Expert: Marvin Howard - 8/14/2011

Question
Hello again I have a friend, he is a faith only salvation advocate. We have some discussions in school that pertains to the necessity of baptism to salvation. I have asked what verses in the bible that supports faith only salvation that does not talk of necessity of baptism. He is quite knowledgeable in these matters. So here's the verses along with my friends explanation.

In Luke 7. In the story, Jesus is dining at the home of an influential pharisee named Simon. A woman who is simply called "a sinner" comes and weeps at Jesus's feet. Washes them with her tears and annoints them with oil. Simon objects to this and Christ asks him if a person who's large debt is cancelled will be more thankful than a person who's small debt will be more thankful. While there is importance in the answer, for our purpose the important part is that Jesus is stating that this woman's debt (sin) is about to be cancelled. What happens next is significant. Christ proclaims her "saved." He says "your faith has saved you." The word for "saved" here is "sesōken" and is the word we get "soteriology" from. In addition this word appears in the perfect tense, which indicates that this is verb that began in the past and has present implications. We have no indication whatsoever that this woman had been baptised, yet Christ declares that she has indeed been saved.

In Luke 8, we see the story of a woman who was afflicted with non-fatal bleeding for a period of 12 years. The woman comes to Jesus in faith and believes that if she simply grasps Jesus robe she would be healed. She does so and immediately is healed. Jesus percieves that someone has been healed and seeks her out. Once she identifies herself Jesus proclaims salvation over her. Now, while most translations use the phrase "Your faith has made you well/whole," a literal translation would reveal the exact same phrasing as the sinful woman of Luke 8. He proclaims "sesōken" to the woman. Again, we see that someone has been declared to be saved with no indication that they had been baptised.

In Luke 18, a blind begger comes in faith to Jesus. He simply cries out to Jesus to have mercy on him. Christ addresses the man and when finding out that he desires to have is sight restores, Jesus again proclaims "sesōken." Again, we see a person who has been declared saved with no indication that baptism has occured.

Earlier in Luke 18 we see a parable of two persons standing before God. The first is a pharisee who finds confidence of salvation in his works. The second is a humble tax collector who acknolwedges his status before God as a sinner, and cries out for mercy. Of the tax collector he states "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified." There is no indication in the parable that the person was baptised prior to this incident, or between going from the temple to his house. In this parable, baptism is not a part of justification.

Answer
Hi!

Pagbati!

This is easy. I am just amazed this person did not try to use the thief on the cross.

Ito ay madali. Lamang ako nagtaka nang labis ang taong ito ay hindi subukang gamitin ang magnanakaw sa krus.

Let us say I have 50 Million Php. Let us again say I made a Last Will and Testament (underline that word, "testament"). In this Will, I leave all 50 Million Php to my son, PROVIDED he reads the Bible every day for a year before he receives the money. Now, reading the Bible does not earn anyone 50 Million Php. If it did, we would all be rich. But, it is a condition I set.

Hayaan sabihin sa amin Mayroon akong 50 Milyon Php. Ipaalam kami muli sabihin ko gumawa ng Huling Habilin at Tipan (salungguhit na salita, "Tipan"). Sa Habilin ito, iwan ko ang lahat ng 50 Milyon Php sa aking anak na lalaki, IBINIGAY siya bumabasa ng Biblia araw-araw para sa isang taon bago siya ay nakatanggap ng pera. Ngayon, pagbabasa ng Biblia ay hindi kumita ang sinuman 50 Milyon Php. Kung ito ay, namin ang lahat ng mga rich. Ngunit, ito ay isang kalagayan na ba akong magtakda ng.

Now, let us say sometime before I die, my son shows me the faith that comes from reading the Bible every day for much more than a year. I reach into the safe next to my deathbed and remove all 50 Million Php. I try to put it in my son's hand, but a lawyer stops me. He tells me, "You cannot do that because of the Will you wrote. Would this not be ludicrous?

Ngayon, hayaan sabihin sa amin minsan bago mamatay ako, ang aking anak na lalaki ay nagpapakita sa akin ang pananampalataya na nanggagaling mula sa pagbabasa ng Biblia araw-araw para sa higit pa kaysa sa isang taon. Maabot ko sa ligtas ang tabi sa aking kama ng kamatayan at alisin ang lahat ng 50 Milyon Php. Sinubukan kong ilagay ito sa kamay ng aking anak na lalaki, ngunit isang abugado hihinto sa akin. Siya nagsasabi sa akin, "hindi mo maaaring gawin na dahil sa ang sinulat mo Habilin. Gusto na ito ay hindi maging katawa-tawa?

