Repentance by Jeff Himmel

The theme of repentance is a common thread running through the preaching of the New Testament. John the Baptist came on the scene warning, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2). Shortly afterward, Jesus began his public ministry with the same solemn command (Matthew 4:17). Throughout his life, the Lord stressed men’s need to repent (see Luke 13:1-5); and his apostles continued the message (see Acts 17:30). Given its obvious importance in the gospel plan, we should make sure we understand what repentance is.

Most of us tend to think of repentance as a sorrowful acknowledgment that one has done wrong. But repentance is more than that. God’s word makes a distinction in 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 between "godly sorrow " and "the sorrow of the world." Godly sorrow, we learn, "produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation" (verse 10). It "feels pain because of the guilt of sin as an offense against God" (Charles Erdman). The sorrow of the world, on the other hand, is sorry only at the result of the sin, not the sin itself. It leads only to death. A person who has sinned against God may only be sorry that he got caught. He may be sorry over the pain or damage his wrongdoing has caused (and he should be!). But such sorrow is only "the sorrow of the world."

But there’s more to repentance than even godly sorrow. When Peter preached to the crowd at Pentecost, he commanded them to repent (Acts 2:38). He surely had more in mind than their feeling sorry, because they were already "pierced in their hearts" at their sin, and asked, "What shall we do?" (verse 37). They were convicted in their hearts of sin. That conviction was produced by gospel preaching that was directed by the Holy Spirit. Surely, then, their sorrow was godly sorrow! Yet, it still needed to produce repentance.

Repentance means that I acknowledge my sin, but it’s more than a mere apology. It means that I feel sorrow over my sin, but it’s more than mere regret. The New Testament word translated "repent" literally means "to perceive afterward." It is a change of mind, of heart, of life, which comes from perceiving that one has sinned against God. Jesus observed that the people of Nineveh repented when the prophet Jonah preached to them (Matthew 12:41). What did these people do? They showed sorrow over their sin, yes. But they did something more: they turned away from it (see Jonah 3:5-10).

Repentance goes beyond just being sad over the mess that sin has made. It is a change of heart which produces a change in conduct. John the Baptist commanded men to "bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance" (Luke 3:8), and went on to describe specific changes they must make in their lives (verses 10-14). Paul preached the same message, calling for men to "repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance" (Acts 26:20). Repentance is a complete change of direction in thought and in deed. Until that dramatic U-turn is made, real repentance hasn’t occurred (see 2 Corinthians 12:20-21).

Repentance means that I cease and desist from my sin. I sever my ties with it, just like those at Ephesus who went so far as to burn their books of witchcraft (Acts 19:19). It also means that, as much as is within my power, I try to make right what my sin has made wrong. For example, Zacchaeus promised to repay fourfold those he had defrauded — a promise that found favor with Jesus (Luke 19:8-9). T. W. Brents wrote, "In vain may any one tell me that he repents slandering me while he refused to correct his false statements concerning me, or that he repents stealing my horse while he continues to ride him without my consent." When there is repentance, there is an obvious reform of character and conduct.

’Tis not enough to say,
"I’m sorry and repent,"
And then go on from day to day
Just as I always went.
Repentance is to leave
The sins we loved before,
And show that we in earnest grieve
By doing them no more.
(Poem’s author unknown)

Whatever Happened to Respect for Authority? by Jeff Himmel

In some past articles, we’ve talked about the need to submit to the authority of God. But disregard for God’s authority isn’t the only problem we face. In the last few decades, the general attitude Americans have toward any authority seems to have gotten worse. Consider a few examples.

Government

The social upheaval of the 1960s made it "cool" to hold government in contempt. Since then, we have seen some rather extreme examples, like the bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma. But there also appears to be an increasing, widespread disregard for the rule of law — especially when it comes to laws we don’t like. Many people have no reservations about cheating on their taxes, violating traffic laws, or stealing cable TV, for instance. While some of these things may seem minor, they all show a lack of respect for government’s authority.

God’s word tells us, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities" (Romans 13:1). It tells us why: "For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves" (verses 1-2).

Human government is put in place by God. Jesus told the Roman governor Pilate, "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above" (John 19:11). Government exists for our good (Romans 13:3-6; 1 Peter 2:13-17). It preserves order, protects its citizens from harm, and prevents or punishes many evils. No government does these things perfectly, but an imperfect government is better than no government at all! Even though its power is sometimes abused, government’s basic functions are for our good.

