Reformed Living

Individualism is probably the major reason why contemporary Evangelicals prefer the concept of what they think if the so-called "invisible", spiritual church over the visible and institutional church.

The 16th Century Reformers were committed to the established institutional church of their day.  They were not trying to tear down or destroy it. They did not believe all members of that Church were truly saved. The ones that were saved were the invisible church. This group were known only to God.  There was nothing in this belief that suggested a separation between two "churches" or the preference of the spirital body and the rejection of the organized one.  The Reformers defined a true church as  one in which the true Gospel was preached and the Sacraments rightly observed (some added the additional mark of Discipline).  The true Church was not invisible.

20  ... God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.  21  Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,  22  who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

21  Baptism, which corresponds to this [what the ark did for Noah], now saves you,

In the NIV the Flood water symbolizes the water of Baptism, but the comparison of Baptism and Ark is better. The  water [the Flood] brought judgement and death for the world.  The ark saved Noah from that judgment and death. This is the context which determiens the meaning of what follows.  As with the flood waters, the water of Baptism is judgment and death. By Baptism we are saved from judgement and death that Christ went through.  Alternatively, our Baptism was a judgment on our sin and by it we did die in union with Christ (Rom 6:1-14)  This harmonizes with the concept that Baptism replaces and functions as Circumcision- Col 2:11-12

This phrase "by faith only [or alone]" appears only once in the NT, where it says people are not saved by faith only (James 2:24) !  But the concept of "salvation by faith only" is foundational to the Gospel.  It is essential and non-negotiable, but what exactly does this concept mean? 

In his translation of Rom 3:28 from Greek (the "textus receptus") into German, M. Luther added the modifier "only" to make the phrase," faith only".  The word is not in the original Greek. Luther knew that, but He inserted it, he said, bcause, it fit the context and conveyed the meaning of Paul.  (Actually, Theologians before Luther had also used the phrase.)  Luther was doing what is done in many translations.  What he correctly took to be the meaning of Paul has been lost by most Evangelicals.  Paul (and Luther) rightly insisted that there is nothing a sinner can do to merit, earn or deserve salvation. Those last words are critical.   No "works" of his own can save a sinner.  A sinner must be saved by the work of God alone.  This is absolutely true.