In discussions with our religious neighbors, no subject comes up more than the issue of baptism. When is a person saved; at the moment of faith or when a believer submits to baptism? Does baptism save? What about faith alone? Where is God in this kind of deliberation?.
Let me say clearly. I believe a person must: Hear the gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus and believe he is the Son of God. Repent from a life of sin and confess Jesus as resurrected Christ and Lord prior to being baptized. It is at that point (the moment a believer emerges from the water) a sinner receives pardon from God and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
Please note, this article is not entitled, “How To Win An Argument With A Calvinist.” My aim is to make sure we do not miss some important truths about baptism in our zeal to win souls to Jesus. There is no doubt that “faith-only” salvation is a man-made doctrine. It relies on the idea that: Man has no free will. God chooses the saved. God chooses the damned. And there is nothing man can do to change his fortunes.
As clearly false as this doctrine may be, we must take care that In our efforts to demonstrate our Creator has granted man freewill, perhaps we give ourselves too much credit when it comes to our salvation. God is the one who has the grace to forgive. It is God who saves.
I want to make certain no human being thinks the power to save and forgive rests on any action taken by them. It is God who saves because of his great mercy and grace. It is the sinless blood of Jesus that pays for the forgiveness of my sins. If I am not careful, my faith may rest in my ability to obey. May it never be!
“For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight.”-Romans 3:20
Otherwise, people might come to think it is their compliance with certain conditions that saves. They may imagine the power of forgiveness rests in their ability to repent from and confess every sin in their life. In so doing they grant, “repentance and confession” the power to save and forgive. God is nearly removed from the process. It is as if, the Lord set the terms for salvation two millennia ago and we no longer need God as much as we need to meet his terms. In essence, we are saying, “I can keep God’s law and be saved because I obeyed correctly.” It becomes my obedience which saves and not a merciful God.
“I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”-Galatians 2:21
It is not baptism that does the saving. It is God who saves those who are baptized.
It is not baptism that forgives my sin. It is God who forgives the sins of believers when they are baptized.I am sure many of you thought or I Peter 3:21 when you read the last two paragraphs. It clearly says, “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you.” In the New American Standard, the wording is even more direct, “baptism now saves you.” But Peter goes on to explain, baptism is not some form of washing that removes dirt from the body. The apostle is saying, baptism is the way we beg God to forgive us. It is the condition established by the Father, affirmed by the Son and declared by the Holy Spirit. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. We are all guilty and deserving of our wages. He is full of grace for those who believe in his resurrected Son. Cast your sins at the feet of God. Beg for mercy from the judge. We are all guilty and deserving of our wages. He is full of grace for those who believe in his resurrected Son. We are baptized into Christ’s death, buried in a watery grave, and raised to walk a new life with no fear of death.
Praise the judge of all mercy! “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”-Romans 6:23.
Must I be baptized to be saved and forgiven? Of course. But do not forget:
It is God who saves!
It is God who forgives!
Praise the Lord!
His grace reaches me!
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