To the Reader
I
urge you to evaluate this paper on the merits of the Scriptures I have given
you, and not on tradition or on the teachings of men. I have given you a lot of
scripture, all in context--evaluate what the Bible says, not what men want it to
say. Also, do not be intimidated by men or their opinions.
There is no doubt in my mind, that salvation is
by Grace alone through faith in Christ alone, and that Water Baptism is a sign
and declaration of that relationship with Christ and is a first step of
obedience in the Christian life. Being baptized in water does not add one iota
to your salvation, and missing baptism in water for a valid reason will not
detract from your salvation. However, if someone is willful and will not be
water baptized in spite of understanding the scriptural instruction to do so,
then that person is giving evidence of a heart still bound by sin--in all
probability, such a person was never a believer. However, if someone thinks that
an act of a human being, be it water baptism or any other act, contributes in
any way to salvation, that person is stealing the glory and honor which go to
God alone, and is destroying grace--if you think a work contributed to your
salvation, you need to examine yourself to see whether or not you are indeed
saved This paper, which may someday become a
book, is written to examine an important theological question: “Is Baptism
Necessary for Salvation?” There are several different viewpoints on this
question.
Soli Deo Gloria--To God
Alone Be the Glory
Baptismal Regeneration--This
is the viewpoint of the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, some
Pentecostal sects (notably the anti-trinitarian United Pentecostal Church and
other “Jesus Only” groups), and pseudo-christian cult groups such as the
Mormons. Baptismal Regeneration is also the doctrinal stance of many teachers
and preachers within the Restoration Movement, sometimes called Campbellism
(from its founder, Alexander Campbell), whose members are mainly found in
churches called Churches of Christ or Independent Christian Churches. People who
hold to baptismal regeneration would argue that water baptism is an essential
part of salvation because, in their view, it is in the act or ceremony of water
baptism that we are born again.
Necessary Obedience--In
this view, baptism is a part of a process necessary for salvation. The several
steps of this process are: repentance, faith, confession, baptism, and perpetual
obedience in life. Some “Campbellites,” some Baptists, and some independent
evangelicals hold to this viewpoint.
Ultra-Dispensationalists and Quakers--deny
that water baptism is appropriate in this age. In their viewpoint, the Baptism
of the Spirit replaced water baptism, which was a transitory ordinance.
The Covenant View--Held
by conservative Lutherans, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Methodists, is
that baptism is the New Testament equivalent to circumcision, and should be
performed on new converts and on the infant children of believers as a sign of
the covenant.
The Common Evangelical View--This
view, held by the overwhelming majority of Bible-believing Christians, Baptists
in particular, is that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ceremonies, or
ordinances, given by Christ as signs and memorials to indicate inward realities.
As the Lord’s Supper is a remembrance and proclamation of the death of Christ on
the Cross and is an expression of the unity of the Body of Christ, Water Baptism
is a confession and declaration of the inward reality of salvation in the life
of a new convert.
As I examine this question, I
will confine the discussion to the common evangelical view of baptism in
contrast to any view which makes water baptism a necessary part of salvation.
Rather than spend much time examining the counterfeit views or quoting their
teachers, I will concentrate on demonstrating the teaching of Scripture. The
discussion, however, is only partly about Water Baptism--the real question is
“What is the Nature of Salvation?” Once we have answered that question, we can
understand the place of Water Baptism. This paper is organized into the
following chapters:
1. Proper Biblical Interpretation
2. Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)
3. Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
4. The Perseverance of the Saints
5. Holy Spirit Baptism
6. Water Baptism--The Form and Practice of the
Early Church
Chapter 1
Proper Biblical Interpretation
One of the great difficulties in
this or any doctrinal discussion is the issue of proper Biblical interpretation.
If we are discussing the Bible, we have to understand how to interpret it. It is
easy to make a proud declaration, “I let the Bible speak for itself.,” or “I let
the Bible interpret itself,” but all who interpret the Bible say something like
that, yet differ on many issues. All students of the Bible, no matter how
pristine they claim to be, use interpretative methods.
1.
The first issue in Biblical interpretation is, “What is your authority?”
There are several answers to this
question. This is really one of the most important questions, for if I have a
different authority base than another man, we are very unlikely to ever come to
agreement on anything. There are various answers to this question:
a. The Whole Bible, in the context of the
fully revealed “Faith Once Delivered,” and in view of the appropriate
interrelation between the Old and New Covenants, as revealed in the New
Testament.
This is the normal authority base
for conservative evangelicals, because we recognize that this is really the
authority base authorized by Jesus and used by the Apostles. Several facts stand
out in this regard:
(1) Jesus made it plain
that no part of the law was to be done away with until fulfilled
(Mat 5:17-19).
(2) The ceremonial and
sacrificial aspects of the Old Covenant temple worship were removed in the Cross
(the Book of Hebrews explains this).
(3) Circumcision and the dietary
laws are not ceremonial requirements for Christians. The dietary laws were
removed by Christ Himself in His vision to Peter, and this vision was confirmed
by the church council in Acts 15 and emphasized in Galatians and other epistles.
(4) Some of the prophecies of the
Old Covenant prophets were fulfilled in the ministry of Christ, but not all of
them, for many Old Testament prophecies refer to the second coming of Christ.
(5) The normal day of
worship was changed to Sunday by the apostles
(Acts 20:7).
(6) The cross removed the
barriers which had kept most gentiles (all but a very few proselytes) out of the
covenant (Eph 2:11 and
following).
(7) However, much of the Old
Testament remains authoritative. In fact, many of the most vital doctrines of
the faith are ONLY fully explained in the Old Testament.
(a) In the Old Testament
alone do we learn the full teaching of the attributes of God, in such passages
as Job 42:1-6, Isaiah
40,
and many of the
Psalms.
(b) In the Old Testament,
we learn much about the nature of sin itself--Paul, in his summary on the nature
and effects of sin in
Romans 3:9-20
quotes the O.T. profusely.
(c) In the Old Testament, we have
some of the most vital verses for understanding the nature of the Trinity and of
the Deity of Christ. The writer to the Hebrews, in his masterful exclamation of
the glories of Christ in Chapter 1, again, quotes the O.T. from several places.
(d) The gospel can be
preached from many places in the Old Testament. Jesus preached the gospel from
the O.T. AFTER His
resurrection
(Luk 24:25-27).
The apostles and prophets in the preached from the Old
Testament. In his declaration to Timothy about the Bible (quoted below) Paul was
speaking of the Old Testament, for the New was not even completed yet.
