Dear Reader,

First of all, I would like to sincerely thank you, and I appreciate your time in reading this study. This is a lot of material on a very controversial topic, baptism, but I definitely know that it will be worth your time in reading it. The topic of baptism has been disputed throughout all religions and denominations, and for that reason, I am writing this paper. For something in the bible to be controversial is a mystery to me. I know if you have an honest heart, study properly with the Holy Scriptures, and pray for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, you can’t be misled. I just hope by the end of this study, either you are willing to agree with me or you are going to call me up or write me and tell me why you don’t agree with me. Martin Luther had this to say about the defense for baptism in his book entitled The Large Catechism, Part 4:

“But in the first place, we take up Baptism, by which we are first received into the Christian Church. However, in order that it may be readily understood we will treat of it in an orderly manner, and keep only to that which it is necessary for us to know. For how it is to be maintained and defended against heretics and sects we will commend to the learned.”

My whole duty in life is to fear God and keep His commandments and if I have misinterpreted something, I pray that you let me know about it so my soul isn’t at stake. In this study, I will begin with several individual studies and then conclude with answers to questions I have been asked. I will bring up every argument I have heard and try to answer them in a clear and precise way. The only way you can fix disagreements is to hear both sides with open ears and an open heart, and that is what I tried to do. I have heard a lot of different arguments and sides of the story, so hopefully I can answer your questions and show you other views to think about. Thank you again for your time and May God bless your efforts!

Individual studies:

The Gospel of Jesus Christ
The Kingdom of God
The Law of Christ (Old Covenant/ New Covenant)
How to be “SAVED” according to the bible

1. The Gospel of Jesus Christ:

Ø Jesus told the apostles to preach the gospel to everyone.

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Mark 16: 15-18 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Luke 24:46-49 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Ø We are SAVED by the gospel.

1 Corinthians 15:1-2 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
Mark 16:15-16 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Ø We must obey the gospel!

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Romans 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

What is the “Gospel”?

Ø DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Figure 1.

Ø DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS IS TRUE AND REALLY HAPPENED?

John 8:24 I 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.

Ø WILL YOU CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS AND MORALS TO PLEASE GOD?

Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Ø WILL YOU CONFESS YOUR FAITH IN JESUS AND NOT BE ASHAMED OF HIM?

o Romans 10:9,11 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. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Ø DO YOU WANT TO WASH YOUR SINS AWAY?

o Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized 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.

Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Ø God and His angels will rejoice if you answer, “Yes” to these questions.

Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

What you have just read is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel, “good news”, is the only reason why we have hope of going to heaven. Without Jesus dieing on the cross, and being raised from the dead, we would have no inheritances except for what we have on this earth. Paul says, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (1 Corinthians 15:19) That is to say, if Christ died for the blessings that we have on this earth, while we are alive, then Christians are living miserably. So we know that there is a better life after this one, and that we just have to endure for the short time that we are here to inherit this heavenly home. If you will believe and obey what you have just read above, then you will be saved from sin, as Mark 16:16 states. Figure 2 shows exactly what happens when someone obeys Jesus Christ in baptism.

Figure 2.

If you believe and have already been baptized into the body of Christ, then you were already added to Jesus’ kingdom. You have been added to the church with the other saints in Christ. This brings me to my next topic I wish to study with you.

2. The Kingdom of God:

This is something that is mentioned all throughout the New Testament and there is some controversy as to what the “kingdom of God” actually is. Lets examine it:

Predicted:

The kingdom of God was predicted by the prophet Daniel somewhere around 630 B.C.

Daniel 7:

13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Jesus taught about his kingdom:

Matthew 4:17

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Mark 9:1

And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

Matthew 16:28

Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Acts 1:2-8

Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Matthew 16:18-19

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Conclusions from these verses:

The kingdom of heaven was at hand around 30-33 A.D. when Jesus was alive. So basically the kingdom was getting ready to come and that is why John was telling to people repent, to prepare the people for Jesus’ kingdom.
Jesus promised the multitude that there would be some see the kingdom of God come with power before they would die. Obviously we know that anyone who Jesus was talking to then isn’t still alive today, so we can conclude that the kingdom of God has already came.
When Jesus was resurrected from the dead he was alive for 40 days. And in these 40 days he proved to his disciples and others that he was truly alive and wasn’t a spirit. He also spoke to them about the kingdom of God and the promise of being baptized by the Holy Ghost. They assumed that Jesus was going to restore the kingdom to Israel. Jesus wasn’t resurrected to establish a fleshly kingdom, he was raised to establish a spiritual kingdom not made with hands.
Jesus promised the “keys of the kingdom of heaven” to Peter the apostle. Please note that Peter was not the rock in which Jesus promised to build his church on, it was Peter’s confession of faith in verse 16 in which his church is to be built upon. **Please see other study for this point.

His kingdom is a spiritual kingdom:

Luke 17:21

Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

John 18:36

Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

1 Peter 2:5,9

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Ephesians 2:18-21

For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

Hebrews 9:11

But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Figure 3.

The kingdom of God is also the church, the house of God, the body of Christ, and the new tabernacle made without hands. Many today see the church as a building that we go to every Sunday. This is not true at all! The church has nothing to do with the building; it has only to do with the people. The people are what make up the church, which is why it is a kingdom that cannot be touched or seen. It is a spiritual kingdom made up of baptized believers in the body of Christ. That is why we can have church anywhere we want. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)” It came on the day of Pentecost with power as Acts 2:2 states and the church was established. Many were added to the church on that day, about 3000 souls, (Acts 2:41,47) by Jesus Christ. People today are added to the church no different than they were on the day of Pentecost. The Jews asked Peter and the apostles what they should do to be forgiven of the horrible sin of crucifying Jesus, and he told them to “repent and be baptized for the remission of sins…”

Many people claim that the kingdom has not come yet and that we are waiting for Jesus to come again and setup his kingdom on earth. Is this a logical theory? Notice Mark 9:1, “There be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death (die), till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.” Is there anyone living from around 33 A.D. still today? Of course not, therefore, the kingdom of God has come already!

3. The law of Christ (Old Covenant/ New Covenant):

Did you know that we are no longer under the Old Law of Moses, but are under a new law of Christ? The Ten Commandments, written on the stone tablets, are no longer binding on us today. We are only bound by the law that Jesus Christ has given us in the New Testament. I am sure that this question has posed some curiosity so please go through this study and I will try to explain the “New Law of Christ.”

The New Covenant/Law of Christ was predicted to come.

Ezekiel 36:26-28

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

The Better Covenant is written in our hearts, not fleshly stone tablets.

Hebrews 8:6-13

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Romans 8:15

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Galatians 4:5-7

To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

The Ten Commandments were written on stone tables.

Deuteronomy 4:13

And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.

The Ten Commandments and the Law of Moses are done away in Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:7

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

Hebrews 8:13

In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Galatians 3:24-25

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Romans 6:14

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Colossians 2:14

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

“Old Law” Compared to the “Law of Christ”
Moses	Jesus Christ
Old Covenant (Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ)	New Covenant
Ten Commandments given to Moses: No other gods (1 Timothy 2:5) No idols (1 John 5:21) Do not use God’s name in vain (Matt.5:33) Keep Sabbath holy (Exodus 20:8-11) Honor Father and Mother (Matt.19:19) Thou shalt not kill (Matt.19:18) Thou shalt not commit adultery (Matt.19:18) Thou shalt not steal (Matt.19:18) Thou shalt not bear false witness (Matt. 19:18) Thou shalt not covet (Rom. 13:9)	Jesus’ Restates 9 Commandments and adds one: No other gods (1 Timothy 2:5) No idols (1 John 5:21) Do not use God’s name in vain (Matt.5:33) Keep Sabbath holy (???????)-John 5:18 Honor Father and Mother (Matt.19:19) Thou shalt not kill (Matt.19:18) Thou shalt not commit adultery (Matt.19:18) Thou shalt not steal (Matt.19:18) Thou shalt not bear false witness (Matt. 19:18) Thou shalt not covet (Rom. 13:9) Thou shalt love your neighbor (Rom.13:9)
Unclean Meats (Lev. 11:46-47)	Sanctify meats by prayer (1 Tim.4:3-5)
Keep Sabbath holy (Exodus 20:8)	Worship on 1^st day of the week (Acts 20:7)
Animal Sacrifices (Lev. 9:1-4)	Jesus was perfect sacrifice (Heb. 9:28)
Tabernacle made with hands (Exodus 25:9)	The church made without hands (Heb. 9:11)
An eye for eye (Exodus 21:24)	Do good to your enemies (Matt. 5:38-39)
Give tithe or 10% (Lev. 27:32)	Give not of necessity (2 Cor. 9:7, 1 Cor. 16:1-2)

Figure 4.

