![]() I am a career Marine (26 years and counting), and we often speak of Ways, Means, and Ends. I have a different idea, and I would like your opinion, if you have time. On the other hand, I believe the Bible teaches the essentiality of baptism, so how do we reconcile these two ideas? Indeed, this attempt at reconciliation is what leads many within churches of Christ to adopt the “works excluded / works included” position. In my view, Paul excludes any works whatsoever from the free gift of salvation by grace through faith. Most conservative church of Christ commentators first seek to disprove “faith-only” teachings relative to the passage and then they often mention “works excluded” and “works included.” I have always rejected this position. And this is not your own doing it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (ESV) The passage states, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. I have long had a different opinion regarding Eph 2:8-9, a passage to which you refer in your review of chapter 5. Unless Shelly went full bore Calvinist, and I do not believe that he did, there is absolutely a sense in which we do not contribute to our salvation. Shelly’s comments, but on the surface, I wholeheartedly agree IF he was referring to efficacy. The first difference that I can recall was over the outcry in reference to a Rubel Shelly comment: “We do not contribute one whit to our salvation.” Now, I don’t know the full context of Bro. I agree with the conservatives on many, many issues … but not all. I like to challenge my thinking, so I am a frequent visitor here. A little background…I have been in conservative churches of Christ all my life, but I am not one who is disillusioned. I have been visiting your blog for quite a while, and I am working my way through your review of M&S. Reader Kevin has laid out the question regarding the necessity for baptism nicely. (Gal 5:6 ESV) 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. More precisely, my question is why Galatians 5:6 doesn’t exclude baptism as a means of appropriating the grace of God made available to us through Jesus. Obviously, there is much in those books relevant to baptism, but not to Paul’s use of “work.” Therefore, there’s just not much in the Gospels or Acts relevant to the question. Rather, the only question I want to consider is whether baptism is a “work” as Paul uses the term. We’ve heard it all before so very many times. I’m not going to go long with this, and I’m not going to tolerate the “my verse is truer than your verse” proof texting so common in both Church of Christ and Baptist rhetoric. On the other hand, like many readers, I’ve had my fill of the wrangling and false accusations and repetition of stale arguments. Kevin asked his question about baptism with such insight that I hate not giving him the best answer I can.
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