2707
S. Lamar Street
Denver Colorado 80227
Denver Colorado 80227
Voice:
303-986-4521
| 2707
S. Lamar Street Denver Colorado 80227 |
|
Voice:
303-986-4521 |
||
|
Baptism
Is Essential To Salvation (1) Acts 2:38 and the Great Commission. Since Acts 2 is the implement of the Great Commission (Mark 16:15,16), the gospel was being preached when Peter exhorted, "be baptized." Also, since John 16:13 was fulfilled in Acts, we learn that baptism is a part of the "all truth." (2) Acts 2:38 conjoined with Acts 2:40,41. Observing that Peter exhorted, "Save yourselves" (Acts 2:40), with such an exhortation being immediately followed by, "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized" (Acts 2:41), we learn baptism is necessary to salvation. Add to this, that since Peter was to tell Cornelius words whereby he was to be saved (Acts 10:6; 11:14), and he told (commanded) him to be baptized (Acts 10:47, 48), we know that baptism is necessary to salvation. (3) The word "and" in Acts 2:38. Repentance and baptism are joined by the copulative conjunction "and." What one of these is "for," the other is as well. Suppose we say, "Enroll ye and be instructed for, or in order to obtain, your diploma." "Enroll ye" and "be instructed" are joined together by the conjunction "and." Whichever way one goes, the other goes. They are like two box cars joined on the railroad; they both move in the same direction. Accordingly, what would one have to do to receive the diploma? Enroll only? No. Be instructed (audit)? No. But, enroll and be instructed. Now, when Acts 2:38 says, "Repent and be baptized every one of you for the remission of sins," what must one do to receive remission of sins? Repent only? No. Be baptized only? No. But, "repent and be baptized." (4) The word "for" (KJV) or "unto" translates the Greek eis. This word also appears in Matthew 26:28: "For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." As Jesus shed his blood "for" or "unto" remission of sins-that is, "in order to obtain"-so Acts 2:38 teaches us that we are baptized "for," "unto," or "in order to obtain" remission of sins. Thayer, page 94, dealing with "baptism" when used with prepositions says, concerning eis in Acts 2:38, "to obtain the forgiveness of sins." This thought: any time this word eis, "for" or "unto," stands between a command and a blessing, the command must be obeyed before the blessing is received. Observe: Rom.
10:8-10:
Acts 11:18: Rom.
10:8-10: Acts
2:38: (5) Some arguments which are advanced in an effort to dilute the truth just stated. (a) First, "The word 'for' means 'because of.'" The answer: remember the observation on Matthew 26:28? Remember Thayer on Acts 2:38? Did our Lord shed his blood "because of" remission of sins? or, "in order to obtain" remission of sins? Too, since repentance and baptism are inseparably joined, if we are baptized "because of" remission of sins, then we repent for the same reason! Note: sometimes the following passages, wherein the word "for" appears, are introduced. However, observe that the word translated "for" in these passages is from other words than eis (Mark 1:44 (peri), and I Cor. 15:29 (huper)). (b) Secondly, "The word for 'for' means 'with reference.'" The answer: the same would apply to repentance. (c) Thirdly, "The word 'for' 'looks back' and not 'forward.'" The answer: the same would apply to repentance. (d) Fourthly, "The word 'for' means 'in order to declare.'" The answer: the same is true of repentance. (e) Fifthly, "The people to whom Acts 2:38 was addressed, rejoiced before they were baptized, Acts 2:41." The answer: in Luke 8:13, we have joy before belief. In Acts 8:8 we have joy before we have belief in Acts 8:12. (f) Sixthly, "Baptism in Acts 2:38 is Holy Spirit baptism." The answer: the baptism in Acts 2:38 is a command, whereas Holy Spirit baptism was a promise (Acts 1:5). The baptism in Acts 2:38 is "in the name of Jesus Christ," with such baptism being identified as water baptism in Acts 10:47,48. It is argued, "be baptized" is passive and in Holy Spirit baptism one is passive. Well, in Romans 7:4 we read, "be married." Thus, according to the argument being advanced, there is nothing to getting or being married. (g) Seventhly, "Baptism in Acts 2:38 is in the name of Jesus [Christ]; that is, Jesus, who was anointed (the meaning of Christ), was anointed for the remission of our sins." The answer: such is changing a noun into a verb. Furthermore, baptism is said to be for remission without connection with the name Christ (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3). (h) Eighthly, "'Repent ye' is second person plural, active voice and 'be baptized every one' is third person singular, passive voice; and, according to rules of grammar, they cannot be joined together to obtain the same result." The answer: such is not true. Let us illustrate: "Come ye and be vaccinated every one of you in the name of the state for the prevention of diphtheria." "Come ye" is second person plural, active voice. "Be vaccinated every one of you" is third person, singular, passive voice. Yes, it can be done. Study Deuteronomy 4:4. According to the reasoning we are examining, some were to repent and others were to be baptized. We ask: "How many more repented than were baptized?" "Every one of you" is added appositively to "Repent ye" and they both refer to the same ones. To illustrate, if we were to say, "Mr. Smith, the preacher, is present," "preacher" is in apposition to "Mr. Smith." II.
