Faith only in Jesus?

I have had an ongoing email (blog) conversation with a friend about Faith Only and NO works. It is interesting because I believe baptism is an important part of FAITH, that is Mark 16:16 says Believe and be Baptized to be saved. I think it takes both parts to be saved. Not that Baptism saves but that Faith that produces action saves us and the first action we are asked/commanded to do is be baptized.

So my Friend was arguing that I should read Galatians and insert Baptism every time it says Circumcision. This is an interesting concept but I don't agree with it. I did however read Galatians again and it is a lot of Paul chastising the Jews for trying to bring the gentiles under the Law and how the law does not save us.

And right there in the middle of what my friend called the best faith only book in the bible I ran across this passage.

Galatians 3:26-27 (NIV)
26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Wow if right in the middle of faith only Paul ties in baptism, you got to wonder how important it is. My personal belief is that during Paul's day all believers were baptized and any one who was not was not considered a believer. After all right in the middle of faith only Paul says "all you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ". This would seem to imply that if they were not baptized into Christ then they did not cloth themselves with Christ and are not in Christ.

Just some food for thought on Baptism.