VIEWPOINT PB-Z01
RAISED Into New Life

PROPER Bible Understanding
Mission outreach
P O Box 265
Joplin MO 64802-0265
Tel: 417/782-0814
<outreach@sofnet.com> [Careful readers will note that in Bible quotations in this study, "Spirit" is sometimes changed by this author to "spirit." The origi­nal Greek does not capitalize the word. Translators do capi­ta­lize when they think the meaning is God's Spirit. When I think the translators are wrong, I choose to remove their capitalization. I explain my thinking about this in the study available separately, "Were You Elected to Salvation?"]

*** Were You RAISED
into NEW LIFE ***

adapted from a study by Clinton Gill

Preface

We like writing which makes good use of words. Words are tools to say exactly what writers or speakers do mean and not what we don't mean. An especially gifted Christian writer published in the year 2003 a well-written article which says something I wish he didn't mean. His exact words were, "Ignorant as I was at that age (10 years) about the finer points of Christian doctrine, I also knew instinctively that nothing I did that night (he was baptized into Christ) saved me. Only Jesus could do that, and he had already done that on the cross."

While it's true that what Jesus did on the cross makes our salvation possible, nonetheless men of any age are not saved solely by what Jesus did on the cross. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, salvation is available for every man. The message of the cross draws ALL. Only SOME hear the gospel, obey the gospel, and are saved. Others reject God's call and are lost. If Jesus did it all, then sinners are saved before they obey the gospel. Perhaps ALL are saved. IF Jesus did it all.

The "good news" of Calvary and resurrection is "the gospel." We are saved only if we believe AND OBEY the gospel. I summon three witnesses to support the theory that in order to be saved we must both trust Jesus and obey Jesus. We individually choose our own spirit­u­al lea­der(s). Hear the apostle Paul, witness #1, as he writes to Christians to warn of a future judgment:

[5] This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering--since indeed God con­si­ders it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his migh­ty angels in flaming fire, inflic­ting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not OBEY the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the pres­ence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, be­cause our testimony to you was believed (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10--ESV).

Paul is agreeing with what Jesus and Peter had already taught. If Jesus is Lord, we should follow Him. Paul points out that sinners are called on to DO something in order to be saved. God calls on us to not only trust Jesus, but to also OBEY Him. That's witness #1, clear and con­cise. Next: Jesus plainly says that a new birth must be coupled with what His death makes possible, or else any particular person will NOT be saved. Hear Jesus, witness #2:

[3] Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, un­less one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the spirit, he can­not enter the kingdom of God ..." (John 3:3-5--ESV).

Paul and Jesus have testified. Jesus died for us. Only those who in obedience to the gospel are spiritually reborn will be saved by what Jesus did on the cross. Paul and Je­sus both know this and say so. We note that it's by a "new birth" that we ENTER the kingdom. And note what is taught in James about this new birth: [17] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creation (James 1:17,18 (ESV). That's #1 and #2. Witness #3 holds the keys to Christ's kingdom. Peter, apostle of Jesus Christ, invites sinners to repent and be baptized in order to receive remission of sins. His invitation to sinners is not, "Come join us because what Jesus did on the cross has already saved you." Hear the apostle Peter:

"... [36] Let all the house of Israel therefore know for cer­tain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.? Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.' And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, 'Save your­selves from this crooked generation.' So those who re­ceived his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:36-41--ESV).

Think of these three ancient writings as they relate to one another. Within the last year or so of His ministry, Je­sus spoke to Nicodemus about the coming kingdom. That was first. It was prophetic. The kingdom was promised but had not yet come upon the earth. Jesus said that when it had begun, entrance to His kingdom was only by way of a new birth of water and spirit.

When the kingdom DID come, as reported in chapter two of Acts, Peter (remember he had been given the "keys to the kingdom") replied to seekers after salvation. He urged them to do what men must do in order to enter the kingdom. Jesus had said this require­ment was to be born again of water and spirit. Peter's explanation of the "new birth" was that men must re­pent of sin and must accept baptism into Christ. Those who did these things would have their sins taken away and would receive the gift of God's Holy Spirit!

