What must I do 4

To Be Lost: Trust in Water Baptism

The Philippian jailer cried, What must I do to be saved? The simple reply was, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall he saved (Acts 16:30-31). Lost humanity seeks a program of meritorious works to gain heaven's bliss, but with God this is an impossible plan, for it is not by works of righteousness which we have done (Titus 3:5). Mankind can do much to be lost but nothing to merit salvation.

The devil wants the entire human race lost for all eternity. Second Corinthians 4:4 states, The god of this world (Satan) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel ...should shine unto them. This demon of darkness blinds his subjects as to the good news found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.

The text states, I declare unto you the gospel. What is this glorious gospel? That Christ died... he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. This and this alone is the pure, unadulterated gospel. Those who add to this message, delivered by the blessed Holy Spirit, are peddlers of heresy and proclaimers of another gospel.

Paul said in Galatians 1:6-9, I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert (or twist) the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you (differing from the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ) ...let him be accursed. God said it and that settles it.

The shed blood upon Calvary's cross and the empty tomb constitute the good news. The minutest iota of works added to this glorious gospel becomes abominable heresy, and those who tamper with God's Holy Word are cursed at the Day of Judgment. Hear God's voice again, If any man preach any other gospel ...let him be accursed. Is humanity tampering with the gospel in the twentieth century? Is it a dangerous trend? The answer to these questions is an emphatic "Yes!" In fact, if one trusts in man-made additions instead of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for his eternal salvation, the curse of Galatians 1:8 will also be his portion.

This is why ordinances, sacraments, and meritorious works are obsolete when it comes to salvation. Though they may be wonderful symbols picturing one's experience with a holy God, none of them can ever produce eternal life. It is only the shed blood of the sinless Saviour that produces this blessing. Ignoring or neglecting the cross for a system of self-produced "spiritual brownie points" to merit the favor of God is in total contradiction to God's offer of grace.

Therefore, to be lost simply: Trust in Water Baptism

Baptism is a beautiful picture of one's conversion experience. Christ died for our sins ...was buried and rose again the third day. This scene is reenacted in one's life as he goes down into the waters of baptism and is raised up and out of the water. Romans 6:4: 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. One can go into the waters of baptism a "dry sinner" and come up and out of the waters a "wet sinner," because water is only water and cannot change a wicked heart. It takes a cleansing bath in the blood of Jesus to wash away sins.

Though the portrait typifying the death, burial, and resurrection experience is beautiful, it should never be administered as the means of salvation, for it is the sinless blood that is eternally efficacious, not contaminated water. Praise God, one does not have to depend upon polluted spigot water for salvation but upon the holy blood of the Holy Saviour. Unto Christ that ... washed us from our sins in his own blood (Revelation 1:5).

Here is a number of proofs concerning the error of baptismal regeneration.

1. Christ's saving ministry. The Word teaches that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Jesus himself made this declaration on a number of occasions. He said, I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:13), and for the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).

In the light of these statements it is evident that the purpose for the incarnation, Christ's entrance into this world via flesh, was to redeem sinners. All agree on this vital teaching. However, the question is: HOW did He save the sinners He came to redeem? Be careful now! Be true to God's Word! It was not through water because Jesus himself baptized not (John 4:2).

There is not a shred of evidence in sacred or secular history that Christ ever baptized a single soul. If baptism is necessary for salvation, then Christ failed in His redemptive program, because baptism was not a part of His personal practice. Therefore, the logical deduction and only conclusion is that Christ did come into the world to save sinners, but His method of salvation had to do with His blood rather than with Jordan's water. So, we have redemption through his blood (Ephesians 1:7), and the blood of Jesus Christ (God's) Son cleanseth us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

2. The Epistles also help us to see the error of baptismal salvation. In the first century, every church had its own epistle or letter. The Romans did not know what was written to the Corinthians or vice versa. The Galatians did not know what was written to the Ephesians. Today we have all the letters, or epistles, in one book-the Bible. However, in the first century, each church had only its own letter, and only knew the plan of salvation as presented to them individually. Now each letter deals with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, but not water baptism, and this is important. Let's take a look at all 14 epistles written by Paul to the various churches, and remember that these churches had only the letter written to them. The Romans had only the letter to the Romans. The Galatians had only the letter to the Galatians. So, Paul would have to include baptism in each epistle if it were an essential part of salvation. It is not found in every book. However, the plan concerning Jesus Christ's blood shed on the cross is. I want you to see these words, "Christ," "in Christ," "the blood of Christ," "belief in Christ," "faith in Christ," as we go through the various epistles. Romans 4:5:

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him (Christ) that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. First Corinthians 3:1 1:

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord! He is the foundation. First Corinthians 5:19: God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. Second Corinthians 5:21: For he (God) hath made him (Christ) to be sin for us who knew no sin. Galatians 1:4: (Christ) gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world.