When the New Testament was written, the Roman Empire ruled most of the known world. The privileges of citizenship belonged to only a few, while an estimated one third of the population was slaves. The man who was emperor during much of this period was Nero, a vicious, unbalanced, paranoid man whose own family was not safe from his cruelty. Yet, even in this situation Christ’s apostles told their fellow disciples to respect the government as God’s minister. If they could do it, surely we can, too.

Employers

Most of us work for someone else. The companies we work for and the people we answer to are in positions of authority over us. But an alarming number of people have no regard for that authority. As one example, consider the rampant problem of employee theft — workers stealing office supplies, equipment, inventory, and even cash from the register. Employee theft is a major factor in one-third of all business failures. Retailers worry less about shoplifters than they do about their own workers stealing from them. That’s not to mention the number of workers who feel justified in padding time cards or expense reports, or just not working. That kind of behavior shows utter disrespect for authority.

Paul wrote, "Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ" (Colossians 3:22-24). While the employer-employee relationship isn’t exactly like that of a master and bondservant, these principles should go with us to the workplace. We don’t just work for men; we work for God.


Parents

I don’t want to sound like a fuddy-duddy, but I’m disturbed by some of the things I hear kids say to adults these days. And I’m not talking about teenagers — I hear it even among some of the six-year-olds at my son’s school. More and more parents have given up their authority over their own children and essentially let the kids call the shots. Many of those children grow up thinking they are accountable to no one but themselves.

One of God’s fundamental commandments to the Israelites was, "Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12). In fact, under the Mosaic Law one who cursed or struck his parents incurred the death penalty (Exodus 21:15, 17). In the New Testament, Paul wrote, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth’ " (Ephesians 6:1-3). Parents, teach your children to respect authority: yours, the government’s, and God’s.

Conclusion

If we profess to respect the authority of our Creator, then let’s obey His instructions to respect the authority of government, employers, and parents. Remember that the commandments of God are given "for our good always" (Deuteronomy 6:24).

Baptism of the Holy Spirit by Bill Blue

Some people believe that water baptism for the remission of sins is unnecessary because we supposedly receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Although the baptism of the Holy Spirit did occur three times in the First Century, today we are baptized in water (Acts 8:36-39, 10:47) for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38, 22:16) in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19).

The Bible only describes three incidents of Holy Spirit baptism:

Jesus, who was also baptized in water (Matt. 3:13-17; Mk. 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:29-34).
The Apostles in Jerusalem at Pentecost (Acts 1:4-5, 2:3,14); and
The Gentiles with Cornelius of Caesarea (Acts 10:44-46, 11:14-17), who were also baptized with water (Acts 10:47-48).
When one examines these incidents, we learn the following about the baptism of the Holy Spirit:

Men did not administer the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In each case, the Holy Spirit comes of His own accord. In each case, the falling of the Holy Spirit appears to be an unexpected occurrence.

Something audible occurred. When Jesus was baptized, "a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’" (Matt. 3:17). When the Apostles at Pentecost received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, "a sound from heaven" suddenly came that was so loud that it "filled the whole house" and attracted the attention of a multitude of people (Acts 2:1-6).

Something visible occurred. At Jesus’ baptism, John the Baptist observed, "the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him" (John 1:32). At the Apostles’ baptism of the Holy Spirit, "divided tongues, as of fire," appeared and sat upon each of the Apostles (Acts 2:3).

Something miraculous occurred. Obviously, both the sounds and sights referenced above were miraculous. However, note also that after both the Apostles and Cornelius received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, they also miraculously received the ability to speak foreign languages (Acts 2:4-11, 10:46).

The baptisms of the Holy Spirit occurred at the beginning of something significant. Christ was baptized before he began his ministry. The Apostles at Pentecost were baptized before they began their ministry. Before Cornelius was baptized with the Holy Spirit, the Gospel had not been shared with the Gentiles (Acts 11:18).

The baptisms of the Holy Spirit served to confirm God’s will. When Jesus was baptized with the Holy Spirit, John – whose mission was to prepare the way for the Messiah (John 1:23) – learned that Jesus was the Messiah (John 1:29-34). When the Apostles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the multitude that heard the first Gospel sermon could not deny that the Apostles were speaking by God’s authority; being so convinced and convicted by Peter’s sermon 3,000 listeners were baptized (Acts 2:41). The fact that Cornelius and other Gentiles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit convinced many Jewish brethren that God intended to share the Gospel with the Gentiles (Acts 10:45, 11:18).

