What Constitutes a Work?

Precisely because they were able to believe and repent mean that they were born again. Don't forget, the Lord opened the heart of Lydia to respond (Acts 16:14).

 

Did you care to respond to the other questions?

 

Pickettman,

1. I'm sorry that I haven't answered all your questions. There really is no need to go down the list, if they all point to the same thing. And that is what I saw there.

2. If you believe that baptism is the point at which a person is saved and is born again, then you are going to understand those Scriptures that way.

3. But I encourage you not to build your doctrine of baptism on the book of Acts, since there are so many anomalies. Rather, try the more doctrinally laden books, like Romans and so on.

 

No problem I understand!

I do not believe that baptism is the point at which a person is saved. But I do believe that it is part of the New Birth Experience!

I believe any doctrine that we are going to follow needs to line up with the Apostles Doctrine! (Acts 2:42)

And we find that Doctrine and the examples there of in the book of Acts. The book of Romans is a letter to the Roman Church which was established in the Book of Acts. They already did exactly what you and I are discussing.

Now what I am not doing is discrediting the Epistles, so please do not misunderstand me there. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Tim 3:16)

But, if we find scripture that may seem to be a little uneasy to understand or if we discover a subject (i.e. Faith/Works) then we need to go back to the beginning and look at the foundation that was prepared for us by the ones who actually heard it first hand, obeyed it and left us examples.

God Bless

 

1. Then a person does not experience the New Birth until Baptism. Correct?

2. We all do! But how do we ascertain it?

3. But Romans lays out the gospel and man's sinful condition and a need for the Savior. I suggest you take a better look at Romans. Paul systematically lays out the gospel though he was writing to a NT church. Rather, you need to ask, Why did Paul take such systematic approach?

4. Acts is a book of anomalies in a transitional period in the life of the church. Cornelius received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit without the laying on a apostolic hands, the Samaritans even after believing and was baptized didn't receive the Spirit, until the apostles laid hands on them. This is clearly a book of anomalities because of the nature of the book.

It wasn't design to teach systematic theology.

 

Not fully!

With Scripture after Scripture after Scripture.

God Bless

FYI just wanted to let you know that it will be tomorrow before i will be able to post any replys, God bless