Baptism Is Necessary to Conversion Acts
2:38: Acts
3:19: And, conversion is necessary to (1) entering the kingdom (Matt. 18:1-4), and (2) being forgiven (Mark 4:15). III.
Baptism Is a Divine Imperative (2) A corollary. John 3:7 is a corollary passage. This text states, "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." (3) Other "musts." Faith is a "must" (Heb. 11:6); and, scriptural worship is a must (John 4:24). Can a person be saved without baptism when it is equally a divine imperative? "Must" is the strongest word in the English language; and, it modifies baptism. Thus, why try to weaken its necessity? IV.
Baptism Is a Command (2) Other commands. The same Lord that made faith a command (Acts 16:31; I John 3:23) and repentance a command (Acts 17:30; 3:19; 2:38), made baptism a command. Who has the authority to say two of these are important and one is non-essential? (3)
Our response to the Lord's commands.
Let us remember that if we love the Lord we will keep his commandments
(John 14:15), and keeping his commands are necessary to entering "in
through the gates into the city" (Rev. 22:14). Let US never
duplicate the sin of the Pharisees and lawyers: "And
all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God being
baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected
the counsel of God against themselves being not baptized of him"
(Luke 7:29,30). (1) Baptism is necessary to calling on the name of the Lord. The following will make this passage meaningful. Arise and be baptized calling on the name of the Lord Arise and feed the horses doing your duty One did his duty by arising and feeding the horses. In like manner, one calls on the Lord by arising and being baptized. Yes, baptism is necessary to calling on the Lord. (2) Too, baptism is necessary to washing away sin. Other corollary passages are Hebrews 10:22, Ephesians 5:26 and Titus 3:5. "But, I thought the blood washes away sin," someone observes. The blood does wash away sin (Rev. 1:5,4; 7:14). But, it is in the act of being baptized that one contacts the blood (Rom. 63; John 19~34) and sins are washed away. Notice the following:
(3) There are several arguments advanced in an effort to invalidate these verities. (a) First, "But, Saul was saved on the road. In fact, I Corinthians 15:s says he was born again on the road." Well, if Saul was saved on the road before baptism, he was the most miserable saved man anyone ever saw (Acts 9:9-11). Furthermore, he did not know it, Ananias did not know it and he spoke foolishly to Saul (Acts 22:16). Too, if he was saved on the road, he was saved before he entered Christ (Rom. 6:3, notice the use of the personal pronoun). Now, concerning I Corinthians 15:s notice the word "as." He did not say he was "born" or "born again" on the road. Rather, Paul is saying that the due time of seeing Jesus was during Jesus' personal ministry; but, he saw him after such time, after he had ascended back to heaven. In this sense he saw Jesus "as" of one born out of due time. (b) Secondly, "Saul was saved before baptism because Ananias called him 'brother'" (Acts 9:17). He was a brother, but not a brother in Christ, as Romans 6:3 plainly teaches. He was a brother in a Jewish relation in that Abraham was their father (Rom. 4:12-16). Peter called the Jews in Acts 3:17 "brethren" even before they had repented or been converted (Acts 3:19)! Were they already saved? Study Acts 7:2; 22:1; 23:1. (c) Thirdly, "But, Saul was saved before he was baptized because he received his sight and was filled with the Holy Spirit before he was baptized." John the Baptist was "filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb" (Luke 1:15). Therefore, if "filled with the Holy Ghost" proves Saul was saved before baptism, then John's case would prove salvation before faith. VI.
Additional Purposes to Water Baptism VII.
Summation, Observation and Dedication (2) Accordingly, in the Bible, baptism was considered an urgent matter. A person never ate, drank or slept until he had been baptized upon learning of his need to obey (Acts 16:30-34; 9:18-19). Oh! the urgency! But, why the urgency? Because of baptism's necessity; and, with no lease on life or a promise of tomorrow, they thus immediately obeyed. The soul is too precious to react otherwise (Matt. 16:24). Indeed, baptism is no trifle. It is of supreme importance. VIII.
Question: Is a Person's Baptism Valid If He Is Baptized "To Obey
God," Though Not for Remission of Sins
Home
| Elders
& Deacons | Missions
| Youth
| Bible
Classes | Ministries
| Events
| Ask
Us About It Bear
Valley Church of Christ, 2707 S. Lamar St., Denver, CO 80227 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