Galatians 2:20: I am crucified with Christ.

Galatians 2:21:I do not frustrate the grace of God: For if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Galatians 3:13: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law.

Ephesians 1:13: In (Christ) ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.

Ephesians 2:13: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are ,made nigh by the blood (not the water) of Christ.

Philippians 3:9, 10: And be found in him (Christ), not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. That I may know him (Christ), and the power of his resurrection.

Colossians 1:20: And, (Christ) having made peace through the blood of his cross. Verse 27: Christ in you, the hope of glory. First Thessalonians 5:9: For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Second Thessalonians 1:8: In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Obey not what?

The gospel, the good news. Concerning whom?

The Lord Jesus Christ. First Timothy 2:5-6: For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself ransom for all. Second Timothy 3:15: And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Titus 2:14: Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity. Philemon, verse 25: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace means unmerited favor. God gives us a gift, and it's through Jesus Christ-not through a system of ordinances, not through sacraments, not through men's efforts, not through works, but through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 9:28: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.

Hebrews 10:10: By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. I use all 19- letters which Paul wrote to 14 churches or individuals, and in every instance the plan of salvation is made dogmatically and emphatically clear as being; in Jesus Christ, period. As previously stated, baptism is a picture of the salvation experience, but not the experience itself. I have read hundreds of letters and theories but I have God's letter, the Bible, as my masterpiece for guidance. I dogmatically state that any ordinance, sacrament, or man-produced effort tacked to the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ becomes another gospel and is under the judgment of God. I was baptized twice.

The first baptism was administered when I was a child. This supposedly was an act of grace to save my soul. However, there is no such teaching in Gods Word. Baptism is for those already saved and for those who are mentally capable of becoming; saved (see Matthew 16: 16 and Acts 2:41). Because I met neither qualification at eight days of age, I was rebaptized after I had received the Saviour. At this point I was mentally competent (some of you doubt that! HA!) and I had already trusted in the shed blood of Jesus for my salvation. I then went into the waters to declare my faith in Christ. It was an outward sign of the inward work I had experienced. My first baptism did not change me. I still was a despicable sinner hating God and living for the devil. The "dry sinner" was only a "wet sinner."

Then I trusted Christ and was changed. I became a partaker of the diving nature (2 Peter 1:41). In Christ I became a new creature; old things (became) new (2 Corinthians 5:17). My baptism pictured this change as I was buried to the old life and raised to newness of life (see Romans 6:1). This is the scriptural order. Study Acts 8:36-38: And us they went on their way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch said. See, here is water: what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believiest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said. I believe...and he baptized him.

This is scriptural baptism-believing and then portraying one's belief to the world through baptism. Every born-again believer should be baptized an act of obedience for rewards, not as an act of salvation for eternal life. The baptism should also be after salvation and by immersion, If this has not been the situation, genuine baptism should immediately be sought. Sprinkling and pouring of water upon one's head is unscriptural. It is by immersion and only by immersion. Why? Baptizo in the Greek means "to plunge into or dip. "Rhandizo means "to sprinkle." Wherever baptism is found in the Holy Scriptures the word is always baptizo. The German translation of the Scriptures is accurate. They use taufen, which means "to put under." What caused this difficulty?

At the writing of the King James Version-and this is the greatest version in the annals of history-most religionists were baby sprinklers. In order to avoid difficulties, the translators left the word baptizo untranslated in the new version. They put the anglicized form "baptism" into the King James Version. In other words, they put the Greek baptizo into the English "baptism," but this is not a translation of the meaning of the word just the English way of spelling baptizo. This compromise would not offend the king or the religionists because the meaning "to plunge under" or "to dip" would remain untranslated. Sad isn't it? It happened! Let's prove that this is God's intended meaning.

They were baptized of him in Jordan (Matthew 3:6). And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water (Matthew 3:16). And John also was baptizing in Enon near to Salim, because there was much water there (John 3:23). This is self-explanatory. Again, They were come up out of the water (Acts 8:39). The Bible is clear on baptism. The waters only become muddled when antidispensationalists distort and take out of context such texts as Acts 2:38, Repent, and be baptized every one you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. This was God's way for rebellious Israel. They had to be baptized to receive the Holy Ghost. The problem is easily solved by the time one gets to the Gentiles in Acts 10:47, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost?

In Acts 2:38, the Jews had to be baptized to receive the Spirit of God, but eight chapters later the Gentiles are baptized because they already have the Holy Spirit. This is God's order today. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). The study of doctrine solves all of man's arguments when the totality of the subject is considered. In conclusion, let me emphasize that salvation is through the blood of Jesus. Trust Him now and then be baptized because Christ has been received.

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