Baptism is a symbol of our partaking of the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. It cannot save a person. Look at LUKE 23: 42, ACTS 9:17-18, 1JOHN 1:9 and ROMANS 10:9.

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Baptism is a symbol of our partaking of the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. It cannot save a person. Look at LUKE 23

42, ACTS 9:17-18, 1JOHN 1:9 and ROMANS 10:9.

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Thank you for sharing your concerns. We will examine as many of these scriptures as we can in this limited space, and offer you other resources to help.

One of the first principles of understanding the Bible is that doctrine should be based on the whole Word of God and not just a few passages taken in isolation. The Bible itself tells us that "man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord " (Deuteronomy 8:3, emphasis added throughout). Jesus Christ clearly endorsed this overriding truth by quoting these very words in rejecting Satan's distortion of Scripture (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4).

The apostle Paul told Timothy that he should be "handling accurately the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15, New American Standard Bible). Singling out a few passages here and there is not a sound method of determining doctrinal truths. We must put together all the relevant scriptures on a particular subject to gain full understanding. Baptism is a case in point.

You stated that "baptism is not mandatory for salvation." Yet the early chapters of all four Gospel accounts refer to John the Baptist baptizing many people, including Jesus Christ Himself. John initially protested that he was not worthy to baptize Jesus, but Christ insisted. He wanted to set us an example that we all should follow.

And in fact, "Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples)" (John 4:1-2)—just as His followers do today. Jesus Himself said, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16).

In his inspired sermon on the Day of Pentecost, when the Church was founded, the apostle Peter set out the proper order of events when he said, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).Note that we should first repent, then be baptized, and then God responds to our obedience by giving us His Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32).

Even when God chose to reverse the normal order to miraculously demonstrate that He was calling gentiles to be part of His Church, Peter immediately said: "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" Then Peter "commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord" (Acts 10:47-48). We have no authority from God to omit water baptism from the salvation process. The apostles of Christ mandated it.

It is certainly true, as you have stated, that "the blood of Jesus washes away our sins." Yet we must also remember what Ananias (a man chosen by God to instruct Saul) said: "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). Water baptism symbolically washes away our sins, defined in the Bible as the transgressions of God's

Concerning the necessity of the laying on of hands, the apostle Paul told Timothy to "stir up the gift of God [the Holy Spirit] which is in you through the laying on of my hands"(2 Timothy 1:6-7). This is how one receives God's Spirit (Acts 8:17-19; 9:17; 19:6).

As to the passage on the thief on the cross, it has been badly misinterpreted. You stated that "we can safely say that the thief went to heaven." But like all who have died except Christ, this man is not conscious in heaven but is awaiting the resurrection. Let's take another look at this passage.

One key to understanding its true meaning is the thief's request that Christ remember him "when You come into Your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). Jesus comes into His Kingdom at the time of the resurrection, when the saints of God join Him on earth to rule with Him (see Revelation 5:10; 20:1-4). These events are yet future.

We should also ask ourselves, where exactly did Jesus go after He died? Did He go to heaven that same day? No, the Scriptures are quite clear that He went to the grave until His resurrection three days and three nights later, just as He said would happen (Matthew 12:40; Acts 2:31-33; 13:29-30, 34-35). So the thief could not have gone to heaven with Him that day. Jesus Himself didn't go to heaven that day!

Odd as it may sound to most people, heaven is not the reward of the saved. Scripture tells us that "no one has ascended into heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man . . ." (John 3:13; see also Matthew 5:5).

Importantly, the thief, though not yet baptized and converted, is not condemned without hope for salvation. He will be resurrected at the time of Christ's Kingdom and given the opportunity to be saved. For a much more detailed understanding of the incident with the thief on the cross, see pages 38 and 39 of our free booklet Heaven and Hell: What Does the Bible Really Teach? This publication explains why we neither go to heaven nor descend to hell when we die. The Bible consistently pictures death as a sleep from which we awake at the resurrection.

As for your reference to 1 John 1:9, we must first realize that this verse, like the entire epistle of 1 John, is addressed to true Christians who have already repented, been baptized and received God's Spirit. When the New Testament uses the pronoun "we," it nearly always refers to Christians. Even righteous men and women of God slip and fall occasionally, and the apostle John is telling them—and us—what to do when this occurs.

Certainly our human minds are all too prone to come up with reasons why we might think it isn't necessary to obey God on a particular point (see Romans 8:7; Jeremiah 17:9). But humble submission to God's Word and will is required of all who want to remain in His grace and to be saved in the end.

The free booklets The Road to Eternal Life and Transforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion explain water baptism in greater detail and why it is an essential step in the salvation process. You can request or download these free publications at www.gnmagazine.org/booklets. It requires a good deal of prayer, time and patient Bible study to correctly understand the biblical teachings of God.

