As the title indicates, I have a challenge. I pray that those who hold to the "faith only" doctrine would consider the words here. It has been my experience that when the subject of the essentially of baptism comes up, the debate comes to a head. Those who hold to the doctrine of faith only insist that it is not essential and, when pressed, state that one can live their whole life and never be baptized and have a home in heaven with the Lord.
In this post I wish to challenge this idea. I will not be going about it in the usual way though. Most times the subject of remission of sins is the primary focus. Although it is important to have the proper understanding of that issue, it is not the focus of this challenge. The challenge of this article is to present the Biblical teaching of the importance of baptism from the stand point of being in Christ. The idea is that we find within scripture that there are certain things that a person receives from being in Christ and more importantly, how one gets into Christ. As we begin, I wish to focus on a number of items that a person receives when they are in Christ as opposed to being outside of Christ.
These are simple verses that I feel really need no extravagant amount of elaboration on my part.
1) II Timothy 2:10;
"Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in
Christ Jesus with eternal glory."
Here we find Paul indicating to Timothy, and us by application, where on finds salvation. As stated it
is found IN CHRIST JESUS. Salvation cannot be found outside of Christ Jesus.
2) II Corinthians 5:17;
"Therefore is any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things
all things become new."
Here again. Paul indicates an important part of those who are in Christ Jesus, they are a new man.
It is clear that one cannot be a new man outside of Christ, one must be in Christ to be the new man.
In order to understand the significance of this on only has to look at Eph. 2:11-13 in which Paul
describes the condition of those of the old man. In it he states that they are without God and more
importantly, they are still in the WORLD. What a sad condition for one to find themselves in, yet
those who are outside of Christ find themselves in this position.
3) Romans 8:1;
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit."
In order not to be condemned, on must be in Christ Jesus. Those who are outside of Christ Jesus
are in the condition of condemnation.
4) Romans 3:24;
" Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"
The word redemption is translated from the Greek word "apolutrosis" which has the meaning
of "forgiveness and justification, redemption as the result of expiation, deliverance from the quilt
of sins." (Vines Expository Dictionary pg.935). This redemption is found in Christ Jesus and not
outside of Him. Therefore it is only those that find themselves in Christ Jesus have this blessing.
5) Colassians 1:13-14;
" Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of his dear
Son; In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:"
From this text we find that it is only those who are in His dear Son who enjoy the forgiveness of sins.
Those who find themselves outside of His dear Son do not have the forgiveness of sins.
6) Ephesians 1:3;
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ:"
All spiritual blessing are only found in Christ. Every spiritual blessing we recieve are ours only
through our fellowship with Christ. Without that fellowship, there are no spiritual blessings. These
blessings would include those items that we have already mentioned. This is important for us to
understand in light of our discussion. If I am outside of Christ then I do not have fellowship with Him.
If I do not have fellowship with Him I cannot partake of the spiritual blessings that He offers, the
forgiveness of sins, salvation, hope, peace, etc... I am without God and I am still apart of the world.
From this short list we find that it is essential for one to be in Christ Jesus. It is only the person who finds themselves in Christ Jesus that can actually say that they have these things we have mentioned. Those who are outside of Christ Jesus do not have these items. It is essential to be in Christ Jesus.
So the question must be asked at this time, "How does one get into Christ Jesus in order to have the items discussed?" Let us let the Word of God answer this question for us. Romans 6:3-4;
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised form the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
I chose this verse because every resource that I have investigated this (personal contact or via documentation) understands that Paul is speaking of the water baptism. I refer you to the Southern Baptist Convention web site that proclaims this to be true. It states,
"Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord's Supper.
The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.
Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12." http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp
This being the case, we find our answer, we must be baptized into Christ in order to get into Christ and enjoy all the spiritual blessings that are found their. Baptism is not just symbolic in nature, it is much, much more. It is the act that puts one into Christ Jesus where one finds the forgiveness of sins, redemption, salvation, to become that new creature, etc... Galatians 3:27 confirms this when Paul wrote, "For as many of you as have been BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST have put on Christ." To be baptized into is a transition into some one or something. Paul identifies that someone, it is Christ. One must pass through the waters of baptism to get into Christ.
So what does this mean for those that accept the "faith only" doctrine? It means that it is false. If faith only gave us all the spiritual blessings that are in Chris Jesus (no verse in scripture makes this statement) then Paul lied about how one gets into Christ Jesus. If Paul lied, then the Holy Spirit of God lied since He was the one that inspired Paul to write Romans 6:3-4 and Galatians 3:27. If the Holy Spirit lied to Paul then God is a liar and cannot be trusted. If fact, if this be true, Christianity is a false religion and should be abandoned for the lie that it is. Or could it be that those who profess this doctrine be wrong in their interpretation of scripture.
So this is my challenge, if all the items that have been discussed here are only found in Christ Jesus and baptism is the only way to get into Christ Jesus, can one have salvation, forgiveness of sins, redemption, (which are only found in Christ Jesus) without being baptized? Is baptism essential to salvation?
I would like to leave you with something that I found on a local website for your consideration. It comes from the First Baptist Church of Richmond Hill's web site under the title of "How to become a Christian".
http://www.richmondhill.org/about-fbc-richmond-hill/how-to-become-a-christian/
In it you will find the phrase;
"So, now you know the basic steps to become a Christian. As a result, if you desire God’s gift of eternal life and fellowship with Him, you are as close as a sincere act of faith".
I have questioned the wording of this statement since it flies in the face of those who profess salvation by faith only and have not had a response as to why it is their. I would declare that that act of faith is submission to baptism so that one may have the forgiveness of sins, redemption, salvation that is found only in Christ Jesus. Baptism in water puts us in Christ Jesus.
Just discovered your website through some surfing. Very interesting site. Here's mine.
ReplyDeletewww.eternallifeseries.com. Check it out and leave a comment or two.