The old law was imperfect because of what was lacking from it. Animal sacrifices weren’t destroying their sins, they were being remitted. Now that Jesus Christ has sacrificed his body, our sins are destroyed if we obey him. 1 John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” We must walk in the light of the gospel in this wicked world in order to receive the precious promise of forgiveness that the bible talks about. We are no longer under the Old Law of commandments; we are under the New Law of Christ. We cannot pick and choose which parts of the Law we want to keep. If one commandment is abolished, then all commandments are abolished. Jesus restates 9 of the 10 Commandments in the New Testament and therefore we have to live by these. Notice Matt.5:17, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” Before Jesus died on the cross he stated, “It is finished,” (John 19:30), that is to say, he has fulfilled the law by giving his life on the cruel cross. In his resurrection, he taught his disciples about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3), the church, so that they would know about the change from the Old Law to the New Law. As a matter of fact, even Peter had problems with keeping the law with the Jews, so Paul rebuked him before them all in Galatians 2:14-6:18! We must learn from Peter’s mistake and do as Jesus and Paul have taught us in the New Testament.

4. How to be “SAVED” according to the bible:

If I asked someone in today’s society, “How can I be saved?” I will get many different answers. Some common answers I have heard are:

You don’t have to do anything.
All you have to do is believe in Jesus.
All you have to do is confess Jesus to the world.
Just accept Jesus into your heart and ask for forgiveness.
Just be baptized.
Just repent of your sins and call on Jesus’ name.

These are just a few of the answers that I have heard from many people that I have came in contact with. Now let me ask, why so many answers? Why isn’t there just one answer? Lets take a look at the book of Acts for the answer to this question, “What must I do to be saved?”

The question, “What must I do to be saved?” was asked 3 times in the book of Acts. Let’s analyze all three answers to the same question:

· Unbelieving Jailor

o Question: Acts 16:30- And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

o Answer: Acts 16:31-And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

· Jews on Pentecost

o Question: Acts 2:37-Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

o Answer: Acts 2:38- Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized 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.

· Paul

o Question: Acts 9:6-And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

o Answer: Acts 22:16-And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Person(s)	Condition before question asked	Answer to question	Actions after answered	Reward after obeying answer
Jailor (Acts 16:16-31)	Unbelieving (Acts 16:16-28)	“Believe on Jesus Christ!”	Believed after hearing Paul and Silas preach Jesus (Acts 16:32-34) Repented for his crime against them-washed their cuts –Acts 16:33 He and all his house was baptized the same hour of that night-Acts 16:33	“..thou shalt be saved.”
Jews (Acts 2:22-47)	Believing in Jesus-“pricked in their heart” (Acts 2:22-37)	“Repent and be baptized!”	Repented by gladly receiving his word (Acts 2:41) 3000 were baptized the same day (Acts 2:41)	“for the remission of sins”
Paul (Acts 9:1-18, Acts 22:6-16)	Believing-“What shall I do LORD.” So he knew that Jesus was Lord. (Acts 9:6) Repented-Fasted 3 days and prayed-Trembled (Acts 9:9, Acts 9:6)	“Arise, be baptized!”	Arose and was baptized! (Acts 9:18)	“wash away thy sins”

Figure 5.

ARKANSAS TRAVELING MAN

Figure 6.

Figure 6 and this story will help you understand what I am trying to get across to you. Picture you are traveling in Arkansas trying to find Mountain Home. You come across a gas station in Harrison to ask the clerk how far Mountain Home is. He replies, “50 miles!” So you continue your journey down the road and think you are lost again. You stop at a gas station in Yellville to ask the clerk how far Mountain Home is. He replies, “25 miles!” So you continue your journey down the road and think you are lost again. You stop at a gas station in Flippin to ask the clerk how far Mountain Home is. He replies, “15 miles!” Here is the point: Did the clerk at the gas station at Harrison lie to you when he said, “50 miles”, because the clerk at Yellville said, “25 miles!”? No. All the clerks were telling you the truth about how far Mountain Home was because you were at different points on the road. At Flippin, you are much closer to Mountain Home than at Harrison.

Answers are not contradictory! See Figure 7 below for visual of concept.

Figure 7.

From this diagram, we can see that the Jailor hadn’t even begun his walk with Jesus. He had much further to go than Paul did because Paul had already believed in Jesus and repented. Many people claim today that your sins are forgiven the moment you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. Is this a logical theory according to the bible? Let’s check it out with scripture. If your sins are forgiven the moment you believe and repent of your sins, then Paul’s sins were forgiven before he ever visited Ananias because he had already believed (Acts 22:10)and repented (Acts 9:9).But that wouldn’t make since because Ananias told Paul to “Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, ..” (Acts 22:16) well after he had already believed and repented. Jesus told Paul, “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” Paul had to do something to achieve his forgiveness. He had to go into Damascus, meet Ananias, hear what Jesus told Ananias for him to do, and be baptized to wash away his sins. If his sins were already forgiven when he believed and repented, how could he wash his sins away?

In order to be saved of your sins by Jesus Christ, according to the scriptures, you must do the following:

Believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Saviour of the world. (John 8:24)
Believe the gospel; That Jesus came to this earth, died on the cross, was buried for 3 days, and rose from the dead the 3^rd day for our justification. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
Repent of your old ways of unrighteousness and begin living a life for God. (Luke 13:3,5)
Confess Jesus Christ before the world and not be ashamed of him. (Matthew 10:32)
Be immersed into the watery graves of baptism to wash your sins away.(1 Peter 3:21, Mark 16:16)
Abound in diligence, faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. (2 Peter 1:4-11)

If you continue to live your life for God, and study His will, then nothing will hinder your salvation. But if you forget about your repentance and entangle yourself into your old ways then you can lose sight of God and lose your salvation just like the children of Israel lost the promise of the land that flowed with milk and honey (Heb. 3:8-19). Yes, you can lose your salvation! Note these verses:

Falling Away From God

2 Peter 3:17

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

2 Peter 2:20-22

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Luke 8:13

They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

Hebrews 3:6

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

1 Corinthians 10:12

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

2 Peter 1:8-11

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Please realize that I am not trying to say there is no hope for someone who has gone back into sin. The children of Israel listened to Moses to get them out of Egypt the same way we listen to God to get us out of sin. But they never made it into the promise land because they disobeyed God. God promised them the land that flows with milk and honey, but they lost that promise because of disobedience. We can lose our promise of eternal life because of our disobedience too! We must remain faithful and ask God to forgive us of our sins and not go against our repentance.

Arguments and questions I have encountered and my answers to them:

All you have to do is believe and or confess to achieve salvation.
Baptism is a work and works do not save us.
Water doesn’t wash away sins; only the blood of Jesus does that.
The thief on the cross wasn’t baptized and he went to heaven.
If baptism destroys your sins, then why did Jesus get baptized?
Salvation is a free gift; therefore you don’t have to do anything for it.
Baptism doesn’t save; only God’s grace saves us.
Why doesn’t it just say, “Be baptized or go to hell,” if it is that important?
What if a man got killed in a car wreck on the way to be baptized? Is he going to heaven? What if you lived in the desert where there wasn’t any water? Are you going to hell?
After someone believes and repents his sins are forgiven and therefore he is going to heaven.
“Dunking yourself in water isn’t going to make you a Christian, you have to just believe in Jesus dieing for your sins, and then you are forgiven. Isn’t him dieing on the cross enough to cleanse your sins from you, why must you do something for it?”
After you confess Jesus Christ your sins are forgiven.
If baptism destroys your sins, then why don’t you have to get baptized every time you sin?
Abraham wasn’t circumcised and was saved anyway; therefore we are saved without baptism.
Mark 16:16, “It doesn’t say ‘…but he that believeth not and is baptized not shall be damned.’ it only says ‘…but he that believeth not shall be damned.’”
Acts 2:38, “The word ‘for’ in the verse stands for ‘because of’ and therefore we are baptized because we have forgiveness of sins.”
Baptism is a symbol, an “outward expression of an inward grace.”
“If my past sins are forgiven when I am baptized in water, and it is possible for me to "lose my salvation" and go to hell after being baptized, then wouldn't my best chance of going to heaven be to drown in the baptistry?!! - before I had a chance to sin so as to be lost again? If I wanted to be absolutely sure of heaven, isn't that my best opportunity?”
“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” (John 15:3)
“Sprinkled, poured, or immersed, why does it matter?”
“Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 1:17)
Can and should someone be baptized again?

1. All you have to do is believe and or confess to achieve salvation.

The argument here isn’t the fact that belief and confession are essential to salvation, the argument here is people say that belief and confessing Jesus Christ is ALL you have to do to achieve salvation. For someone to pick one verse out of context and use it to tell people that ALL you have to do is believe and confess to go to heaven, is outright dishonest. More than likely, if you ask, people that use this theory are getting it from Romans 10:9-10.

“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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

The misinterpretation of this argument is the verses they use never say, “This is all you have to do,” or “Only do this and be saved.” This is a good defense my friend used on me to use against this argument in a question/answer format:

Question: “What does 1 John 2:17 say?”

Answer: “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

Question: “So if I do the will of God, then I will abide forever, right?”

Answer: “Right!”

Question: “What is the will of God? Turn to 1 Thessalonians 4:3 please.”

Answer: “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:”

Question: “So ALL I have to do is abstain from fornication and I will abide forever. I don’t have to love God, love Jesus, love my neighbor, or anything else, just abstain from fornication, right?”

