“Repent and Believe”

The first words the Bible records from Christ’s mouth are found in Mark 1:15. He said, “Repent you, and believe the gospel.” It has been made clear that repentance is tied to baptism and conversion. But it is also tied to believing the gospel of the kingdom of God. Both of these represent commands—requirements—CONDITIONS—for one to become a Christian!

The world is ignorant of the true gospel. It is preoccupied with the Person of Jesus Christ instead of the message that He brought. He spoke continually about the kingdom of God that is soon to come to this world! (Read our free booklets Which Is the True Gospel? and What Is the Kingdom of God? to learn more about the deception that has hidden this vital knowledge from the world.)

The word repent means to change—to stop sinning! But what is sin? The Bible answers, “Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (I John 3:4). While many have heard of sin, almost no one understands what it is—its definition. There must be no misunderstanding what is meant here.

The command to “believe the gospel” means to believe the good news of the coming kingdom of God. The word gospel comes from god spell, meaning good news. God’s government coming to earth is GOOD NEWS. Those who yield to God must be willing to believe the gospel. With this soon-coming government will be the institution of God’s laws all over the earth. Peace, abundance, happiness and joy will “break out” everywhere. No wonder Christians are instructed by Christ to regularly pray, “Thy kingdom come” (Matt. 6:10)!

The two conditions for salvation described in Mark 1:14-15 are the same as in Acts 2:38—repent and believe! Again, Peter said, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” God’s Spirit cannot be given unless there is absolute belief (faith) in the sacrifice—the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptism represents—symbolizes—complete faith (belief) that Christ’s sacrifice applies to each person who exercises this faith.

When Philip the deacon was counselling the Ethiopian eunuch for baptism, the eunuch asked him, “What does hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe…” (Acts 8:36-37). In Ac 8:38, Philip baptized the eunuch.

God has promised that where there is repentance and faith (belief), He will give His Holy Spirit. When God promises, He keeps His word. He does not compromise or forget. He makes it clear that there are conditions to receiving the gift of His Holy Spirit.

Therefore, water baptism, symbolizing repentance and belief, is a commanded condition to receive salvation!

Was Jesus Baptised?

What was Jesus’ example in regard to baptism? Since He had no sin to repent of, He certainly did not need to be baptized. Peter was inspired to record, “Christ…leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (I Pet. 2:21).

Notice Matthew’s account of Christ’s example. Christ came to John the Baptist “to be baptized of him” (Matt. 3:13). Mt 3:16 states, “Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water.” The rest of this verse records Christ’s symbolic receiving of the Holy Spirit, descending upon Him like a dove. As this occurred, a voice from heaven said that God was “pleased” with His “beloved Son.” True Christians are also God’s sons. May God be as pleased with each of us as we seek to overcome the temptations of sin that Christ overcame!

Baptising by Christ’s Authority—in His Name

What does it mean to be baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ”? The Royal Canadian Mounted Police used to say, “Stop in the name of the law!” If a policeman tells someone to “stop in the name of the law,” all of us recognize that this means stop “by the authority (the power, the office) of the law.” There is supreme authority in God and His Law. Christ grants His authority to certain actions. Baptism is one of them.

Notice! The Bible says Jesus Christ baptized more people than John the Baptist did. Were you aware of this? Were you also aware that the Bible says that Christ baptized no one? How could both statements be true? Actually, we will see that Christ had His disciples baptize many people. Notice John 3:22: “After these things came Jesus and His disciples into the land of Judea; and there He tarried with them, and baptized.” This verse plainly says that Christ baptized. Notice further in Jn 4:1: “When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (though Jesus Himself baptized not, but His disciples).”

This is an important scripture. Why? How can it be that Christ baptized many, when He actually baptized no one? Simply this: Christ authorized His disciples to baptize on His behalf—in His Name—and God attributes this physical work of baptizing to Him. It was as though He actually did the baptizing Himself, because His disciples were doing it in His Name. They did it for Him, in the sense that they did it by His authority—and it was considered as though He did it Himself.

Christ tells Christians, “Whatsoever you shall ask in My name, that will I do” (John 14:13), and “If you shall ask anything in My name, I will do it” (Jn 14:14). For emphasis, in two successive verses, Christ says almost exactly the same thing. Christians receive answers to prayer as a direct result of praying in Christ’s name. John 16:23 makes this more plain: “And in that day you shall ask Me nothing…whatsoever you shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto have you asked nothing in My name” (Jn 16:24). The point is that the Father answers prayer if we come to Him by Christ’s authority—in His name! It has been said that Christ has delegated to Christians “power of attorney” to act on His behalf, or for Him, in their prayers. In this way, Christians are authorized by God to perform numerous tasks in His Name.