The Cross of Christ Alone Can Save

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Whew, got some catching up to do here! So many posts.

Anything, that occurred before the cross is one bracket of its own, including law, promise and Adam and Eve. And the HEART is the important factor. I already said this, which should cover all issues of this topic, but when God sees the heart that has the kind of faith THAT WORKS, it is the faith that works that saves.

It's the same situation as in the case of the hypothetical picture of someone who repented and is intent on getting baptized in obedience and dies on the way to church. Their heart had faith that works. That heart's faith was going to do something. That one is saved. Same with the thief. Jesus saw the heart of that man that had faith that works. He was saved.

That's great. I hope you can understand the consternation of some of us who have been in this thread from the beginning. Only now has the discussion been turned around and pointed back at Jesus Christ and His gift of salvation. There was a knee jerk reaction early on that demanded that this focus be removed from Christ and be placed upon our own efforts.

Originally Posted by mfblume

It's so simple, but like Mizpeh said, so many here are missing the obvious issue that faith saves, but it is faith that works that saves, and not any other kind of faith.

What other kind of "faith" could anyone possibly have in Jesus Christ but faith that saves?

Originally Posted by mfblume

No I am not. Baptism is part of salvation. I made that clear.

But you said that "the guy who died in the car" was saved because of his faith. Baptism was not essential for him.

pelathais' earlier post:

They were all saved by faith in the coming Messiah. We today are saved by faith in what that Messiah did approximately 2,000 years ago.

Right?

Originally Posted by mfblume

No, I said that anything required to be DONE before the cross was a shadow of repentance and baptism that is REQUIRED AFTER THE CROSS. And these are not done by way of works without faith, but rather faith that works.

We are NOT saved by faith in what the Messiah did approximately 2,000 years ago?

woo-boy! Gotta start all over again:

Jesus saves.

Any arguments?