Answer: “NO! You have to do all those things too!”

Question: “Right! So I can’t find the will of God in one verse? Guess what? I can’t find the answer to be saved in one verse either. In fact, here are some verses to look up for finding out what we are saved by:”

**See chart below.

Notice from the chart below the “pieces” that we are to understand in the scriptures. All the will of God isn’t in one place, and the like manner, all the ways we can be saved isn’t in one place. When someone tries to state that we are saved by just one verse, tell them that the will of God would therefore be in one verse by the same reasoning. This can’t be logical! No one with a sincere heart will argue with that, it just helps them understand what they are reasoning with themselves.

The Will of God in “Pieces” vs. Being Saved in “Pieces”
Do the will of God	What is the will of God? (The Pieces…)	Be Saved	How can I be saved? (The Pieces…)
Matt. 7:21	Flee Fornication (1 Thess. 4:3)	1 Tim. 2:4	Jesus’ Death (Rom. 5:8-9)
Eph. 6:6	Put ignorant men to silence (1 Peter 2:15)	Acts 2:40	Grace (Eph. 2:8)
Col. 4:12	Give thanks (1 Thess. 5:18)	John 5:34	Hearing the gospel (1 Tim.4:16)
1 John 2:17	Everyone to have everlasting life (John 6:40)	Rom. 10:1	Believing (John 3:16)
1 Peter 4:2	Be not unwise of the will of God (Eph. 5:17)	2 Thess. 2:10	Faith (Luke 18:42)
Mark 3:35			Repentance (Luke 13:3)
			Confessing (Rom. 10:9)
			Gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-2)
			Baptism (Mark 16:16)
			Enduring (Matt. 10:22)
			Communion (John 6:54)
			Hope (Rom. 8:24-25)

Figure 8.

We are saved by these “pieces”:

Hearing/Listening to the gospel-1 Tim. 4:16, Acts 2:40-41, Acts 11:14, 1 Cor. 15:1-2, John 5:24
Believing- Acts 16:31, Rom. 10:9, Heb. 10:39, Luke 8:12, John 3:16, John 5:24
Faith- Luke 7:50, Luke 18:42
Calling on/Confessing- Acts 2:21, Rom. 10:9, Rom. 10:13, 1 Cor. 1:2, Matt. 10:32
Hope- Rom. 8:24-25
Grace- Eph. 2:5, Eph. 2:8, Acts 15:11
Enduring- Matt. 10:22, Matt. 24:13
Baptism- 1 Pet. 3:20-21, Mark 16:16, John 3:5, Rom. 6:22, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16
Communing/Lord’s Supper- John 6:54
Repentance- Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19, 2 Pet. 3:9, Luke 13:3
Jesus dieing for us- Rom. 5:8-9
Works- Matt. 3:10, James 2:24
The Gospel-1 Cor. 15:1-4

Also notice that Paul rebukes the church at Rome for not continuing in the life of righteousness after they had been baptized into Jesus Christ in Romans 6, which is 4 chapters before Romans 10 where the misused verses lay.

2. Baptism is a work and works do not save us.

From the bible we can find several different kinds of works:

Works of the Law of Moses (Galatians 2:16; Romans 3:20)
Works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21)
Works of merit (Titus 3:4-7)
Works resulting from obedience of faith (James 2:14-24)

Believing is a work

Consider the following example from Jesus’ statements in John 6:28-29:

“They said therefore unto him, What must we do, that we may work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

Within this context, Christ made it clear that there are works which humans must do to receive eternal life. Moreover, the passage affirms that believing itself is a work (“This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”) It therefore follows that if one is saved without any type of works, then he is saved without believing, because believing is a work. Such a conclusion would throw the Bible into a great confusion!

Repenting is a work

In addition, it should be noted that repentance from sin is a divinely appointed work for man to perform prior to his reception of salvation. Acts 26:20:

“But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.”

For example, someone that was a murderer accepts the Christian life, turns to God, and repents of his sins. He carries on without any murders in his life until about a year later. He repented for that year but as soon as he begins to murder again, then he is no longer repenting. So in order to repent of your old ways, you must do something different, you must do works in order to repent, or it is not repentance, just being a hearer and not a doer.

Baptism is a work

Baptism is a work, but it is not a work of man, it is a work of God A good example of this is looking at King Naamen (2 Kings 5:9-14). The bible says that a prophet told him to dip down into the Jordan river seven times and he would be cleansed of his leprosy. He was angry at what the prophet said because he didn’t believe that this was all he had to do. Anyway, God healed King Naaman of his leprosy, after dipping into the river seven times, because of his faith in what the prophet had told him. Him dipping seven times into the water had nothing to do with it, it was just what God had told him to do and he did it. The rewards were him being healed of his ailment. Baptism is the same way with us today. We can’t wash away our sins with all the water in the ocean if we dipped 1 million times. By us having faith that Jesus will wash away our sins by being immersed under water, this will bring cleansing power to our souls.

· Ephesians 2:8-9

o For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

· 1 Peter 3:21

o The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

From these two verses we can conclude: We can’t do anything ourselves to save us, and baptism saves us. So we must logically conclude that baptism isn’t a work of man (trying to earn salvation), but it is a work of God.

Many people hate the idea that we have to “do” anything to be saved. Lets look at Cornelius’ story. An angel of God came to Cornelius and told him to call for Peter, and that he was going to tell him what “he oughtest to do.” (Acts 10:6).

Definition of “oughtest” by Bullinger’s Critical Lexicon:

“It needs, there is need of something that is absent or wanting; it is necessary from the nature of the case, one must; it is right and proper, one ought. (Commonly rendered by a change of construction, e.g. ‘he must go,’ for ‘it needs that he go.’)”

Note what Peter told them to “do”: Acts 10:34-48.

“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.”

Did you notice that Peter never told them what they “oughtest to do” until the very end of the speech when he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Here is the point. Acts 11:14, “Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.” Peter was told to tell Cornelius and the other Gentiles in his house about how to be saved. So we see that one verse says that he will tell them about “what to do” (Acts 10:6), but then in another place it states that he will tell them “how to be saved.”(Acts 11:14) WE MUST DO SOMETHING TO BE SAVED! YOU MUST OBEY GOD’S COMMANDMENTS! Please note the following verses:

Matthew 7:21

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Luke 6:46-47

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

James 1:21-22

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Revelations 22:14

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

3. Water doesn’t wash away sins; only the blood of Jesus does that.

· 1 John 1:7

o But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

· Revelations 7:14

o And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

· Revelations 1:5

o And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

· Matthew 26:28

o For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

From these verses we can conclude that Jesus Christ washes you in his blood to wash your sins away. Let me ask, RIGHT THIS MOMENT, is everyone in this world’s sins forgiven? Of course not, we must do something to achieve this forgiveness, every denomination will agree to that. Whether we believe, confess, or repent, etc., we must do something to achieve forgiveness. Just because Jesus died on the cross, it doesn’t mean that everyone is going to heaven, we must obey our Lord to inherit eternal life. So we see that his blood will cleanse us of all our iniquities, but how do we contact his blood?

Contacting the blood of Christ

There are many benefits by being in the body of Christ. The forgiveness of sins is just one of the many blessings and promises we have in his body. We all know that Jesus’ blood cleanses us from sin and his blood is in his body. So the question is, “how do you get into his body?” Belief alone will not get you into the body of Christ, even the devils believe in Jesus (James 2:19). Please note the following verses:

Ephesians 1:7

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Galatians 3:27

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Romans 6:3

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

1 Corinthians 12:13

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Could the scriptures make it any clearer? By obeying the Lord Jesus Christ in baptism, it puts you into the body of Christ, contacting his blood, and washing away all your sins. You cannot do anything yourself to wash your sins away, Jesus washes your sins away when you have faith in him and obey his commandment by being baptized into his body. Please see Figure 2.

We are saved by water in the same sense that the blind man of John 9 received his sight by water. Jesus told that blind man to wash his eyes in the water of the pool of Siloam. When he did so, he received his sight. Of course, the Lord Jesus gave him his sight. The water of the pool did not give him his sight, but Christ gave him his sight when he did what Christ told him to do. His doing what Christ told him to do involved water.

Even so, water does not wash away the sins of one when he is baptized in water. Christ takes away his sins when he does what Christ tells him to do by being baptized in water. His doing what Christ tells him to do involves water. That is the only sense in which water saves sinners.

Peter told the Jews how to get into the body of Christ (the church) on the day of Pentecost.

Acts 2:38- Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized 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.
Acts 2:47-Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Ananias told Paul how to wash his sins away.

Acts 22:16- And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

4. The thief on the cross wasn’t baptized and he went to heaven.

Many people bring up the “thief on the cross” to make baptism vain. (Luke 23:39-43)

How do we know that the thief wasn’t baptized? He answered to Christ, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” He must have been taught previously about the kingdom or how would he have known anything about it? He must have heard about Jesus being the Son of God because he called him “Lord.”
The thief on the cross was still under the Law of Moses and therefore baptism was not required yet. They weren’t under the New Covenant till Christ was nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14).
Jesus had power on earth to forgive sins (Matthew 9:6), so he immediately forgave the thief’s sins upon him confessing him as Lord (Luke 23:42). Therefore the thief had no purpose to be baptized, since baptism washes away sins.
How could you be baptized into Jesus Christ’s death (Rom. 6:3-6) as we are commanded (Mark 16:16, Acts 10:48) if Jesus hadn’t even died yet? Obviously this is not possible!
He died 40 days before Mark 16:16 was first commanded! How could he obey a command not given? (40 days comes from Acts 1:3, and Jesus stated these commandments before he was ascended up into heaven.)

