Resolved the Bible teaches: Salvation follows baptism and is for the remission of sins.

I am glad to have a chance to discuss this matter with him and let the readers use their ability to reason so that they can make a choice as to what the Bible teaches on this important subject. Lets start, my opponent says before you can obey something you must hear. I don't disagree one must hear the truth and believe the same. That is what was said In (Matt. 28:19-20. ) But that is not where Jesus stops. Jesus did not stop there. Jesus said, to make believing, disciples and then baptize them. On to (Mark 16:15-16) He starts here to mince words here. But it's simple to explain. Some would try and say. Yes, but what about those that believe and are not baptized…. It doesn't say they will be condemned… Oh yes it does! Baptism = faith. Those that do not believe will not be baptized to start with. The Bible does not spell out every single thing we have to do to be lost. Instead, it tells us what we have to do to be saved. If we don't obey it, we will be lost. Christ clearly warns in Mark that baptism is such an important matter that it will be criteria for judgment. Lets look at it this way. Question 1: who shall be saved? Answer: Those that believe and are baptized. Question2: Who will be condemned? Answer: Those that do not believe. Notice Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. " Now, notice what Jesus did NOT say. He did NOT say, "He that believeth and is saved shall be baptized. " But this is what most denominations teach. He that is saved will be baptized. That is Not what Jesus said! This should send a chill up the spine of anyone who is truly seeking to follow the teachings of Christ. Moving along, my opponent said that his best interpretation of the Greek word eis means "because of" as it relates to Acts 2:38. (Greek eis) According to Thayer's lexigon, eis means "entrance into, or direction and limit: into, to, towards, for, among. There is, not a single instance of the Greek word eis in the KJV translated as "because of. " Nor any version of the Bible that translates Acts 2:38, "Repent, and be baptized . . . because of the remission of sins. " This is an unsupported assertion by my opponent. I would ask the readers and my opponent to find a reputable translation of the English Bible that translates eis to "because of" in the case of Acts 2:38. My opponent would have you believe that Acts 2:38 reads like this> Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ because of your sins, that have already been forgiven, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. This is a ridiculous assertion. And as far as Gal. 3, I will be happy to post it here for the readers to see. Gal 3:25 But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. It says, now that faith has come. We are no longer under a tutor (the OT law) For we are sons of God. Why? because we were baptized into Christ. See, that's simple if you don't let someone muddy the water. If you want to be God's son, have faith and be baptized. Notice: I did not misquote Roms 10:9. My opponent has misrepresented me. If you will go back to my first argument I never said a word about Rom. 10:09. My opponent needs to set the record straight. He needs to stop here and make a correction in this statement he made (His words)> quote: "I find it telling that Ahijah actually misquotes a verse here. Romans 10:9 says, "…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. " I find it telling when my opponent forces me to use up space to set the record straight. Now there will be no more of this kind of foolishness. Romans 10:9 does say confess and be saved. I don't argue with that verse. Rom. 10:13 says, your saved by calling on the name of the Lord. But the Bible also says baptism saves. My opponent says, quote "If I am baptized and go to Heaven, I can boast that I'm there because of what I did. However, my salvation has nothing to do with me and everything to do with God. " That's true if you are baptized for the remission of your sins and you go to heaven. You will not be able to boast of what you did. Because you did not do anything. The Bible says, Colossians 2:12 and you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. It says, God did the work in baptism, not you! If you were sick and went to the doctor. And he preformed an operation on you and made you whole. Would you say you did the work? Baptism is not a work we do. It is a work that God performs on us during baptism. Now I am going to knock this faith only thing in the head, once and for all! In Ephesians 2. The Bible says, Eph 2:6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus: > (when were we raised up? ) The Bible says, Romans 6:4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. (so we are raised up when we come out of the waters of baptism) Eph. 2:7 that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus: (what is this grace of God? ) The Bible says, 2 Corinthians 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich. (so the grace of God is His gift to the world, He gave His Son, Jesus Christ to the world. This includes saints and sinners alike) Eph 2:8 for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; (They try to use this verse to exclude our obedience to faith) The Bible says, James 2:24 Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith. (This is the ONLY place in the Bible that has the phrase "FAITH ONLY. " And when you see faith only. You see the Bible says, NOT by faith only! !! ) Eph. 2:9 not of works, that no man should glory. (Like I said, this is what they don't tell you. Baptism is not a work of man, as the Bible says,) Col 2:12 "having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. " (Baptism is the work God does. It has nothing to do with mans works. We can't forgive or own sins. But when we obey or faith and we are baptized. God does the work and washes away our sins. ) I need to move on. My opponents questions> 1) If baptism is necessary for salvation, why did Jesus not preach to be baptized when he came to John to be baptized, Himself? John 4:1 When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John) Can you find anywhere in the Scriptures that someone was baptized before they believed? (No, because belief is the first part of salvation. You have to believe anything before you can obey. But belief is not the last step. ) 3) If baptism is necessary for salvation, why did Paul tell the Corinthians that Christ sent him not to baptize, but to preach the gospel? (this passage, actually indicates that two things are required before a person may call himself after another person. First, Paul would have to die for that person; and second, that person would have to be baptized in the name of Paul. This actually parallels perfectly with Biblical teaching that Christ has died for us, and we rightfully call ourselves Christians when we put Christ on in baptism. ") Questions 1)Can you provide a Bible that translates: eis>"because of"? 2)Will anyone in heaven be allowed to enter with their sins? 3)Can evil spirits confess and believe in Jesus? Thanks