Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. Romans 4:3
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God revealed Himself to Abraham.
Genesis 12:1-4 ... Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him;
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The apostle Paul was doing many "good" works for the Pharisees as he rounded up believers in Jesus and brought them to the chief priest to put them in prison. All of a sudden, God revealed HIMSELF to Paul. Paul then believed on Jesus and the righteousness of God took place in Paul's life, replacing his own righteous works which he had been doing.
Acts 9:1-6 ... And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
And he fell to the earth, and heard A VOICE saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME?
And he said, Who art THOU, Lord?
And the Lord said, I AM Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt THOU have me to do?
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God gave Abraham the sign of circumcision after Abram believed God and obeyed God.
They circumcised the babies in the Jewish faith. (8 days old)
This is similar to the way Catholics baptize babies.
But circumcision and baptism do not cause you to belong to God.
We are baptized after we believe, after God opens our eyes and reveals HIMSELF to us.
Baptism is a sign that we now believe God.
We believe ... then are baptized ...
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There are some people today who want to join the church and they go forth and are baptized.
But this does not make you a member of God's children.
This does not cause you to have the Spirit of God.
Jude vv. 17-19 ... But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers (imitators) in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
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We believe in God and that makes us a child of God.
Therefore we are saved by faith in God and what HE has said and done, not in that which we do and have done.
The work of God is to believe God, says Jesus.
John 5:24 ... Jesus says ... Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth MY word, and believeth on HIM that sent ME, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
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We "hear" and then we "believe" ...
Therefore a person could go forth and join a church and be baptized and still not be of God. It happens all the time with emotional young people at churches. Certainly baptism of infants, as the Catholic do, does not make that baby a child of God.
We believe God and believe in what God says and then we are baptized as a sign of our belief in God.
Acts 9:17-18 ...And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
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Baptism is a sign of our death ... and new life. For after we believe God, that which we were before dies, we are crucified with Christ the Word.
When we are lowered into the water it is like being buried with Christ.
When we are raised from the water it is like being raised with Christ.
It is all a sign of the old man dying and the resurrection of the new man, created in God and true holiness.
Romans 6:3-4 ... Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into HIS death? Therefore we are buried with HIM by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.