5. If baptism destroys your sins, then why did Jesus get baptized?

In regards to this question, I find it troubling that many would argue this point. Jesus being a sinless man has no need to wash his sins away, so therefore baptism isn’t “for the remission of sins.” So we find an argument, what if Jesus didn’t get baptized? People would then argue, “Jesus didn’t get baptized, so why should we?” You can find an argument anytime you are looking for an argument. Let’s examine the scriptures on the matter:

Matthew 3:13-17

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Notice that Jesus answered this question himself when he answered John in Matt. 3:15, “to fulfill all righteousness.” Our Christian baptism is same in shape and form, but it does something different; it washes away our sins. By Jesus dieing, being buried, and rising from the dead, he creates the gospel; GOOD NEWS. The good news is that we can have all our sins forgiven IF we obey the gospel.

Jesus established his church by conquering death (Matt. 16:18). So when we are baptized, it places us into the body of Christ, because the church (body of Christ) is established by the gospel. When Jesus was baptized, it obviously wasn’t for washing his sins away, but was for fulfilling the law. God always has a plan and Jesus fulfilled that plan by everything he did. All the miracles, healings, speeches; Jesus’ life and death, was all according to God’s will. When Jesus was baptized, he was completing God’s will. We can obviously see the difference between John’s baptism and our Christian baptism. He “baptized unto repentance” (Matt. 3:6, 11) before Christ came; our baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) because Jesus has now created the gospel. The reason that the Ephesians got baptized again was because of this reason in Acts 19. In conclusion, Jesus was baptized “to fulfill all righteousness”, we are baptized into Jesus (Gal. 3:27); two different reasons to be baptized.

6. Salvation is a free gift; therefore you don’t have to do anything for it.

This is a very common phrase I hear among many denominations. They use such verses as:

Romans 3:24

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ephesians 2:8

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Romans 5:15

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

Salvation is a free gift and the gift was the Son of God. “That while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom.5:8).” For example, if Wal-Mart is handing out free shopping sprees, you still have to go to Wal-Mart and get it. The blessings in Jesus Christ are our shopping spree. You have to obey Jesus’ word and commandments in order to have access to these blessings. “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;” (Hebrews 5:9). If you aren’t in the body of Christ then you have no hope of eternal salvation.

Ephesians 2:12-13

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

So you must “do” something to get into the body of Christ. Believing is “doing” something. Confessing is “doing” something. Repenting is “doing” something. Baptism is “doing” something. Anyone that says that you don’t have to “do” anything for salvation, will contradict themselves very quickly.

If you were drowning, and a man threw a life-ring to you, and said, “Grab hold and save yourself!” Would your answer be “No, for there is nothing one can do to save himself and I wouldn't want to boast that I saved myself and earned my salvation." Jesus has thrown us the life-ring (given his life), but we must grab on to it to be saved from death!

*** Please see question 3 above for further information on “doing” something for salvation.

7. Baptism doesn’t save; only God’s grace saves us.

When someone states that baptism doesn’t save, they are contradicting what the word of God says. For example:

Mark 16:16

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

1 Peter 3:21

The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

The act of baptism is so mistreated in today’s society, I don’t know how questions like this can even be asked. If someone has a good heart, they aren’t going to try and make the bible fit their beliefs. The bible says, “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved;..” Belief + Baptism = Saved; You cannot interpret this any other way, why argue about it! Many will say, “it doesn’t say if you aren’t baptized then you are damned.” A perfect question to ask someone that says something like this is, “Do you believe?” If they say “Yes” then tell them that Jesus said, “if you believe and are baptized, you shall be saved.” It doesn’t say what they want it to say, “He who believes and is not baptized shall be saved.” Please don’t be fooled by such ignorance and deceivableness.

I found a very intriguing study of Mark 16:16 on the internet and I tried to sum up what it says below.

I. HE WHO "DOES NOT BELIEVE" AND "IS BAPTIZED" WILL BE SAVED

   A. THIS VIEW IS HELD BY MOST WHO PRACTICE "INFANT BAPTISM"

      1. By "baptizing" (actually sprinkling, not immersing) infants incapable of faith...

·        They indicate that faith is not essential to salvation

·        Some (esp. Lutherans) try to get around this by saying that God imparts saving faith to the infant so baptism can still save

      2. By sprinkling or pouring instead of immersion, they also indicate Jesus did not mean what He said

   B. SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE, WE MUST POINT OUT...

      1. That faith is a necessary prerequisite...

·        For baptism - Acts 8:35-37

·        For salvation – Rom. 10:9-10

      2. That sprinkling or pouring is NOT Bible baptism...

·        The Greek word used in the Bible is "baptizo", and it means "to immerse"

·        This is why baptism is described in the Bible as a "burial" Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12

·        Sprinkling or pouring was substituted in the place of baptism (immersion) hundreds of years after Christ and His apostles

·        By keeping the "tradition of men" by sprinkling or pouring, we fail to keep the "command of God" concerning baptism - cf. Jesus' condemnation of displacing God's commands by traditions of men, Matt. 15:3-9

      3. That baptizing infants is without scriptural precedent

·        There are no commands or examples of infant baptism

·        Since the prerequisites of faith (Mark 16:16; Acts 8:37) and repentance (Acts 2:38; 17:30) are beyond the infant's capability, they are not suitable candidates for baptism

I am confident that those who hold to the view of sprinkling infants are honest and sincere.  But despite their honest sincerity, they are practicing something the bible never mentions.  By adding to God’s perfect plan, you are not just creating your own commandments but you are misleading others to error.

But there is another view sincerely held by many, and that is...

II. HE WHO BELIEVES AND "IS NOT BAPTIZED" WILL BE SAVED

   A. THIS VIEW IS HELD BY THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN SALVATION BY FAITH

      "ONLY"...

      1. That one is saved BEFORE baptism

      2. That baptism is not essential to salvation

      -- This view is held for all practical purposes by most members of various denominations

   B. BUT JESUS AND HIS APOSTLES CLEARLY TAUGHT DIFFERENTLY...

      1. That faith "alone" cannot save

·        As declared by Jesus - cf. Matt. 7:21; Luke 6:46

·        As taught by His apostles - cf. Rom. 6:17-18; Heb. 5:9; James 2:14,17,20,24,26; 1 Pet. 1:22; 1 John 2:3-5

      2. That baptism is essential to salvation

·        According to Jesus - John 3:5; Mk 16:16; Mt 28:18-20

·        According to His apostles - Acts 2:38; 22:16; Gal. 3:26-27; Col. 2:12-13; Titus 3:5; 1 Pet. 3:21

People who believe this are usually very sincere and honest, but sincerity and honesty will not get you into heaven.  Please note story of the “man of God” in 1 Kings 13.  This man was sincere and honest but was still eaten by the lion.  The story of Uzzah in 1 Chronicles 13 is also a good example of someone that meant well, but was punished by death for disobeying God.  I plead with you to just meditate and pray about your interpretations and beliefs on baptism if you hold this view.  There is no need to argue and twist about what Jesus said.  Just listen to what he says and stand by it.

This leads us to the third and final view, one that I believe we are compelled to accept...

III. HE WHO BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED WILL BE SAVED

   A. THIS VIEW TAKES THE WORDS OF JESUS AT FACE VALUE...

      1. No explanations are necessary

      2. Jesus says what He means, and means what He says

   B. WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN PREVIOUSLY THAT THE BIBLE TEACHES...

      1. That one must "believe" - cf. Ac 8:36-37

      2. That one must be "baptized" to enjoy the forgiveness of sins

         - cf. Ac 2:38; 22:16

CONCLUSION

Which of the three views of Mark 16:16 do you hold to?

·        He who "does not believe" and "is baptized" will be saved?

·        He who believes and "is not baptized" will be saved?

·        He who believes and is baptized will be saved?

   -- It should be clear that there is only view which is in harmony

      with Jesus' words, as there is only one which does not involve

      "tampering" with the clear statement of Jesus!

8. Why doesn’t it just say, “Be baptized or go to hell,” if it is that important?

There isn’t any confusion in God’s word, we put the confusion there. God didn’t put this phrase in the bible, but He did say, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…” Why don’t we worry more about how to be saved and go to heaven, than worry about how to be damned and go to hell?

*** Please see question 7 above for further information on this question.

9. What if a man got killed in a car wreck on the way to be baptized? Is he going to hell because he wasn’t baptized? What if you lived in the desert where there wasn’t any water to be baptized in? Are you going to hell?

