Obviously you do not understand what all believing includes. And again, you cannot take one passage out of context and try to support your man-made doctrine.

Believing in Him, believing in the Lord Jesus is not simply a mental assent. You would do good to study the meaning of the Greek word pisteuō.

Let's notice the definition:

~to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in
~to trust in Jesus or God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something: saving faith

To believe in Jesus is to believe everything He did, everything He said and it includes obeying all He commanded, which includes baptism. This is why when the jailer and his family were told they must believe he knew that it included baptism.

You can wrestle with it all day and all night... there is absolutely nothing there that would indicate obedience after being saved.

Furthermore, Peter and the apostles were asked that very same question on the day of Pentecost... "What must we do?" Look at how Peter responded... "Repent and be baptized..." and why was the baptism necessary... "for the remission of sins".

Are you going to somehow claim that there are contradictions in the Bible?

There are hundreds of links that you can go running to in order to support all kinds of false doctrines. That one is no different. You need to quit looking at what men are writing and start trusting in the word of God. Jesus said, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved..." ... He did not say, "He who believes is saved and should be baptized..."

Again, you can wrestle with it all you want... Jesus said what He said and I am going to believe in Him and do as He said. If you want to deny him, that is your choice.

Give me just one passage that explains your theory here. You babble, but you offer no Scripture. This is typical for those who work for Satan. They deceive... they try to use flattery with words, they appear to be sheep, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

It is problematic for you because there is no Scripture that proves your belief. Period!

OK... I'm going to do exactly what you would not do.

I asked you to explain Scripture... you refused to do so. Obviously because you cannot. You run from it, which is what Satan does quite regularly... he runs from God's Word. Typical.

Her faith saved her... so what. This proves nothing for us who are under a different covenant that this woman. There were many people who lived under the old Law that were saved by faith. Baptism was not a requirement under the old Law... it is under the new Law. Baptism was commanded under the New Covenant... after the death, burial and resurrection.

Look at the Greek... "through the faith". "The faith" is the system of faith by which we are saved. It is obedience to the gospel. We are buried with Him through baptism... lowered in the water as He was lowered... raised up from the water just as He was and we are raised to a newness of life. Romans 6:3-5.

You are doing a pitiful job of yanking passages out of context. You just don't get it... you need much much more study. Look at the passage in context...

Ephesians 2:7-9 That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through the faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Salvation is clearly the gift of God's grace, as it is not from us. Paul is not claiming that "faith" is not of ourselves, clearly we must believe and have personal faith... he is explaining that the "gift of God" is not of ourselves. The "gift" is because of God's grace and our "obedience to the faith". There is something we must obey to be saved. Yet, there are many people who claim that requiring obedience for salvation is the same as working our way into heaven on our own merit. When Paul refers to works in this passage, notice the type of works he classifies. He clearly points out that we cannot gain God’s grace by works that we can boast about, “lest any man should boast.” He does not exclude works altogether, but rather works of our own merit and works of the Jewish Law is what he is excluding. It is impossible for Paul to be excluding every type of work, because salvation in itself is a “work of God”.

Even believing is a work... look at John 6:29.

Again... you must understand what believing involves... it is not merely a mental assent.

Think about this. If believing is all that is required... would you agree that someone calling Jesus "Lord, Lord" would be a believer? If you call Jesus Lord, then surely you believe. Let's look at what Jesus said to some who simply believed...

Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

And what did James say about demons who believed...

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

The devils believe... are they going to heaven?

Obviously taken out of context you do not understand its meaning and are trying to misapply it. Many have tried to make this passage an excuse for denying the necessity of the believer's baptism into Christ. If such a view is tenable, how can Paul's baptism of Stephanas, Gaius, and Crispus be explained? Of course, what Paul referred to here was the administration of the rite of baptism, there being nothing here to the effect that Paul preached salvation without baptism. He like all the apostles had been commanded to "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them" (Matt. 28:19).

You are grasping at straws. Why don't you simply accept the truth?

Your argument if moot!

Verse #1 that proves if you are not baptized you are condemned:

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

If you are not baptized, you will not enter into the kingdom of God... to not enter the kingdom of God is to be condemned.

Verse #2 that proves if you are not baptized you are condemned:

Acts 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.

If you are not baptized your sins will not be remitted and you are condemned.

Verse #3 that proves if you are not baptized you are condemned:

Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

If you are not baptized then your sins will not be washed away... therefore you are condemned.

Verses #4, 5 and 6 that proves if you are not baptized you are condemned:

Romans 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
Romans 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

If you are not baptized into Christ then you have not been baptized into His death. If you are not buried with Him by baptism into death, then you are condemned because all spiritual blessings are in Christ…

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ

Notice where "all spiritual blessings" are... they are "in Christ". And how do we get "in Christ"? The only way is according to the Bible is to "baptized into Christ".

Verses 7 and 8 that proves if you are not baptized you are condemned:

Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Now consider what the above says... Paul explains that "by faith in Christ Jesus" ... "ye are all the children of God". Notice now what that faith includes... "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Saving faith includes being baptized into Christ.

Verses 9, 10 and 11 that proves if you are not baptized you are condemned:

2 Thessalonian 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
2 Thessalonian 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 Thessalonian 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

If you do not "obey the gospel" you will be punished with everlasting destruction, which is condemnation.

What does it mean to "obey the gospel"... to "obey" the "death, burial and resurrection"... read Romans chapter 6. It clearly includes being baptized ... being buried with Him.

Verse 12 that proves if you are not baptized you are condemned:

1 Peter 3:21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

What was it "corresponding" to? Water! If you are not baptized you will not be saved... Peter says it right here in verse 21. Baptism saves... if you are not baptized you are not saved and thereby condemned.


I could go on and on and on. How many do you need to finally see the truth?


The problem here is you don't want to accept the truth of what the word of God says. You have been too heavily influenced by mere men. Men who have been taught the wrong way for years, decades... even centuries. As long as you trust in what man says and continue to ignore the truth of the Bible... you will continue to wrestle with the truth.

Jesus said to go and make disciples (Christians)... how? By baptizing them. Matt 28:19, 20

Jesus said he who believes and is baptized will be saved... Mark 16:15

Jesus said we must be born of water to enter the kingdom of God... John 3:5

Peter said to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins... Acts 2:38

Paul's sins were washed away when he was baptized... Acts 22:16

Paul said those who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ... Galatians 3:27

Peter said baptism now saves us and corresponded it to water... 1 Peter 3:21


How much more proof do you need?

Quit denying Christ... man... come on! It is obvious that you believe... it is obvious that you have repented... it is obvious that are trying to confess Christ as the Son of God and Lord... but it is obvious you have been baptized for the wrong reason or reasons. Why tarriest thou... arise and be baptized, washing away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord! Go and be baptized right now for the right reasons and start teaching the truth!

Do what Jesus commands of you. Obey God and allow Jesus to be your source of eternal salvation. Hebrews 5:9

You conclusions are not only rejected by me... they are rejected by Jesus... they are rejected by God.

__________________
In Christ,
brother Sonnie

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'