Two statements by the apostle Paul, written much later than these by Jesus and Peter, also help us under­stand the simplicity of "new birth." Paul speaks to our need of "obeying" the gospel. We quoted that scripture. In Gala­tians 3:27 Paul makes clear his under­standing that it's in Christian baptism that we "put on Christ." Our baptism brings us, he says, "INTO Christ." Salvation is found only IN Christ. Paul also ex­plains that a "seal" of our salvation is the Holy Spirit. Pe­ter had pointed out that those who do repent and who are baptized will as a result receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Neither our bap­tism nor our resultant receiving of the Spirit took place on the cross.

Paul, Jesus, and Peter agree that men of any age must experience a new birth of water and spirit in order to be saved. Men of any age must repent and be baptized in or­der to enter the kingdom of Christ. It cannot be true then that someone in any condition of life was saved by Jesus in this "church age" except by way of personally experiencing a "new birth," or as an exception. Yet this peculiar pattern of speech (salvation is by faith alone; Jesus did it all) has in recent years crept into the thinking and writing even of several who surely should know better.

Do you believe that the implication is correct that repentance and baptism in response to the gospel have nothing to do with salvation? Do you think people are saved "solely by what Jesus already did on the cross"? Please DO consider what the bible does clearly teach on this subject. Here I present what the bible DOES teach on how sinners become saints (disciples of Christ). I hope you will consider what these passages do teach.

***
Introduction Christian baptism is closely linked with faith and re­pen­tance. These, for sinners, are "for the remission of sins," to "wash away" sin, and to "clothe ourselves with Christ." Christian baptism also identifies the raised-up individual with the death, burial, resurrection, and life of Jesus Christ. That which accomplishes "new birth" brings the reborn person into the fellowship of God's church. Ci­ta­tions and quotations from God's Word will sup­port each of these claims as our study continues. Please let God's Word speak to your heart.

Only we who OBEY the gospel will be saved by what Jesus "already did on the cross." Men of any age save themselves by "obeying the gospel." In this book I point out the minimum required for "new birth." I wish I could believe that the writer quoted above did not mean to contradict this revealed truth! I think he had in mind passages which might seem to promise salvation prior to completion of the new birth. God's Word makes clear that faith alone does not save. Many verses point out that faith in Jesus is essential FOR salvation. The required faith is NOT faith alone!

My aim in these brief re­marks is to point out some of the things in the bible which make clear for what purpose Jesus com­mands that His disci­ples are to bap­tize each new be­liever, and what is accom­plished when we do baptize in Jesus' name. Then, as now, there were apparently those who had experienced immersion in the name of Jesus Christ who did not fully understand what had happened to them. This is not strange when one remembers the practice of bap­tizing new converts "the same hour of the day or night." Why did they do this? What did they know that some of us obviously do not know?

Every instance (recital) of conversion to Christ recorded in the bible is found in the New Testament book of Acts. The church of God first received sinners into its mem­ber­ship on the Day of Pentecost 50 days after Jesus was raised from the dead. These conversions told of in the bible all closely "match" in what was done to become a saved person. The "candidates" mainly responded to the gospel in the same ways. Did you know this? Does what the bible teach affect what we believe and practice? Why would we think an unbiblical "plan of salvation" is just as good as the one given by God?

Baptism is an immersion, nothing less, nothing more. The bible speaks of several differing baptisms. Our particular topic of dis­cus­sion is the baptism commanded by Christ and associ­ated with sinners being accepted into Christ's kingdom. Here we will refer to this baptism as Christian baptism even though the bap­tis­mal candidate is not a Christian until the baptism has ta­ken place. Baptism "into Christ" is the only baptism com­man­ded to be practiced BY Christians, so no other bap­tism could appropriately be called Chris­tian baptism. That IS what the bible teaches.

