salvation

to clarify the statement a little further about the gift certificate, the question that arises in that matter is HOW, how do i obtain that gift certificate? Further my opponent says that we are saved by faith alone, and obedience is just the fruit of salvation by faith alone. Faith is essential to salvation and there are many passages in the Scriptures that support it: John 3:16 - Whoever believes on Jesus should have eternal life. Romans 1:16 - The gospel is God's power to save all who believe. Romans 5:1,2 - By faith we are justified and have access to grace. Ephesians 2:8 - By grace are you saved through faith. (See also Acts 16:31; 10:43; 15:9; 13:39; John 8:24; 3:36; 5:24; 6:40; 20:30,31; Romans 3:22-28; 4:3,16; etc.) We conclude that faith is essential to salvation, and without faith no man can be saved. BUT no passage in the Bible that says we are saved by faith alone We are told that verses like those above prove that faith is necessary but not baptism, since faith is mentioned but baptism is not. But which passage says we are saved by "faith only," or that faith is the SOLE condition for salvation, or that we are saved WITHOUT BAPTISM OR WITHOUT OBEDIENCE? None of them so state. They teach we are saved by faith, but they do not teach we are saved by FAITH ALONE OR WITHOUT OBEDIENCE. Further my opponent says that the Chief Rulers, Pharisees and lawyers and the devils had the wrong kind of faith. The issue then is: WHAT KIND OF FAITH SAVES, AND WHAT DOES THIS SAVING FAITH INCLUDE? Does it include repentance, confession, obedience to Divine commands, and even baptism? Before answering, let us add more information. Just as I have said earlier there are many things that are essential to salvation: God's grace (Ephesians 2:4-10; 1:7; Titus 2:11,12; Acts 15:11) Jesus' death and resurrection (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 5:6-10; 1 Peter 1:18,19; Revelation 1:5; 1 Corinthians 15:17; 1 Peter 3:21) THE GOSPEL (Romans 1:16; 1 Peter 1:23-25; Acts 11:14; James 1:18,21; 1 Corinthians 15:1,2; John 8:31,32) LEARNING GOD'S WILL (Acts 11:14; John 6:44,45; Romans 10:17; 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:21) Faith (see the verses listed above) LOVE (1 Corinthians 16:22; 13:1-3; Galatians 5:6; 1 John 4:7,8) HOPE (Romans 8:24) REPENTANCE(2 Corinthians 7:10; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30; Luke 13:3,5; 2 Peter 3:9) OBEDIENCE (Hebrews 5:9; Romans 6:17,18; 1 Peter 1:22; Acts 10:34,35; 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9; Galatians 5:6; James 2:14-26) CONFESSION OF CHRIST (Romans 10:9,10; Matthew 10:32) BAPTISM (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21; Romans 6:3-7; Galatians 3:26,27; Colossians 2:12,13) FAITHFULNESS (Matthew 10:22; Revelation 2:10; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Matthew 28:20; Titus 2:11,12; 1 John 2:1-6) CHURCH MEMBERSHIP (Acts 2:47; 20:28; Ephesians 5:23,25) A FAITHFUL OBEDIENT LIFE( Matt. 10:22; Rev. 2:10) Some of these are things God has done; others we must do. All are essential to our salvation. Later, we will study some of them further, but first this observation: We Must Accept All that the Bible Requires. Accepting some requirements, while ignoring others, leads to error and contradiction. If a verse requires faith, that does not eliminate the other things that are required elsewhere. Likewise, many passages mention grace, blood, repentance, etc., but do not mention faith. Should we conclude this proves faith is unneeded? No, but that would be as reasonable as concluding we can be saved without obedience or without baptism, just because these are not mentioned in some passages about faith. Salvation by "faith only" (excluding baptism and obedience) is as unreasonable and unscriptural as salvation by repentance only, hearing only, or baptism only. WE ARE NOT SAVED BY ANY ONE THING ALONE, TO THE EXCLUSION OF OTHER THINGS REQUIRED ELSEWHERE. Instead, we should accept everything the Bible requires. Acts 3:22,23 - We must hear ALL Jesus says, or we will be destroyed. Revelation 22:18,19 - If we take away part of God's word, He takes away our reward. Matthew 4:4,7 - Live by EVERY WORD God speaks, not just part of it. We must never isolate a passage from the overall teaching of the Bible (see also Acts 20:20,27; James 2:10; Matthew 28:20.) If we follow only one part of a set of instructions, we will not achieve the desired result. Suppose, for example, a driver's manual says, "To drive a car, you must have the key." If we get a key, but ignore the rest of the instructions, will we automatically be driving the car? No. So faith is a "key" to salvation - it gives us power to become children of God (John 1:12). But we are not automatically and immediately God's children just because we have the key or the power to become such. We must consider ALL the requirements that God's word teaches. Obedience Is Essential To Salvation. The "faith only" doctrine says that faith is the only prerequisite to forgiveness. Acts of obedience all come after forgiveness, and none are essential to receive forgiveness. But consider: A. Many Passages Say Obedience Is Necessary. 