Many denominations today would love to make the exception the rule for their beliefs. In fact some of them do. If this view was actually held logically you would realize that it would contradict the Holy Scriptures. For example, what about some 5 year old boy, in a tribe in Africa, that has their own language that can’t be interpreted, who dies by a snake bite before he hears about the gospel of Jesus Christ? Is he going to heaven because he doesn’t believe in something he has never heard? Most denominations will say you have to believe and confess to be saved, what if you don’t get the chance to? Are you still going to go with the “exception as the rule?” EXCEPTIONS ARE NOT THE RULES ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE!

10. After someone believes and repents his sins are forgiven and therefore he is going to heaven.

Many denominations will say that once you believe and repent your sins are forgiven and you are “saved.” Recall the study about Paul’s life above in the “How to be saved” study. We know that Paul believed in Jesus because he called him “Lord”(Acts 9:6) and submitted himself to his command. We also know that Paul repented of his crimes against Jesus and other Christians because he fasted for three days (Acts 9:9). Yet after believing and repenting, he must have still had sins because Ananias told him to “be baptized, and wash away thy sins,” (Acts 22:16) when he found him.

*** Please see question 4 above for further information on this question.

11. “Dunking yourself in water isn’t going to make you a Christian, you have to just believe in Jesus dieing for your sins, and then you are forgiven. Isn’t him dieing on the cross enough to cleanse your sins from you, why must you do something for it?”

Jesus dieing on the cross is enough to cleanse our sins, this isn’t the argument. It’s the fact that we must obey his commandments in order to achieve this forgiveness (Heb. 5:9). The apostles knew the commandments of Jesus because he told them to them (Acts 1:2), so why would Peter command the Gentiles to be baptized if it wasn’t a command of Jesus himself (Acts 10:48)?

*** Please see question 6 above for further information on this question.

12. After you call upon Jesus Christ your sins are forgiven.

The verse that is typically used to support this belief is Rom. 10:13. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

*** Please see question 1 above for further information on this question.

13. If baptism destroys your sins, then why don’t you have to get baptized every time you sin?

We know that Jesus washes away our sins when we obey his command in baptism, and therefore this question can arise. There aren’t any examples of anyone being baptized numerous times for forgiveness of their sins. 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Therefore when we are baptized into the body of Christ, we have access to God’s forgiveness by confessing and repenting of our iniquities. Notice that Simon was told to “repent and pray to God” to be forgiven (Acts 8:22) after he was baptized (Acts 8:13). He wasn’t told to be baptized again. If we aren’t in the body of Christ then our body of sin will hide God’s face from us. God chooses not to hear the prayer of sinners, and that is why it is crucial to have your sins washed away! Note these verses:

John 9:31

Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

Isaiah 1:15

And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

Isaiah 59:2

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Proverbs 28:9

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

Proverbs 15:29

The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

1 John 3:22

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

1 Peter 3:12

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

Did you notice that the idea of the “sinner’s prayer” might contradict the scriptures. We know from the above verses that God doesn’t hear the prayer of sinners, but we still want to tell lost souls to pray the “sinner’s prayer” to be forgiven. Isn’t that contradictory to God’s word?! When did the apostles ever tell anyone to just pray the “sinner’s prayer” to be forgiven? Why didn’t Peter tell the Jews in Acts 2 to just pray this prayer and you will be forgiven of your sins? These questions are probably making you uneasy if you have a good heart. So the bottom line to remember is this:

Once you are baptized, you are put into the body of Christ. (1 Cor. 12:13)
Once you are in the body of Christ, you have access to the forgiveness of sins. (Eph.1:7)
You must repent and confess your sins to God to achieve forgiveness of your sins after you are in the body of Christ. (1 John 1:9)

14. Abraham wasn’t circumcised and was saved anyway; therefore we are saved without baptism.

I have come across the argument that since Abraham wasn’t circumcised, and baptism is our circumcision in the new law, then we can be justified just like Abraham, without baptism. Before we start the study of this argument, please realize that this question is really nontrivial. Abraham was much earlier than even the Law of Moses which commanded circumcision. Actually if you were going to use this argument, you might as well use Adam and Eve or Noah. The scriptures never mention that Noah was circumcised; therefore we don’t need to be baptized. See the ignorance in this question? By the same token, I could use the Old Law priests as a type for backing up baptism. Since the priests had to wash themselves in the laver before entering into the tabernacle, or death would strike them, in the same sense, if you aren’t baptized you can’t enter into the church. “Romans 4” is usually where they pick up this argument so let’s study it.

Romans 4:9-10, 23-25 “Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

Notice that the entire context of this chapter is based around the Gentiles vs. the Jews. Paul was trying to get across that even though you are a Gentile (uncircumcision), you can still have the promise of having your sins forgiven (Rom. 4:24, 7). Notice the end of chapter 3:

Romans 3:29-30, Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

15. Mark 16:16, “It doesn’t say ‘…but he that believeth not and is baptized not shall be damned.’ It only says ‘…but he that believeth not shall be damned.’”

***Please see question 7 above for a complete study on this question.

16. Acts 2:38, “The word ‘for’ in the verse means ‘because of’ and therefore we are baptized because we have forgiveness of sins.”

There are 2 Greek words for the English word “for”: “gar”=because of and “eis”=unto, in order to

What does “for” (Greek: “eis”) mean in Acts 2:38
Passage	Action	“because of”	“in order to”	Result
Matt. 26:28	Blood shed		X	Remission of sins
Rom. 10:10	Believe		X	Righteousness
Acts 11:18	Repentance		X	Life
Rom. 10:4	Confess		X	Salvation
Acts 3:19	Repent & converted		X	Sins blotted out
Acts 2:38	Repent & baptized		X	Remission of sins

Figure 9.

54 Translations That Do Not Render Acts 2:38

"Because your sins have already been forgiven"

1. American Bible Union Version unto the remission of your sins

2. Amplified NT for the forgiveness of your sins

3. Anderson In order to the remission of your sins

4. Authentic (Schomfield) for the forgiveness of your sins

5. Authorized version (KJV) for the remission of sins

6. Berry's interlinear for remission of sins

7. Centenary Translation for the remission of sins

8. Challomer Rheims for the forgiveness of sins

9. Douay for the remission of sins

10. Emphasized version into the remission of sins

11. Emphatic Diaglot for the remission of sins

12. English Revised unto the remission of sins

13. Englishman's Greek NT for the remission of sins

14. Ferrar Fenton for the remission of sins

15. First German Bible for (in order to, unto) the forgiveness

16. French Translation in order to obtain the remission of sins

17. Geneva Bible for the remission of sins

18. German Translation (for, unto) in order to forgiveness of sins

19. Good News for Modern man in order to have your sins forgiven

20. Goodspeed in order to have your sins forgiven

21. Hackett (commentary) in order to the forgiveness of sins

22. Haweis (1795AD) for the remission of your sins

23. Indian Translation in order to the forgiveness of sins

24. Italian Translation into the remission of sins

25. Jerusalem Bible for the forgiveness of your sins

26. Knox to have your sins forgiven

27. Literal Translation (Young) to the remission of sins

28. Living Bible for the forgiveness of sins

29. Living Oracles in order to the remission of sins

30. Macknights Translation in order to the remission of sins

31. Modern English for a release of your sins

32. Modern Speech with a view to the remission of sins

33. Moffatt for the remission of sins

34. H.B. Montgomery (1924) for the remission of your sins

35. Moulton's Modern Reader's Unto remission of sins

36. New American Standard for the remission of your sins

37. New Catholic Version for the forgiveness of sins

38. New English Bible for the forgiveness of your sins

39. New International version for the forgiveness of your sins

40. New King James Version for the remission of sins

41. New World Translation for the forgiveness of sins

42. NT in the Basic English for the forgiveness of sins

43. Phillips Modern English so that you may have your sins forgiven

44. Revised Standard Version for the forgiveness of your sins

45. Rothermham unto the remission of your sins

46. Spanish Translation for the purpose of remission of your sins

47. Syriac Version for the remission of sins

48. Twentieth Century Translation for the forgiveness of your sins

49. Verkuyl (Burkeley Version) for the remission of sins

50. Warrell's Translation unto remission of your sins

51. Wesley's Translation for the remission of sins

52. Weymouth for the remission of your sins

53. Williams that your sins may be forgiven

54. Wycliffe (1308) into the remission of youre synnes

Figure 10.

17. Baptism is a symbol, an “outward expression of an inward grace.”

Lets take a look at the “symbol” of baptism and then it may clear up some questions regarding it.

Figure 11. Figure 12.

Please notice from these comparisons that they are very similar by form. When we obey the gospel in baptism, we are symbolizing the following:

We are dead in sin, and want to be crucified with Christ (Rom. 6:8)
We are buried with Jesus Christ (Col. 2:12, Rom. 6:4)
We are raised in a new life, dead to sin (Rom. 6:4-5, Col. 2:11-12, Col. 3:1, Rom. 6:11)
We become a new creature with our sins washed away in the body of Christ (2 Cor. 5:17)

Notice how these pictures harmonize perfectly with each other and there is no confusion. Imagine how the picture would look if the view of “dead in sin, then we believe and confess to be raised in a new life, then we are buried with Christ in baptism” was correct. This picture would not harmonize with the picture that the bible gives us of the gospel. (Die to sin, Raised in new life, then Buried)

18. “If my past sins are forgiven when I am baptized in water, and it is possible for me to "lose my salvation" and go to hell after being baptized, then wouldn't my best chance of going to heaven be to drown in the baptistry?!! - before I had a chance to sin so as too be lost again? If I wanted to be absolutely sure of heaven, isn't that my best opportunity?”

