Saved by Faith

by Hugh DeLong

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4–6).

"In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross" (Colossians 2:11–14).

In both passages, we see:

• They were dead in trespasses
• They were made alive
• They raised up

This happened because of their faith in the working of God; hence, both passages speak of being saved by faith. Though both passages tell us we are saved by or through faith, Colossians, however, tells us when this happened – in baptism, in which you were also raised.

We can also note that when Paul came to Ephesus, he baptized people who understood the teaching about Jesus (cp. Acts 19:1-6). Paul taught them that they "were cleansed by the washing of water by the word" (Ephesians 5:26). The Ephesians were informed that there is now only one baptism (Ephesians 4:4-6). Hence, what Paul taught the Colossians concerning baptism, he would have taught the Ephesians, for he taught the same thing in every church (I Corinthians 4:7).

Concerning the idea of being washed: later Paul wrote that God "saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5). Paul Himself was instructed "And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name" (Acts 22:16).

The problem in understanding this is not in recognizing that all of them are saved by faith, but in seeing that such faith did not exclude baptism. When they believed they were baptized (Acts 8:12). Those who received the word were baptized (Acts 2:41). The Corinthians, hearing, believed, and were baptized (Acts 18:2).