2 Tim 3:14
But you must continue in the things which you have
learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
2 Tim 3:15
and that from childhood you have known the Holy
Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith
which is in Christ Jesus.
2 Tim 3:16
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness,
2 Tim 3:17
that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good
work.
This is the normal authority base
for those in the Restoration Movement, known variously as Campbellites (for
their founder, Alexander Campbell), Church of Christ, Independent Christian
Churches, etc. They actually claim to recognize the entire Bible, but they
really will accept no scriptures from the Old Testament as having any authority
in any discussion, no matter what the context. In this viewpoint, they resemble
the teachings of the ancient gnostic heretic, Marcion, who subtracted from the
Bible in much the same manner as they.
Many cults and isms, and some
Pentecostal and Charismatic groups would be in this camp. Most evangelicals,
however, agree that the prohibition against adding to the last book of the Bible
written (Revelation) means that the canon (list of scriptural books) is closed,
and no divine revelation, spoken or written, may be added to the Bible we have.
Rev 22:18
For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the
prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the
plagues that are written in this book;
d. The Bible, plus some extra books, plus
the declarations of the church councils, plus the determinations of the
“doctors of the church,” plus the ex cathedra declarations of the Pope.
This, of course, is the Roman
Catholic position.
This is the position of many
evangelicals who are giving in to the first inroads of liberalism.
Rev 22:19
and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of
this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy
city, and from the things which are written in this book.
f. The Bible, minus anything I don’t
like--this is the common position of many people in pews.
2. There are several rules which I would
suggest for interpreting the Bible.
These rules are mainly derived
from the common rules of language, and are not themselves of any particular
authority, but I believe you will find they hold true.
You cannot rip a verse from its
immediate surroundings and make it say something it doesn’t mean. In any
language, words, phrases, and sentences mean what they mean in relation to the
words, phrases and sentences around them.
(1) The most important context is
the historical-grammatical context of a verse or passage. To whom was it
written? What is the internal context of the book or chapter? What is the topic
under discussion? What is the common linguistic meaning of the actual words
said?
(2) The second most
important context is “the analogy of the faith.” By that, I mean the sum total
of Biblical comment on any topic.
For example, a verse
(such as Jn 14:10)
may SEEM to teach, for instance, that Jesus the Messiah is
(NOT “The Lord of me and The God of me” (literal translation of
Jn 20:28),
but the analogy of the faith teaches us that Jesus is
“very God of very God.” In any passage that bears upon a doctrinal area, its
apparent meaning must be submitted to the test of the analogy of the faith. We
must, as Paul says, compare spiritual things with spiritual.
(1 Cor 2:13).
If I have forty verses that teach a particular thing, and
there are two or three verses which SEEM on the surface to contradict the forty,
then I really need to examine the two or three, not overthrow the forty.
If the plain sense of a verse
fits the test of context (including agreement with the general teaching of the
Bible on that subject) and definition, the plain sense is the right sense.
(1) What do the words mean in the
original? This is touchy, for a “little Greek or Hebrew is a dangerous thing.”
An original language dictionary may help, or it may hinder. In general, our more
conservative translations convey the literal meaning of the words very well,
especially the King James, New King James, and New American Standard
translations. Original language studies can clarify or amplify
meaning, but they will rarely change the meaning of the phrase in the common
English translations.
(2) In consideration of
definition, a linguistic test that is usually far more meaningful than original
language analysis is “how is a word used elsewhere in the Scriptures?”
(1) An “is” scripture is a
narrative, such as the historical accounts in the OT, or such as the historical
accounts in the gospels and Acts. An “is” scripture may contain didactic
elements, but is in the main an historical account. An “is” tells you what
happened or what was said, but does not often explain the meaning of the events
or statements.
(2) An “ought” scripture is
didactic, declarative, and explanatory. An “ought” makes statements and explains
the statements, often explaining prior events as well. Examples are the longer
discourses of the Lord, the sermons in Acts, and the epistles. You never
interpret an “ought” by an “is,” but rather, you explain the “is” by the
“ought.”
(In addition, there are the “do
what?” scriptures--”do what?” is an exclamatory expression in the Appalachian
dialect, which expresses exasperation and puzzlement at the event or statement
which generated the exclamatory reaction. “Do What?” scriptures would include
the Apocalypse and the obscure prophetic passages in the OT. Hermeneutically, I
am just very careful how I handle these passages, and tend not to make any
sweeping conclusions from them.)
Chapter 2
Sola Gratia
(Grace Alone)
Saved by Grace Eph 2:8-10
In
all the vastness of our world, in all of the diversity of religious beliefs,
there are only two essential types of belief, works and Grace. There seem to be
many differences between the world’s religions, but they are all essentially the
same--they all center around human works. All involve human beings accomplishing
a task or set of tasks to achieve a goal and receive a reward. The tasks may be
different, the goal may have differing names, and the reward may be called many
things (Heaven Paradise, Nirvana), but the principle underlying all of them is
the same--Quid Pro Quo, which is Latin for “this for that.” In the world’s
religions, salvation (righteousness, oneness with the Infinite, perfect
nothingness, or whatever is the term in a particular religion) is earned by what
one does. Unfortunately, within this group of religions based on human effort
are many species of religion that go by the name of Christianity.
True Bible Christianity, however,
“the faith once delivered to the saints,” is totally distinct from the world’s
religions in this area as in so many others. The thing that makes Christianity
far different from all other religions is the concept of Grace. To help us
understand the difference, we need to look at the at the two basic paradigms for
all religions. (A Paradigm is a model, an outline, a form that something takes,
that we can diagram to help us understand it.)
Paradigm #1: Works (Followed by most
religions, including much of “Christianity.”)
|
World
Religions
|
“Christian”
Version
|
|
We work our way to God, salvation, Nirvana,
Paradise |
In salvation, we are returned to where Adam was
before the Fall. |
|
God (or whatever represents deity) judges our
progress as we go along |
Even after “salvation,” We still have God as our
Judge |
|
Attainment of Godhood, salvation, Paradise,
Nirvana depends upon us |
Our will and our efforts determine whether or
not we go to heaven |
Paradigm #2: Salvation by Grace
(1) Salvation is 100 percent a
work of God--we are unable, because of our bondage to sin and rebellion, to do
anything meriting God’s favor.
(2) God reaches down to save
people--He conceived the plan, He sent His Son to accomplish the plan--He does
100% of the work.
(3) When we experience what
the Bible calls the New Birth
(Jn 3:3-8),
we are then SAVED, we pass from death to life
(Eph 2:1-6, Jn 5:24, 6:40, 6:47).
