Because they thought that their works would save them even though they were practicing iniquity on the side.
Saved by Water
- Thread starter Wansvic
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I always enjoy her posts with those also sort of Look forward To seeing what she comes up with lol
You are correct about them thinking that they would be saved by what THEY did for Him. There is NO mention of what He did for them.
But Jesus was calling out their morality from their sin nature when He called them "workers of iniquity". They weren't committing immorality, but trying to save themselves by their own works from their sin natures, since they weren't believers and didn't have the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Those whom Jesus does know are not workers / doers of iniquity, according to Matthew 7:23, Matthew 13:41-42, John 10:27.
... too many folks who are saved and do know Christ and are known of Him who are not baptized .... again too many folks have been baptized [or sprinkled] who do not have a clue about the new birth.
it goes to show how differently people can understand God's ways
I understood God to be enforcing the fact that faith alone without any work of righteousness [including baptism] is necessary for the salvation of Gentiles at least.
It is not by works of righteousness which we have done [declares Paul] but by God's grace alone that we are saved.
You can't make the gospel of grace into a gospel of laws ... such a gospel is false and will fail just as the old law did not save.
God does not act like that anyway, if a thing is required then that thing must be done.
Let's just stick with the local context. In THAT context, these workers of iniquity were vainly trying to earn salvation by what they DID.
Man is able to be moral by his own sinful nature. Atheists can and do exhibit morality. However, the Bible is clear about how God views man's "own righteousnesses": as used menstrual rags!! Isa 64:6.
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
That's why Jesus called them "workers of iniquity". Their "righteous acts" came from their own sin natures and smelled to high heaven.
I respectfully disagree.
The OT sprinkling is a foreshadow of what would later become the real thing. John the Baptist introduced water baptism for the remission of sin. (Luke 3:3) And as evidenced by Jesus' own baptism it was a total immersion in water. (Matt. 3:16) And after Jesus' death, burial and resurrection water baptism was commanded to be done in His name. (Acts 2:38) And since individuals are buried with Jesus in baptism one can conclude sprinkling is not a form of baptism. (Romans 6:4)
According to the word people are not saved who have not had their sins remitted. It is in one's obedience to water baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus that this occurs. (Acts 2:38, 22:16)
Obedience to water baptism is not a work of righteousness. Also, according to the word without obedience to water baptism one's sins are not remitted. (Acts 2:38, 22:16) This is why even after receiving the Holy Ghost the group was commanded to submit to water baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Just as the water of Noah's day pointed to the need for salvation, the water in the baptismal tub points back to the already established fact of salvation. It is for witnessing, testimony, and remembrance. The soul-cleansing power is in the Blood, not the tub.
If nothing is required of man why didn't Peter just congratulate and tell the group that they were saved after they believed his message about Jesus? Why command they do anything else?
Acts 15:8-9
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
After receiving the Holy Ghost the group obeyed Peter's command and was water baptized in the name of the Lord. (Acts 10:48) Notice also that Peter told the group prior to water baptizing them that it was through Jesus' name that people receive remission of sins after believing in Him. (Acts 10:43)
Salvation requires that one's sins be remitted. The word establishes that it is through one's obedience to water baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus that this is realized. (Acts 2:38, 22:16)
Rom 6:4-6
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed,
This is pure and utter rubbish. The Bible also tells you to wash my feet and give me a holy kiss. None of these things are causal for salvation. Anything that detracts from the efficacy of the power in Jesus's blood is blasphemy in my mind.
Let us have a look at it then...
Acts
2:37 Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do?
2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.
2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
Acts
22:14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
22:15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
22:17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
No water mentioned anywhere. We are to be washed in Jesus's name and by His blood.
Please stop detracting and distracting from power of Jesus blood to completely save.
On the day the church was birthed there was no mention of the need to wash feet or give holy kisses. The instructions given were relevant to the new birth. You may want to study what the word says about water baptism.