It was Jesus who made baptism a necessary step in en­tering His Way. This is not just in order to join a particular group of godly people, but in fact to join with Him. God's salva­tion is offered to sinners who will repent and who will be baptized into Christ. In this study we'll look at bi­ble exam­ples of con­versions. And we'll study what Jesus, and later what His apostles, taught about Christian bap­tism. Bible wri­ters who speak of baptism into Christ ap­parently do so to make sure their readers will more fully understand what had hap­pened as they were bap­tized, and to clarify what was the significance of the baptism Jesus said was to be performed by those who told others about Him.

We study the bible to learn what Jesus wants us to know about baptism and other matters. In particular, our information source for Christian baptism is that part of the bible which deals with Jesus on earth and His establishing of an "assembly" for us who have become His dis­ciples. Instruc­tions, examples, and relevant infor­ma­tion about Christian bap­tism are found in the New Testa­ment rather than in the Old Testament.

Old Testament books were mainly written in the Hebrew language. They teach us nothing about baptism into Christ. It's in the New Testament that we first read about Christian baptism. New Testament original wri­tings are in the Koine Greek language, which was the language of the common people in the lands where in the first years of church history these books were written.

At the time of writing of New Testament books, Rome ruled the "known" world. Yet the language of commerce and learning was that of Greece. Most people could under­stand at least some Greek words and were apt to be able to make themselves understood by speak­ers of the Greek language. English came much later.

There is no exact English equivalent of the main two Greek words which more than 1,000 years later were transliterated into English by the created English words, baptize and baptism. If they HAD been trans­lated, in most cases the English words chosen would have been "immersed" for the noun, and "immerse" or "bury" for the verb. This is certainly true when the word was used to refer to the "cere­mony" which through a death, a burial and a resurrection brought and brings outsi­ders into God's church. We will look at several Bible passages about Chris­tian baptism after first considering similar pre-Chris­tian initia­tory and cleansing ceremonies.

***
Pre-Christian Cleansings
and Baptisms We're told that in some ancient mystery religions, a baptism inducted new members into that religion. Like­wise, it is suggested that to be "baptized into Moses" com­mitted those "Jews" who crossed the Red Sea to accept Moses as their leader in bringing God's people out of Egyptian bon­dage. Paul wrote about this:

[10:1] I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea ... (1 Corinthians 10:1,2--ESV).

The Jewish religion included various "washings" aimed at purification from sin. These were not usually immer­sions (baptisms) but since their purpose was to cleanse from sin they were similar in some ways to baptism into Christ. In some cases, "cleansing wa­ter" was sprinkled toward (and over) persons seek­ing to be cleansed. In other cases, the entire person or the per­son's hands were washed to remove possible contami­nation.

A practice had sprung up among the Jews whereby non-Jews could convert to the "Jewish" religion by be­ing cir­cumcised and baptized. Jewish proselyte bap­tism asso­ciated the proselyte (a Gentile who converted to the God of the Bible) with Judaism. The purpose of prose­lyte con­version was to make the converted Gentile a part of the people of God (commonly called the Jews), the covenant community established and perpetuated by faith­fulness to the covenant between God and Abraham.

God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob gave meaning to circumcision as part of the conversion process. The con­verted (circumcised and baptized) Gen­tile, having become one of God's covenant people, was now said to be dead to his Gentile past and origins, to be risen into a new life, and was thought by some to have been born, or begotten, again.

More than three years before disciples of Christ were by Him commissioned to baptize new disciples, John, a cousin of Jesus of Nazareth began preaching "in the wil­der­­ness" in Judea, and began baptizing those Jews who came to hear him and wanted to please God. The message John pro­claimed prior to baptizing his repentant Jewish hear­ers was that a new kingdom was "at hand." In preparation for that kingdom Jews needed to repent of sin. He called all Jews to return to the ways taught by God through Moses and God's prophets of old. Those who did repent were then immersed, in the Jordan river, by John or one of his disciples.

