Question: You quoted an excerpt from Sir Robert Anderson’s book, The Bible or the Church, in which ...

Question: You quoted an excerpt from Sir Robert Anderson’s book, The Bible or the Church, in which he says, “Christianity makes salvation a...matter...of personal submission to the Lord Jesus Christ.” Is that salvation? Did Paul say to the Philippian jailer, “Submit your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved?” Does it make sense to imply that in order to become a spiritual baby, you must demonstrate a higher level of maturity/dedication/submission than is demonstrated by many who by reason of time in the faith “ought to be teachers” but who, in reality, due to their spiritual negligence are still such as “have need of milk”?

Response: First of all, the way you cut up Anderson’s statement changes the meaning. Here is more of the quote we presented: “The Reformation was...a revolt...[against] ecclesiastical supremacy...the bondage from which those brave and noble men delivered us.... Christianity makes salvation a personal matter between the sinner and God. It is not a question of subjection to ordinances of religion but of personal submission to the Lord Jesus Christ.... But...what men crave is...a priest.... Instead of Calvary, we have the ‘Eucharistic sacrifice’ of the mass....” 

Clearly Anderson is not discussing how “to becomea spiritual baby,” as you suggest. Much less is he offering works to obtain salvation, as you imply. The “it” he refers to is not “salvation” but “Christianity”; not becoming a Christian, but living the Christian life after one is saved. And that involves submission to the Lord, not to a church.

Specifically, Anderson is combating Roman Catholicism’s “ecclesiastical supremacy,” which subjects members to decrees and rituals of men instead of to the Lord. He is stating that salvation, whether in its inception or in the “work” of living it out (Philippians:2:12Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
See All...), is between the individual and Christ and not in obedience to the rituals and regulations of the Church of Rome. We are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, not of any ecclesiastical hierarchy.

Furthermore, one cannot be a Christian without acknowledging that Jesus Christ is God the Lord: “For if ye believe not that I AM, ye shall die in your sins” (John:8:24I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
See All...). Paul told the Philippian jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts:16:31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
See All...). He wrote to those in Rome, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus...whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans:10:9-13 [9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. [12] For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. [13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
See All...). 

If, then, we come to Him as Lord when we are saved, thereafter we follow Him as Lord. Christ asked this solemn question: “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke:6:46And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
See All...). As His followers we obey our Lord—not in order to be saved but out of love for the One who saved us: “If a man love me, he will keep my words...” (John:14:23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
See All...).