The short answer is the sailor saved the drowning person, but that person also had to do their part for it to work. Salvation is offered, not forced. The person that is in danger has to accept it and hold on to it until the end.
Chad
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"We can have no '50-50' allegiance in this country. Either a man is an American and nothing else, or he is not an American at all."-- Theodore Roosevelt
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. Ecclesiasties 10:2
The last four letters in American..........I Can
The last four letters in Republican........I Can
The last four letters in Democrats.........Rats
I'm, thinking about the passage in Peter (first, or second?) in which the great flood is used as an analogy for Baptism. It says Baptism saves us, but did the flood save Noah? Nope. Did the ark save Noah? Well yes, but it took God to tell Noah to build it. Noah had to be obedient. God saved Noah and his family. The salvation was a gift given by God. Noah was chosen because of his faith.
So how then would Baptism save us? I see Baptism as the life preserver. It's an integral part of the process, but it is offered to us through grace by God.
Still thinking about this, and I know it's been discussed much around here.
You make a good point Eto. The life preserver is not what actually saves a person, it's a tool used by that person. Just like baptism--getting wet isn't actually what saves us, it's Christ's blood, but baptism is the tool that gets us there.
"The like figure whereunto"--in layman's terms, "In the same manner".
Chad
__________________
"We can have no '50-50' allegiance in this country. Either a man is an American and nothing else, or he is not an American at all."-- Theodore Roosevelt
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. Ecclesiasties 10:2
The last four letters in American..........I Can
The last four letters in Republican........I Can
The last four letters in Democrats.........Rats
Jim,
I don't see the life preserver as baptism. I see the life preserver as an extension of Jesus arm. He reached out . The invitation was for us who were perishing. Baptism comes later as one of th emany other ordinances of obedience. The first step is to realize your need for Christ. The preserver is more like God's Message. We recieved the message unto Salvation.
Chuck7
You make a good point Eto. The life preserver is not what actually saves a person, it's a tool used by that person. Just like baptism--getting wet isn't actually what saves us, it's Christ's blood, but baptism is the tool that gets us there.
But what if you don't have the strength to grab the life preserver, or what if you misunderstand the situation, and don't realize it's the preserver you should grab? You still want the sailor to save you. You still have faith that he will save you. If YOU fall shot on the action, but all the belief and faith is there, does the sailor maybe have a rope to throw you for back-up? Might he jump in and save you if he thinks that's what needs to be done?
Just because we haven't been given answers to these questions, does that make the answers "NO?"
What if the Ethiopian had suffered a coronary, and died before he could be Baptized? Not saved and going to Hell, or would God know his heart, and judge him accordingly? Does Jesus have a rope, for backup?
I'm not presuming as much. I've been Baptized. My wife has been. My boys will be raised to understand that Baptism is what a believer must do. But I'm not going to be so bold as to say it's neccessary. Judgement day must include an aweful lot of judging -- not just a quick check to see who has been Baptized, and who hasn't.
I cor 15:1-2 Moreover, brethern, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
Can we say that the sailor here is under a higher power? That through the foolishness of preaching God has chosen to save the drowning soul? That without faith in the preached word, the drowning man would perish? Can we say that before baptism or any other act of obedience, when one comes to God he must first believe that he is? and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him?
Without faith it is impossible to please him. Does that leave room for an alternant plan?
A dumb question.