Baptism of Jews by John was for "repentance for the forgiveness of sins." John's baptism featured as essential fac­tors: 1) a call to repentance, 2) a promise of for­give­ness for past sins, and 3) preparation for God's Kingdom, which was promised to come soon. John's baptism associ­ated his followers with his program of preparation for the Messiah through repentance. He had no group or institu­tion for them to join. This is the case also with baptisms performed by disciples of Jesus Him­self prior to His as­cen­sion back into heaven. "Christian baptism" was not prac­ticed until the events spoken of in chapter two of Acts, which was after both John and Jesus had been put to death.

As a loyal and faithful Jew, Jesus was among those who responded to John's call for Jews to be baptized. Yet John realized that Jesus was different from every other respon­dent. Jesus had no sin. Jesus needed no re­pen­tance. So John wanted not to baptize Him. Jesus insisted, since all Jews had received God's call in that day to come to John and be baptized.

Jesus was baptized, He said, "to fulfill all righteous­ness." He agreed that his cousin was right that he had no sin and had no need of repentance. Yet, as a Jew, He felt it was necessary and only "right" to do what God had called every Jew to do. So he persuaded John to immerse Him. God sent signs to let both John and Jesus know that the act was correct and that all was well. They saw a descen­ding dove and heard a thundering voice. Any Jew who has no sin can be baptized for the same reason as was Jesus. We who HAVE sinned are not sinless. We need to be baptized for the remission of our sins.

***
Some other baptisms John made clear that although he baptized in water, the coming King would later baptize in two different elements--in fire, and in the Holy Spirit. Disciples of the Christ did not (do not, never will) baptize in either fire or the Holy Spirit, but as John did, they immersed their con­verts in water. Christian baptism is immersion in water. It has always been so. It will always be so.

Yet it was prophesied by His cousin John that Jesus would baptize some in the Holy Spirit and some in fire. He did and will do so. Holy Spirit baptism was to confer parti­cular powers and gifts upon selected persons, or to signal God's acceptance of those baptized in His Spirit. Only a select few received Spirit baptism. Baptism in fire will be the fate of all who at the final judgment are not found to have become followers of the Way of Christ.

None but God can perform baptism in fire or baptism in the Spirit. Neither of these baptisms is the baptism Jesus commanded His disciples to perform. Also, Jesus is quoted in Mark 10:38,39 speaking of a bap­tism other than John's baptism that He would later experience. It appears that He there spoke of the suffering which He would undergo at Calvary. His apostles were promised that they too would suffer for the sake of the gospel: [38] Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, ..." (Mark 10:38,39--ESV)

***
What JESUS taught
about baptism "in His name"
John 3:1-17 The apostle John reports:

[3:1] Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nico­demus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nico­demus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old" Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the spirit, he CANNOT EN­TER the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit." (John 3:1-6--ESV, except that Ray has changed capitals to lower case on two words which for no apparently good reason in ESV and some other translations are capitalized.)

It may be that Nicodemus was seeking an accommo­dation with Jesus which would combine forces between Jewish leaders and Jesus to make Him king of a rebuilt Jewish political state. If so, Jesus quietly and firmly made clear the impossibility of this situation ever happening. That is, Jesus made clear that only those who were "born again" could be citizens of His kingdom. If Nicodemus had supposed all Jews would automa­tically be citizens of a kingdom ruled by Jesus, he was made aware of his misunder­standing. Only those who were made morally clean (who were wholly dedica­ted to God) would be with­in Christ's organization. This may not have been what the politician wanted to hear.

Jews, no doubt including Nicodemus, wanted free­dom for Jews. Jesus offers all good things not only to Jews, but to any person who will seek life in Him. The only way to have life in Jesus is to be born again of water and spirit. Jesus made it unmistakably clear. We who study the matter today can also understand that "new birth into Christ's kingdom" is a change brought about in some way by both water AND spirit.