The baptism of the Holy Spirit did not preclude the necessity of water baptism for the remission of sins. Though sinless, Christ submitted to water baptism (Matt. 3:13-17; Mk. 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22) "to fulfill all righteousness" (Matt. 3:15). Although Cornelius and the others received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Peter still "commanded them to be baptized" with water (Acts 10:47-48).

Years after these incidents, Paul wrote to the Ephesians that there is only "one baptism" (Eph. 4:5). While in Ephesus, Paul baptized some disciples (Acts 19:1-5). After the disciples were baptized, Paul had to lay his hands on them in order for them to receive the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues (Acts 19:6). If they were baptized in the Holy Spirit – if that was the "one baptism" – why didn’t they receive the Holy Spirit and miraculous gift during baptism just as in the previous examples?

Paul submitted to baptism pursuant to the command of Ananias (Acts 22:16). Thus, Paul’s baptism was something Paul did, and not something the Holy Spirit did. Ananias administered the baptism; it was not something that fell miraculously upon Paul by the Holy Spirit.

When we are baptized today, we do not hear miraculous sounds from heaven, see miraculous tongues of fire, or observe people miraculously speaking in languages they did not know immediately before baptism. Unlike the Biblical accounts of Holy Spirit baptism, no one observes these things today - neither the person baptized, the other people in the building, nor anyone outside the building (Cf. Acts 2:6). Thus, we are not baptized in the Holy Spirit today.

There is a Holy Spirit and when we submit to water baptism for the remission of sins we receive a gift from Him (Acts 2:38), but we are not baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Grace, Faith and Baptism by Bill Blue

I have observed at least five different interpretations of Mark 16:16:


The Catholic "He who believes not and is baptized shall be saved."
The Atheist "He who believes and is baptized shall not be saved."
The Universalist "He who believes not and is not baptized shall be saved."
The Protestant "He who believes and is not baptized shall be saved."
The Bible "He who believes and is baptized will be saved."


Saved by Grace through Faith

Protestants, citing Eph. 2:8-9, argue that we are saved by grace, and because baptism is a work (something we do as opposed to simply believing) it cannot save. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

We are saved by grace, but grace is conditional (Rom. 5:2). Grace (literally "unmerited favor") is the free gift of God, free because we have done nothing on our own to deserve it, yet "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8; see also Eph. 2:5). By God’s grace, we are justified (literally "acquitted," or declared not guilty of sin) "through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24; 5:16, 18). Because sin demands a sacrifice, God made Christ the propitiation (or "atoning sacrifice") for our sins (Rom. 3:25).

Although grace is universally available to all, it is conditional in that we only have access to God’s grace through faith (Rom. 5:2) and humble submission to His will (James 4:6-10). Thus, the Universalist’s view that, "He who believes not and is not baptized shall be saved," is wrong.

Faith Alone?

Ephesians 2:8-9 is not a license to ignore Scriptures that require confession (Rom. 10:9-10), repentance (Acts 2:38), or baptism. Paul is simply saying that merely because we choose to accept God's grace by "submitting to the righteousness of God" (Rom. 10:4) and doing the things commanded, we do not save ourselves. God saves us. To view the verse otherwise is to equate faith with saving ourselves, or to deny all other Christian responsibilities such as confession, repentance, baptism, and continued obedience. We do not save ourselves through faith or baptism, but we accept God's saving grace by doing the things He has commanded.

In John 6:28-29, Jesus said that belief in Him is "the work of God." If Eph. 2:8-9 precludes works from playing a role in our salvation, does it also preclude belief, which Jesus said is a work?

If faith only saves, does this mean Paul was wrong when he wrote that confession is necessary for salvation (Rom. 10:9-10; see also Matt. 10:32-33)? If belief and confession are the same thing, then are the rulers who believed Jesus, but refused to confess Him saved (John 12:42)? Obviously, belief and confession are not the same thing and both are required for salvation (Rom. 10:9-10). Thus, faith "only," is wrong also.

Consider also Rom. 4:3. When Paul, quoting Genesis, said "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness," (Rom. 4:3) Paul was arguing that the "deeds of the law," (i.e., the Law of Moses) do not justify (Rom. 3:27-28).