(4) As a part of the gift
of Salvation, we become adopted children of God
(Gal 3:26-4:7).
(5) When we sin, God deals
with us as a Father to a child
(Heb 12:4-8).
(6) God’s Grace and actions
are the determining factors in our salvation, even to include His working in our
lives to develop a lifestyle consistent with salvation.
(Eph 2:8-10, Phil. 2:12-13)
You might ask, “If this is
all a work of God, where do I fit in the process?” The answer is you must
believe, you must exercise faith
in Christ for salvation.
(Rom 10:9-13, Acts 16:30-31).
This exercise is not a work, however, because is involves
no ability on our part and no effort on our part. That is the hard thing to
understand about faith--it is not an action, it is a surrender, a throwing up of
the hands and saying, “I can do nothing in myself.”
The Grace of God is so
simple, yet so profound that it is beyond the greatest minds to fully
understand. It stands in opposition to the ideas that most of us have about
earning our way in the world, about people getting what they deserve, about
“fairness,” and about the independence of human beings. The best simple
definition this writer has ever heard for Grace is God’s Riches At
Christ’s Expense.
The meaning of Grace behind that simple explanation is one
of the most hated teachings in the world because it so totally undermines and
removes all traces of human pride. The Doctrine of Grace teaches that we are
totally unable to save ourselves, to help in our salvation, to do anything to
merit all or any part of our salvation, or to keep our salvation. We are saved
totally as an act of God’s will, and we do not deserve it in any way. Indeed,
those that are saved are equally (if not more) deserving of Hell as those who
actually go there! This is the most important first principle in understanding
Grace--no one in the entire human race deserves any consideration from God, we
are all rebels and sinners, and we all deserve Hell. Except for His own
redemption plan, God could rightfully have sent the entire human race to eternal
punishment long ago! The description Paul gives of believers before salvation
fits the entire human race if they are without Christ.
(1) God’s unmerited favor?
As A.W. Pink said, it is not just
unmerited favor that constitutes Grace--it is favor shown where there is
positive demerit. To show kindness to a stranger is not Grace, but to show
kindness to an enemy, that is Grace.
(2) G-R-A-C-E
God’s
Riches
At
Christ’s
Expense
(1) Spiritually dead sinners--
Eph 2:1
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and
sins,
(2) Servants of the enemy--
Eph 2:2
in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to
the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of
disobedience,
(3) Enemies of God by nature--1
Cor 2:14,
Romans 8:6-8
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set
on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the
flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of
God, for it is not even able to do so; and those who are in the flesh
cannot please God.
Eph 2:3
among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the
lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and
were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
Eph 2:4
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love
with which He loved us,
Eph 2:5
even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive
together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Eph 2:6
and raised us up together, and made us sit together in
the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Eph 2:7
that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding
riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 64:6-7
For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And
all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like
a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. And there is no one
who calls on Thy name, Who arouses himself to take hold of Thee; For Thou
hast hidden Thy face from us, And hast delivered us into the power of our
iniquities.
Romans 3:9-11
What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we
have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is
written, “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none
who understands, There is none who seeks for God;
- We were dead spiritually; we
were fit for nothing but wrath; we were rebels and in bondage to sin and
Satan.
- In the midst of that condition,
God saved us.
- We exercised faith, which
is itself a gift of God
(Jn 6:44-47), and
God blessed us with the greatest possible gift--eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Jn 5:24, 6:37-40).
- What is more, we can add
nothing to Grace. Before we were saved, we had nothing to contribute to the
process ( Rom
3:10-11, 1 Cor 2:14, Job 14:4, Jer. 13:23),
and During the New Birth experience, we add nothing to
it. Indeed, to try to add any human works to grace destroys grace.
Rom 11:5
Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant
according to the election of grace.
Rom 11:6
And if by grace, then it is no longer of works;
otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer
grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
Eph 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that
not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Eph 2:9
not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Eph 2:10
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for
good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Acts 15:11
“But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”
Acts 18:27
And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren
wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he
greatly helped those who had believed through grace;
Acts 20:24
“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my
life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry
which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace
of God.
Acts 20:32
“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word
of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance
among all those who are sanctified.
Rom 1:5
Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for
obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,
Rom 1:7
To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be
saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Rom 3:24
being justified freely by His grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Rom 4:4
Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace
but as debt.
Rom 4:16
Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to
grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those
who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who
is the father of us all
Rom 5:2
through whom also we have access by faith into this
grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 5:15
But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the
one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the
grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
Rom 6:14
For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are
not under law but under grace.
Rom 6:15
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but
under grace? Certainly not!
1 Cor 1:4
I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of
God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,
1 Cor 3:10
According to the grace of God which was given to me, as
a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it.
But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
1 Cor 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace
toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet
not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
2 Cor 1:12
For our boasting is this: the testimony of our
conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly
sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more
abundantly toward you.
Gal 1:6
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who
called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
Gal 1:15
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my
mother’s womb and called me through His grace,
Gal 2:9
and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be
pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and
Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and
they to the circumcised.
Gal 2:21
“I do not set aside the grace of God; for if
righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
Eph 1:6
to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has
made us accepted in the Beloved.
Eph 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
Eph 3:2
if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the
grace of God which was given to me for you,
Eph 3:7
of which I became a minister according to the gift of
the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
Eph 3:8
To me, who am less than the least of all the saints,
this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ,
Eph 4:7
But to each one of us grace was given according to the
measure of Christ’s gift.
2 Th 1:12
that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified
in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
2 Tim 1:9
who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not
according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was
given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,
2 Tim 2:1
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in
Christ Jesus.
Titus 2:11
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared
to all men,
Titus 3:7
that having been justified by His grace we should become
heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Heb 2:9
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the
angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by
the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
Heb 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Heb 12:15
looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of
bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
Heb 12:28
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot
be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with
reverence and godly fear.
Heb 13:9
Do not be carried about with various and strange
doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with
foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
1 Pet 1:10
Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and
searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
1 Pet 1:13
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and
rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the
revelation of Jesus Christ;
Chapter 3
Sola Fide (Faith
Alone)
What does the term “Justified”
mean? The Bible meaning of the word is to be totally blameless and totally
guiltless--to be able to stand before God clean and pure in every way. A play on
the word helps us to understand its meaning. If I am Justified, it is
Just-as-if-I’d never sinned, and Just-as-if-I’d always been holy and done the
right things. Remember our helpless position before God--as “children of Wrath,”
we are unable to satisfy God--all His lovely and perfect Law can do is condemn
us.