The answer to this question is quite simple. The person who drowned in the baptistery was never raised with Christ by the operation of God (Col. 2:12). He/She was never raised in a new life (Rom. 6:4-5). Aren’t questions like this hilarious?! Actually I found this question on the internet, I was never actually asked this one. People can be misled by the blind, and be led straight into hell by ignorant questions and “what if” statements. Please beware of people like this.

19. “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” (John 15:3)

The argument here is that Jesus’ word cleanses us of our sins and since he has already spoken his words, then we are already cleansed of our sins. First of all, we must read the entire context into which this verse is taken out of. Jesus says,

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word, which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”

If this was saying that we already have our sins forgiven because of what Jesus has said, then why did Peter tell the Jews on Pentecost to “repent and be baptized for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38) if they were already clean of his previous words about Jesus? They weren’t “clean” of their crime until they repented and were baptized.

Secondly, we must understand that Jesus is talking to the apostles right here. It says in verse 3 that “ye are clean”. Who is clean in this case? The apostles are clean; the apostles are whom Jesus chose and ordained (John 15:16). The apostles were placed in the church, the body of Christ, by God. “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” (1 Cor. 12:28) When we are placed in the church by God, we are cleansed of all our iniquities by the blood of Christ.

Here is the conclusion to this study:

Jesus was talking to his apostles in this context (John 16:17)
Jesus chose his apostles and ordained them, therefore we are not apostles today (John 15:16)
The apostles are clean because they were set in the church by God (1 Cor. 12:28)
They were “in Christ” or in the body of Christ when Jesus was talking to them, so they were “already clean” (John 15:4, “Abide in me, and I in you.”)

20. “Sprinkled, poured, or immersed, why does it matter?”

The following is a segment taken from the HISTORY OF THE CHURCH THROUGH THE AGES, Robert H. Brumback, pgs. 34-35.

250 A.D. Sprinkling First Practiced

Novation was the first person, so far as history records, to have water sprinkled upon him as a substitute for baptism. Eusebius, in speaking of Novation said,

“Who aided by the exorcists when attacked by an obstinate disease and being supposed at the point of death was baptized by aspersion, in the bed on which he lay; if, indeed, it be proper to say one like him did receive baptism.”

—Ecclesiastical History-Eusebius, Chapter 43, pg. 266

The historian, Neander, remarks,

“In respect to the form of baptism, it was in conformity with the original institution and the original import of the symbol, performed by immersion, as a sign of entire baptism into the Holy Spirit, of being entirely penetrated by the same. It was only with the sick, when the exigency required it, that any exception was made; and in this case baptism was administered by sprinkling. Many superstitious persons, clinging to the outward form imagined that such baptism by sprinkling was not fully valid; and hence they distinguished those who had thus been baptized by denominating them the clinici.”—History of the Christian Religion and Church—Neander. Volume 1, pg. 310

Sprinkling thus originated in the baptism of the sick but did not come into general use until after the eighth century when it was legalized by Pope Stephen.

“The first law for sprinkling was obtained in the following manner: Pope Stephen III, being driven from Rome by Astulphus, king of the Lombards, in 753, fled to Pepin, who, a short time before had usurped the crown of France. Whilst he remained there the monks of Cressy in Brittany consulted him, whether, in a case of necessity, baptism, performed by pouring water on the head of the infant, would be lawful. Stephen replied that it would. But though the truth of this fact should be allowed, which some Catholics deny, yet pouring or sprinkling was only admitted in case of necessity. It was not till 1311, that the legislature, in a council held at Ravenna, declared immersion or sprinkling to be indifferent.”—Edinburg Encyclopedia—Volume 3, pg. 236

The teaching of the apostles shows that New Testament baptism was a burial in water.

Rom. 6:4, Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life
Col. 2:12-Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

In his comments upon these scriptures, Adam Clarke, a profound Bible scholar, said:

“We are buried with him by baptism into death. It is probable that the apostle alludes to the mode of administering baptism by immersion, the whole body being put under water.”—Clarke’s Commentary—Volume 4, pg. 78

And again in discussing the second chapter of Colossians he said,

“Alluding to the immersion practiced in the case of adults, wherein the person appeared to be buried under water as Christ was buried in the heart of the earth.”

—Clarke’s Commentary—Volume 4, pg. 78

This change from baptism to sprinkling did not take place in a day or even in a year. It came slowly and not within all churches. Some of the churches rejected it and declared that no fellowship existed between them and the churches which accepted and practiced these departures from the truth. Only when the church left the word of God and went into apostasy was it possible for this change to be made.

753 A.D.—Pope Stephen authorized sprinkling when necessary*-pg. 77-78

The first departure from apostolic teaching and practice was the case of Novatian who in the year 251 received clinic baptism at the hands of the elders of the church. Being, as he believed, about to die he requested that they pour or sprinkle water upon him for baptism and if recovery was made he would then be immersed.

Certainly this practice did not come into common use until after it received the endorsement of Pope Stephen in 753, of which the Edinburgh Encyclopedia said,

“The first law of sprinkling was obtained in the following manner: Pope Stephen II being driven from Rome by Adolphus, King of the Lombards, in 753, fled to Pepin, who, a short time before had usurped the crown of France. Whilst he remained there, the monks of Cressy, in Britany, consulted him, whether, in case of necessity, baptism poured on the head of the infant would be lawful.

Stephen replied that it would. But though the truth of this fact be allowed—which, however, some Catholics deny, --yet pouring or sprinkling was admitted only in cases of necessity. It was not till the year 1311 that the legislature, in a council held at Ravenna, declared immersion or sprinkling to be indifferent. In Scotland, however, sprinkling was never practiced in ordinary cases till after the Reformation (about the middle of the sixteenth century). From Scotland it made its way into England in the reign of Elizabeth, but was not authorized in the Established Church.” (Article on Baptism.)

Dr. Whitley, a distinguished preacher of the Church of England said, “Immersion was religiously observed by all Christians for thirteen centuries, and was approved by the Church of England. And since the change of it into sprinkling was made without any allowance from the author of the institution, or any license from any council of the Church (of England), being that which the Romanist still urgeth to justify his refusal of the cup to the laity, of general use.” Indeed the writings of the apostles show the baptism of the New Testament to be a burial. “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” (Col. 2:12) It cannot be shown either in the Old or the New Testament that the sprinkling or pouring of water alone upon a person was in any way connected with salvation.

The testimony is indisputable that for thirteen hundred years from the time of the apostles immersion was universally practiced until license was granted by the Pope to practice sprinkling by the authority of the Catholic church. It was bound upon the people against their wishes, though they later yielded to the ecclesiastical decree. Here, too, is a practice and doctrine that must be surrendered if the churches of Christendom are to get back to the Bible.

Here are the conclusions to my studies on sprinkling, pouring, and immersion:

The bible has no examples of anyone ever having water sprinkled or poured on them for baptism. The only examples we have of baptism are of immersion.

Jesus’ baptism

Mark 1:9-10

And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

Ethiopian Eunuch

Acts 8:37-38

And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

Administered by John

Matthew 3:6

And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

John 3:23

And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

21. “Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel.” (1 Cor. 1:17)

People will try to pull this out of context to make it look like baptism is a “bad” thing. Or to make it look like baptism isn’t essential.

Let’s look at the entire context from which this statement is taken out of:

1 Corinthians 1:12-17

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

By reading the context you can see that the church at Corinth was having problems with giving too much glory to Paul and Apollos, when they should have been giving the glory to Jesus. Paul made the statement, “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” Paul was trying to get across to them that Jesus was what was important here, not himself.

By taking the other side, if Jesus sent Paul out to preach the gospel and NOT to baptize, was he sinning in doing something that Jesus said not to do? Jesus said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”(Matt. 28:19) Why would Jesus tell his apostles here to “GO, Baptize!” and then tell Paul, “Don’t baptize!”?

Also notice Paul’s conversion. Jesus told him to go to Damascus for someone to tell him what to do to be saved. Ananias caught up with Paul and asked him, “And now why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Do you think that Paul would think that baptism is bad if he washed his sins away and received his sight back? I don’t think so. So by reasoning of both views, it looks like the most logical is just to see it as the Corinthians were putting to much emphasis on who was baptizing and not on Jesus’ gospel.

22. Can and should someone be baptized again?

The scriptures say, “But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb. 11:6)

So if you were originally baptized without having faith it would wash away your sins, then you were doing it for the wrong reasons. If you weren’t baptized “for the remission of your sins” then you obviously didn’t have faith of the cleansing power of baptism, and therefore weren’t cleansed of your sins. Just like King Naaman, he had to have faith in dipping himself into Jordan or it wouldn’t have cleansed him of his leprosy.

