BAPTISM :
Is Baptism Necessary
for Salvation ???
In Other Words : Does a Person Have
to be Baptized in Order to Go to Heaven
when He Dies ?
Some Churches Teach that it IS
Necessary !!!
The People in these Churches are Taught by their Spiritual Leaders that they Must be Baptized in Order to have a Hope of Going to Heaven when they Die. They are Taught to Place their Faith IN their Baptism as a PART of what they are TRUSTING to Take them to Heaven when they Die.
A GRAVE ERROR
This Teaching Contains a Grave Error, because it Requires that People Place their FAITH in Something EXTRA in ADDITION to the Blood of Jesus Christ & His Sacrifice on the Cross as their Hope of Heaven. In this Subtle Manner People are Steered Away from Believing the TRUE GOSPEL and are Instructed to Believe in What Paul called : " ANOTHER GOSPEL " in Galatians 1:6-9. This Other Gospel is One which Involves Faith in Jesus Christ AND Faith in the WORKS of the Believer - Works of Righteousness.
BUT CONSIDER SOME SCRIPTURES :
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Hebrews 1:1-3 Teach us that Jesus : " By Himself Purged Our Sins."
Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Revelation 1:5 Teaches us that Jesus Christ : " loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. "
I John 1:7 says that : " The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."
Romans 1:16 ¶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
I Corinthians 1:14 ¶ I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; 15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. 16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. 17 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.
These Scriptures Teach :
1. That No Human Being is Justified Before God by ANY KIND of Righteous Works at all AND that to Try to Be Justified by Our Deeds Frustrates the GRACE of God and Makes the Death of Jesus Pointless.
2. That Faith in the Death of Jesus Christ For Our Sins Provides the Believing Sinner with Saving Mercy and Grace, Cleansing from Sin, and a Spiritual Regeneration and Renewal.
3. That Faith in the Gospel ALONE has the Power to Save a Sinner.
4. That Baptism is NOT a Part of the Gospel Message that Saves.
*** Note : According to I Corinthians 15:1-4 the Gospel is the Message of the Death of Jesus Christ For Our Sins in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He was Buried, and that He Rose Again from the Grave on the Third Day in accordance with the Scriptures.
IS BAPTISM NECESSARY FOR SALVATION ?
A Very Important Question Must be Asked by All People who Desire to Be Forgiven for All their Sins and Go to Heaven when they Die. They Must be Willing to Ask : "WHAT IS THE TRUTH " Regarding Biblical Salvation ? I have Written Other Tracts that Deal with that Subject in Greater Detail, so the Reader may Understand that Subject more Fully through them. For the Purposes of this Tract I would Like to Deal with Whether Baptism is Necessary for Salvation or Not.
THINK ABOUT IT !
Paul said that the Gospel was the Power of God Unto Salvation to Everyone who BELIEVES. He also said that he Thanked God that he had Only Baptized a Few People in Corinth, because Christ had Not Sent him to Baptize - but to Preach the Gospel. Paul Makes a Distinction Between Baptism & the Gospel , so Salvation Can't Depend on Our Baptism. Also, Jesus Promised the Thief on the Cross that he would Go to Paradise & Be with Him that Very Day, but the Thief Died on the Cross without Ever having the Chance to Be Baptized. If Baptism is Required for Salvation, How Could Jesus Say that to the Thief ? Think About It !
IT DOES MATTER WHAT YOU BELIEVE !
It Really Does Matter What You Believe , because Jesus said Men's Worship Can Be " IN VAIN. " Consider :
Matthew 15:9 But IN VAIN they Do Worship Me , Teaching For Doctrines the Commandments of Men.
John 4:23 But the Hour Cometh, and Now Is, When TRUE WORSHIP- PERS Shall Worship the Father IN SPIRIT & IN TRUTH : For the Father SEEKETH SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM.
John 17:17 Sanctify them Through Thy Truth : THY WORD IS TRUTH .
