Is there just one step to salvation? Believers say there is. Does it hold up under their own belief system?
Here is the meat of this belief.
8: But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12: For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Which is the one step one must take to be saved?
Is it to believe in the heart?
Is it to confess with your mouth?
Is it to call on the name of the Lord?
What is baptism for? If you won't be baptized are you still saved?
"If you won't be baptized" you probably weren't saved to begin with.
We are to turn our lives over completely to Jesus Christ (as MOW said). We then follow His steps into a new life. These steps go through a watery grave and continue as we are raised to a new life in the Spirit.
The "One Stepper" and "Three Stepper" phrases are just an old colloquialism intended to roughly define Oneness believers at the time of the UPC's merger into two roughly defined camps over the question of "When is the blood applied?" The real fact is that there were probably as many divergent opinions and thoughts on the question as there were men in the room.
The practical effects of the two view points however are very real. A "One Stepper" sees other Christian believers as being potentially saved. A "Three Stepper" sees all of the rest of the world as lost and shuns any fellowship with other Christians.
Most "Three Steppers" however are far from sincere in this exclusionary attitude, just look at their bookshelves. While they will be slow to send Misters Strong, Vines, Naves, L'Amour and others to the pit; they will send a "One Stepper" right to hell for being "weak on doctrine."
You label that step as repentance so let me ask. Will one go to heaven if that's all they do? What if they are never baptized in Jesus name?
You didn't ask me (and given the terms of our current friendship you may not even see this!), but I would answer "Yes."
Jesus saves us because of Calvary - not because of any works of righteousness which we have done (Titus 3:5).
On the other hand, if the hypothetical convert that you describe were to kick dirt in our faces when we asked him if he was ready to be baptized now, the problem wouldn't be in his refusal to be baptized - The problem would be in the insufficiency of his "repentance."
Even if we dragged him kicking and screaming into and under the water, baptism would still not save him.
You didn't ask me (and given the terms of our current friendship you may not even see this!), but I would answer "Yes."
Jesus saves us because of Calvary - not because of any works of righteousness which we have done (Titus 3:5).
On the other hand, if the hypothetical convert that you describe were to kick dirt in our faces when we asked him if he was ready to be baptized now, the problem wouldn't be in his refusal to be baptized - The problem would be in the insufficiency of his "repentance."
Even if we dragged him kicking and screaming into and under the water, baptism would still not save him.
So, if one is truly repentant of one's sins, one will always want to be baptized?
__________________
Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
Hybrid Mode
