Considering context

By Michael W. Gardner

So many people, when they are studying the Bible, do not consider even the verses before or after the one they have zeroed in on much less those in the rest of the Bible. However, it is usually critical to the proper understanding of the meaning of the verse to know and consider what the rest of the Bible says.  You usually need to consider the chain of thoughts in the immediate text and then balance the interpretation of what is said by what the rest of the Bible says.

The best example of this is the consideration of whether baptism is necessary for salvation. It is true that there are verses that say that salvation cannot be earned. It is a gift freely given to those that believe. Taking these verses by themselves you can create an entire religion based upon faith only. However, there are other versus they say clearly that baptism is necessary. Baptism is a work so how can it be necessary to salvation? There are also verses that indicate that repentance is necessary to be saved but again this is a work and since works are not necessary for salvation there would seem to be a contradiction here. 

Taken out of context we have arrived at what appears to be a contradiction. If we approach this from the point that the Bible does not contradict itself we can resolve the apparent contradiction. In James chapter two it makes the point that there is a difference between believing and having believing faith. His example is that demons believe but they are not saved simply because they believe. When the Bible refers to faith it refers to something that will compel the believer to produce works of faith. These works do not earn salvation but are demonstration of the faith that leads us to salvation.

When considered in context we find that the real message is that although works cannot earn our way into salvation they are necessary to accomplish what is required for salvation. These works are the result of our faith not a price paid for salvation.  However, if there is no faith then there are no works and our belief becomes dead.  So from the viewpoint of our believing faith, recognizing that repentance and baptism are essential for salvation, our believing faith compels us to repent and be baptized.  Therefore it is our faith that saves us.  It is equally true that the other required steps or process save us as well.  Both are true when taken in context.