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Comments

  • Ivan Veller
    Hello again, “Luke 23:39-41…‘Assuredly, I say to you today, you will be with Me in Paradise.’…Deuteronomy 30:18 (‘I announce to you today that you shall surely perish’) and Acts 20:26 (‘Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men’…)… Jesus never said nor implied that the dying man would be in paradise or heaven on that very day. Christ was encouraging him by solemnly assuring him that a time would come, in God's future Kingdom on earth, when the man would be resurrected…[within] the time frame of God's plan of salvation” (UCG 2009, “The Thief on the Cross.” From “Heaven and Hell: What Does the Bible Really Teach?”). “Hebrews 9:27…God wants to save all of humanity…We must undergo a life-transforming change of heart and direction…When you are baptized, God forgives your past sins and clears your record…God counts none of our past sins against us (Romans 3:25). If we stumble and sin after baptism, we must ask God’s forgiveness so that our state of forgiveness is not lost by our return to our old sinful way of life (1 John 2:1-6)…The difference in the life of a Christian after repentance and baptism is that he no longer practices unrighteousness as a way of life…The law cannot save us, but our striving to obey it is a condition of our salvation. If we ultimately refuse to obey God, He will not ultimately save us” (Hornor 2002, “What Is Salvation?” article reprint). “2 Kings 2:[11]…[the Bible] proves conclusively that Elijah was not taken up to live in heaven…Elijah wrote a letter to Jehoram…years after he was removed in the whirlwind” (UCG 2009, “Did Elijah Go to Heaven?” From “Heaven and Hell: What Does the Bible Really Teach?”). “2 Corinthians 5:1-8…When Jesus Christ returns to earth to establish that Kingdom of God on earth, the dead in Christ will be resurrected to eternal life…(1 Corinthians 15:50-52…). The Bible also speaks of a great spiritual harvest to take place at that time (Matthew 13:30)” (Walker 2004, “Feast of Tabernacles: A Harvest Festival for God's People”). “1 Thessalonians 5:21…we have to examine, test and prove our beliefs, carefully examining the things we are taught in the light of Scripture” (Clark 2005, “Do You Practice 1 Thessalonians 5:21?”). “[B]aptism is…essential for salvation” (UCG FAQ, “Is baptism required for salvation?”).
  • Ivan Veller
    Hello Egghead, “Jesus gave [a] condition for God's gift of eternal life in Mark 16:16: ‘He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.’ Water baptism—by full immersion—is a symbolic act representing the death of our old self and the beginning of a new life of serving God and striving to avoid sin (Romans 6:1-23).Baptism is also followed by the laying on of hands by Christ's ministry, which allows us to receive God's Holy Spirit and truly belong to Him (Acts 8:17; Romans 8:9). Unless we surrender our lives to God through baptism and the laying on of hands to receive His Spirit as instructed, we fail to meet…His prerequisites for receiving His gift of salvation” (UCG 2012, “Is Belief All That's Required for Salvation?”). “Romans 10:9…means…‘reliance upon, not mere credence.’ There is…more to receiving salvation than simply knowing Christ lived. While we cannot earn our salvation through good works because salvation is a gift from God (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9), God does expect those who come to Him to keep His commandments (John 14:15; Revelation 14:12) and do good works (Ephesians 2:10)” (UCG n.d., “Is a Christian required to obey the commandments to be saved?”). “Acts 2:38…the only biblical form of baptism is a complete immersion in water. John the Baptist chose a particular location in the Jordan River for baptizing because sufficient water was available there to completely submerge individuals (John 3:23)…The very symbolism of baptism itself shows a willingness to ‘bury’ the old sinful life (Romans 6:11)” (UCG 2009, “Water Baptism and the Laying on of Hands”). “God…evaluates our intents and motivations (Hebrew 4:12-13). The internal aspects of our character count the most with Him. He considers our behavior in light of what is in our hearts (compare Jeremiah 17:10; Deuteronomy 10:12).” However, “If we yield our will to God, He will empower us through the Holy Spirit to live by the principles of righteousness as He defines them in His laws. Each of us must be ‘a worker…’ (2 Timothy 2:15)…He has to find out if our character will endure hardship and suffering. Only then can He trust us with the powers that come with eternal life” (UCG 2002, “The Importance of Godly Character”).
  • egghead55425
    Mark 16:16 makes two statements: 1. He who believes and is baptized will be saved. 2. He who does not believe will be condemned. This verse does not say what happens to believers who are not baptized, but many other verses (e.g. Romans 10:9) tell us that faith alone saves. Acts 2:38 does not use the word "water". John the Baptist said that he baptizes with water, but that the one who came after him would baptize with the Holy Spirit. The word "baptize" does not always refer to water baptism in the bible. The bible asserts that God looks at whether we make a sincere attempt to follow His will following our conversion. Jeremiah 17:10 says that "I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve". We are not saved by deeds, but our deeds are clear evidence of a person's actual relationship with God. My point about the thief on the cross was that he went to paradise without being baptized. Do you believe that the thief will get a second opportunity to be saved? That would go against Hebrews 9:27. The bible says where Jesus went immediately after He died, but nothing about what Jesus did and everywhere he went during his three days. Do you believe Elijah went to heaven (2nd Kings 2:11)? Do you believe when we are absent of the body we're present with the Lord (2nd Corinthians 5:8)? 1st Thessalonians 5:21 says to prove all things; hold fast to that which is good. I hope you can understand that as Christians we are not allowed to take anyone's word for it that baptism is required for salvation.
  • jonhouser

    Hey Egghead,
    Mark 16 doesn't need to tell us what happens to a believer who is not baptized. There is no such thing. A believer will obey. If he doesn't, then he doesn't believe. Acts 2:38 doesn't mention water, but numerous other passages do, for instance Eph 5:26. No, we don't take man's word for it. Only God's Word is relevant, and Col 2:11-15, Rom 6:1-15, Acts 2:38, and others tell us that baptism is the point at which we connect with the Blood. Given the inerrancy of Scripture, what options do we have when we encounter multiple passages with similar but different content? The only possible option is that we combine the content to make a whole, clearer picture than either passage presents by itself. We see this in numerous places, and one of the easiest to see is the four passages depicting the charge against Jesus that was placed over His head. Given that, now merge Mark 16:15-16, Matt 28:19-20, Rom 10:10, 1 John 4:12-16, John 1:12, Acts 3:19, Acts 2:38, 1 Pet 3:21, Rom 6:3-4, Col 2:11-13, Eph 5:25-27, 1 Cor 12:13, Gal 3:27, and Acts 22:16. When all of these are merged into one doctrine, there can be only one conclusion. Baptism is where the Spirit cleanses us!

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