FACT #7: You must be water-baptized for the remission of your sins if you expect to be saved.
A past church I attended once had a booth at a state fair in a reach-out effort to meet people of the area. While at the event a man approached me and said: “I know who you people are, you’re the ones who think you have to be baptized to be saved!” He then proceeded for the next several minutes to explain why no one needs to be baptized to be saved.
When he was finished, I explained to him what I actually believed: It was simply what Jesus said in Matthew 7.21:
Matthew 7.21—Not everyone who says to Me “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my Farther who is in heaven.
I then asked man: Is it God’s WILL for us to be baptized? Is that what God WANTS us to do?
Well, let’s find out. And it’s not very complicated. The Greek words for “baptism” and “to baptize” (which in the Greek means “to immerse, i.e. to completely submerge”) are used ~120 times in the New Testament (NT)–and in every case regarding what we must to do be saved, water-baptism is referred to. However, water-baptism for the forgiveness of one’s sins should not be confused with the metaphorical use of baptize/baptism, which may refer to baptism/immersion by the Holy Spirit, baptism/immersion by fire (referring to eternal judgment), or in other similar ways.
So, now let’s notice some examples of baptism.
First, Jesus Himself was water-baptized as an example for His servants to follow.
Mt 3.13-16 NASB—Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him. After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water…
Notice that Jesus was water-baptized to “fulfill all righteousness”–in other words, to “do the right thing.” (1 Jn 3.7: “He who does what is right is righteous”). Jesus had no sin to be forgiven of, but it was fitting for Him to set the example of baptism for all to follow who would believe in Him.
Mt 28.19-20 ESV—[Go and] make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father…Son [and] Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
In these final words of Christ prior to His ascension, He instructed that all believers would also need to be baptized. They were not merely to be fans, but followers of Christ. He taught that baptized believers were to observe everything that He had instructed His apostles to teach them.
Then, a few days later, Peter commanded all who had believed his message about Jesus to “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…” (Acts 2.38) 3,000 men and women were baptized that day.
Some people try to turn the “baptism” of Acts 2.38 into Holy Spirit baptism (rather than water baptism) because Peter indicated that after being baptized they would receive the miraculous “gift of the Holy Spirit.” Here’s why that theory is not true.
In fact, in every single example of conversion in Acts, the “history book of the New Testament,” water baptism for the forgiveness of sins was described. For example:
Acts 8.37-38—Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch and taught him the truth about Jesus. And, “…as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?'” He immediately stopped the chariot, “and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.”
Acts 10.47-48—Peter preached to Cornelius and his family. Then he said: “‘Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people?’…And [after they received the Holy Spirit] he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Acts 16.33—Paul and Silas had been imprisoned in Philippi for preaching the Word, but the chains of the prisoners were loosed after a violent earthquake. The jailer, who knew he would be executed if any prisoner escaped, was about to kill himself when Paul restrained him and ensured him no one had escaped. The jailer fell trembling at Paul’s feet and asked: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” He was instructed to “believe in the Lord Jesus” along with his household. “And [the jailer] took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.” [Notice again the presence of water for baptism.]
Acts 22.16—[Later, Paul recounted how that when he was baptized. Ananias asked him: “…now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name.”
1 Peter 3.21–Peter plainly taught that—just as Noah was saved from destruction by water—so also baptism “saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…”
By the way, NT believers demonstrated urgency to be baptized and rid themselves immediately of their sins, and to formally begin their walk in Christ. Please notice that…
- There was never any substantial delay from the time they understood the truth to the time they were baptized.
- For example, they never waited for a few days to be baptized so they could “testify about Jesus” to friends and family.
- Nor did they ever wait around for the next large grouping of baptizees so it could all be done at the convenience of the preacher and those already saved.
- Nor did they ever wait to be baptized until they had chosen a specific church to ‘join.’ They were joining Christ’s universal church, not just some specific congregation.
- Again—in every detailed Biblical account—not only were they always baptized, but they were always baptized as soon as it was reasonably possible.
And the reason for their urgency isn’t at all surprising. They believed the truth that baptism would wash away their sins and put them into a relationship with Christ. They did not want to risk dying after having bypassed several opportunities to obey their Lord.
They also understood that their initiation into Christ through baptism symbolized the most fundamental concepts of Christianity. Paul (in Romans 6.1-4) described baptism (immersion) as representative of the Death, Burial , and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In other words, our process of coming to Christ in baptism represents our death to sin (repentance), burial of the old self (submersion in water), and resurrection of the new self (rising out of the water, forgiven of sins, ready to live for Christ). These concepts are absolutely central to true Christianity, and must be understood from the beginning of our Christian lives.
Finally, it should be noted that only adults were baptized (and per the definitions of the Greek words for “man” and “woman” it appears this can include “young adults”). Never in the Bible will you read of anyone other than adults commanded to be baptized, and never will you see an example of anyone but adults being baptized.