While I am alive, I can do anything with that money I wish to do. This principle is demonstrated throughout the Bible, but the best known case is in Acts 5:1-10.

Habang ako buhay, maaari ba akong gawin sa na pera na nais kong gawin. Ang prinsipyo na ito ay ipinapakita sa buong Biblia, ngunit ang pinakamahusay na kilala kaso ay sa Ang Mga Gawa 5:1-10.

Acts 5:1-10, "But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband."

Ang Mga Gawa 5:1-10, "Datapuwa't isang lalake na tinatawag na Ananias, na kasama ng kaniyang asawang si Safira, ay nagbili ng isang pag-aari, At inilingid ang isang bahagi ng halaga, na nalalaman din ito ng kaniyang asawa, at dinala ang isang bahagi, at inilagay sa mga paanan ng mga apostol. Datapuwa't sinabi ni Pedro, Ananias, bakit pinuspos ni Satanas ang iyong puso upang magsinungaling sa Espiritu Santo, at upang maglingid ng isang bahagi ng halaga ng lupa? Nang yao'y nananatili pa, hindi baga yao'y nanatiling iyong sarili? at nang maipagbili na, hindi baga nasa iyo ring kapangyarihan? Ano't inisip mo pa ang bagay na ito sa iyong puso? hindi ka nagsinungaling sa mga tao, kundi sa Dios. At nang marinig ni Ananias ang mga salitang ito ay nahandusay at nalagot ang hininga: at sinidlan ng malaking takot ang lahat ng nangakarinig nito. At nagsitindig ang mga kabinataan at siya'y binalot, at kanilang dinala siya sa labas at inilibing. At may tatlong oras ang nakaraan, nang ang kaniyang asawa, na di nalalaman ang nangyari, ay pumasok. At sinabi sa kaniya ni Pedro, Sabihin mo sa akin kung ipinagbili ninyo ng gayon ang lupa. At sinabi niya, Oo, sa gayon. Datapuwa't sinabi sa kaniya ni Pedro, Bakit kayo'y nagkasundo upang tuksuhin ang Espiritu ng Panginoon? narito, nangasa pintuan ang mga paa ng mga nagsipaglibing sa iyong asawa, at kanilang dadalhin ka sa labas. At pagdaka'y nahandusay sa paanan niya ang babae, at nalagot ang hininga: at nagsipasok ang mga kabinataan at nasumpungan siyang patay, at siya'y kanilang inilabas at inilibing siya sa siping ng kaniyang asawa."

While the money was in their hand, they had total control over it. But, let us look at the passage that contains the key to your question.

Habang ang pera ay sa kanilang mga kamay, sila ay may buong kontrol. Ngunit, ipaalam sa amin tumingin sa daanan na naglalaman ng susi sa iyong katanungan.

Hebrews 9:15-16, "And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator."

Sa Mga Hebreo 9:15-16, "At dahil dito'y siya ang tagapamagitan ng isang bagong tipan, upang sa pamamagitan ng isang kamatayan na ukol sa ikatutubos ng mga pagsalangsang na nasa ilalim ng unang tipan, ang mga tinawag ay magsitanggap ng pangako na manang walang hanggan. Sapagka't kung saan mayroong tipan doo'y kinakailangan ang kamatayan ng gumawa niyaon."

Before Jesus died on the cross, He was free to change conditions of His New Testament in any way He chose. After His death, according to God, the Testament was in force. Once the Testament was in force, all stipulations and conditions contained therein will be fulfilled or the inheritance (salvation) will not be probated unto us.

Bago si Jesus ay namatay sa krus, Siya ay libre upang baguhin ang mga kondisyon ng Kanyang Bagong Tipan sa anumang paraan na niya pinili. Pagkatapos ng kanyang kamatayan, ayon sa Diyos, Tipan ay sa lakas. Sandaling Tipan ay sa lakas, ang lahat ng mga takda at kondisyon na nakapaloob doon ay natupad o ang mana (kaligtasan) ay hindi ang taong nakaprobasyon unto sa amin.

I hope this helps you. This person will probably respond with misquoted passages. Do not allow the insertion of words that are not used, and do not allow deletion of words that are.

Umaasa ako na ito ay tumutulong sa iyo. Ang taong ito ay marahil tumugon sa mga hindi wasto ang nakasiping daanan. Huwag pahintulutan ang pagpapasok ng mga salita na hindi ginagamit, at huwag payagan ang pagtanggal ng mga salita na.