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Answers |
Dear C. [named omitted to preserve anonymity],
Thanks for visiting my web site and writing your response.
Obviously, you do not agree with my article on baptism. I really
understand where you are coming from, because I used to believe
exactly as you. It was not because I got smarter, or someone argued
me out of my position. It was when God totally stunned me with the
truth of the real nature of salvation in the Bible, despite my own
"assumptions" and convictions. He opened my heart to how wrong I was
about the heart of the Gospel. I cannot take the slightest credit. I
was locked into my view. Only God could have changed my heart.
What was that change? It was coming to a greater understanding of
what Jesus did for me on the Cross. Before, I only saw the remission
of sins in the work of the Cross. I failed to see the imputation of
Christ's righteousness by that same work of the Cross. That was a
major transformation of my understanding. Too many Christians have
no clue about the imputed righteousness of Christ to those who
believe (Romans 4; Philippians 3). Before I also believed that Jesus
died to "make salvation possible." I thought that Christ did all He
could to make it possible for us to be saved, but then, we had to do
our part to receive that salvation. I taught that Jesus was the
sacrifice, but we had to obey specific things before that sacrifice
would take effect. As you said, "one must come to the savior." When
you say this, are you not concerned that you may be putting up
restrictions or qualifications that Jesus himself does not? What I
means is, if Jesus says come unto me, ALL you who are weary . . .
and then you say, “Wait! Did you get baptized right? If not, don’t
try to call on or believe in Jesus, because he will not receive you
until you are.” I must humbly but firmly state that this is standing
the meaning of baptism on its head. It is not qualify people to be
Christians, it is to assure those who believe and trust in Jesus.
So I preached that, even though Christ said "It is finished" on the
Cross, people still had to obey Acts 2:38 before it was really
finished. The truth of Acts 2:38 is that all who turn to Jesus in
faith as Savior and Lord (which is true repentance) are assured they
are forgiven by baptism and guaranteed, according to the promise of
God, of the abiding presence of the Spirit. These things are granted
by God to all those who are in Christ by faith. I had turned the
grace of Acts 2:38 as a set of qualifications that told people who
is in and who is out. It was if I was teaching people: “If you trust
in Jesus, that gets you to the door, but now unless you are
correctly water baptized, and speak with tongues, you cannot truly
obtain salvation.” That is a major error and contrary to all the
teaching throughout Scripture of God’s character, and salvation by
Christ alone.
God opened my heart to understand that my salvation was finished by
Christ, 2000 years ago at Calvary, and not by anything that I can or
should do now. Even my faith today is simply trusting that, what God
did for me in Christ, is true. My faith is a gift from God, and is
not something by which I merit what Jesus did. This was a wrecking
ball to my theology, because I was like most Oneness Pentecostals,
who really believe and preach more of a works-righteousness than
they are willing to admit. Whenever we say that someone must add
something, either that they do, or that someone must do for them, to
the Cross of Christ, they are adding human effort to Jesus' perfect
sacrifice. They may not believe that is what they are doing. But it
is so nonetheless. How do we test it? We test it by answering this
question: Does a person have to do anything to contribute to their
salvation, or do they simply trust in what Jesus has done? The
answer to that question will reveal the truth.
Once I really understood the full truth of the Gospel, I was amazed
that I have actually thought that something like baptism was an act
of salvation. Why, because baptism is not important? Absolutely not!
Baptism is necessary for every believer that has ever trusted in
Jesus. Jesus commanded it and we must obey as a true disciple. But
it is necessary to show our faith in Christ, not to obtain our
salvation. Imagine how we could add anything, even baptism, to make
Jesus' work more perfect. But Hebrews states: "For by one offering
he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." (Hebrews
10:14) To say that we are saved only after baptism is to say that
Jesus did not finish it at Calvary, we must finish it and we are not
perfected by the one offering of Jesus. How can we ever finish what
we did not start? Have can we improve on what is already perfect?
I realize this brings up the whole thing of Christian perseverance
and sanctification. Since we are saved by grace and cannot to
anything to save ourselves, what is the motivation to live a godly
life? This is the question that Paul was asked by his Jewish
brethren when he preached the gospel of grace to them (Romans 6).
