by Hugh DeLong<\/p>\n
“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-\u00a0 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus<\/em>” (Ephesians 2:4-6).<\/p>\n
“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<\/em>” (Colossians 2:11-14).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
In both <\/b>passages, we see:<\/p>\n
\n
- They were dead <\/b>in trespasses<\/li>\n
- They were made<\/strong> alive<\/strong><\/li>\n
- They raised <\/b>up<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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 <\/b>this happened – in baptism, in which you were also raised.<\/p>\n
We can also note that when Paul came to Ephesus, he\u00a0baptized people who understood the teaching about\u00a0Jesus (cp. Acts 19:1-6). Paul taught them that they “were cleansed by the washing of water by the word<\/em>” (Ephesians 5:26). The Ephesians were informed that there is now only one baptism<\/strong> (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).<\/p>\n
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<\/em>” (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<\/em>” (Acts 22:16).<\/p>\n
The problem in understanding this is not <\/b>in\u00a0recognizing that\u00a0all\u00a0<\/strong>of them are saved by faith, but in seeing that such faith did not <\/b>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).<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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-\u00a0 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[52,49,47],"class_list":["post-93651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-baptism","tag-faith","tag-salvation"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":40177,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-the-efficacy-of-baptism-in-our-faith-in-god-does-that-mean-faith-is-more-important-than-baptism\/","url_meta":{"origin":93651,"position":0},"title":"Is the efficacy of baptism in our faith in God? Does that mean faith is more important than baptism?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 12, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What is meant by Colossians 2:12, \"in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead\"? Is it teaching the efficacy of our baptism lies in our faith in God? If so then one of the faith\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":50382,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-you-all-believe-the-only-way-to-be-saved-is-through-baptism\/","url_meta":{"origin":93651,"position":1},"title":"Do you all believe the only way to be saved is through baptism?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 19, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I was reading more on the La Vista Church of Christ website, and I was a little confused about something. Do you all believe the only way to be saved is through baptism? Answer: I have a question for you: Can a person be saved by ignoring what God\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5264,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/was-baptism-only-for-the-jews\/","url_meta":{"origin":93651,"position":2},"title":"Was baptism only for the Jews?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 14, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In our Bible class tonight with some Dispensational friends I brought up I Corinthians 6:11, about them being washed and sanctified. Our friend said that had nothing to do with baptism, but that the blood of Jesus cleansed and washed us not water from baptism. I mentioned I Peter\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36279,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-would-you-say-to-a-young-teenager-who-committed-fornication-and-who-came-out-for-altar-call\/","url_meta":{"origin":93651,"position":3},"title":"What would you say to a young teenager who committed fornication and who came out for altar call?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 27, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What would you say to a young teenager who committed fornication and who came out for altar call? Answer: There is no \"altar call\" in the Bible. But if a young person wished to become a Christian and was willing to give up his sins, then that is just\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10461,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-true-that-the-purpose-of-baptism-is-not-for-salvation\/","url_meta":{"origin":93651,"position":4},"title":"Is it true that the purpose of baptism is not for salvation?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 20, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Could I be baptized in a pool if I wanted to? One more question and I promise I will leave you alone: Would you agree with me if I said: \"the purpose of baptizing is not for salvation, but for a public testimony of repentance and faith in Jesus\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":55578,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/circumcision-proves-the-necessity-of-baptism\/","url_meta":{"origin":93651,"position":5},"title":"Circumcision Proves the Necessity of Baptism","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 7, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Kent Heaton The apostle Paul appeals to the \"saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse\" to discharge the philosophies of men and embrace Him who has the preeminence in all things (Colossians 1). 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