[mfblume]

So good, it needs to be posted again, even though it's only a few posts earlier.

Originally Posted by RonMurray

"Repentamce and Baptism Are Not Against Grace or Faith"

In Mark 1;15, Mark 16;16, and John 7;38, Jesus tells us that repentamce, baptism, and receiving the Holy Spirit are all directly connected with believing. So it's about believing and obeying the gospel both. It's obedience by faith. Or as James puts it, it's works by faith. But repentance and baptism aren't our works, or our own righteousness, they are the works of God, who works in us and leads us to repentance and baptism according to His word and will. Repentance and baptism both work together for forgiveness and washing away of sins. Forgiveness comes with repentance (2 Chronicles 7;14), and our sins are washed away in baptism (Acts 22;16).

So it's a misconception that repentance and baptism are against grace or faith. Repentance and baptism are given to us by the grace of God for forgiveness and washing away of our sins, and they are done by faith in Jesus Christ. So repentance and baptism, along with the gift of the Holy Spirit, is God working salvation in us by grace through faith in Jesus Christ unto eternal life...

As it is written, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God", Ephesians 2:8.