"We know the gospel. We know that it's by Grace through faith in Christ alone." Amen! You seem to think this speaks against baptismal regeneration, but this speaks for baptismal regeneration. Jesus told His disciples to go and make disciples, baptizing them. Jesus said those who believe and are baptized shall be saved. So, where is Grace given? From God in Christ. And where are we united to Christ? In baptism Rom 6, Gal 3, Col 2, Titus 3, 1Pe 3. Would you tell Naaman not to dip in the Jordan when the word was dip and you shall be healed? Would you tell the blind man not to wash in the pool of Siloam? That's where Jesus put His word for him. Would you tell those on the day of Pentecost not to be baptized? Peter gave this wonderful promise "Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and you shall receive the Holy Spirit..." What does faith do upon hearing those words from God? Faith receives the washing of reconciliation and regeneration trusting that God's promise is true. Faith is not founded upon one's own faith but upon a sure word of promise. Juxtapose the rich young ruler with the Ethiopian eunuch. One went away grieved because he couldn't do the word of Jesus. The other went away rejoicing because he did everything needed, by being done onto in the waters of baptism. Did Peter do a work of righteousness by allowing Jesus to wash his feet? Yet, Jesus said, "If I wash you not, you have no part with Me." Should Peter have said, "No, I will believe by some mysterious faith in my own faith." not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, (Titus 3:5) He saved us through His chosen means, the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. This is what we see in Acts 2:38, and this is what Jesus spoke about in Jn 3:5, and afirmed in 1Pe 3:21 "Baptism now saves us." Then baptism now saving us isn't antithetical to faith but the means of the reception of grace through faith. We see the clear connection of faith and baptism in this verse: Galatians 3:26-27 NKJV [26] For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. [27] For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. That shows that faith isn't something devoid of action but rests squarely on the promise given through God's washing us in baptism. It's like saying to Naaman, "You were made a new man through faith, dipping in the Jordan River." Faith wasn't by his measure of confidence in the Jordan, but the reception of the promise in the Jordan; and for him, that promise was in no other water. "Baptism now saves us" gives us a sure faith through a sure word of promise, giving us a good conscience through the resurrection of Christ. How so? Because in baptism, we died with Him, so we shall certainly be raised with Him. His resurrection is the baptised guarantee; they have been sealed with the Spirit of Promise unto the Day of Redemption. They are put in a safe and sure Ark, being baptized into Christ.
The Council at Jerusalem 2 Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. 2 [a]It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that somehow I might be running, or had run, in vain. 3 But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 Yet it was a concern because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy on our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us. 5 But we did not yield in subjection to them, even for an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. 6 But from those who [b]were of considerable repute (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no favoritism)-well, those who were of repute contributed nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel [c]to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been [d]to the circumcised 8 (for He who was at work for Peter in his apostleship [e]to the circumcised was at work for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, [f]James and [g]Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right [h]hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 They only asked us to remember the poor-the very thing I also was eager to do.
"We know the gospel. We know that it's by Grace through faith in Christ alone."
Amen!
You seem to think this speaks against baptismal regeneration, but this speaks for baptismal regeneration. Jesus told His disciples to go and make disciples, baptizing them. Jesus said those who believe and are baptized shall be saved. So, where is Grace given? From God in Christ. And where are we united to Christ? In baptism Rom 6, Gal 3, Col 2, Titus 3, 1Pe 3.
Would you tell Naaman not to dip in the Jordan when the word was dip and you shall be healed? Would you tell the blind man not to wash in the pool of Siloam? That's where Jesus put His word for him. Would you tell those on the day of Pentecost not to be baptized? Peter gave this wonderful promise "Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and you shall receive the Holy Spirit..."
What does faith do upon hearing those words from God? Faith receives the washing of reconciliation and regeneration trusting that God's promise is true.
Faith is not founded upon one's own faith but upon a sure word of promise.
Juxtapose the rich young ruler with the Ethiopian eunuch. One went away grieved because he couldn't do the word of Jesus. The other went away rejoicing because he did everything needed, by being done onto in the waters of baptism.
Did Peter do a work of righteousness by allowing Jesus to wash his feet? Yet, Jesus said, "If I wash you not, you have no part with Me." Should Peter have said, "No, I will believe by some mysterious faith in my own faith."
not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, (Titus 3:5)
He saved us through His chosen means, the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. This is what we see in Acts 2:38, and this is what Jesus spoke about in Jn 3:5, and afirmed in 1Pe 3:21 "Baptism now saves us."
Then baptism now saving us isn't antithetical to faith but the means of the reception of grace through faith.
We see the clear connection of faith and baptism in this verse:
Galatians 3:26-27 NKJV
[26] For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. [27] For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
That shows that faith isn't something devoid of action but rests squarely on the promise given through God's washing us in baptism.
It's like saying to Naaman, "You were made a new man through faith, dipping in the Jordan River." Faith wasn't by his measure of confidence in the Jordan, but the reception of the promise in the Jordan; and for him, that promise was in no other water.
"Baptism now saves us" gives us a sure faith through a sure word of promise, giving us a good conscience through the resurrection of Christ. How so? Because in baptism, we died with Him, so we shall certainly be raised with Him. His resurrection is the baptised guarantee; they have been sealed with the Spirit of Promise unto the Day of Redemption. They are put in a safe and sure Ark, being baptized into Christ.
The Council at Jerusalem
2 Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. 2 [a]It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that somehow I might be running, or had run, in vain. 3 But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 Yet it was a concern because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy on our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us. 5 But we did not yield in subjection to them, even for an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. 6 But from those who [b]were of considerable repute (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no favoritism)-well, those who were of repute contributed nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel [c]to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been [d]to the circumcised 8 (for He who was at work for Peter in his apostleship [e]to the circumcised was at work for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, [f]James and [g]Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right [h]hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 They only asked us to remember the poor-the very thing I also was eager to do.