The Work of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost by Bill Blue

We noted previously that the baptism of the Holy Spirit only occasioned significant beginnings (Vol. 1, No. 12). Peter said Pentecost was a "beginning" (Acts 11:18). Consider the "significance" of the beginning at Pentecost.

Before Pentecost

During His ministry, Jesus gave the Apostles the "power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease" (Matt. 10:1). However, the Apostles did not know "all things," nor did they possess "all truth" (John 14:26, 16:13).

The night before His crucifixion, Jesus prepared the Apostles for His departure by assuring them that a Helper would come to them after He left (John 14-17). Jesus said the Helper would guide them into all truth, teach them all things, and bring to their remembrance all things Jesus had said (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7-15).

Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:3). On the day He ascended, Jesus commanded the Apostles to remain in Jerusalem for the "Promise of the Father," and reminded them that they would, "be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now" (Acts 1:4-5; see also Luke 24:49).

Seven days later, the Apostles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:26-2:4). Immediately, the Apostles began "to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4). As Jesus promised, the Apostles "received power" (Acts 1:8).

The purpose of this power was to enable the Apostles to "be witnesses [of Jesus] in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). In other words, to better equip the Apostles to carry out the Great Commission (Mark 16: 14-18; Matt. 28:16-20). (Compare this to the purpose of our own non-miraculous gifts. Eph. 4:11-16, esp. 4:12). The Apostles fulfilled Jesus’ command by preaching the Gospel in the regions He specified, and in the very order commanded.

The Beginning

Peter said that Pentecost was "the beginning" (Acts 11:18). By this, he did not mean creation, but the beginning of:

1. The fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, "I will pour out My Spirit in those days" (Acts 2:18; Joel 2:29).
2. The "last days" (Acts 2:16-17; see also Isa. 2:2; Micah 4:1).
3. The Gospel era (which was to be preached first in Jerusalem Acts 1:8; Isa. 2:3; Micah 4:2).
4. The New Testament church and God’s new kingdom (Dan. 2:44-45; Isa. 2:2-3; Micah 4:1). Jesus said, "[T]here are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power" (Mark 9:1).
5. The lordship of Christ. Peter said Jesus was raised to sit on David’s throne (Acts 2:30, 32), at the right hand of God (v. 33) to be "both Lord and Christ" (v. 36).
6. The New Testament law (Jer. 31-33; Heb. 9:15-17, 10:9; Col. 2:14-16).

What did the Holy Spirit accomplish?

Beginning at Pentecost, the world changed. Speaking as the Spirit gave him utterance (Acts 2:4), Peter preached the first gospel sermon. As a result, 3,000 people were baptized (Acts 2:41). Afterwards, Peter and others continued preaching and working miracles until the doctrine of Christ had "filled Jerusalem" (Acts 5:28).

Later, Philip went to Samaria and many there "heeded" his teachings, "hearing and seeing the miracles" he did (Acts 8:5-6). Philip was "full of the Holy Spirit" and able to convert and baptize Samaritans through the preaching of Jesus and the kingdom of God (Acts 6:3, 5-6; 8:12-14). Although Philip was unable to pass on the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit as Apostles could (Acts 8:14-17), he was nonetheless an effective servant whom the Holy Spirit used to glorify Christ (Acts 8:39-40).

Afterwards, the Holy Spirit had Peter take the Gospel to Gentiles (Acts 10-11, esp. 10:19-20; 11:12). Other Christians, fleeing Jewish persecution, spread the Gospel "as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch" (Acts 11:19-20). From Antioch, the Holy Spirit sent Barnabas and Paul on Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-5).

Eventually, the Apostles and others, working with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, succeeded in "turn[ing] the world upside down" (Acts 17:6) for the Gospel had not only been successful in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, but also "throughout almost all of Asia," overturning religious power structures and economies based in idolatry (Acts 19:26).

