All most all religions teach that baptism saves, helps to save, or is in some way essential to salvation. This cannot be sustained by the Scriptures. Baptism is NOT essential to salvation.
I. Some Scriptures used to prrove that baptism is essential to salvation.
A. Acts 2:38: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptised 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.”
Examine the verse: In the previous verse Peter had been asked: “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Notice it is not “what shall we do to be saved?” Peter told them what they must do. “Repent” is second person plural. “Every one of you” is first person singular: thus, only those who had repented were instructed to be baptised. “For the remissi9on of sins” refers to those who were to be baptised. This does not indicate that through baptism they would receive remission of sins but that they were to be baptised with reference to remission of sins received through repentance. The Greek word “eis” is the word translated FOR. In this case it means “with reference to.” See Matthew 12:41 where the word is translated “at.” The same word is used in I Corinthians 10:2; “And were all baptised unto (eis) Moses.” Scripture must not be made to contradict scripture.
B. Romans 6:3; “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptised into (eis) Jesus Christ were baptised into (eis) his death?”
The teaching is that of being baptised with reference to Jesus and with reference to His death. Surely none believe that a person is literally baptised into His death. The Israelites (I Cor. 10:1) were baptised with reference to Moses and not literally into him.
C. Galatians 3:27; “For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ.”
The same Greek word “eis” is translated “into” and means the same as in the previous verses, “with reference to.” The argument put forth by some is that the phrase “have put on Christ” speaks of a spiritual birth and therefore it means baptised into Christ or baptismal salvation. There is a similar phrase in Romans 13:14: “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” This is admonition to a people already justified by faith (Rom. 5:1), and a people already baptised (Rom. 6:3,4). They were to put on Christ in their daily walk and daily life. (Rom. 6:11-13), therefore the phrase “put on Christ” does not mean salvation by baptism.
Those addressed in this verse had become children of God by faith (Gal. 3:26). They had put on the livery of a Christian; had dressed up that Christ might be seen in them – that is, in their obedience.
II. If Baptism is essential to salvation then the following is also true.
A. It would make the preacher the mediator between God and man. There is one mediator (I Tim. 2:5).
B. It would make it impossible for one to be saved in a hospital, on the battlefield, or any place away from a preacher and water for baptism. No matter how much one might repent, pray, or believe on Jesus, he would be lost forever if he were not baptised.
C. It would make Paul to leave out something in his address to the Athenians. Acts 17:30; “And the times of this ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” Why didn’t he add “and be baptised”?
D. It would make Paul guilty of rejoicing that he had left off an essential part of the salvation of some of the Corinthians. I Corinthians 1:14: “I thank God that I baptised none of you, but Crispus and Gaius.”
E. If baptism is essential to salvation then salvation must be both by works and by grace.
Baptism is an act or work of righteousness. Matthew 3:15: “And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.”
(See also Titus 3:5; Eph 2:8-10; Rom. 11:6).
The unregenerate man cannot be subject to the law of God, for he is under the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2-8. He must repent and believe in Jesus.
F. Some object that baptism is an act of faith, therefore acceptable to God though the candidate be unregenerate. If it is an act of faith, who had the faith? If the one being baptised has it before he goes into the water, then he is already saved, before baptism. I John 5:1: “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” If the one going into the water does not have faith, then the very act would be sinful. Romans 14:23: “For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
This puts the “baptism essential to salvation” advocate in a dilemma. If he baptises one who says he has faith in Christ then he baptises one who is already saved. If he baptises one who says he has no faith in Christ then he baptises one to whom even baptism is a sin.
G. If baptism is essential to salvation then the following examples are meaningless.
PERSONS SAVED WITHOUT BAPTISM
1. Thief on the cross (Luke 23:42,43). Where is paradise? (II Cor. 12:1-4; Revelation 2:7; I John 5:4).
2. The publican (Luke 18:14).
III. Scriptures which teach salvation but which make no mention of baptism.
Rom. 1:16,17; 3:21-26; Eph. 2:8-10; Acts 10:43; John 3:14-16; 3:18; 3:36; 5:24; 6:40; Acts 13:38,39,48; Rom. 5:1,2; I Cor. 3:8; Gal. 3:26; Phi. 3:9; Rom. 10:4,8,9-11. In all of these passages baptism is omitted. if it were necessary to salvation surely it would have been mentioned.
IV. Baptism’s Message.
A. Baptism affirms that Jesus died and rose again (Rom. 6:4).
B. Baptism is a figure of the death, burial, and resurrection (I Peter 3:21).
C. Baptism is a pictorial ordinance (Rom. 6:4-12).
D. Every Christian ought to submit to scriptural baptism (Matt. 28:19,20).Technorati Tags: baptism, regeneration, essential, Peter, Paul Lord, Jesus Christ, death
ARE YOU UPSET WITH ME?
and art found wanting.
Upon finding that we have offended or made someone angry, we investigate. We want to make things right and re-establish that relationship that has been damaged. We go to great lengths to repair this damage. We will take a great deal of time to make things right.
What about our relationship with God. Are we diligent in making sure that our Godly relationship is as close as it should be? Our scripture relates two different relationships. Daniel who was in constant communication with God and Belshazzar who did not know God. A mysterious hand wrote on the wall – thou are weighed in the balances and found wanting. Now this revelation of a hand caused consternation with Belshazzar. I find it interesting where that consternation drove him to. That was Daniel, the man of God.
I find it most interesting that a person of God can live their life in such a way that people notice they are Godly people. These Godly people are ridiculed, laughed at and made fun of behind their back. These same people that disregard Godly people, disregard God in the same way. Let flash further back in the Old Testament to a man named Noah. I have a picture in my minds eye about what took place between Noah and the people of his day.[Noah, what ya doin there big boy. Oh! building an Ark huh? What is an Ark? Oh! a big boat that floats in water. How you goin ta get it to the water? Oh! the water will come to you!!! How? RAIN? what’s rain?] 80 years later. [ Noah, where is that rain????? HA, HA, HA, you my friend are a funny guy, you said that 80 years ago and it hasn’t happened yet. It ain’t never goin to happen. God? what God. Let us “eat, drink, and be merry.” Does that sound familiar? Just like today.
What is sad is, there will be those that call them selves Christians whose relationship with the Lord is severely lacking. Then when the hand of God comes against them, they run to those that have that stable, close relationship with God. They want intercession. Here is an admonition, you are more Godly than I am, intercede for me with God.
There are those like Belshazzar and those that have no relationship with God, even deny there is a God are unprepared for dramatic events. Noah, because of his relationship with God was prepared for the flood. Daniel knew exactly where to turn to find the answer to the hand. Do you not find it amazing that a wicked, hard drinking king that would not even acknowledge the God of the Jews would turn to the one man in his kingdom that could give him answers. There will be those today, much in the same condition that will do the same thing when push comes to shove. When family tragedy strikes, they run to the one living the Godly life.
I guess the question I have is – Dear God – are you upset with me.
Whether you are saved or not maybe you need to ask that question – have I been weighed in the balances and found wanting?
Technorati Tags: love, relationship, God, drama, Noah
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