John 12:48 Jesus Said : " He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him : the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. "
Revelation 19:11-16 Teach that Jesus Christ's Name IS " the WORD of God " and that His Name is also the : " KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. "
Jesus Christ IS the WORD of GOD !
When Men Refuse to Receive the Word of God and Choose - rather - to Receive the Doctrines and Rituals and Ceremonies of Men as their Sacred Commandments in Life , their Worship is Not True - But VAIN , and They will be Judged BY the Standard that is Given IN the BIBLE.
Sincerity in Worship
Sincerity in Worship DOES NOT GUARANTEE that a Man's Worship is Going to be Acceptable to God. It Must Pass the Test of Being Worship that is IN ACCORDANCE with the TRUTH of GOD'S WORD. All True Worshippers will Pass this Test. What God is Seeking is Men who will Bow their Hearts in a Spirit of Humility and Submission to His Word of TRUTH and to Approach Him In Worship BY FAITH IN HIS WORD. ANY OTHER WORSHIP is UNACCEPTABLE TO GOD !!! If an Individual Rejects the TRUTH of the Bible, He is Rejecting the Jesus of the Bible , AND God WILL REJECT Him !
RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH - ( II Timothy 2:15 )
In Order for a Church, a Denomination, or a Minister to Be APPROVED By God as a TRUE MESSENGER for HIM they Must be Willing to Study the Entire Bible and Be Able to Point the Way Down the Strait and Narrow Path. There are Verses in the Bible which can be Used to Mislead People and Steer them Out the Path of Conformity to the "Strait and Narrow." The Devil is a Master of Deception. We will Look at some of the Verses he Uses to Deceive People in this Area if You will Unfold this Tract.
NEW LIFE BAPTIST CHURCH
2676 N. FM 2980
Yorktown, TX 78164
Dr. Gary D. Hall - Pastor
Phone: (361) 564-3845
Visit Our Web Site at http://www.geocities.com/drghall2001
HERMENEUTICS
From the Very Beginning it Must be Established that there is a Scientific Method for Interpreting the Bible that has been Developed Over the Years which Enables Serious Students of the Bible to Interpret it Correctly, and it is Called Hermeneutics. Three of the MOST IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES of Biblical Hermeneutics state that :
1. The "Scriptures Cannot be Broken," so there Are NO Genuine Contradictions IN the Bible. AND another which is a Corollary to it
2. You Never Build a Doctrine Based on an Obscure Passage ( One which is Not Absolutely Clear as to It's Meaning ) that Contradicts a Doctrine which is Clearly Revealed in a Passage in which the Meaning Cannot be in Question.
3. Never Take a Scripture Out of It's Context in Order to Use It as a Proof Text , because a Scripture Out of It's Context Being Used as a Proof Text is a Pretext to Doctrinal Heresy.
Thus, the Unclear Passages are INTERPRETED BY the Clear Passages. We let the Bible Interpret Itself, because the Bible Is the Very Best Commentary on Itself.
If these Three Principles of Biblical Hermeneutics were Properly Applied, there would be No Problems with " SO MANY DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS " of the Bible.
When ANY PARTICULAR DOCTRINE or Subject in the Bible is Being Examined, it is ALWAYS MANDATORY that ALL of the Verses that Relate to that Subject are Carefully Studied In their Context and Compared Together in Order to Understand what is a little Left of Center and what is a little Right of Center. This is the Only Way to " Rightly Divide the Word of Truth. "
BAPTISMAL REGENERATION
The Term that Scholars and Theologians use to Describe the Concept that Baptism is Required for Salvation is Called Baptismal Regeneration. The Term Regenerate means to Give New Life.
MOST COMMON SCRIPTURES USED
The Three Most Common Scriptures that are Used to Justify the Belief in Baptismal Regeneration are listed here, but I Must Acknowledge that for the Purpose of Making this tract sort of "Bite Sized" I will Not be Able to Address them All Here. However, I will Address them in a Larger Booklet for Anyone who would Like to Study this Subject in More Depth.
1. Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
2. 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.
3. John 3:5 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.
Let Us Consider their Reasoning as Bereans - Acts 17:10-12.
*** Mark 16:16 -- He that Believeth and is Baptized Shall be Saved .
They Reason that the Scripture Clearly Teaches in this Passage that Faith & Baptism are Both Necessary for a Man to be Saved. If this were the Only thing God Ever Said on the Subject, then, this Teaching would be Correct. However, Notice the Words that they Usually Do Not Include from this Verse, and Remember that a Verse taken Out of Context is an Open Door to Misinterpreting the Scriptures. The Verse says : " He that Believeth & is Baptized shall be Saved ; but He that Believeth Not Shall be Damned." Notice: It is the Unbelief that Damns. Notice that God Did Not Say He that Believeth & Is Not Baptized shall be Damned. Salvation and Damna- tion are the Result of What a Man Believes (his Faith) - Not What he Does. What a Man Does or Does Not Do (his Works) is the RESULT of What he Believes.
Consider, John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Literally Dozens of Scriptures could be sited which Point to Faith as the Key and Do Not Mention Baptism. Then you add to that the Fact that Paul Specifically Stated that Baptism was Not a Primary Part of God's Purpose in His Calling as Apostle to the Gentiles and a Steward of the Mysteries of God in I Corinthians 1:14-17 ; Romans 11:13 ; & I Corinthinas 4:1 .
Someone may say : " Well, then What DOES the Lord Mean in Mark 16:16 ? "
What Kind of Explanation for that Verse IS CONSISTENT with the Rest of the Bible ?
The answer is Really Very Simple. Jesus EXPECTS that TRUE Believers will be Obedient to His Commands Matthew 28:19-20. The First Commandment that a New Disciple is to Submit to is Believer's Baptism. Baptism is a Public Testimony of a Man's Commitment to Follow Jesus. It's similar to a Wedding Band in a Marriage. IF we Understand that Principle, it is easy to Grasp what Jesus was Saying. If I say Whoever Exchanges His Wedding Vows with a Woman & Wears a Wedding Ring is Married. Is that True? Of Course it is - given that someone with the Authority before God & Men has Pronounced the Man & His Spouse "Husband & Wife." However, IS THE PUT- TING ON OF THE WEDDING BAND NECESSARY FOR THE MAN TO BE MARRIED? Have you Ever Heard of a Single Ring Wedding Ceremony ? Does that Mean that the One who Doesn't Wear the Ring is Not Married ? Of Course Not !!! Sometimes a Man has a Job working around Machinery that makes it Foolish to wear any kind of Rings at all, so He Gives His Wife a Ring but Doesn't Wear One Himself. This Does Not Make Him Unmarried Any More than a Man who has Never Gotten Baptized is Unsaved. The Issue is the Commitment Made in the Wedding Ceremony. The Issue is the Saving Faith in the Salvation of a Man's Soul. Baptism Follows Saving Faith Just Like a Wedding Band Follows the Exchanging of Vows, but it Isn't Necessary for a Man's Salvation Any More than a Wedding Band is Necessary for a Marriage to be Legitimate. Now, Think About that , because Otherwise, the Thief on the Cross Could Not have been Saved. He Never had a Chance to Get Baptized, so If You Believe that Baptism is Necessary for Salvation, then, Jesus was In Error. Now, Surely You Don't Believe that Do You ?! Would Jesus Contradict Himself ??? He was the Speaker in Both Luke 23:43 & Mark 16:16 Remember. The Contradiction is Between that Interpretation of Mark 16:16 & What Jesus Said in Luke 23 - Not in the Scriptures themselves. If One Interpretation Creates a Clear Contradiction, the Bible Student Must Go Back & Find the One Able to Reconcile All of the Passages.