Continued…
What must I do to be saved? Exactly what must I believe? Do I believe and be baptized? Or, do I just believe? Help me understand...
The Lord promised he would give understanding in all things…
2 Timothy 2:7
Consider what I [Paul] say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
Therefore, let me summarize for your consideration the salvation terminology, dispensationally, rightly divided as taught by our apostle Paul, and allow the Lord to bring you the understanding as the Holy Spirit teaches how one is to be saved…
THEN… (Matthew thru John into early Acts)
Before the Cross, in order for a Jew to get into God's kingdom he must keep the Law of Moses [works] and also trust [have faith in] Jesus as his Messiah. In early Acts (chapters 1-8), that Jew had to still keep the Law plus trust in the name of Jesus, as his Messiah [faith PLUS works]. In order to gain their salvation, they must ‘endure’ [continue working and having faith] until the times of restitution come.
Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
NOW... (Romans thru Philemon)
But once Paul shows up…
1 Corinthians 15
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Faith alone in that blood is now the issue with salvation. And 'that salvation' becomes eternal life the moment you trust the crosswork of Christ, and you are saved forever!
Acts 15:11; 16:31
But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they…And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Notice, there is no mention in these verses of works—not baptism, not tithing, not church attendance, not walking an aisle, not asking Jesus into your heart, not saying a prayer, not making Jesus the Lord of your life...simply believing! Pure Grace…
Romans 4:5
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
FUTURE... (Hebrews thru Revelation)
Once this dispensation ends, and God goes back to his Prophetic program with Israel, trusting Jesus as their Messiah, and keeping the Law, and acknowledging the merits of his shed blood on the Cross will all be needed by the believer in the future to attain his 'salvation' at the Return of Christ.
Acts 3:19-23; 10:48; 1 Peter 3:21
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things…And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet [Jesus Christ], shall be destroyed from among the people.
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Hopefully this
helps...Maranatha!
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