Some people says, “We are not saved by baptism; we are saved by grace.” from Paogin Mangte's blog

Some people says, “We are not saved by baptism; we are saved by grace.”
Indeed, we are saved by grace. But just what is ‘grace’? The Oxford American Dictionary defines grace as: God’s loving mercy toward mankind. Other words that may be found in a thesaurus as synonyms for “grace” include: mercy, favor, kindness, blessing, and compassion.


And it is because of God’s mercy, His favor, His kindness, His blessing and His compassion that He has provided mankind with a salvation plan! We are saved by God’s mercy. We do not deserve the blessings God has given us.
Ephesians 2:4-9---But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.
Baptism in no way minimizes or nullifies God’s grace as some critics argue that baptism does. They make this argument because they do not understand the role baptism plays in God’s salvation plan. Baptism in Jesus name-confirms and verifies God’s grace to us! God’s grace is manifested in baptism- READ MK 16:16; I Peter 3:20-21! after we are baptized in Jesus name and received the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), His grace continues to cover us.
Notice this passage says:
God made us alive in Christ when we were dead—and this is God’s grace.
God raised us up with Christ
God expresses His grace to mankind by giving us Christ Jesus
God’s grace is through faith.
When did God make us alive when we were dead, and raise us up with Christ? What is Paul talking about?
Romans 6:3-5 describes just such a scenario-- when we were dead in sin and God raised us up with Christ:
“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his”.
An Analogy of Grace and Faith :
Here is an analogy that may help to put what we have learned into perspective. Suppose Smith tells Jack "Meet me at the bank tomorrow morning at 11:00 A.M. and I will give you $2,000." (This is a condition for receiving the gift.) If Jack really believes Smith, he will appear at the appointed place and time. (Faith necessarily produces trust, response, and reliance) If Jack shows up, has he thereby earned the money? Of course not, because the money is a free gift. Yet his appearance is a necessary condition that must be met in order to receive the gift. (Grace on Smith's part, faith on Jack’s part.) If Jack fails to show up, he will not receive the gift and the responsibility for the failure will fall totally upon him. (Lack of faith in the promise.) 
Similarly, we must respond to God in faith by seeking repentance, remission of sins at water baptism according to Acts 2:38-41; Acts 10:44-48, Therefore Jesus said, “He that believeth and baptized shall be saved” (Mk 16:16) also read I Peter 3:20-21. If we do, God will graciously grant our petition, and we will receive salvation totally as a free gift and not as an earned right. If we do not respond in obedience to God's Word, we will not receive salvation, and the blame will rest totally upon us ( Read Mark 16:16; Gal 1:8-9; Acts 2:37-41; Acts 19:1-7).
The Bible says that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). And when we had sinned and were dead, and had received only what we deserved, God in His mercy and grace provided a way for us to be saved—He robed Himself in flesh and gave of Himself as the Son of God to reconcile the world to Himself (II Corinthians 5:19). The one True God of the Old Testament, the great Creator of the universe, humbled Himself in the form of man so that man could see Him, understand Him, and communicate with Him. He made a body for Himself, called the Son of God ( I Tim 3:16;I Isaiah 44:6).Hence, without Jesus, baptism is meaningless- Therefore, we must be baptized in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus name baptism is necessary. We know that Jesus name is the only saving name given in the New Testament ( Acts 4:12). Baptism in Jesus name, coupled with faith, is the means by which we become unified with Christ. Baptism is how we are “put into” Christ( Gal 3:27).
We should be grateful and thankful beyond measure that God has provided a salvation plan for us who deserve nothing but death.
Remember! To “believe in Jesus” means to believe the gospel message, and baptism is a part of that gospel message- Mark 16:16; John 3:5; Acts 2:38-41!
If we say we are not saved by baptism in Jesus name, we are saying we are not saved by God’s salvation plan ( Read Luke 24:47; Mk 16:16; Acts 22:38; 2:38-39).
God wants everyone to be saved and to know the truth. It is by God’s abundant mercy and grace that he provides us with a way out of the darkness. His salvation plan is available to every human being! His invitation is extended to everybody and it is by His grace that anyone gets an invitation at all. Yet even though His salvation is open to all, we must each, individually, respond to this invitation, to His grace, and to His call. We do this by believing, by repenting, by confessing our faith in Christ and by being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, receiving gift of the Holy Spirit- Acts 2:38; John 3:5! Then in Christ you can live forever.

The word of God is not a dead letter. It is “living and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12). Although our flesh is like grass that withers away, through the “living and powerful” word of God we can live forever. Let us hold fast the “word of life” (Philippians 2:16).
“Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus said: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35). “The word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Today we are commanded to obey the gospel of Christ and continue in the apostles doctrine ( Acts 2:38-47; John 3:5;. Rom 10:10; Rev 2:10; Acts 2:42; 2 Jn 9). Do this and live forever.

LIVE FOREVER-obey ACTS 2:38!

Bro Paogin Mangte

President/Founder

Apostolic Theological Seminary New Delhi,India.

General Pastor- OAPCI India.



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Bro Steve Winter DD
Jun 19 '14
Excellent Bible study rightly dividing the Word of God!
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By Paogin Mangte
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