Not every use of the word "work" should be understood as "The Works of the Law" (
Romans 3:27).
The term "Legalism" is used to describe those who wanted all Christian believers to be circumcised and to follow the other "works" of the Law of Moses. A "legalist" in the NT sense then would demand obedience to the Law - hence the use of the term "legalist." This is what Paul was fighting against - legalism and the idea that the "Works of the Law" had to be performed by all Christians.
In NT theology, water baptism is never considered a "work." Paul never called baptism a "work." What Paul is telling Agrippa here is that people are being exhorted to change their lives and bring forth fruit from that change. No one is ever told they must be baptized to show that they have repented.
John the Baptist made a similar statement as Paul's when he saw some Pharisees and Sadducees coming out to his baptismal. John called upon them to "bring forth fruit meet for repentance" (
Matthew 3:8). This command is clearly
not an appeal to get into the water and be baptized. It is a command for them to change their lives.
I disagree and neither you nor Mike have offered any help for your statements. The "free pass" into the Kingdom is the free gift of God's grace. I have come to expect TheLegalist to say that the Gospel is not freely offered, but I'm a little surprised that you have fallen into this rhetoric. The free gift of our salvation was paid with a terrible price - the blood of Jesus Christ! To then add some more "cost" to it or to say that a believer is a like "a bumb (SIC) downtown" who gets a lollipop popped into his mouth is really startling.
Romans 5:15-21 (NKJV)
Here Paul explicitly calls salvation a "FREE GIFT." You didn't earn it, you don't deserve it; you could never earn it - but it's still all yours FREE just for the asking. All that is required is that you believe and call on Him "while He may be found."
Why can't you and Mike - and so many others - just relax, throw your arms into the air and say, "IT'S FREE! AND THAT IS WHAT HAS MADE ME TO BECOME FREE AS WELL!!!"
John 10:17-18 (NKJV) - "No one takes it from Me, but
I lay it down of Myself."
You gonna argue with that? It was HIS life. Nobody could even take it away from Him. So what does He do? He offers it freely
Romans 8:31-39 - Just look at the confidence and the exhilaration for life that Paul has because he has been the recipient of a free gift (compare verse 32).
1 Corinthians 2:12 - Hasn't the Holy Ghost testified to you that eternal life is yours -
for FREE?
Revelation 21:6 and
Revelation 22:17 - The waters of life are available for you -
for FREE!
"Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price."
Isaiah 55
Galatians 1:3-5
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
We didn't PAY Him to die for us. We didn't and could not ever pay Him pack for the gift He gave.
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