Of course, another way to know that Paul isn’t arguing that we are saved by faith alone is to read more of the Bible. If a passage says baptism is necessary for salvation (Mark 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:21), then that should resolve the matter because God has spoken.

We know that the Bible is the inspired word of God (2 Tim. 3:16). Thus, irreconcilable conflicts do not exist in its passages. Otherwise, one verse or the other would be wrong, not infallible, and logically not inspired of God. If this was true, how could we trust any passage in the Bible?

Martin Luther (1483-1546), the father of Protestantism, faced this dilemma when he read the following passages in the Book of James:

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? *** 17Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
* * *. 19You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble! 20But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. 24You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

James 2:14-24


For those who believe in faith only, there is an apparent conflict between what Paul and James believe with respect to salvation even though both Apostles write that "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:3; James 2:23). Knowing that no Scripture could irreconcilably conflict with any other Scripture (or else the entire Bible would be untrustworthy), Martin Luther arrived at a novel approach to resolve his dilemma; he denied that the Book of James was divinely inspired, or properly a part of the Bible:

"I maintain that some Jew wrote it [the Book of James] who probably heard about Christian people but never encountered any. * * * Many sweat to reconcile St. Paul and St. James, but in vain. 'Faith justifies' and 'faith does not justify' contradict each other flatly. If any one can harmonize them I will give him my doctor's hood and let him call me a fool. * * * This defect proves that the epistle is not of apostolic [origin]... He does violence to Scripture, and so contradicts Paul and all Scripture. He tries to accomplish by emphasizing law what the apostles bring about by attracting men to love. I therefore refuse him a place among the writers of the true canon of my Bible."


Luther’s words must be read in the context of the problems he was dealing with at the time the words were written. Luther was concerned about indulgences and the Catholic notion of salvation by works apart from faith. He erred, however, by swinging the pendulum too far. He was right in his belief that works without faith do not save, for "without faith it is impossible to please [God]" (Heb. 11:6). However, he refused to acknowledge that man is not justified by "faith only" (James 2:24).

Paul himself did not believe in faith only. The book of Romans begins and ends by stating that the Gospel was something that must be obeyed (Rom. 1:5, 16:26). Paul writes that the goodness of God is supposed to lead us to an action – repentance (Rom. 2:4). He continues by saying that God "will render to each one according to his deeds" (Rom. 2:6) and then states that "glory, honor, and peace" are the rewards for "everyone who works what is good" (Rom. 2:10).

If a person is saved by faith only he is saved before he becomes a child of God, for John 1:12 says faith gives a person the right to become a child of God. Faith doesn’t make you a child of God. A person saved by faith only is saved before he turns to God (compare the distinction in faith and turning in Acts 11:21 with the rulers of John 12:42). He is also saved without having to confess Christ (John 12:42) and he is saved while being no better than a demon (James 2:10).

Baptism

Baptism saves us (Mark 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). It is only through baptism that we "put on Christ," (Gal. 3:27). Thus, without baptism we are not saved and our sins are not forgiven (Acts 2:38; 22:16). Furthermore, without baptism we do not have access to the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:3-4), and thus do not gain access to the following (notice that all of these precede Rom. 6:3-4):

God’s grace and the redemption that exists in Christ (Rom. 3:24).
Christ’s atoning sacrifice that makes amends for us with God (Rom. 4:25, 5:8).
Christ’s death that reconciles us to, and makes peace with, God (Rom. 5:10).
Christ’s blood, which justifies us (Rom. 4:25, 5:9).
Christ’s obedience, which makes us righteous (Rom. 5:19).
Christ’s resurrection, which justifies us and provides us eternal life (Rom. 4:25, 5:10).
If someone tells you that baptism isn’t necessary for salvation, ask him the following questions:

How can anyone say faith only saves when James 2:24 explicitly says it doesn’t?
If we can be saved without baptism can we be saved while in sin (for baptism washes away sin, Acts 22:16), without becoming a new creature in Christ (Rom. 6:4ff), and without being "in Christ" (Gal. 3:27)? How is this possible?
If baptism doesn’t save why does the Bible say it does in Mark 16:16 and1 Peter 3:21?
How do they define "necessary?"
Through baptism we do not deny faith, but demonstrate it. We cannot "save ourselves" through baptism anymore than we can save ourselves through faith. God saves us through grace (Eph. 2:8). Of course baptism without faith is as worthless as faith without baptism. It is through both belief and baptism that we take advantage of the grace that is available to us. Thus, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16).