The answer is, the gospel does not allow us to “pay God off” with
our post-conversion righteousness (holiness). The motivation to live
a godly life is not our own salvation. That would be a totally
selfish reason. Instead we live for God in righteousness and
holiness because we are grateful for the magnificent mercy that we
now live under. We do it out of love and not just to stay saved.
This is the godliness that glorifies God most.
The truth of faith alone will always deeply bother those who trust
in what they do, or experience, or believe, or anything rather than
Christ alone. But, faith alone is what Scripture overwhelmingly
teaches. The reason that salvation earned by Jesus comes to us by
faith and faith only, is that salvation is a gift, it is by grace.
That is exactly what Paul said, "Therefore it is of faith, that it
might be by grace;" (Romans 4:16)
Your case for salvation by baptism is built on four passages. These
are the passages that Oneness (and Roman Catholics and Churches of
Christ) folks use to support their interpretation. Out of the entire
Bible, these are the only verses that are could possibly be used to
teach salvation by baptism. Yet, they are held up as the most
important, despite a vast majority of passages that speak of
salvation by faith in Christ alone (see the list of passages below).
I had to ask myself when I was a pastor in the UPCI, “Why do I focus
on these four verses, and really downplay the meaning and
significance of the all the other verses where it speaks clearly of
salvation by faith?” My only answer was that I was reading the Bible
after the Oneness Pentecostal tradition. I had to justify what I was
raised to believe. I could not let Scripture truly speak its full
and complete message or I would not be able to defend the UPCI
doctrine. When God showed that to me, I repented and asked him to
help me to be faithful to HIS gospel.
You asked me about four specific verses, so here is a response. As
to Acts 2:38 and John 3:4 I have written extensively, and you can
read some of those papers on the web site. For Acts 2:38:
http://www.inchristalone.org/RealJustPt1.html,
http://www.inchristalone.org/FaithEssentialMain.html,
http://www.inchristalone.org/PurifiedByFaith.htm,
http://www.inchristalone.org/RemissionOfSins.htm
For John 3:5:
http://www.inchristalone.org/WhatMeanBornAgain1.htm
You also commented on 1 Peter 3:20, 21. We must be very careful to
seek the intention of Peter for those who first read this epistle.
It is not written by 20th century Oneness Pentecostals. Peter is
explaining how, “Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous
for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” The stress is on the
“bring you to God” reality and his desire is to bring his readers
confidence that God is indeed at work to save them. Then, Peter says
that Jesus was “put to death” physically, literally, and then the
Holy Spirit raised Him from the dead. Next, Peter uses an analogy to
illustrate this work of the Gospel. He says the Gospel is just like
what God did for those in Noah’s day. Some were judged by the Flood
and others were saved by it. Now we know that all would have died,
even Noah, if it were not for the ark. And this is what Peter is
pointing to.
Just as some were slain by the water, others were delivered by it,
that is, those in the Ark. In the case of the later, the “waters”
saved them. Peter then clarifies by saying, “The like figure
whereunto even baptism doth also now save us.” (KJV) I believe Peter
is saying that just as Noah’s family was “saved by the waters”
because they were in the Ark, so we are “saved” by the waters of
baptism because we are in Christ. It was not the waters that saved
but the Ark. If not for the Ark the waters would have been a
judgment and death. But, because of the Ark, the waters were
transformed from judgment to deliverance. In the same way, it is not
the waters or the act of baptism itself that saves, but Christ. If
not for Christ the waters of baptism would be a judgment to us as
well. Instead, baptism received through faith in Christ transforms
the waters into a sign of deliverance.
