____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ February 26, 1995 ____________________________________________________ The Faith That Saves! by Tom Edwards The following is a segment of a religious discussion that I recently had via computer with another user on FidoNet. For anonymity I'll just use his first name--David. David's statement: "In 1 Cor. 15:1-4, Paul tells us what the gospel is and of course does not include baptism. In Acts 13:32-39 he also tells us what the gospel is and that 'EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES is justified'. Again, there is no mention of water baptism being part of the gospel or playing any role whatsoever in salvation." My response: David, I would like to point out that there is no specific mention of ``repentance'' being part of the gospel in these passages; does that mean that it is irrelevant to salvation? When we turn to other verses, such as Acts 2:38, we learn that not only is repentance part of the plan of salvation, but so is baptism also. Let's consider all the verses on it. David's statement: "Well you're right in that baptism is a work of obedience. The very thing we are told plays no part in our salvation." My response: If we can't be saved by any kind of work of obedience, then we can't even believe because Jesus said that it is a work (Jn. 6:27-29). That's something to think about. ``Faith cometh by hearing the word of God'' (Rom. 10:17). ``The gospel is the power of God unto salvation....'' (Rom. 1:16). But what if someone has never heard the word? Should I teach that person that he better not walk anywhere to get a Bible because that would be a work? or he better not read the Bible when he gets it because that would be a work, too? I once told the brethren, when I was preaching a lesson to them one evening, ``If you don't think hearing the word of God is a work, I'll just keep preaching until midnight--or until you change your mind.'' Obviously, there is more of a work toward hearing the word of God and repenting than merely being dunked in the water. And think about the work that might be involved in repentance. I can imagine some situations in which it would be quite a challenge to turn from sin (a challenge which someone would really have to work at). But should we tell people they better not repent if it's going to be a difficult thing for them to do? What is the big question people asked in the New Testament? It was ``What shall I do to be saved?'' Not once were they told, ``You can't do anything because God has already done it all for you.'' Rather, they were told to ``Save yourselves from this untoward generation'' (Acts 2:40). They were told to believe, to repent, to confess their faith in Christ, to be baptized in water, to remain faithful throughout life. Jesus died for every sinner, but why isn't every sinner saved? Because he has not met the necessary conditions. God has done His part, but man must comply by doing his. Think about it: if a man were saved by ``faith only'' then not even repentance would be necessary. Why? Because putting ``only'' after faith will exclude anything else. Do you really believe one is saved by ``faith only?'' or do you believe that one is saved by ``faith and repentance?'' And if you believe that repentance is also necessary, then how can you say a person is saved by ``faith only?'' And if repentance is also necessary, what about all those verses that don't mention repentance, but only faith or a synonym of faith (such as John 3:16)? Are we to assume that repentance is not necessary because it is not specified in the ``faith'' verses? Of course not, because we read elsewhere that it is (Acts 17:30). And we also read elsewhere of the need to be baptized so that our sins can be forgiven (Acts 2:38; 1 Pet. 3:21). David's statement: "Any act of obedience we do, by definition, is a work. If the only difference between you and another person who believed but went to hell was that when he believed he wasn't baptized but you were, then you would certainly have something to boast about." My response: Let's change the scenario: one person is lost in eternity because he never bothered to hear the word of God; another person is saved because he took the time to read and obey the New Testament. Can the one who took the time to read the Scriptures boast because he put some effort into reading it, which eventually had led to his faith in God and obedience to the gospel? I wish you could see that it takes ``effort'' (work) to read the Scriptures, but yet it's still what one must do to acquire faith (Rom. 10:17). I hope this will help you in your consideration of God's word. Take care. ___________________________________________ WHEN DOES ONE BECOME A CHRISTIAN? by Tom Edwards One nice thing about entering religious discussions on FidoNet is that it doesn't even have to be addressed to you in order for you to respond. The messages are all public for anyone to read and reply to, as you see I did in this following segment: Danny's statement: "And this is the point where I get confused, Michael, so maybe you can explain it to me. If baptism gives us remission of sins, then when are we saved? At what point in my spiritual 'trek for God' does God say, 'You are my child' -- when I confess my sins, when I get baptized, or at some other point?" My response: I can answer that, Danny. One becomes a child of God after he believes in the deity of Christ (Jn. 8:24), has repented of his sins (Acts 17:30), has acknowledged his faith in Christ (Acts 8:36,37), and has been baptized in water for the remission of sins (Acts 2:28; 1 Pet. 3:21). Baptism is the last step toward becoming a Christian. As Paul says in Romans 6:3,4, one is raised up from the watery grave of baptism in order to ``walk in newness of life.'' This ``newness of life'' is undoubtedly talking about the new life in Christ that one receives as a Christian. Danny's statement: "I'll be honest with you: If I'm not saved until after my baptism, then I'm honked off BIG TIME because there are a LOT of people doing potential converts a disservice by making them wait for baptism! 'We baptize once every three months. Come back then.' 'You'll be baptized this Sunday evening.'" My reply: You're exactly right. Most religious people today are not even teaching the full plan of salvation--they leave off water baptism. It's interesting to note that in the New Testament there is not even one example of anyone (who came to believe in the reality of Jesus and wanted to become a Christian) who then took the time to even eat or sleep before he or she was baptized. The Philippian jailer was baptized around midnight! Why so late if baptism can be done anytime? Isn't it because Jesus said that ``He that believes and has been baptized shall be saved....''? Danny's statement: "Somebody better get off their [duff] and get these people in the water FAST!!" My response: That's what many of us are trying to do, but I'm sure you can imagine all the opposition we run into. Many people don't want to hear about water baptism for the remission of sins because they don't believe it. Many of these have been led to believe in a salvation by ``faith only,'' which the Bible nowhere teaches. Danny's statement: "If I was baptized thinking this was just a symbol and not an actual part of the salvation experience, does this mean I'm not going to Heaven? Do I need to be rebaptized, aware of the fact that baptism is required for the remission of sins? (I ask because of your comment on baptism....) My response: I don't think you can even technically use the term ``rebaptized,'' because if it's not done for the right reason then it isn't even Bible baptism. For example, if some boys were swimming in a lake, and one pushes the other underwater, he's baptizing (immersing) him; but this in itself is not Bible baptism. Bible baptism is immersion in water for the right reason--and that right reason being, so one can be saved by the blood of Jesus. I was not raised in the church of Christ, and I had received a denominational baptism (which was not for the remission of sins). When I learned what the New Testament was really saying about water baptism, I was then baptized for the right reason in order that I could be saved. I had reached the conclusion that without the proper baptism, I would be lost. I hope these thoughts will help you in your study of God's word. ___________________________________________ Selected Sentence Sermons "Either the Bible will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the Bible." "No man is truly educated who lacks in the knowledge of the Bible." ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 1314 Montgomery Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________