We are aware that some think Jesus refers to human birth by mention here of a birth of water. There's no way His words could possibly be construed to mean that. He speaks of a NEW birth of water and spirit rather than an OLD birth of water and a new birth of spirit. He did not say, "unless one who was born of water is now born of the spirit." NOTE that Jesus contrasts flesh and spirit. That's OUR flesh and OUR spirit.

Human birth requires an involvement of both a father and a mother. Jesus said that the "new birth" also re­quired two elements, which were water and spirit. Spiri­t­ual change precedes the physical in this spiritual "new birth." Later, the apostle Peter clarifies for our un­der­­­standing that the "water and spirit" of new birth is a matter of a sinner who now believes in Jesus repenting (a spiritual change) and, in order to receive remission of sins and to receive "the gift of the Holy Spirit," then being baptized--immersed into and raised up out of water as Jesus requires.

Only those who hear the gospel and then choose to live according to the teachings of Jesus can experi­ence the "new birth" of which Jesus spoke in John 3:5. Bap­tism is a part of this new birth, but it's only the coming out (making viable and visible) of the "new life" which began earlier within the believing sinner's heart (his "spir­­­it"). Life does begin prior to birth.

The new spiritual life itself is said to begin at bap­tism, just as we speak of human life beginning after the baby is outside the home where it was nourished and protected until "outside" life could begin with a good chance of success. But, as in human life, in another sense life begins at conception rather than at birth. That's why in other verses, most of which we'll not here consider, inspired writers speak as if the new birth began when faith came. Consider the new life in Christ: New life was conceived when, having heard the gos­pel, the sinner believed the gospel was true.

We hope evi­dence which fol­lows will convince every reader that the actual "new birth" is not completed in faith alone, or in repentance alone, or in simply confessing faith in the Lord Jesus. None will be in the kingdom of Christ who have not heard the gospel, turned away from sin, and begun walking with Jesus. The "new birth" of which Je­sus speaks has nothing to do with physical birth or ances­try. Regardless of who our parents were, we can be born again of water and spirit. But, as in human birth, the new birth of water and spirit is a PROCESS which begins in conception and later culminates in the actual birth experience.

The father's role in human birth is called begetting. We do not usually say a human baby has been born until the birth is complete. The actual birthing is the duty of the mother. We should not think of the new birth of which Jesus spoke as being complete until the new birth is complete. The visible "new birth" itself is, in this case, our baptism into Christ.

Who can doubt that the "new birth" Jesus says is essential for entrance into His kingdom is "of water AND spirit"? Immersion alone (that is, water baptism) is not enough. Spirit alone (that is, faith and repentance) is not enough. It's water AND spirit which bring us into the kingdom and ensure having our sins washed away. One brother points out that water and spirit in this case are "co-ordinate, correlative, and complementary." I think that puts the matter clearly even if the words themselves are not the most short and concise in the dictionary.

Jesus commands that HUMANS shall bap­tize. Note the giving of "the great commission." --

Matthew 28:16-20 "[16] Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the moun­­tain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they wor­shiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and MAKE DISCIPLES of all nations, BAPTIZING THEM in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, TEACHING THEM to observe all that I have com­manded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age'" (Matthew 28:16-20--ESV).

"Doubted" in this case might better be understood as "were confused." They were "caught off balance." In­deed, both confused and off-balance they were. But these disciples who were with Jesus in Galilee now were con­vinced that Jesus was God. They just had expected His kingdom to be of this world when it had never been intended to be so. They all were Jews. They now knew that Jesus had risen from the dead, regardless of how dreadful His death had been. They had seen Him alive again. They had heard Him and talked with Him. They had eaten with Him. His resurrection could not be doubted. Yet His future plans were not clear to them. He was not doing what they had planned and dreamed He would do. They wanted an earthly kingdom!

