Originally Posted by stmatthew (Post 634393)

I think I am becoming an "End Stepper". Unless you get born again, and stay in a right relationship with God, you will be lost.

Originally Posted by bkstokes (Post 634456)

Matt

Do you believe it can be considered gloring in oneself -- if one claims he/she was the one who has endured to the end?

Originally Posted by bkstokes (Post 634456)

Matt

Do you believe it can be considered gloring in oneself -- if one claims he/she was the one who has endured to the end?

Originally Posted by stmatthew (Post 634412)

Doing good. Work has kept me busy for a little bit, but is slowing to a fast pace now.


How is everything with you folks?

Originally Posted by stmatthew (Post 634393)

I think I am becoming an "End Stepper". Unless you get born again, and stay in a right relationship with God, you will be lost.

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover (Post 634480)

I hear you.

It is strange how, in some ways I have come back to beliefs I had prior to becoming Pentecostal. My former denomination does not spend much time proclaiming one is saved now, but they take very seriously the task of faithfulness to the end.

May God grant us all humility to cling to Him and endurance to the very end.

Originally Posted by LUKE2447 (Post 633808)

I think you miss my point and I apologize for not making myself clear.
Who is doing the work in baptism God or me? See this is a deep theological problem as you just placed your response = to God's work and that is not the case. Baptism is essential to remission of sins but it is not your work that does it but your reliance on him "to do" it. Our Faith/proper response meets God's Work. He is the author and finisher of your response. Thus God speaks his Word(author) and completes(finisher) his promise through your response. Though you may be active, you are passive in the realization of being declared loyal/righteouss/friend etc... Thus it's his glory to do so!

My point of passive is that I don't in myself wash the sins away through faith. Faith, repentance, confession, baptism etc.... does not make us righteouss. Christ's declaration make us righteouss. Just as Romans 8 points out about the Spirit bears witness to our faith/response. It's his witness or declaration that saves but faith/response is the vehicle or element that brings forth evidence for judgment. They are conditions we meet in response to the authoring of salvation by God's Word that Christ might be the finisher in declaring us righteouss/loyal/faithFULL/. Baptism is the appointed time of remission of sins through faith in the working of God. It is not our declaration in baptism but our faith in him that he delcares our response of good conscience, righteouss.



God is logical in all things he is not whimsical. The simple question of did you receive when you believed per Paul in Acts 19 clearly shows it is based on "faith" what the context of faith is another thing but God will answer those who call on his name thus he is boxed in. God is boxed in on everything as he is a God of law and his nature does not change. Thus he is not contrary to himself. "One must be born of water and Spirit", that is a box.



I agree!



I agree!



I would disagree "faith" is the "to do" list. What is faith? Proper response to the Gospel/Word.... Acts 2:38



Like most do it.