This can be seen by Peter’s further explanation: “It saves you by
the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” The waters of baptism are death,
except for faith in Christ. It is not baptism that saves us, but
Christ. He is the believer’s Ark. When we are in Christ, the waters
of baptism symbolize our salvation just as the waters of the first
Deluge symbolize the salvation of Noah by the Ark. The waters of
baptism are a picture of salvation just as the waters of the Flood
depict salvation under Noah. Peter says “the like figure,” which in
Greek is antitupos, the word for anti-type. An anti-type is
“something formed after a pattern,” [Strong’s], "a thing resembling
another, its counterpart; something in the Messianic times which
answers to the type" [Thayers’]. The waters of baptism are the
counterpart to the waters of the Flood. The Geneva Bible says about
the meaning of this verse:
A proportional applying of the former example to the time which
followed the coming of Christ: for the preservation of Noah in the
waters, was a figure of our baptism, not as though the material
water of baptism shows us, as those waters which bare up the ark
saved Noah, but because Christ with his inward virtue, which the
outward baptism shadows, preserves us being washed, so that we may
call upon God with a good conscience. [The Geneva Bible]
It is improper to take I Peter 3:21 in a simplistic manner, without
considering the context of the surrounding verses, Peter’s analogy
and intention for using it, and then interpreting all of this in the
light of what Peter taught about salvation in other places [Read
http://www.inchristalone.org/PurifiedByFaith.htm for more detail].
If we ignore this contextualization, we will diminish the richness
and the truth of the text of Scripture in an attempt to support a
preconceived opinion, teaching or belief system.
Lastly is Mark 16:16, where, I believe, you really answered your own
question. Jesus said, "But he that believeth not shall be damned."
If you take it word for word, then the only one not condemned is the
one who does not believe. Rather than take it literally, you add
your interpretation "of course one who does not believe will not be
saved, because he will not be baptized." That is your assumption.
[It is also the fallacy of “the converse of the condition.” If you
applied to this to other passages you would have serious problems.
For example, Paul said, “If you belong to Christ, then you are
Abraham’s seed.” (Gal. 3:29), could you reverse that and say, “If
you are Abraham’s seed, you belong to Christ”? NO.] Of course, it
does not seem like an assumption to you (nor did it to me at one
time) because it's what you believe. It is easier to see others
assumptions than it is our own. Notice that you had to add your
"common sense" interpretation to come to that conclusion. Your
rephrasing of Jesus’ words has him saying something he did not say.
Also you do not consider that there are other valid ways to
understand this passages which are different from your
interpretation. You don't allow others to interpret the first part
of the verse in a common sense way. If Jesus believed that baptism
saves he could have easily settled it by simply saying, “He that
believes, but is not baptized, is condemned.” Instead, he said, “but
he that believeth not shall be damned.” Bottom line, we must not
force the words of Jesus in Mark 16:16 to mean that salvation is
completed by baptism, since the greatest number of passages in
Scripture teach that salvation is by faith in Jesus alone. You do
not take the last part of the verse literally, yet you wish everyone
to take the first part that way. In your view, the first part of
this verse cannot be interpreted, but must be taken at face value,
while the last part needs an interpretation.
But there are good reasons why this verse should be interpreted to
mean that Jesus said "the one who believes is saved." First, there
is a basis in language for this interpretation. The statement of
Jesus in verse 16 is a conditional statement ("If....then"). There
are three possible ways, in all languages, to understand a
conditional statement. 1) As Cause-Effect: example - If you put your
hand in the fire, you will get burned." 2) As Evidence-Inference -
"If she has a ring on her left hand, then she's married." 3) As
Equivalence - "If you are Henry's son, then Henry is your father."
We must be careful NOT to interpret all conditional sentences as
Cause-Effect. Mark 16:16 is a compound conditional sentence: "The
one who believes AND is baptized shall be saved." There is a very
important principle with respect to compound conditional statements:
"A compound protasis ("The one who believes AND is baptized") does
not necessarily mean that both conditions have the same relation to
the apodosis" ("shall be saved.") [from Daniel B. Wallace,
Greek
Grammar Beyond the Basics, (Zondervan, 1996), p.684.]
Following the rules of language one can interpret Mark 16:16 to mean
that the one who is saved is the one who believes. Why? It is
because "the two conditions in the protasis do not necessarily bear
the same relation to the apodosis. One might be cause, while the
other might be ground or evidence. If that is the case here, ‘If you
believe’ is the cause and the fulfillment of the apodosis depends on
it; ‘and are baptized’ is the evidence of belief and apodosis does
not depend on it for fulfillment. This would explain the following
sentence: ‘The one who does not believe shall be condemned.’"