Rom 3:19
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those
who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world
may become guilty before God.
Rom 3:20
Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be
justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Our Father, however, has devised
a plan and made a way for us to stand righteous before Him. He has sent His own
Son as a Sacrifice on our behalf, (chapter 5) and those who believe in Him shall
have everlasting life, and shall be seen as righteous in God’s sight.
Rom 3:21
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is
revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Rom 3:22
even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus
Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
Rom 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Rom 3:24
being justified freely by His grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Rom 3:25
whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood,
through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance
God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
Rom 3:26
to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness,
that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Rom 3:27
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of
works? No, but by the law of faith.
Rom 3:28
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith
apart from the deeds of the law.
This righteousness we receive is
imputed righteousness--that is a theological term which means righteousness is
put to our account, just like a deposit put in our bank account by someone else.
God legally declares us to be righteous, and puts that on our record in Heaven.
Rom 4:1
What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found
according to the flesh?
Rom 4:2
For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something
to boast about, but not before God.
Rom 4:3
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God,
and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
Rom 4:4
Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace
but as debt.
Rom 4:5
But to him who does not work but believes on Him who
justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
Rom 4:6
just as David also describes the blessedness of the man
to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
Rom 4:7
“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And
whose sins are covered;
Rom 4:8
Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute
sin.”
The illustration on the next page
shows a ledger, an account book. In order for you to understand the principle,
do the following things:
(1) Write your name by the words
“Account Holder.”
(2) Using a black or blue pen,
under the column labeled “Sins on Account,” write some of your known sins--don’t
be bashful, put several in. Then imagine how many pages the real account is!
(3) You can’t put anything
in the column that says “Good Works Done,” because you have none
(Is 64:6).
(4) Now take a different
pen--a bright RED one, and across the “Sins on Account” column, write in large
letters, “Paid for by
Christ’s Blood!”
(5) Under the “Good Works Done”
column, write again in RED, “Supplied by the Righteousness of Christ.”
|
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|
Eternal
Account
|
|
Account Holder: _______________________ |
|
GOOD WORKS DONE |
SINS ON ACCOUNT |
|
1 |
1 |
|
2 |
2 |
|
3 |
3 |
|
4 |
4 |
|
5 |
5 |
|
6 |
6 |
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7 |
7 |
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8 |
8 |
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9 |
9 |
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10 |
10 |
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11 |
11 |
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12 |
12 |
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13 |
13 |
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14 |
14 |
And how does one come to this
faith? it happens when the lost person hears the preaching of the word and
places his or her faith in Christ, and confesses that faith before others.
Rom 10:8
But what does it say? “The word
is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith
which we preach):
Rom 10:9
that if you confess with your
mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from
the dead, you will be saved.
Rom 10:10
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11
For the Scripture says, “Whoever
believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
Rom 10:12
For there is no distinction
between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call
upon Him.
Rom 10:13
For “whoever calls on the name of
the LORD shall be saved.”
Rom 10:14
How then shall they call on Him
in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom
they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15
And how shall they preach unless
they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who
preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
Rom 10:16
But they have not all obeyed the
gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”
Rom 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God.
This is Justification, to stand
before God with all accounts paid, and clothed in the righteousness of His only
Son, Jesus Christ. To be able know that you have “peace with God”--there is no
more war between you and the Almighty.
(Rom 5:1).
Taken together, the concepts
of Grace and Justification by Faith show the uniqueness of the Christian
doctrine of Salvation. It is like the exclamation of Jonah--”Salvation is of the
LORD!”
(Jonah 2:9, KJV).
The message of Grace is God Saves
Sinners. It is His Plan, it was His Son who died and rose again, it is His
Spirit who enlivens the preaching and witness of believers to awaken sinners to
their need of salvation and lead them to faith in Christ. Three of the
watchwords of the revival of Biblical preaching known as the Reformation were: Sola
Fide (Faith alone), Sola Gratia (Grace alone),
and
Sola Christi (Christ alone).
These Latin terms describe God’s
salvation plan in a nutshell--He has done it all, and we can claim no credit for
ourselves. The result of this wonderful outpouring of His love is our salvation,
and that results further in the fourth watchword:
Soli Deo Gloria (The Glory to God alone).
There are many other verses
which help us understand more about faith and salvation. Some are listed below.
John 1:12
But as many as received Him, to
them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in
His name:
John 1:13
who were born, not of blood, nor
of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 3:14
“And as Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
John 3:15
“that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:18
“He who believes in Him is not
condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has
not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:36
“He who believes in the Son has
everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life,
but the wrath of God abides on him.”
John 5:24
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he
who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and
shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
John 6:29
Jesus answered and said to them,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
John 6:35
And Jesus said to them, “I am the
bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in
Me shall never thirst.
John 6:36
“But I said to you that you have
seen Me and yet do not believe.
John 6:37
“All that the Father gives Me
will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
John 6:38
“For I have come down from
heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
John 6:39
“This is the will of the Father
who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should
raise it up at the last day.
John 6:40
“And this is the will of Him who
sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have
everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:41
The Jews then complained about
Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.”
John 6:42
And they said, “Is not this
Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then
that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
John 6:43
Jesus therefore answered and said
to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves.
John 6:44
“No one can come to Me unless the
Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:45
“It is written in the prophets,
‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and
learned from the Father comes to Me.
John 6:46
“Not that anyone has seen the
Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.
John 6:47
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he
who believes in Me has everlasting life.
John 7:38
“He who believes in Me, as the
Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
John 9:35
Jesus heard that they had cast
him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the
Son of God?”
John 11:25
Jesus said to her, “I am the
resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he
shall live.
John 11:26
“And whoever lives and believes
in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
John 12:36
“While you have the light,
believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus
spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.
John 12:44
Then Jesus cried out and said,
“He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.
John 12:46
“I have come as a light into the
world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.
John 14:1
“Let not your heart be troubled;
you believe in God, believe also in Me.
John 14:12
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he
who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works
than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
John 20:29
Jesus said to him, “Thomas,
because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not
seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:31
but these are written that you
may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you
may have life in His name.
Acts 10:43
“To Him all the prophets witness
that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of
sins.”
Acts 15:9
“and made no distinction between
us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Acts 16:31
So they said, “Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Acts 20:21
“testifying to Jews, and also to
Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 9:33
As it is written: “Behold, I lay
in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him
will not be put to shame.”
Rom 10:4
For Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Gal 2:16
“knowing that a man is not
justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have
believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and
not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be
justified.
