Category Archives: Sacraments

Born of Water: A Discussion re Grace from the Comments

If most readers are like me, they don’t read the comments. I read the comment here, but I generally don’t read the comments at other blogs that I follow. And if you’ve not been following the comments, you missed this … Continue reading

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Born of Water: So What? Part 2

Ever since the Protestant Reformation, we’ve tried to negotiate our way to unity. Unity meetings have been like negotiations for an international trade treaty, with long-winded speeches, committees, and white papers – and little to show for the effort. This … Continue reading

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 17 Comments

Born of Water: So What? Part 1

So what? As a Bible class teacher, I hate it when someone asks me this. It means I didn’t properly present the material. I failed to make the practical application. As they say here in West Alabama, I didn’t put … Continue reading

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 16 Comments

Born of Water: The “faith was sufficient for Abraham and Israel” argument, Part 4

5. Hebrews 11 The “rollcall of the faithful” in Hebrews 11 lists many heroes of the OT and declares them saved by faith – even though they lived under either the Abrahamic or Mosaic covenants – because the promises God … Continue reading

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Born of Water: The “faith was sufficient for Abraham and Israel” argument, Part 3

3. Salvation of the Jews Because Abraham was saved by faith (and not works of the law), the same is surely true of Israel. God did not repeal his promises to Abraham when the Law of Moses came into effect … Continue reading

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Born of Water: The “faith was sufficient for Abraham and Israel” argument, Part 2

2. Galatians 3 Galatians begins with a series of curses on those who teach a “different gospel.” Paul then relates a series of stories about his relationship with the other apostles to make the point that the true gospel teaches … Continue reading

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Born of Water: The “faith was sufficient for Abraham and Israel” argument, Part 1

For many years, Paul has been read as saying that the Jews were saved by works under the Law of Moses, but Christians are now saved by faith. And Paul certainly wrote extensively on law versus faith in Gal and … Continue reading

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 318 Comments

Born of Water: Is baptism a work?

Those with a Southern Baptist or Calvinist background often argue that baptism can’t be essential for salvation or else it would be a “work,” and Paul is very clear that it’s error – even damning error – to add a … Continue reading

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 46 Comments

Born of Water: Colossians 2:11-14

Perhaps the argument most commonly used by those arguing for infant baptism or for the necessity of baptism is based on Col 2:11-14: (Col 2:11-14 ESV) In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off … Continue reading

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 18 Comments

Born of Water: Martin Luther wrongly added “alone” to “faith” in Rom 3:28

Although John Wycliffe’s 1382 English translation of the Bible is likely the first translation into the language of the people since the fall of the Roman Empire, the Catholic Church thoroughly suppressed his work, and his translation was forgotten by … Continue reading

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 16 Comments