That connects walking in the light as integral to being the "children of God".
That connects walking in the light as "descriptive" of "children of God" and ONLY children of God are "in the light." (Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 5:8)
That only begs the question--is one saved prior to the cleansing Blood of Jesus Christ--or after?
Acts 13:39 - and by Him
everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Acts 26:18 - to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may
receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are
sanctified by faith in Me.
The blood of Christ cleanses believers of their sins at the moment of salvation and the cleansing is continuous.
1 John 1:7---King James Version
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Who walks in the light? Children of God or children of the devil? Children of God. IF we walk in the light is a confirmation for children of God.
The scriptures connect repentance and water baptism with the forgiveness of sins:
Acts 2:38---King James Version
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Two questions:
1) Is that an example of walking in the light?
2) Is one saved prior to the remission of sins?
So you are saying that walking in the light merely describes receiving water baptism? One is not saved prior to receiving remission of sins and everyone who
believes in Him receives remission of sins (Acts 10:43)
prior to receiving water baptism. (Acts 10:44-47)
In Acts 2:38, "for the remission of sins" does not refer back to both clauses, "you all repent" and "each one of you be baptized," but refers only to the first. Peter is saying "repent unto the remission of your sins," the same as in Acts 3:19. The clause "each one of you be baptized" is parenthetical. This is exactly what Acts 3:19 teaches except that Peter omits the parenthesis.
*Also compare the fact that these Gentiles in Acts 10:45 received
the gift of the Holy Spirit (compare with Acts 2:38 -
the gift of the Holy Spirit) and this was
BEFORE water baptism (Acts 10:47).
In Acts 10:43 we read
..whoever believes in Him receives remission of sins. Again, these Gentiles received
the gift of the Holy Spirit - Acts 10:45 -
when they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ - Acts 11:17 - (compare with Acts 16:31 -
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved)
BEFORE water baptism - Acts 10:47. This is referred to as
repentance unto life - Acts 11:18.
*So the only logical conclusion
when properly harmonizing scripture with scripture is that faith in Jesus Christ "implied in genuine repentance" (rather than water baptism) brings the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 10:43-47; 11:17,18; 15:8,9; 16:31; 26:18). *Perfect Harmony*
I don't find anything there which violates the testimony presented by the scriptures --in that those who walk in the light--receive the cleansing Blood of Jesus Christ.
Your biased church doctrine and twisting of scripture violates the testimony presented by the scripture.
Could you explain for us how one could obey UNTO righteousness--unless they first received the cleansing Blood of Christ unto righteousness? And, if it is obedience unto the point of righteousness--then obedience precedes the righteousness.
Romans 6:16---King James Version
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Everything with you revolves around SALVATION BY WORKS and there is a reason for that. How does one become a servant of obedience unto righteousness? By faith or by works? We must first
obey the gospel by
choosing to believe the gospel (Romans 10:16; 1:16) in order to
become righteous.
Notice in Romans 10:10 - For with the heart one
believes unto righteousness..
Notice in Romans 4:5 - But to him who
does not work but
believes on Him who justifies the ungodly,
his faith (not works)
is accounted for righteousness.
There are only two kinds of servants in this world, in the spiritual sense;
servants of sin unto death, or
servants of obedience unto righteousness. When we
place our faith exclusively in Jesus Christ for salvation/believe the gospel by trusting in His finished work of redemption as the all sufficient means of our salvation we then
become "servants of obedience unto righteousness." Being servants of sin is put in the
past tense.
Paul goes on in Romans 6:18 -
"You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." Works-salvationists typically ignore "servants of obedience unto righteousness" (Romans 6:16) and simply stresses "obedience unto righteousness" as if works of obedience which "follow" saving faith in Christ are "unto righteousness," as if we are saved by works. That continues to be your stumbling block and achilles heel.