Gal 3:1
O foolish Galatians! Who has
bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus
Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?
Gal 3:2
This only I want to learn from
you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing
of faith?
Gal 3:3
Are you so foolish? Having begun
in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?
Gal 3:4
Have you suffered so many things
in vain; if indeed it was in vain?
Gal 3:5
Therefore He who supplies the
Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of
the law, or by the hearing of faith?;
Gal 3:6
just as Abraham “believed God,
and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
Gal 3:7
Therefore know that only those
who are of faith are sons of Abraham.
Gal 3:8
And the Scripture, foreseeing
that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham
beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.”
Gal 3:9
So then those who are of faith
are blessed with believing Abraham.
Gal 3:10
For as many as are of the works
of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who
does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to
do them.”
Gal 3:11
But that no one is justified by
the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”
Gal 3:12
Yet the law is not of faith, but
“the man who does them shall live by them.”
Gal 3:13
Christ has redeemed us from the
curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed
is everyone who hangs on a tree”),
Gal 3:14
that the blessing of Abraham
might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the
promise of the Spirit through faith.
Gal 3:15
Brethren, I speak in the manner
of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one
annuls or adds to it.
Gal 3:16
Now to Abraham and his Seed were
the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of
one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.
Gal 3:17
And this I say, that the law,
which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant
that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise
of no effect.
Gal 3:18
For if the inheritance is of the
law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Gal 3:19
What purpose then does the law
serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to
whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand
of a mediator.
Gal 3:20
Now a mediator does not mediate
for one only, but God is one.
Gal 3:21
Is the law then against the
promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which
could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
Gal 3:22
But the Scripture has confined
all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to
those who believe.
Gal 3:23
But before faith came, we were
kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be
revealed.
Gal 3:24
Therefore the law was our tutor
to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25
But after faith has come, we are
no longer under a tutor.
Gal 3:26
For you are all sons of God
through faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27
For as many of you as were
baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you
are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:29
And if you are Christ’s, then you
are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Eph 1:12
that we who first trusted in
Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
Eph 1:13
In Him you also trusted, after
you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also,
having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14
who is the guarantee of our
inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise
of His glory.
Eph 3:17
that Christ may dwell in your
hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
Phil 3:9
and be found in Him, not having
my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith
in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
1 Tim 1:16
However, for this reason I
obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering,
as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
2 Tim 3:15
and that from childhood you have
known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation
through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
1 Pet 2:6
Therefore it is also contained in
the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
1 Pet 2:7
Therefore, to you who believe, He
is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders
rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,”
2 Pet 1:1
Simon Peter, a bondservant and
apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with
us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
1 John 3:23
And this is His commandment: that
we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another,
as He gave us commandment.
1 John 5:4
For whatever is born of God
overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world;
our faith.
1 John 5:5
Who is he who overcomes the
world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 5:10
He who believes in the Son of God
has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar,
because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.
1 John 5:13
These things I have written to
you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you
have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the
Son of God.
Chapter 4
The Perseverance of the Saints
John 10:26-30
Introductory Thoughts
The doctrinal area we now enter
is too often one of “sound bite” slogans--”Once Saved, Always Saved,” and
“Falling From Grace.” It is also an area where extreme viewpoints tend to
dominate, and where sober exegesis and doctrinal study are often subject to
party theological lines rather than to what the Word of God really says. The
real question we examine here is this: “Is it possible for a person who has been
truly saved to lose their salvation?” I will tell you up front that the
resounding Biblical answer is “NO!” The problem is, that this real question is
lost in a fog of doctrinal misunderstandings, misrepresentations, and deviations
from the subject, and both “sides” of this debate are guilty of these
theological errata.
This doctrinal area is one where
great care must be used to avoid giving false security, while at the same time
giving encouragement to the weak brother or sister.
Much of what has been written,
preached, and taught in favor of Perseverance (Eternal Security) is dangerous,
because it is incomplete, and can lead to a false sense of security.
This false sense of security,
combined with what is often in our day a very shallow and incomplete
presentation of the gospel, leads to apostasy on a grand scale by those who were
never truly saved. These false believers don’t understand salvation, they don’t
have salvation, but they have made a profession of faith, and probably have
identified with a local congregation.
Moreover, much of what is
written and taught against the doctrine of Perseverance does not address the
Biblical doctrine of Perseverance, but those who oppose Perseverance build up a
false “straw man” doctrine to tear down. Unfortunately, there are those who
preach and teach doctrines too close to the “straw man” for comfort. There
really is such a thing as a false doctrine of eternal security. There really is
such a thing as “carnal security” or “hell insurance”
(1) Salvation is 100 percent a
work of God--we are unable, because of our bondage to sin and rebellion, to do
anything meriting God’s favor.
(2) God reaches down to save
people--He conceived the plan, He sent His Son to accomplish the plan--He does
100% of the work.
(3) When we experience what the
Bible calls the New Birth
(Jn 3:3-8),
we are then SAVED, we pass from
death to life (Eph 2:1-6, Jn
5:24, 6:40, 6:47).
John 5:24
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he
who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and
shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
John 6:47
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he
who believes in Me has everlasting life.
(4) As a part of the gift of
Salvation, we become adopted children of God
(Gal 3:26-4:7).
5) When we sin, God deals with
us as a Father to a child ((Heb
12:4-8).
(6) God’s Grace and actions are
the determining factors in our salvation, even to include His working in our
lives to develop a lifestyle consistent with salvation. (Eph
2:8-10, Phil. 2:12-13)
James 1:18
Of His own will He brought us
forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His
creatures.
1 Pet 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us
again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead,
1 Pet 1:22
Since you have purified your
souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the
brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
1 Pet 1:23
having been born again, not of
corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and
abides forever,
Titus 3:5
not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the
washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
Titus 3:6
whom He poured out on us
abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
John 1:13
Which were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 3:8
The wind bloweth where it
listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it
cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
- (c) The New Birth is a change of heart and a
resurrection of our spirit
Eph 2:4
But God, who is rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us,
Eph 2:5
even when we were dead in
trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been
saved),
Eph 2:6
and raised us up together, and
made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
John 5:21
“For as the Father raises the
dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.
John 5:22
“For the Father judges no one,
but has committed all judgment to the Son,
John 5:23
“that all should honor the Son
just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor
the Father who sent Him.
John 5:24
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he
who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and
shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
John 5:25
“Most assuredly, I say to you,
the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son
of God; and those who hear will live.