FACT #8: We must continue in the faith if we expect to be saved
Colossians 1:23—[Paul indicated that the Colossians would be saved through Christ] “… if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Gal 5.4—You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
Here is a question: How can you fall from grace if you don’t have grace to begin with, and how can you be saved without grace? Obviously, you can’t. The Bible says in Ephesians 2.8 that “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.”
1 Cor 9.29—…I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
1 Corinthians 10.11-12—These things [disasters] happened to them [Israel of old] as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
Titus2.11-12—For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…
2 Corinthians 6.1—As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.
Finally, please recall Jesus’ parable of the sower (Luke 8.5-15). The seed the sower was sowing represented the Word of God (v 11). The types of ground represented the types of people that will hear the Word. Of the four types mentioned by Christ, ONLY the “good ground” (v 15) pleased Christ–in other words, the person with a “good and honest” heart who would gladly receive the Message and then apply its teachings so as to produce fruit in their lives.
But please notice carefully at the second type of ground. Jesus said that these people are those “who receive the Word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe
for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.” This exemplifies the person who fails to continue in the faith, due to “times of testing” which are inevitable. Therefore, we can see that it is certainly possible to receive and believe God’s Word, and to then, because of external factors–like seed that falls on rock so it cannot establish proper roots–to fall away and die.
FACT #9: We must “grow up” in our salvation—and be PRODUCTIVE Christians
We must understand that Christians grow by feeding on the Word of God. Peter wrote:
1 Peter 2.2—Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation…” Please notice that it’s not enough to simply be saved…but we must also grow up in our salvation, through desiring and then regularly feeding on God’s Word.
Obviously, if we neglect the regular feeding of our spirits with God’s Word, we will find ourselves in serious spiritual danger.
The Hebrew writer explained that the Hebrew Christians of his day were slow to learn, and here was the reason why:
Hebrews 5.12-14—We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s Word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
However, the point of learning about God’s will in the Bible is just so we’ll know more, but so that we can be truly obedient servants to our Lord, and please our Lord. In other words, so that we can be productive servants for God.
Paul wrote:
Colossians 1.9-10—[Christians should] be filled with the knowledge of His will…so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
Thus, it should come as no surprise that Jesus, in His parable of the Sower (Lk 8.5-15), described the Word of God as a seed that must do two things: (1) penetrate the human heart, and, (2) produce fruit for God. Therefore, only one kind of human heart was described as acceptable to God: the “good ground,” that not only accepted the “seed” (or Word of God), but also put it into action by GROWING and then PRODUCING various degrees of positive results.
To illustrate God’s revulsion to unproductive followers of Christ, Jesus then in Matthew 21.18-20 condemned a fig tree that subsequently withered because–after several opportunities to grow–it was not usefully producing. Just as a rancher will cull out unproductive cattle, and a gardener removes plants that are unproductive, so God will cull out all those who have been saved but fail to be productive for God.
But what can we do to be productive for God? One thing is to provide for our own daily necessities, and then share with others as well.
Paul wrote:
Titus 3.14—Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.
Additionally, in Matthew 25.31-46, Christ made it clear that we should be active in all kinds of good deeds if we expect to be saved. We must help the poor we must help the needy we must take care of those who can’t help themselves, such as orphans and our widows of the church–and even help our enemies. Failure to help those with the needs, when we have the means to do so, will result in the loss of our eternal souls.
But we must also put to use our full repertoire of abilities for God. Are we capable teachers or preachers of the Word? Do we have special talents or situations that can greatly benefit the Cause of our Lord? Then God’s will is that we take what He gave us and put it to use for His Cause. In Jesus’ parable of the talents found in Matthew 25-14-30, Jesus made this point shockingly clear. There He described three men who were given various degrees of talent (money). Those given more actually doubled what they had been given, making a good profit for their master. But the one talented man spent his days making excuses for why he couldn’t do as much as others. He prided himself apparently on being an honest person who at least didn’t steal what his master had given him. However, Jesus’ view of the person was quite different. He called this man a “wicked, lazing” and “worthless” servant, who was to be thrown outside, “into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This is a clear reference to eternal punishment.
Therefore, it shouldn’t have come as any surprise to any of us what Jesus said–in His closing words to the people living in the first century–to the lukewarm and complacent Laodicean Christians, who had insufficient zeal for the Cause of the Lord. Jesus warned them that He was going to “spew them out of His mouth” if they failed to earnestly repent and change. Plainly, Jesus considers it sin for us to be a lazy, lukewarm, apathetic Christians lacking sincere zeal for Christ’s cause.
So, may we all commit ourselves to being productive Christians for Christ.
Man’s Critical Role in his Own Salvation:
Introduction
Verses
Facts 1-3
Facts 4-6
Facts 7-9
Facts 10-12 (Conclusion)