Martin Luther

What is Baptism? by Jeff Himmel

The Greek word rendered baptize means to dip or immerse. But you don’t have to know Greek to know that baptism is immersion. Consider these indicators.

John 3:23 says that John the baptizer was baptizing at Aenon near Salim "because there was much water there."

Acts 8 tells of Philip teaching the gospel to a man from Ethiopia. The man’s baptism is described in verses 38-39. They both went down into the water, Philip baptized him, and they came up out of the water.

Baptism is a burial, a likeness of Jesus’ burial and resurrection following His death. "Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). "[H]aving been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead" (Colossians 2:12).

Some religious groups "baptize" people by sprinkling or pouring water on them. But that is not the same thing as dipping or immersing. Nothing in these verses or any others even remotely suggests sprinkling or pouring as the action in baptism. Those practices did not begin until several centuries after the time of Jesus.

What Is Its Purpose?

Again, let the Bible answer.

"He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16).

"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" (Acts 2:38).

"Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name" (Acts 22:16).

"Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?" (Romans 6:3).

"For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body . . ." (1 Corinthians 12:13).


"For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Galatians 3:27).

"And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you . . ." (1 Peter 3:21).

Baptism is an act of faith which puts us into Christ, whose blood washes our sins away. It unites us with Christ; we die to sin and are raised to "newness of life" (Romans 6:4-5). We become members of His body, which is the church (Ephesians 1:22-23). Our sins are forgiven; we are saved.

Who Is It For?

The purposes of baptism are to save or wash away sins, and to add one to Christ or to His body, the church. These purposes indicate that baptism is for the lost -- those outside of Christ. Yet not every lost person is ready to be baptized. Other things must come first.

When the Ethiopian asked, "What prevents me from being baptized," Philip answered that he could if he believed (Acts 8:36-37). So baptism is for those who believe. Belief or faith comes by hearing God’s word (Romans 10:17). Before a person is ready to be baptized, he must hear and believe the gospel. Baptism without faith is just getting wet.

On the day of Pentecost, Peter told those who believed in Jesus to repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38). So baptism is for those who repent. Repentance is a change of heart, a determination to turn away from sin. One who is not ready to live as Jesus directs is not yet ready to be baptized. Baptism without repentance is just getting wet.

Applications

The practice of baptizing babies is foreign to the New Testament. As we’ve seen, baptism is for penitent believers. Babies have no capacity to understand or believe the gospel, nor have they committed any sins of which to repent.

The practice of being baptized to show that one is already saved is also contrary to the Bible. Not a single passage says that is baptism’s purpose. Besides, salvation is only in Christ, and baptism is what puts the believer into Christ (Romans 6:3). If a person is saved without baptism, then he is saved outside of Christ.

The Ethiopian confessed his faith in Christ, as all who would be saved must (Romans 10:9-10). At that point nothing prevented him from being baptized and enjoying salvation in Christ. He took advantage of the first opportunity. How about you? What prevents you from being baptized?

What is Baptism? by Jeff Himmel

The Greek word rendered baptize means to dip or immerse. But you don’t have to know Greek to know that baptism is immersion. Consider these indicators.

John 3:23 says that John the baptizer was baptizing at Aenon near Salim "because there was much water there."

Acts 8 tells of Philip teaching the gospel to a man from Ethiopia. The man’s baptism is described in verses 38-39. They both went down into the water, Philip baptized him, and they came up out of the water.

Baptism is a burial, a likeness of Jesus’ burial and resurrection following His death. "Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). "[H]aving been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead" (Colossians 2:12).

Some religious groups "baptize" people by sprinkling or pouring water on them. But that is not the same thing as dipping or immersing. Nothing in these verses or any others even remotely suggests sprinkling or pouring as the action in baptism. Those practices did not begin until several centuries after the time of Jesus.

What Is Its Purpose?

Again, let the Bible answer.

"He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16).

"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" (Acts 2:38).

"Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name" (Acts 22:16).

"Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?" (Romans 6:3).

"For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body . . ." (1 Corinthians 12:13).


"For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Galatians 3:27).

"And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you . . ." (1 Peter 3:21).

Baptism is an act of faith which puts us into Christ, whose blood washes our sins away. It unites us with Christ; we die to sin and are raised to "newness of life" (Romans 6:4-5). We become members of His body, which is the church (Ephesians 1:22-23). Our sins are forgiven; we are saved.