John 5:26
“For as the Father has life in
Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,
Ezek 36:26
“I will give you a new heart and
put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your
flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezek 36:27
“I will put My Spirit within you
and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do
them.
Rom 8:9
But you are not in the flesh but
in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does
not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
Rom 8:10
And if Christ is in you, the body
is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Rom 8:11
But if the Spirit of Him who
raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead
will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in
you.
Rom 8:15
For you did not receive the
spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by
whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
Rom 8:16
The Spirit Himself bears witness
with our spirit that we are children of God,
Gal 4:4
But when the fullness of the time
had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
Gal 4:5
to redeem those who were under
the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Gal 4:6
And because you are sons, God has
sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba,
Father!”
Gal 4:7
Therefore you are no longer a
slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Gal 5:16
I say then: Walk in the Spirit,
and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17
For the flesh lusts against the
Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one
another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Isa 32:17
The work of righteousness will be
peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
Rom 5:1
Therefore, having been justified
by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Rom 5:2
through whom also we have access
by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory
of God.
(1) Undeserved Grace--Eph
2:1-3
(2) Unsought Grace--”and That not of
yourselves...”
Isaiah 64:6-7
For all of us have become like
one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;
And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us
away. And there is no one who calls on Thy name, Who arouses himself to take
hold of Thee; For Thou hast hidden Thy face from us, And hast delivered us
into the power of our iniquities.
Romans 3:9-11
What then? Are we better than
they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are
all under sin; as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one;
There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God;
(3) Amazing Grace--Eph
2:8-9
(4) Lasting Grace--Eph
2:10
(1) Sheep don’t become goats
(2) Children don’t become non-children
2. The evidences of salvation--growth,
fruit, and perseverance
2 Pet 1:5
But also for this very reason,
giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
2 Pet 1:6
to knowledge self-control, to
self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
2 Pet 1:7
to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
2 Pet 1:8
For if these things are yours and
abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Pet 1:9
For he who lacks these things is
shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from
his old sins.
2 Pet 1:10
Therefore, brethren, be even more
diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you
will never stumble;
2 Pet 1:11
for so an entrance will be
supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
2 Pet 1:12
For this reason I will not be
negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are
established in the present truth.
2 Pet 3:14
Therefore, beloved, looking
forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without
spot and blameless;
2 Pet 3:15
and consider that the
longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; as also our beloved brother Paul,
according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
2 Pet 3:16
as also in all his epistles,
speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to
understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own
destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
2 Pet 3:17
You therefore, beloved, since you
know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness,
being led away with the error of the wicked;
2 Pet 3:18
but grow in the grace and
knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now
and forever. Amen.
John 10:26
But ye believe not, because ye
are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
John 10:27
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
John 10:28
And I give unto them eternal
life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of
my hand.
John 10:29
My Father, which gave them me, is
greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
1 Pet 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten
us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead,
1 Pet 1:4
To an inheritance incorruptible,
and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1 Pet 1:5
Who are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Rom 8:28
And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called
according to his purpose.
Rom 8:29
For whom he did foreknow, he also
did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be
the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30
Moreover whom he did
predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Rom 8:31
What shall we then say to these
things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32
He that spared not his own Son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give
us all things?
Rom 8:33
Who shall lay any thing to the
charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
Rom 8:34
Who is he that condemneth? It is
Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right
hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Rom 8:35
Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36
As it is written, For thy sake we
are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37
Nay, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38
For I am persuaded, that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39
Nor height, nor depth, nor any
other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Cor 1:4
I thank my God always on your
behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
1 Cor 1:5
That in every thing ye are
enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
1 Cor 1:6
Even as the testimony of Christ
was confirmed in you:
1 Cor 1:7
So that ye come behind in no
gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
1 Cor 1:8
Who shall also confirm you unto
the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Cor 1:9
God is faithful, by whom ye were
called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
a. A false professor may have
assurance, because he or she has been deceived
b. A true believer may NOT have
assurance, either because of a tender conscience, lack of good teaching, or
unresolved sin issues.
5. What do the warnings mean?
1 John 2:18
Little children, it is the last
hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many
antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they
were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with
us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them
were of us.
Jude 1:4
For certain men have crept in
unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men,
who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and
our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:5
But I want to remind you, though
you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land
of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
Jude 1:6
And the angels who did not keep
their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in
everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
Chapter 5
Holy Spirit Baptism
One of the key concepts missed
by many in the baptism/salvation discussion is a proper understanding of the
Baptism of the Holy Spirit. I am not going to address the different views about
the baptism with reference to spiritual gifts, tongues, etc., that is a topic
for another time. However, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in general is one of
the most important teachings of the New Testament, and it bears heavily on this
discussion, because much of the confusion about Biblical references to baptism
and salvation arises from people taking verses and passages which speak of
Spirit Baptism and applying those passages to water baptism. There are several
Biblical facts which we need to examine here:
- The outpouring, or baptism, of
the Holy Spirit was predicted in the Old Testament in several places: The
Baptism in the Holy Spirit was defined by John the Baptizer, the forerunner
of Jesus Christ, as being a distinctive part of the ministry of Christ.
Indeed, the baptism of water was contrasted with the baptism in the
Spirit.Christ promised the outpouring, or baptism, of the Spirit to His
disciples:
The initial outpouring
came on the day of pentecost, and there were other outpourings in the books
of Acts. Some of these outpourings came to those who had been baptized in
water, and some came to those who had not yet been baptized in water.In
discussing the ministry of the Spirit in the Body of Christ (the church)
Paul made it plain to the Corinthians that it was Spirit Baptism which
placed them in Christ.
1.The outpouring, or baptism, of the Holy
Spirit was predicted in the Old Testament in several places:
Isa 44:3
For I will pour water on him who
is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your
descendants, And My blessing on your offspring;
Joel 2:28
“And it shall come to pass
afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men
shall see visions.
Joel 2:29
And also on My menservants and on
My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
Zec 12:10
“And I will pour on the house of
David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and
supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will
mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one
grieves for a firstborn.
2. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit was
defined by John the Baptizer, the forerunner of Jesus Christ, as being a
distinctive part of the ministry of Christ. Indeed, the baptism of water was
contrasted with the baptism in the Spirit.
Mat 3:11
“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after
me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Mark 1:8
“I indeed baptized you with
water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Luke 3:16
John answered, saying to all, “I
indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose
sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit and fire.
John 1:32
And John bore witness, saying, “I
saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.
