So is baptism really
a work?
Well, it is not a
work of the law (Galatians 2:16) because 1st Corinthians 6:11 tells us
that our justification comes from the washing of baptism. So it not that kind of work, what kind of
work is it? If anything we must do to be saved is “work” then we
must not have to confess Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9) or repent (Luke 13:3). To
follow that train of logic we don’t even need to have faith since Jesus called
it a work (John 6:28-29).
Oh, course this
doesn’t make much sense. James clearly
tells us that works must go alone with faith or faith doesn’t exist (James
2:24-26). So can we then come to a conclusion that baptism isn’t a work?
A preacher friend of
mine recently pointed out something else to me that make help to clarify this
issue. Most folks that claim baptism is
a work, don’t think that repentance, belief or confession of Jesus is one. However consider my friends point, which one
of those to we do and which one is done to us? No one can repent for me. No one would think anothers confess of Jesus
could be substituted for my own. If you
have faith, it doesn’t mean I do. These are
act the individual does. That sounds more like a “work” than having another immerse
you into water. You “do” those things, some else baptizes you.
The fact is none of
these things are the “works” Paul is talking about in Ephesians 2:8-9. They are
obedient responses to the grace of God. They are commands of God given for us
to follow. They are how God gives us salvation. No command of the Lord can be ignored
if you truly want to be pleasing to him. God work is done to us by our obedient
faithful response.
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