Thus, the Apostles were able to boldly proclaim Jesus and make disciples in all nations (Matt. 28:19), because of the power they received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8, 2:1-4). Today, we have a product of the Holy Spirit’s inspiration – the Bible. How successful are we in using the Bible to proclaim Jesus and make disciples?

Jesus Christ: A Good Man? by Jeff Himmel

Many people agree that Jesus Christ was a great moral teacher. Some even acknowledge him as a prophet. But they stop short of believing that he was God in the flesh, saying instead that Jesus’ followers made him out to be God’s Son in the years following his death.

Was Jesus a good man and nothing more? The Bible, the book that tells his story, can answer that for us. All we need to do is examine Jesus’ own claims — not what others said about him, but what he said about himself.

Jesus claimed equality with God. He equated his own work with that of the Father. "But He answered them, ‘My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.’ For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He . . . was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God" (John 5:17-18). During a discussion about the heritage of Abraham, Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58). His opponents surely recognized "I AM" as the name God used to identify Himself when He sent Moses to Egypt (Exodus 3:14). Jesus said, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). If Jesus was just a man, he was a man who claimed to be God.

Jesus claimed power to forgive sins. In front of a large crowd, he said to a paralyzed man, "Your sins are forgiven you" (Luke 5:20). Jesus wasn’t pardoning this fellow for some personal offense; he was pronouncing forgiveness for all the man’s transgressions against God. This angered the Jewish leaders, who knew that only God Himself could forgive sins (verse 21). If Jesus was just a man, he was a man who claimed God’s authority.

Jesus claimed to be the path to salvation. Unlike many religious philosophers, Jesus bluntly said that only he could bring people into a right relationship with God: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). Notice that he said men would come to God not just through his teaching, but through him. If Jesus was just a man, he was a man who claimed to have a monopoly on access to God.

Jesus claimed to be the Christ. God’s prophets had promised Israel a deliverer, His "anointed one" (in Hebrew, "Messiah"; in Greek, "Christ"). When a Samaritan woman spoke to Jesus of the Messiah’s coming, he replied, "I who speak to you am he" (John 4:26). Many people who heard Jesus believed that he was the prophesied Savior. His closest disciples believed it. When he asked them, "Who do you say that I am?", Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:15-16). Jesus blessed him for saying so. If Jesus was just a man and not the Messiah, then he was a man who played falsely on the dreams of an entire nation.

Jesus claimed to be atonement for sin. Jesus said that when he died his life would be "a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28), and his blood would be shed for many for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:28). He declared that his death would be the sacrifice before God that would make possible the forgiveness of all men’s sins. Imagine a mere man saying that his life could atone for the wrongs of the whole world! Yet Jesus not only said it, but apparently believed it himself, because he willingly died for his claim.

These are Jesus’ own claims about himself. It isn’t hard to see that if Jesus was just a man, then none of these claims could be true. That would mean one of two things:

(1) Jesus was a liar. He knew his claims were false, yet he continued to deceive people with them. His act has fooled millions into placing their trust in him.

(2) Jesus was a madman. He was so deluded that he actually believed these incredible claims and even died for them.

Now, if Jesus was either a fraud or a lunatic, then it is grossly wrong to call him a good man, much less a great moral teacher. On the other hand, if we reject the notion that he was either lying or insane, then only one conclusion remains: Jesus is who he says he is! As C.S. Lewis wrote, "You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon, or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God." What will you do?

The Holy Spirit: A Divine Person by Bill Blue

Three weeks ago, we discussed the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit is perhaps the least understood member of the Godhead, we will write a series of articles discussing the Holy Spirit.

The Bible refers to the Holy Spirit with multiple names. For example, Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as the Helper (John 14:16, 26, 15:26, 16:7) and the Spirit of truth (John 14:17, 16:13). Some translations render Helper as "Comforter."

The Holy Spirit is alive.