Ephesians 4:4-6 states, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” The “one baptism” isn’t referring to how many times you are baptized, it is referring to one “kind” of baptism; the baptism into Jesus Christ.

This ends the answers to the arguments I have encountered. I hope that they were clear and understandable to you. I hate that I had to write a paper on the defense of baptism, it shouldn’t be like this at all. With all the different denominations out there, it seems to me that baptism is the most controversial. That is why I chose to write this paper, to help everyone understand the harmony of the scriptures.

Interesting Facts about Baptism:

Now I would like to just show you some interesting facts about baptism in the scriptures. We will begin with the “Great Commission.”

“The Great Commission” *In Harmony with the Scriptures*
Matt. 28:19-20	Teach	All Nations	……….	………….	……….	Baptizing	In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost	………….	……………
Mark 16:15-16	Preach	Every creature, in all the world	The Gospel	Believe	……….	Baptized	………………..	Shall be saved	……………
Luke 24:45-49	Preach	All Nations	……….	………….	Repent	…………	In His name	Remission of sins	Beginning at Jerusalem
Summary	Teach or Preach	To all nations or every creature in world	The Gospel	Believe	Repent	Baptized	In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost or in His name	Saved, or remission of sins	Beginning at Jerusalem
The beginning Acts 2:1-41	Peter preached	Jews out of every nation	The Gospel	Believed	Told to repent	And be baptized	In the name of Jesus Christ	For the remission of sins	They were at Jerusalem

Figure 13.

Notice from this chart the harmony of “the Great Commission” to the apostles by Jesus, with what actually happened at the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. If we take the entire conversation that Jesus had with his disciples, that day before he ascended into heaven, out of Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s account, we can see the harmony of the “pieces” of this conversation.

Purged from your old sins

Galatians 3:29- And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 5:24- And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Romans 6:6-Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Christ’s = Abraham’s Seed = heirs of heaven

Christ’s = Crucified the flesh = Baptism

From this we can see that Paul was reminding us of the fact that those who are Christ’s have surrendered themselves to Jesus’ life of righteousness. Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh and are heirs of the promise of eternal life. In order for someone to “crucify the flesh”, you must be baptized into Jesus Christ according to Rom.6:6.

“But ye are washed”

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

o Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

We can see that the church of Corinth had many different types of sins in their lives. But after realizing their condition, they were baptized (washed) and Jesus cleansed them from their uncleanness. Notice how Ananias told Paul to “arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, ..” We “wash” away our sins in baptism.

Adam Clarke’s Commentary

But ye are washed] Several suppose that the order in which the operations of the grace of God take place in the soul is here inverted; but I am of a very different mind. Every thing will appear here in its order, when we understand the terms used by the apostle.

Ye are washed; ye have been baptized into the Christian faith, and ye have promised in this baptism to put off all filthiness of the flesh and spirit: and the washing of your bodies is emblematical of the purification of your souls.

TYPES

Israelites vs. Christians

“These things were our examples” 1 Corinthians 10:11, Romans 15:4
Departure from Egypt	Departure from Sin
Slaves to Egyptians (Ex. 1:13-14)	Slaves to Sin (Rom. 6:16)
Moses the Deliverer (Ex. 3:7-10)	Christ the deliverer (Acts 3:22-26)
Moses’ signs produced faith (Ex. 4:1-9)	Christ’s signs produce faith (John 20:30-31)
Israel believed Moses (Ex. 4:29-31)	Must believe in Christ (John 8:24)
Israelites left Egypt (Ex. 12:37; 14:9-12)	Must leave sin-Repent (Acts 3:19)
Israel baptized unto Moses (1 Cor. 10:1-2)	Must be baptized into Christ (Rom. 6:3-4)
All Egyptians destroyed in the sea (Ex. 14:13-22)	All sins destroyed in baptism (Rom. 6:5-7)
Israel saved that day (Ex. 14:29-31)	Saved the day of baptism (Acts 2:41,47)
Journey to Promise Land-OVERTHROWN!	Journey to Heaven-OVERTHROWN?
Lusted after evil things (Num. 11:4-35)	Not to lust after evil things (James 1:12-15)
Neither be ye idolaters (Ex. 32:1-6, 19-28)	Not idolaters (Col. 3:5, 1 Tim.6:6-10)
Committed fornication (Num. 25:1-9)	Not commit fornication (1 Cor. 6:15-20)
Tempted Moses and God (Num. 21:4-9)	Neither tempt ye Christ (Matt. 6:24-34)
Some murmured (Num. 16:1-35, 41-50)	Neither murmur (Phil. 2:14, Jude 3-16)
They were overthrown (1 Cor. 10:5)	Take heed lest ye fall (1 Cor. 10:12)

The Laver as a type for Baptism

Laver-Exodus 30:18-21 "You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base also of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. And you shall put water in it,for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it. When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, lest they die. So they shall wash their hands and their feet, lest they die. And it shall be a statute forever to them-to him and his descendants throughout their generations."

Notice these things from relating the types of the Laver vs. Baptism

1. They had to wash or they would die; We are to be baptized or die in sin (Rom. 6:23)

2. They had to wash before entering the tabernacle; Enter the kingdom by being baptized (John 3:5)

3. The laver consisted of water to wash with; Baptism requires water (John 3:23)

4. It was a commandment from God; Baptism is a commandment from God (Acts 10:48)

All conversions followed by baptism

Every conversion after Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, (the gospel) is written in the book of Acts. Did you know that everyone of these conversions was followed by baptism? Here are the examples.

Believers at Pentecost (Acts 2:41)
Converts in Samaria (Acts 8:12)
Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:13)
The Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:38)
Saul of Tarsus, Paul (Acts 9:18)
Gentiles at Cornelius’ house (Acts 10:48)
Lydia of Thyatira (Acts 16:15)
Philippian Jailer and Household (Acts 16:33)
Believers in Corinth (Acts 18:8)
Ephesian Disciples (Acts 19:5)

Seeing something like this makes you wonder why baptism is so controversial.

What is the significance of the water in baptism?

· 1 John 5:6-8

o This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

· John 19:30, 34

o 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

o 34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

· John 3:5

o Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Three that bare witness in Heaven: Father, Word, the Holy Spirit

Three that bare witness on earth: Blood, Water, the Spirit

When Jesus got stuck in the side by a spear after his death, he bled water and blood. Note: this was after he yielded up the Ghost/Spirit, --3 that bare witness on earth! Do you think that the water bearing witness on earth has something to do with baptism? I believe so.

Note what Albert Barnes had to say about 1 John 5:6:

By water. There have been many opinions in regard to the meaning of this phrase. See Pool's Synopsis. Compare also Lucke, in loc. A mere reference to some of these opinions may aid in ascertaining the true interpretation.

(1.) Clement of Alexandria supposes that by water regeneration and faith were denoted, and by blood the public acknowledgment of that.

(2.) Some, and among them Wetstein, have held that the words are used to denote the fact that the Lord Jesus was truly a man, in contradistinction from the doctrine of the Docetae; and that the apostle means to say that he had all the properties of a human being--a spirit or soul, blood, and the watery humours of the body.

(3.) Grotius supposes that by his coming "by water," there is reference to his pure life, as water is the emblem of purity; and he refers to Eze 36:25; Isa 1:16; Jer 4:14. As a sign of that purity, he says that John baptized him, Joh 1:28. A sufficient objection to this view is, that as in the corresponding word blood there is undoubted reference to blood literally, it cannot be supposed that the word water in the same connexion would be used figuratively. Moreover, as Lucke (p. 287) has remarked, water, though a symbol of purity, is never used to denote purity itself, and therefore cannot here refer to the pure life of Jesus.

(4.) Many expositors suppose that the reference is to the baptism of Jesus, and that by his "coming by water and blood," as by the latter there is undoubted reference to his death, so by the former there is reference to his baptism, or to his entrance on his public work. Of this opinion were Tertullian, Ecumenius, Theophylact, among the fathers, and Capellus, lieumann, Stroth, Lange, Ziegler, A. Clarke, Bengel, Rosenmuller, Macknight, and others, among the moderns. A leading argument for this opinion, as alleged, has been that it was then that the Spirit bare witness to him, (Mt 3:16,) and that this is what John here refers to when he says, "It is the Spirit that beareth witness," etc. To this view, Lucke urges substantially the following objections:

(a.) That if it refers to baptism, the phrase would much more appropriately express the fact that Jesus came baptizing others, if that were so, than that he was baptized himself. The phrase would be strictly applicable to John the Baptist, who came baptizing, and whose ministry was distinguished for that, (Mt 3:1;) and if Jesus had baptized in the same manner, or if this had been a prominent characteristic of his ministry, it would be applicable to him. Comp. Joh 4:2. But if it means that he was baptized, and that he came in that way "by water," it was equally true of all the apostles who were baptized, and of all others, and there was nothing so remarkable in the fact that he was baptized as to justify the prominence given to the phrase in this place.