John 1:33
“I did not know Him, but He who
sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit
descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy
Spirit.’
3. Christ promised the outpouring, or
baptism, of the Spirit to His disciples:
Luke 24:49
“Behold, I send the Promise of My
Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued
with power from on high.”
Acts 1:5
“for John truly baptized with
water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from
now.”
4. The initial outpouring came on the day of
pentecost, and there were other outpourings in the books of Acts. Some of
these outpourings came to those who had been baptized in water, and some
came to those who had not yet been baptized in water.
Acts 2:1
When the Day of Pentecost had
fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Acts 2:2
And suddenly there came a sound
from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house
where they were sitting.
Acts 2:3
Then there appeared to them
divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
Acts 2:4
And they were all filled with the
Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance.
Acts 8:15
who, when they had come down,
prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:16
For as yet He had fallen upon
none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 8:17
Then they laid hands on them, and
they received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 10:44
While Peter was still speaking
these words,
the Holy Spirit fell upon
all those who heard the word.
Acts 10:45
And those of the circumcision who
believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of
the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
Acts 10:47
“Can anyone forbid water, that
these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we
have?”
Acts 11:15
“And as I began to speak, the
Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.
Acts 11:16
“Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized
with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
Acts 19:1
And it happened, while Apollos
was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to
Ephesus. And finding some disciples
Acts 19:2
he said to them, “Did you receive
the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so
much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
Acts 19:3
And he said to them, “Into what
then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
Acts 19:4
Then Paul said, “John indeed
baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should
believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
Acts 19:5
When they heard this, they were
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 19:6
And when Paul had laid hands on
them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and
prophesied.
5. In discussing the ministry of the Spirit
in the Body of Christ (the church) Paul made it plain to the Corinthians
that it was Spirit Baptism which placed them in Christ.
1 Cor 12:1
Now concerning spiritual gifts,
brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:
1 Cor 12:2
You know that you were Gentiles,
carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.
1 Cor 12:3
Therefore I make known to you
that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one
can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
1 Cor 12:4
There are diversities of gifts,
but the same Spirit.
1 Cor 12:5
There are differences of
ministries, but the same Lord.
1 Cor 12:6
And there are diversities of
activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
1 Cor 12:7
But the manifestation of the
Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
1 Cor 12:8
for to one is given the word of
wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same
Spirit,
1 Cor 12:9
to another faith by the same
Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
1 Cor 12:10
to another the working of
miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another
different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
1 Cor 12:11
But one and the same Spirit works
all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
1 Cor 12:12
For as the body is one and has
many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one
body, so also is Christ.
1 Cor 12:13
For by one Spirit we were all
baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free; and
have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
6. Therefore we understand that when baptism
is talked about in the Bible, there is a way to distinguish between water
baptism and Spirit Baptism in those scriptures which do not specifically
tell which type is being discussed. That way is this: if the passage is
talking about being placed into Christ, then it is talking about Spirit
Baptism, not Water Baptism, for Spirit Baptism is how we are placed into
Christ. In the following passage in Romans 6, for example, it is obvious
that the context is being placed into Christ and the passage dwells on the
believer’s identification with Christ, with His death, and with His
resurrection. In this passage, the believer is not baptized into WATER, but
into the death of Christ.
Rom 6:1
What shall we say then? Shall we
continue in sin that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2
Certainly not! How shall we who
died to sin live any longer in it?
Rom 6:3
Or do you not know that as many
of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
Rom 6:4
Therefore we were buried with Him
through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by
the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5
For if we have been united
together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the
likeness of His resurrection,
“...we have been united
together in the likeness of His death...”
This phrase is taken by them to
mean burial, or immersion in water. I marvel that anyone really thinks that is
true--for Christ’s death happened NOT in the tomb, when He was buried, but His
death took place ON THE CROSS! Water Baptism bears no resemblance whatsoever to
His death! The likeness of His death is when we realize that our old man has
been crucified with Him, and that sin therefore has no dominion over us--which
is the subject of this entire chapter! (See verses 1 and 2 again). The likeness
of His death is when we recognize and account ourselves as dead and live only
for Christ.
Rom 6:6
knowing this, that our old man
was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that
we should no longer be slaves of sin.
Rom 6:7
For he who has died has been
freed from sin.
Rom 6:8
Now if we died with Christ, we
believe that we shall also live with Him,
Rom 6:9
knowing that Christ, having been
raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.
This, of course, accords with
what Paul also says in Galatians--
Gal 2:20
“I have been crucified with
Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life
which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved
me and gave Himself for me.
Col 2:9
For in Him dwells all the
fullness of the Godhead bodily;
Col 2:10
and you are complete in Him, who
is the head of all principality and power.
Col 2:11
In Him you were also circumcised
with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the
sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
Col 2:12
buried with Him in baptism, in
which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who
raised Him from the dead.
(I defy anyone to demonstrate how to baptize in
water “without hands...”)
Col 2:13
And you, being dead in your
trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together
with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
Titus 3:5
not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the
washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
Titus 3:6
whom He poured out on us
abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
It is not water that is used in this baptism, it
is the Spirit who is poured out and washes us in regenerating power.
1 Pet 3:18
For Christ also suffered once for
sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to
death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,
1 Pet 3:19
by whom also He went and preached
to the spirits in prison,
1 Pet 3:20
who formerly were disobedient,
when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark
was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through
water.
1 Pet 3:21
There is also an antitype which
now saves us; baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the
answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ,
Water Baptism
The Form and Practice of
The Early Church
We have looked at the nature of
salvation as being by God’s Grace alone through faith in Christ alone. We have
shown that salvation is therefore eternal because of its very nature, and we
have briefly examined the concept of Holy Spirit Baptism, which was in integral
result of Christ’s mission on earth. We have learned how to distinguish between
the two types of Baptism in scripture. Having done that, we can examine the
concept of Water Baptism, and its place in the outer ceremonial life of the
church. Christ gave the church two ceremonies, The Lord’s Supper and Baptism,
and they are very similar in purpose and meaning. Therefore, in order to fully
understand the concept of Water Baptism, we must first look at the Supper.
Mat 26:17-:30
Mark 14:22-24
Luke 22:19-20
John 13--whole chapter
Acts 2:42
And they continued steadfastly in
the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in
prayers.
Acts 2:46
So continuing daily with one
accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their
food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
Acts 2:47
praising God and having favor
with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were
being saved.
Acts 20:7
Now on the first day of the week,
when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the
next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.
1 Cor 10:16
The cup of blessing which we
bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we
break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
1 Cor 10:17
For we, though many, are one
bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.