Some people believe the Holy Spirit is not a person that possesses personality, but an influence, or impersonal force, or active force. This is not the view expressed in the Bible. As pointed out above, Jesus not only referred to the Holy Spirit with various, but also referred to the Holy Spirit as a "He," and never an "It" (John 14:16-17; 16:13).

The Holy Spirit is sentient, meaning He is alive, conscious, able to perceive, and has the ability to experience sensations and feelings. In other words, the Holy Spirit possesses qualities common to man, though the Holy Spirit is deity and possesses a spiritual form rather than a physical body.

The Holy Spirit has a mind (R0m. 8:27). He possesses knowledge (1 Cor. 2:9-11), judgment (Acts 15:28), and will (1 Cor. 12:11). The Holy Spirit decided what person received which miraculous gift (1 Cor. 12:11). Do impersonal forces make decisions?

The Holy Spirit experiences love (Rom. 15:30). When have you known an impersonal force that could love? Can the wind love; can the tide? He also possesses the quality of goodness (Neh. 9:20).

In addition, the Holy Spirit has the ability to perform the following actions (note that the verbs below will differ depending upon your translation):

Hear John 16:13 Move men 2 Peter 1:20-21

Show or declare John 16:14-15 Command Acts 13:2, 16:6

Speak John 16:13; 1 Tim. 4:1 Teach John 14:26; 1 Cor. 2:13

Bear witness (testify) John 15:26; Rom. 8:16-17 Guide John 16:12-13

Grieve Eph. 4:30 Forbid & permit Acts 16:6-7

Glorify John 16:14 Search 1 Cor. 2:10

Intercedes & helps Rom. 8:26 Convict John 16:7

Lead Rom. 8:14; Matt. 4:1 Reveal Luke 2:26

How many impersonal forces, however active, can perform such a variety of tasks?

The Holy Spirit is deity

Like God the Father and Christ, the Holy Spirit is deity, a part of the Godhead. As such, He possesses qualities common only to God and Christ. In fact, Peter speaks of the Holy Spirit and God interchangeably in Acts 5:3-4, 9.

The Holy Spirit is omniscient or all knowing (1 Cor. 2:10-11). He is omnipresent or everywhere at once (Psalm 139:7-10). He is eternal (Heb. 9:14); thus, He has no beginning. In fact, He was present at the creation of the universe (Gen. 1:2).

As a member of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit had a distinct role in the scheme of redemption from the beginning. He was involved in the redemption of man from the beginning (Heb. 9:14). He, along with God, was present at the baptism of Christ (Mt. 3:16-17) and the Holy Spirit was involved in the working of miracles (Mt. 12:28; Rom. 15:19).

After Christ’s resurrection and ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit had three missions (more on these in future articles; see John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7-14):

Convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment Jesus;
Guide the Apostles in all truth by:
a. Teaching them all things; and
b. Bringing to their remembrance all things Jesus had said; and

Glorify Jesus (John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7-14).

The Holy Spirit continues to play a role in the "regeneration of men" (John 3:5; Tim. 3:4-6). Although we do not receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit today (see "Prove All Things," Vol. I, No. 12), we are baptized in the name "of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Mt. 28:19). This expression reinforces not only each distinctive personality of the Godhead, a distinction observed by Jesus (John 14:16, 26; 15:26) and Paul (2 Cor. 13:14), but also the fact that one God exists eternally in three different persons (1 John 5:7). In fact, the word "God" in Genesis 1:1, "Elohim," is plural, not singular (notice also "us" and "our" in Gen. 1:26).

Men disrespect the Holy Spirit. People lie and resist Him (Acts 5:3, 7:51-53). They insult and blaspheme Him (Heb. 10:26-29; Matt. 12:31-32). Men grieve the Holy Spirit and turn Him against them, making Him their enemy (Eph. 4:30; Isa. 63:10). How is your relationship with the Holy Spirit?

Although the Holy Spirit can influence men (2 Pet. 1:20-21); He is not a mere influence. The Holy Spirit is a divine person.

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