[Wallace, p. 688.] That is why one of the finest New Testament
scholars comments: "The order, pisteusas (the one who believes)
before baptistheis (the one who is baptized), and perhaps also the
absence of any me baptistheis (one who is NOT baptized) answering to
apistesas (the one who does not believe), rule out a magical,
mechanical conception of baptism." [C.E.B. Cranfield, The Cambridge
Greek Testament Commentary, (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1966), p. 474.]
Second, since there are two possible ways to understand Mark 16:16,
we must look to the broader teaching of Scripture to find the best
understanding for Mark 16:16. First, we can see that Jesus spoke
this way several other places: John 3:18 "He that believeth on him
is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already,
because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God." And John 3:36 "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting
life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the
wrath of God abideth on him." There is no mention of baptism in
these verses. If Jesus says that the one who believes on the Son is
not condemned, but has everlasting life," and someone says, "No,
that's just an assumption. You really have to be baptized," then who
should I believe – that person or Jesus?
Here is the point: There is another way to read Mark 16:16 than the
way you read it, but you can only see one way. Is this because you
really desire to believe the whole of Scripture? Or do you only
believe the verses that fit the doctrine you have been raised or
converted to believe? You may see my position as trying to
compromise your favorite verses. But, I submit that I am seeking to
understand ALL the things that Jesus said, not just what he said in
my personally preferred verses. Since Jesus repeatedly emphasizes
faith as the essential element of salvation, we must look at Mark
16:16 as either a contradiction to his other teaching, or seek an
understanding of how Mark 16:16, and all his other teaching, are in
harmony. It is clear that Jesus emphasized believing many, many more
times that he did baptism. All the verses below speak in some manner
about the centrality of faith in Christ (either in teaching, healing
or salvation): [Sorry for the long email but I am trying to make a
very important point about a serious subject.]
Matthew 8:13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as
thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was
healed in the selfsame hour.
Matthew 9:28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came
to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do
this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer,
believing, ye shall receive.
Matthew 21:25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of
men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say,
From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
Matthew 21:32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness,
and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed
him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye
might believe him.
Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God
is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Mark 5:36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith
unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are
possible to him that believeth.
Mark 9:42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that
believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged
about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire,
when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Mark 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at
meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart,
because they believed not them which had seen him after he was
risen.
Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my
name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Luke 8:12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the
devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they
should believe and be saved. 8:13 They on the rock are they, which,
when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root,
which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Luke 8:50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear
not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
Luke 20:5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall
say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?
Luke 22:67 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I
tell you, ye will not believe:
Luke 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to
believe all that the prophets have spoken:
John 1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light,
that all men through him might believe.
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to
become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
John 2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee,
and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
John 2:22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples
remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the
scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
John 3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye
believe not, how
shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
John 3:15 That whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but
have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:18 He that
believeth on him is not condemned: but he that
believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in
the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:36 He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he
that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
John 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh,
when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem,
worship the Father.
John 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders,
ye will not believe.
John 4:50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the
man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went
his way.
John 4:53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the
which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and
his whole house.
John 5:38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath
sent, him ye believe not.
John 5:44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another,
and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
John 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have
believed me: for
he wrote of me. 47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye
believe my words?
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of
God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
John 6:30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then,
that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that
cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall
never thirst. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and
believe not.
John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one
which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting
life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
believeth on me
hath everlasting life.
John 6:64 But there are some of you that
believe not. For Jesus knew
from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should
betray him.
John 6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the
Son of the living God.
John 7:5 For neither did his brethren
believe in him.
John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out
of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake
he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for
the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet
glorified.)
John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins:
for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
John 8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
John 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth,
why do ye not believe me?
John 9:18 But the Jews did not
believe concerning him, that he had
been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of
him that had received his sight.
John 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had
found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
John 9:36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might
believe on him?
John 9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
John 10:26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I
said unto you.
John 10:37 If I do not the works of my Father,
believe me not. 38
But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye
may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
John 10:42 And many believed on him there.
John 11:15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the
intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life:
he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest
thou this? 27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art
the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
John 11:40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou
wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
John 11:42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of
the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou
hast sent me.
