Diognetus).
Athanasius: "Not by these (i.e. human efforts) but
by faith, a man is justified as was Abraham."
Basil: "This is the true and perfect glorying in God, when a man is not lifted up on account of his own righteousness, but has known himself to be wanting in true righteousness and to be
justified by faith alone in Christ."
Ambrose: "Without the works of the law, to an ungodly man, that is to say, a Gentile,
believing in Christ, his "faith is imputed for righteousness" as also it was to Abraham."
Origen: "Through
faith, without the works of the law, the dying thief was justified, because...the Lord inquired not what he had previously wrought, nor yet waited for his performance of some work after he should have believe; but...he took him unto himself for a companion, justified through his confession alone."
Jerome: "When an ungodly man is converted,
God justified him through faith alone, not on account of good works which he possessed not."
Chrysostom: "Again, they said that he who adhered to
faith alone was cursed, but he shows that he who adhered to
faith alone, is blessed."
Augustine: "Grace is give to you, not wages paid to you...it is called grace because it is given gratuitously. By no precedent merits did you buy what you have received. The sinner therefore received this grace first, that his sins should be forgiven him...
good works follow after a justified person; they do not go before in order that he may be justified...good works, following after justification, show what a man has received."
Augustine: "Now, having duly considered and weighed all these circumstances and testimonies, we conclude that a man is not justified by the precepts of a holy life, but by faith in Jesus Christ,--in a word,
not by the law of works, but by the law of faith; not by the letter, but by the spirit;
not by the merits of deeds, but by free grace."
Anselm: "Do you believe that you cannot be
saved but by the death of Christ? Go, then, and ...put all your
confidence in this death alone. If God shall say to you, "You are a sinner", say to him,
"I place the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and my sin."
Bernard of Clairvaux: "Shall not all our righteousness turn out to be mere unrighteousness and deficiency? What, then, shall it be concerning our sins, when not even our righteousness can answer for itself? Wherefore...let us flee, with all humility to Mercy which alone can save our souls...whoever hungers and thirsts after righteousness, let him believe in thee, who
"justified the ungodly"; and thus, being justified by faith alone, he shall have peace with God."
*It's either faith alone or faith plus baptism/works. You can't have it both ways and neither can Roman Catholics or the church Fathers.