Who Is It For?

The purposes of baptism are to save or wash away sins, and to add one to Christ or to His body, the church. These purposes indicate that baptism is for the lost -- those outside of Christ. Yet not every lost person is ready to be baptized. Other things must come first.

When the Ethiopian asked, "What prevents me from being baptized," Philip answered that he could if he believed (Acts 8:36-37). So baptism is for those who believe. Belief or faith comes by hearing God’s word (Romans 10:17). Before a person is ready to be baptized, he must hear and believe the gospel. Baptism without faith is just getting wet.

On the day of Pentecost, Peter told those who believed in Jesus to repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38). So baptism is for those who repent. Repentance is a change of heart, a determination to turn away from sin. One who is not ready to live as Jesus directs is not yet ready to be baptized. Baptism without repentance is just getting wet.

Applications

The practice of baptizing babies is foreign to the New Testament. As we’ve seen, baptism is for penitent believers. Babies have no capacity to understand or believe the gospel, nor have they committed any sins of which to repent.

The practice of being baptized to show that one is already saved is also contrary to the Bible. Not a single passage says that is baptism’s purpose. Besides, salvation is only in Christ, and baptism is what puts the believer into Christ (Romans 6:3). If a person is saved without baptism, then he is saved outside of Christ.

The Ethiopian confessed his faith in Christ, as all who would be saved must (Romans 10:9-10). At that point nothing prevented him from being baptized and enjoying salvation in Christ. He took advantage of the first opportunity. How about you? What prevents you from being baptized?

Are Denominational Differences Minor? by Jeff Himmel

A while back, someone wrote to Billy Graham asking if he thought all the churches would ever get together. The questioner complained that he was confused by all the different churches and did not know which one to believe.

The answer included this statement "Don’t let minor differences between denominations confuse you, for they are just that -- minor." Is that true?

Denominations differ on the standard of morality. Some permit homosexuality; others disapprove (1 Corinthians 6:9). Some condone divorce and remarriage for most any reason (but see Matthew 19:1-9); others (at least officially) do not allow it at all. Some march in favor of abortion, others march across the street against it. Some oppose gambling; others make it a regular part of their fund-raising.

In view of the fact that sin separates us from God, I have a difficult time categorizing questions of what constitutes sin as "minor differences." What do you think?

Churches disagree about what we must do to be saved. Some say we can do nothing; it is wholly a matter of divine predestination, a choice God made irrespective of any response on our part. Some say all will be saved (but see Matthew 7:13-14, 21-23). Some say we must receive the sacraments. Some say we are justified by faith only (but see James 2:14-26). Some say we need to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Many say all we have to do is accept Jesus as our personal Savior, without ever explaining exactly how to do that. One church says that people can be saved for their ancestors who did not themselves obey the gospel.

In view of the fact that my eternal destiny hangs in the balance, I have a difficult time considering the question, "What must I do to be saved?" as a minor matter. What do you think?

Religious groups do not agree about the condition of the saved, either. Some affirm that once you are saved, you cannot subsequently ever do anything that would cause you to be lost. Others say the opposite. Some teach that you may go through a partial punishment after this life for your lesser wrongs, but following that you can go to heaven.

Again, in view of the fact that this issue directly affects my eternal destiny, I have a difficult time putting it into the realm of "minor differences." What do you think?

Worship is another matter of discrepancy. Not all churches worship on the same day. Some limit music to singing, others use instruments. Some say God requires a tithe; others say He does not. Some eat the Lord’s Supper weekly, others quarterly or even less often. Some allow their members to eat only the bread, and one or two omit it altogether. Some have only men preachers; others use women in that role. Some leap and shout, others are quite stoic. Some pray to Jesus’ mother. Some have people speaking gibberish that no one can understand.

In view of the fact that the Bible plainly teaches that not all worship is acceptable to God, and some is even an abomination to Him, I have a difficult time dismissing these contradictions as "minor differences." What do you think?

Conclusion

The attempt to sweep away the problem of religious division as "minor differences" is futile. These are major disagreements on matters of the greatest import. Do not be deceived. Read your Bible and learn the truth about these and similar questions. Abandon the false religions of men and follow Jesus. He will add you to His church, the saved.

If you want to know what the Bible says about the answers to these questions, please email me.