Or v27 "when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is lawful and right, he shall save his life." To be saved the man had to turn from God and do good works / abstain from sin. Note how God says "he (the man) shall save his life"
Andrew, I think you hit the nail on the head with your final statement about doing this out of love. Gal 5:6 "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love."
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If we keep in mind that St. Paul was Saul, the Pharisee, and that he is writing against what he once was (now the Judaizers), he is explaining to them that the method of doing works of the Law, as if a business transaction, or debt payment, do not save at all
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I really don't see how you are distinguishing the good works that you say are required for salvation versus what the Judaizers also said was required for salvation. Both are advocating works-based salvation. They said circumcision was required - you say baptism is required.
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I say it because Scripture strongly suggests the necessity of baptism throughout the NT and it is foreshadowed in the OT. The NT explicitly rejects circumcision and so you and I both correctly reject it. The Church Fathers believed in necessity of baptism, too.
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Justin Martyr (151 AD) Then they are brought by us where there is water and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated... they receive the washing with water. For Christ said “Unless you are born again you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven”
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It seems that in Scripture that baptism was very closely associated in the linear event of salvation. We have a harder time seeing that association in a culture that *allows* baptisms years after profession of faith.
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Does Scripture say that "professing faith" (or any similar such phrasing, of course) indwells the Holy Spirit in man? I only see it doing so when combined with the washing of water. Water + profession = baptism = indwelling of Holy Spirit, new creature made
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Typically, the expression used is simply 'believed'. This will probably open a giant can of worms, but what of Acts 8? Belief, then baptism, and then later when Peter and John arrive, pray, and lay hands on the believers, the Holy Spirit is *visibly* observed
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Andrew, what an excellent question and can of worms to boot! I had to research this awhile for at first glance I thought I had made a major error somewhere. The first key is to understand Jesus instituted seven sacraments, the two here are Baptism & Confirmation
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The Catholic Church is your birthright. 
The Holy Spirit seals us in baptism, but consider all the surrounding text of Eph 4:30, its all warnings about what not to do (or else...)