What about the person headed to the river to be baptized, when a tree branch falls on his head and kills him? Is he saved?Well, he didn't complete the act of obedience, but he had the faith that led him to try to complete the obedience.
We see the same thing with Abraham, in sacrificing his son Isaac. Abraham didn't complete the act of obedience, but he had the faith that led him to try to complete the obedience.
James says that Abraham was justified by his works, even though Abraham didn't complete that work of obedience. Paul explains that it was Abraham's faith that justified him.
The believer who doesn't complete the work of obedience of being baptized, who has the faith that leads him to try to complete that obedience, is likewise justified by his faith, and he is justified by his works, even though he didn't complete that work of obedience.
Originally published at:
https://kentwest.blogspot.com/2019/08/killed-while-headed-to-be-baptized.html
1 comment:
Not a good Church of Christ answer for sure. Got "He had his chance" from an Elder decades ago, and he is the only one I have ever known who recognized that for the CoC view of Baptismal Regeneration to be true, you cannot allow for a single exception ever. And yes, the thief on the cross did come before Acts 2, so that is not an exception.
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