John 11:45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen
the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
John 11:48 If we let him thus alone, all men will
believe on him:
and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
John 12:11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away,
and believed on Jesus.
John 12:36 While ye have light,
believe in the light, that ye may be
the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and
did hide himself 37 But though he had done so many miracles before
them, yet they believed not on him: from them. 38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who
hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been
revealed? 39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias
said again,
John 12:42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many
believed on
him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest
they should be put out of the synagogue:
John 12:44 Jesus cried and said, He that
believeth on me, believeth
not on me, but on him that sent me.
John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever
believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if any man hear
my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge
the world, but to save the world.
John 13:19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to
pass, ye may believe that I am he.
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye
believe in God, believe
also in me.
John 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me:
or else believe me for the very works' sake. 12 Verily, verily, I
say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he
do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto
my Father.
John 14:29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that,
when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
John 16:9 Of sin, because they
believe not on me;
John 16:27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved
me, and have believed that I came out from God.
John 16:30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest
not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
John 16:31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
John 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me;
and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out
from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which
shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one;
as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one
in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
John 19:35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true:
and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
John 20:8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to
the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
John 20:25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen
the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the
print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails,
and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me,
thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet
have believed.
John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might
believe that Jesus
is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life
through his name.
You said “If you can show me where (in scripture) when one
believes,
he is saved, then I also will believe it.” In Luke 8:12 Jesus said:
“Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil,
and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should
believe and be saved.” That’s very straightforward. If we take all
the verses listed above, how could anyone say that those who
believe, and according to Jesus, will never “hunger” or “thirst,”
know “all things are possible,” “is not condemned,” have the “power
to become the sons of God,” will “not perish, but have everlasting
life,” will be raised “up at the last day,” is given “the Spirit” in
their heart like “rivers of living water,” shall live and “shall
never die,” will “see the glory of God,” “be the children of light,”
will “not abide in darkness,” shall do “greater works than these,”
and even “be one in us [Father & Jesus],” and YET NOT BE SAVED?
Either Jesus never heard the baptismal remission interpretation of
Mark 16:16 or he meant something quite different. If we interpret
Mark 16:16 in harmony with the rest of Jesus’ teaching, then we can
see that the emphasis is on believing unto salvation, or not
believing unto condemnation. It is not on baptism.
That is the most consistent understanding throughout all of
Scripture. In Genesis 15:6 it says, “And he believed in the LORD;
and he counted it to him for righteousness,” which Paul says is the
pattern for the church even today: “Even as Abraham believed God,
and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore
that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen
through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In
thee shall all nations be blessed.” (Galatians 3:6-8), and he says
it again in Romans 4:3 “For what saith the scripture? Abraham
believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” Or if
we take the only verse in the Book of Acts where someone asked “How
can I be saved?” we see the answer Paul gives is the same:
“Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
(Acts 16:31) [Here’s another verse that says when one believes he is
saved.]
Or we read Paul’s word in Romans 10:10 “For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation.” Or in 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 “Moreover, brethren, I
declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye
have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if
ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have B
in vain.” Or in Ephesians 1:12-13 “That we should be to the praise
of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted,
after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation:
in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy
Spirit of promise, . . .” Or in 1 Timothy 1:16 “Howbeit for this
cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew
forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should
hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” Or if we read the
writer of Hebrews in 4:3 “For we which have believed do enter into
rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter
into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation
of the world.” Or in the first epistles of John 5:1 “Whosoever
believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God:” The message is
the same. It is not faith plus baptism. It is not faith plus
anything. In is faith alone in Christ alone.
I appreciate your concern about my spiritual welfare. If I am
following only my assumptions and if I am teaching a lie, then I
know of no better “assumption” to rest my life, my ministry, and my
eternal destiny on than this: Jesus alone is my Savior – plus
nothing else!!
My friend, if you are trusting in Jesus plus something else, you do
not need to. Jesus is enough. He is the one your baptism points to,
and not the one who depends on your baptism to finish what he
already perfected.
Thanks for writing.
God’s grace is more wonderful that we can imagine,
Bernie
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