1 Peter 1:22,23 - We PURIFY OUR SOULS in OBEYING THE TRUTH.Romans 6:17,18 - Servants of sin must OBEY from the heart in order to be made free from sin. HEBREWS 5:9 - Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to all who OBEY Him. JAMES 2:24 - Man is justified by works, not by "faith only." ACTS 11:14, 10:34-35 - Peter told Cornelius words whereby he would be saved. But the first words He said were that, to be accepted by God, people must work righteousness. This is true for all people, for God shows no partiality! MATTHEW 7:21-27; Luke 6:46 - To accept Jesus as Lord (ruler, master) and enter the kingdom of heaven, we must do what He says. We may believe and confess Him yet be rejected, because we did not obey. 2 THESSALONIANS 1:8,9; ROMANS 2:6-10 - Receiving eternal life requires us to do good. Those who do not obey will be destroyed. 1 JOHN 5:3; JOHN 14:15,21-24 - Loving God requires us to keep His commands. If we do not obey, we do not love Him. Can one be saved if he does not love God (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:22; Matthew 22:37-39)? The doctrine of "faith only" denies the necessity for all obedience to commands. All the passages we have just studied show that such a view is False Doctrine. (See also Rev. 20:12-15; John 5:28,29; 1 John 2:17.) If Obedience Is Not Essential, Consider the Consequences. Matthew 22:37-39 - Love is the greatest of all commands. If obeying commands is not necessary to salvation, then love is not necessary! Yet note 1 Corinthians 16:22. Acts 17:30 - Repentance is a command. If keeping commands is not necessary, then repentance is not necessary to salvation! Yet note Acts 2:38; 3:19; Luke 13:3; 2 Peter 3:9. Romans 10:9,10 - Confession with the mouth is a command. If obeying commands is not essential to salvation, then confession is not essential! Yet the Bible says it is essential. And it is not just an inner act; it is an outward act done with the mouth, in contrast to faith in the heart. Like baptism, here is an outward, physical action that is essential to salvation. (See also Matthew 10:32,33.) 1 John 3:23; John 6:28,29 - Faith itself is a command; it is a work God tells people to do. If works and obedience are not necessary, then faith itself is not necessary! But if faith is essential, then we must abandon the view that obedience and works are not essential! Some claim that John 6:29 says faith is a work God does for us, not something we do. However: (1) 1 John 3:23 still says believing is a command to us (cf. Mark 16:15,16). (2) John 6:29 answers the question asked in v28: "What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?" So "works of God" here means works men do in obedience to God's commands. (3) 1 Corinthians 15:58 is parallel - the "work of the Lord" is work we abound in - our labor in the Lord (cf. "love of God" in 1 John 5:3). (4) If faith is entirely a work God does for us, then God is responsible for unbelievers. He causes some people to believe, but not others. This makes God a respecter of persons in contradiction to Acts 10:34,35 and Romans 2:11. Hence, John 6:29 says faith is something we do, which is essential to salvation. Clearly, obedience is essential to forgiveness. So we must ask what commands we must obey, and is baptism one of them? But first, consider some objections. Hebrews 10:39 and Chapter 11 Hebrews 11 gives many examples of people who "by faith" pleased God and received His reward (11:6). But the purpose is to show us how to be among "them that believe to the saving of the soul" (10:39). Now, does the faith that God rewards include obedience? That is, was obedience NECESSARY in order for God to reward the people, or did He reward them before they obeyed or even when they did not obey? Noah (11:7) - By faith Noah prepared an ark to save his house and become heir of righteousness according to faith. Was he saved by faith BEFOREhe obeyed, ordid God save him from the flood only AFTER he obeyed? Would he have been saved if he had not obeyed? Abraham (11:8) - By faith he OBEYED GOD AND WENT to the place God eventually showed him. Did God reward him BEFORE he obeyed, or only AFTER he obeyed? Israel at Jericho (11:30) - By faith the walls of Jericho fell. Did they fall BEFORE the people DID what God said, or AFTERWARDS? Would the walls have fallen had the people not obeyed? The verse says the walls fell "AFTER THEY WERE COMPASSED ABOUT." (See also 11:4,17,24, etc.) In every case, God rewarded people for OBEDIENT faith. They received the blessing "by faith," NOT BEFORE they obeyed or WITHOUT obedience, but only AFTER or as aresult of their obedience. Yet when faith led to obedience, they received the reward "by faith." Saving faith is faith that OBEYS. If your faith says that obedience is not necessary or that God will "save your soul" before you obey, then you have a faith that WILL NOT SAVE.