(b.) If reference be had here, as is supposed in this view of the passage, to the "witness" that was borne to the Lord Jesus on the occasion of his baptism, then the reference should have been not to the "water" as the witness, but to the "voice that came from heaven," (Mt 3:17,) for it was that which was the witness in the case. Though this occurred at the time of the baptism, yet it was quite an independent thing, and was important enough to have been referred to. See Lucke, Com. in loc. These objections, however, are not insuperable. Though Jesus did not come baptizing others himself, (Joh 4:2,) and though the phrase would have expressed that if he had, yet, as Christian baptism began with him; as this was the first act in his entrance on public life; as it was by this that he was set apart to his work; and as he designed that this should be always the initiatory rite of his religion, there was no impropriety in saying that his "coming," or his advent in this world, was at the beginning characterized by water, and at the close by blood. Moreover, though the "witness" at his baptism was really borne by a voice from heaven, yet his baptism was the prominent thing; and if we take the baptism to denote all that in fact occurred when he was baptized, all the objections made by Lucke here vanish.

(5.) Some, by the "water" here, have understood the ordinance of baptism as it is appointed by the Saviour to be administered to his people, meaning that the ordinance was instituted by him. So Beza, Calvin, Piscator, Calovius, Wolf, Beausobre, Knapp, Lucke, and others understand it. According to this the meaning would be, that he appointed baptism by water as a symbol of the cleansing of the heart, and shed his blood to effect the ransom of man, and that thus it might be said that he "came by water and blood;" to wit, by these two things as effecting the salvation of men. But it seems improbable that the apostle should have grouped these things together in this way. For

(a.) the "blood" is that which he shed; which pertained to him personally; which he poured out for the redemption of man; and it is clear that, whatever is meant by the phrase "he came," his coming by "water" is to be understood in some sense similar to his coming by "blood;" and it seems incredible that the apostle should have joined a mere ordinance of religion in this way with the shedding of his blood, and placed them in this manner on an equality.

(b.) It cannot be supposed that John meant to attach so much importance to baptism as would be implied by this. The shedding of his blood was essential to the redemption of men; can it be supposed that the apostle meant to teach that baptism by water is equally necessary?

(c.) If this be understood of baptism, there is no natural connexion between that and the "blood" referred to; nothing by which the one would suggest the other; no reason why they should be united. If he had said that he "came" by the appointment of two ordinances for the edification of the church, "baptism and the supper," however singular such a statement might be in some respects, yet there would be a connexion, a reason why they should be suggested together. But why should baptism and the blood shed by the Saviour on the cross be grouped together as designating the principal things which characterized his coming into the world?

(6.) There remains, then, but one other interpretation; to wit, that he refers to the "water and the blood" which flowed from the side of the Saviour when he was pierced by the spear of the Roman soldier. John had himself laid great stress on this occurrence, and on the fact that he had himself witnessed it, See Barnes for Joh 19:34, (See Barnes for Joh 19:35;) and as, in these epistles, he is accustomed to allude to more full statements made in his gospel, it would seem most natural to refer the phrase to that event as furnishing a clear and undoubted proof of the death of the Saviour. This would be the obvious interpretation, and would be entirely clear, if John did not immediately speak of the "water" and the "blood" as separate witnesses, each as bearing witness to an important point, as separate as the "Spirit" and the "water," or the "Spirit" and the "blood ;" whereas, if he refers to the mingled water and blood flowing from his side, they both witness only the same fact, to wit, his death. There was no special significance in the water, no distinct testifying to anything different from the flowing of the blood; but together they bore witness to the one fact that he actually died. But here he seems to suppose that there is some special significance in each. "Not by water only, but by water and blood." "There are three that bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood, and these three agree in one." These considerations seem to me to make it probable, on the whole, that the fourth opinion, above referred to, and that which has been commonly held in the Christian church, is correct, and that by the "water" the baptism of the Saviour is intended; his baptism as an emblem of his own purity; as significant of the nature of his religion; as a rite which was to be observed in his church at all times. That furnished an important attestation to the fact that he was the Messiah, (comp. See Barnes for Mt 3:15,) for it was by that that he entered on his public work, and it was then that a remarkable testimony was borne to his being the Son of God. He himself "came" thus by water as an emblem of purity; and the water used in his church in all ages in baptism, together with the "blood" and the "Spirit," bears public testimony to the pure nature of his religion. It is possible that the mention of the "water" in his baptism suggested to John also the water which flowed from the side of the Saviour at his death, intermingled with blood; and that though the primary thought, in his mind was the fact that Jesus was baptized, and that an important attestation was then given to his Messiahship, yet he may have instantly adverted to the fact that water performed so important a part, and was so important a symbol through all his work; water at his introduction to his work as an ordinance in his church, as symbolical of the nature of his religion, and even at his death, as a public attestation, in connexion with flowing blood, to the fact that he truly died, in reality, and not, as the Docetae pretended, in appearance only, thus completing the work of the Messiah, and making an atonement for the sins of the world. Comp. See Barnes for Joh 19:34, See Barnes for Joh 19:35.

And blood, referring, doubtless, to the shedding of his blood on the cross. He "came" by that; that is, he was manifested by that to men, or that was one of the forms in which he appeared to men, or by which his coming into the world was characterized. The apostle means to say that the blood shed at his death furnished an important evidence or "witness" of what he was. In what way this was done, See Barnes for 1Jo 5:8. Not by water only, but by water and blood. John the Baptist came "by water only;" that is, he came to baptize the people, and to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah. Jesus was distinguished from him in the fact that his ministry was characterized by the shedding of blood, or the shedding of his blood constituted one of the peculiarities of his work. And it is this Spirit. Evidently the Holy Spirit. That beareth witness. That is, he is the great witness in the matter, confirming all others. He bears witness to the soul that Jesus came "by water and blood," for that would not be received by us without his agency. In what way he does this, See Barnes for 1Jo 5:8.

--Albert Barnes NT Commentary

This concludes my study on the topic of baptism. I am so thankful that you took the time just to look over this study, and I pray that it affected you in some, at least, minute way. If it did, then my goal was reached. I apologize for the length, but it needed to be this long for me to get all my thoughts wrapped up into one study.

Baptism is in the Holy Scriptures for us to learn about. It shouldn’t be something we try to avoid because it raises so much controversy. When I began studying the bible, I began to ask everyone I studied with about baptism. Usually they would get red in the face, close their ears, and not want to study on it at all. I don’t understand why that is. It seems to me that if you have two honest, sincere hearts, they should listen to each other till something gets worked out. Paul says, “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”(1 Cor. 1:10) As members of the body of Christ, Jesus doesn’t want us all having different opinions and interpretations. He wants us all to work our differences out and agree on God’s will. I realize sometimes that it might be hard to change; I was in the same situation. Just think of the great reward you will have on judgment day if you change to fit God’s will. You can stand before God and tell him that you didn’t listen to man’s commandments. You studied it for yourself and prayed He would give you understanding to the great mystery of the Holy Scriptures (Eph. 3:4). Don’t feel alone if you have a hard time understanding God’s will. Even Peter talked about how Paul’s writing in the letters can be hard to understand (2 Pet. 3:15-16). But the key is are you willing to not give up and fight against denominationalism, and bring the body of Christ together “in mind and judgment?” Are you willing to give up what you have been taught your entire life if it is contradictory to the bible? Please don’t close your ears and harden your hearts, your soul will thank you when you are standing before God at judgment. May God bless you in your efforts and give you the understanding needed to bring out the mystery of His will. I am looking forward to hearing any questions you might have on baptism or anything else, and I would love to get to know you if you have a hunger to feed on His word. (Matthew 5:6, Amos 8:13)

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

---Paul the apostle

Proverbs 15:28,

Dallas Blasdel

dallas41980@yahoo.com

The Will of God in “Pieces” vs. Being Saved in “Pieces”

Do the will of God

What is the will of God?

Be Saved

How can I be saved?

Matt. 7:21

Flee Fornication (1 Thess. 4:3)

1 Tim. 2:4

Jesus’ Death (Rom. 5:8-9)

Eph. 6:6

Put ignorant men to silence (1 Peter 2:15)

Acts 2:40

Grace (Eph. 2:8)

Col. 4:12

Give thanks (1 Thess. 5:18)

John 5:34

Hearing the gospel (1 Tim.4:16)

1 John 2:17

Everyone to have everlasting life (John 6:40)

Rom. 10:1

Believing (John 3:16)

1 Peter 4:2

Be not unwise of the will of God (Eph. 5:17)

2 Thess. 2:10

Faith (Luke 18:42)

Mark 3:35

Repentance (Luke 13:3)

Confessing (Rom. 10:9)

Gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-2)

Baptism (Mark 16:16)

Enduring (Matt. 10:22)

Communion (John 6:54)

Hope (Rom. 8:24-25)

There are 2 Greek words for the English word “for”: “gar”=because of and “eis”=unto, in order to

What does “for” (Greek: “eis”) mean in Acts 2:38

Passage

Action

“because of”

“in order to”

Result

X

X

X

X

X

X

Figure 9.

54 Translations That Do Not Render Acts 2:38

"Because your sins have already been forgiven"

What is the significance of the water in baptism?

· 1 John 5:6-8