How does one enter 'the Kingdom'? While faith and obedience are two components, there are also the sacramental means. Our Christian culture is less adept with sacraments, in large part because we are less comfortable with symbolic acts, which sometimes border on the magical. Abuses of the sacramental system seem to parallel the prophetic condemnation of ancient Israel (i.e., going through the liturgical motions). Acts are emptied of meaning when the heart/will are not engaged. There is also (on a less positive note) the whole influence of the ancient heresy of Gnosticism and the discomfort "spiritual" people have with matter. Faith is pure because it is spiritual, after all, so who needs 'stuff' in their spiritual walk?
In John 6, Jesus makes statements which boggle the mind. I will only quote one verse, but there are others. "Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life within you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day." Obviously, this is a most controversial saying of Jesus and Christians are mightily divided on it. However, it is fair to say that without a predisposition to reject the "plain meaning" what Jesus says here is that eucharist is salvific. So another angle is provided. As a youngster I took great delight in communion because I believed Jesus' promise. I eat and so I am His and He will raise me up. Ironically, those who attack such belief (in the name of the blessed assurance of faith) atack the assurance provided here (and as attacks work, they also make us doubt everything!).
Even wider spread in the NT is the power of baptism. "Unless you are born of water and the Spirit..." or "Baptize them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (and teach them to obey)." I typed the question, "Does baptism save us?" on Google and got 2 million hits. Many Bible teachers are adament that Baptism does not save. They focus on faith (which is not all bad). However, in many places we hear about the power of baptism to wash away sins or let us be born again/from above. The efficacy of baptism is much debated. I am not here to advocate any position. I am merely stating that it is UNTRUE that there is no where in the Bible where baptism is portrayed as a means of salvation.
The idea that getting washed (the literal meaning of baptism) and/or eating (the bread and cup) are a means of salvation are offensive to many Christians. They advocate faith. In fact, they advocate it so strenuously that faith begins to sound like saying "magic words" (I accept Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior) and herein lies the problem. The concept of grace without human response boggles the mind. IF it is all about GRACE then why would God not provide a sacramental means to demonstrate that grace. If someone is baptized why can that not be enough (grace, after all, is super abundant and sufficient)? If one comes to the table, why can that not bind them to Jesus? Why is it some think grace disappears once there are sacraments?
Angles and aspects on the unfathomable mystery. How does God save? There are a myriad of answers which touch on this or that aspect of the answer. Today we eat in my church. Today God is saving us who gather in faith and love. Today God is saving us who trust and obey.
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