1 Cor 10:21
You cannot drink the cup of the
Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of
the table of demons.
1 Cor 11:17
Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come
together not for the better but for the worse.
1 Cor 11:18
For first of all, when you come
together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part
I believe it.
1 Cor 11:19
For there must also be factions
among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.
1 Cor 11:20
Therefore when you come together
in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.
1 Cor 11:21
For in eating, each one takes his
own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk.
1 Cor 11:22
What! Do you not have houses to
eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who
have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not
praise you.
1 Cor 11:23
For I received from the Lord that
which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in
which He was betrayed took bread;
1 Cor 11:24
and when He had given thanks, He
broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do
this in remembrance of Me.”
1 Cor 11:25
In the same manner He also took
the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood.
This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
1 Cor 11:26
For as often as you eat this
bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
1 Cor 11:27
Therefore whoever eats this bread
or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the
body and blood of the Lord.
1 Cor 11:28
But let a man examine himself,
and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
1 Cor 11:29
For he who eats and drinks in an
unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the
Lord’s body.
1 Cor 11:30
For this reason many are weak and
sick among you, and many sleep.
1 Cor 11:31
For if we would judge ourselves,
we would not be judged.
1 Cor 11:32
But when we are judged, we are
chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
1 Cor 11:33
Therefore, my brethren, when you
come together to eat, wait for one another.
1 Cor 11:34
But if anyone is hungry, let him
eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in
order when I come.
d. From these verses we learn many things,
but as to the meaning, power, and significance of the Supper, we see the
following:
(1) It is a memorial--it is done
in memory of the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross--11:24-25
(2) It is a proclamation of the
Cross--11:26
(3) There is no mystical power
or grace conferred in the ceremony of the Supper--it is a memorial and a
proclamation. It is significant in the life of the church, and it is to be
celebrated, because Christ commanded so, but it confers no piece nor part of
salvation.
If we want to know what our
practice as a church should be, we need only to look at the command given by
Christ and at the practice followed by the first churches.
John 3:22
After these things Jesus and His
disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and
baptized.
John 4:1
Therefore, when the Lord knew
that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples
than John
John 4:2
(though Jesus Himself did not
baptize, but His disciples),
Mat 28:19
“Go therefore and make disciples
of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit,
Acts 2:41
Then those who gladly received
his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added
to them.
Acts 8:12
But when they believed Philip as
he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus
Christ, both men and women were baptized.
Acts 8:13
Then Simon himself also believed;
and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing
the miracles and signs which were done.
Acts 8:36
Now as they went down the road,
they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What
hinders me from being baptized?”
Acts 8:37
Then Philip said, “If you believe
with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
Acts 8:38
So he commanded the chariot to
stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he
baptized him.
Acts 9:18
Immediately there fell from his
eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose
and was baptized.
Acts 10:46
For they heard them speak with
tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,
Acts 10:47
“Can anyone forbid water, that
these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we
have?”
Acts 10:48
And he commanded them to be
baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
Acts 16:14
Now a certain woman named Lydia
heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who
worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.
Acts 16:15
And when she and her household
were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful
to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.
Acts 16:33
And he took them the same hour of
the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family
were baptized.
Acts 18:8
Then Crispus, the ruler of the
synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the
Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.
Acts 18:25
This man had been instructed in
the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught
accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John.
Acts 19:4
Then Paul said, “John indeed
baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should
believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
Acts 19:5
When they heard this, they were
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
The controversial
verses and their meanings.
So far, we have learned the following things about the
controversy surrounding salvation and baptism:
a. Salvation is by Grace
alone Through Faith alone, not in any measure by human works.
b. Holy Spirit
Baptism is the subject of many of the verses in the Bible which refer to
Baptism, particularly those verses which refer to being placed into Christ,
or into the body of Christ (the church).
c. There is a simple way to
distinguish which baptism is being discussed in a verse.
d. The other ordinance, or
ceremony, which Christ gave the church, the Supper, is a memorial which
demonstrates or proclaims a reality which is separate from the ceremony
itself.
e. Water Baptism is to be
practiced by the church as a ceremony commanded by Christ and exemplified by
the early church.
f. This leaves us with a
few verses harder to understand, which are alleged by some people to
overthrow the clear teachings of the many verses we have already given you.
It is not easy to determine the exact meaning of these verses, but based on
the MANY verses given above, it is easy to say what they do not mean.
Because human works cannot
contribute one iota to salvation, these verses cannot mean that the ceremony of
Baptism has any saving power. Manifestly, the clear message of the dozens of
scriptures given above cannot be twisted by the few harder to understand verses
given below.
Mark 16:16
“He who believes and is baptized
will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
The proper understanding of this
verse, in the light of the many clear verses which teach the nature of salvation
is:
a. The normal evidence of a
changed heart is obedience, and will normally be first evidenced by
following the Lord in water baptism.
b. Someone who does not
believe is lost--of course, this is well known by believers.
c. The Scripture above does
NOT say that anyone skipping baptism would be lost--which Mark could easily
have said, had the Holy Spirit so desired.
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, “Repent,
and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Peter is not here giving a
detailed explanation of the way of salvation--he gives the convicted hearers a
set of valid instructions--remember, this was the first mass evangelism of the
New Testament era, and Peter was setting the pattern--confession of Christ and
salvation, followed by the first act of obedience, Water Baptism.
Acts 22:16
‘And now why are you waiting?
Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the
Lord.’
Again, Paul is not here giving a
theological dissertation--he is telling the gathered assembly of great people
what transpired during the beginning of his Christian life. He is quoting
Ananias, the messenger sent to him. Indeed, Paul figuratively washed his
sins away in water baptism, just as do all believers, but there is not evidence
of any deeper meaning here. If, indeed, water baptism was so vital, Paul would
no doubt have included it in his discussions of salvation in Romans and
Ephesians--he did not do so.
Indeed, it might behoove those
who think there is saving power in baptism to consider the verses below.
1 Cor 1:13
Is Christ divided? Was Paul
crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
1 Cor 1:14
I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
1 Cor 1:15
lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name.
1 Cor 1:16
Yes, I also baptized the
household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other.
1 Cor 1:17
For Christ did not send me to
baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross
of Christ should be made of no effect.
Paul baptized
only a few of the Corinthians--
yet he plainly declares that he was the spiritual father of all of them.
1 Cor 4:14
I do not write these things to
shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.
1 Cor 4:15
For though you might have ten
thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in
Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
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