Jesus made clear once again His claim to being God. He claims that ALL authority, after His death and resur­rection, had now been placed in His hands. The confu­sion could end. Now He was giving them their marching orders. No longer were they to dream of an earthly king­dom. They, instead, would travel throughout kingdoms of this present world, everywhere telling others about Jesus. Their duties then included baptizing those who came to believe in the risen Lord, and teach­ing dis­ciples more and more about what Jesus had said and done and now wanted His disciples to do.

The instructions given by Jesus concerning the bap­tism included that the act was to be done "in the name of" Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Baptism "into Christ" is done by the authority of, in respect and honor for, and to bring the convert into fellowship with, God in His en­tire being. In actual practice, we're told that baptism was usual­ly done "in the name of Jesus," as shorthand for the longer list Jesus gave of the persons who together form our one God, and in recognition of the authority now given to Jesus alone.

Apparently early Christians, and the apostles, did not think Jesus in His "great commission" meant to be giv­ing some kind of "proper formula" for someone to say to make baptism valid. If anything is recorded about what was said when a baptism was performed, no reporter in bible times ever speaks of the baptizer using this particular word­ing. Generally what the report says is only that the person was baptized "in the name of Jesus." Jesus has all authority. It's by HIS authority that baptisms are performed.

Disciples are learners. That's what a disciple is. We're students. Jesus asks that we also should "make dis­ciples." We who turn to Jesus for light and life seek to LEARN from Him as well as to teach others what we have learned. The good example we have from Acts 2 is that disciples then daily sought to learn more about what Jesus did and said. We're told about this in the bible:

[42] And they devoted themselves to THE APOSTLES' TEACHING and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers (Acts 2:42--ESV).

Just as we can, early disciples could learn from one another. They also could learn by asking questions of the apostles, which we cannot do. But we CAN read the in­spired writings which contain apostolic teaching. In our homes and in our church assemblies, should we not diligently pursue learning of Jesus through reading (and hearing) the written Word of God?

Jesus said the first step to take in entering the Way was to accept being baptized. Others suggest per­haps first telling others about the new faith you've found. We call this "confessing our faith." Some suppose that means we must confess to every wrongdoing of which we're guilty. But no, the confession is simply, "I BE­LIEVE that Jesus IS the Christ, the Son of the Living God," or words to that effect.

Those to whom the gospel is to be taken are "people groups" rather than "nations" as such. In the book of Acts, Luke records the exciting story of how disciples of Christ did exactly as Jesus had directed we should do. This included that each new disciple was "baptized into Christ."

Mark 16:15,16 -- And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. WHOEVER BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED WILL BE SAVED, but whoever does not believe will be con­demned" (Mark 16:15,16--ESV).

"Whoever believes and IS immersed shall be saved." This is the promise of Jesus as the gospel of Mark words the commission. It is suggested by some that Mark may have not written the last few verses of the "gospel according to Mark" as it appears in most English bibles. So we can only report that the text as it is found in several ancient manuscripts does include this wording, which in no way disagrees with other bible teaching.

The text here uses a word which translates as "pro­claim" or "preach" rather than the "make disciples" or "teach" chosen by Matthew in his account of the giving of the commission. Paul uses a form of the same verb in writing that "God thought (it) good through the folly of the PROCLAMATION to save the believers" (1 Corinthians 1:21). It's not proclaiming which saves. It's the message of the cross which saves those who obediently respond to the message. The "proclamation which saves" is sum­­ma­rized by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8:

[15:1] Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you--unless you be­lieved in vain. For I delivered to you as of first im­por­tance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accord­ance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me (1 Corinthians 15:1-8--ESV).

Whether in conversa­tion or in writing or in proclamation, what we are told to tell others is the gospel (good news) of Jesus who came to earth to die in place of sin­ners so that we might have undeserved eternal life. It's as the proclamation about Jesus is shared that gospel "seed" which can produce eternal life within sin­ners is "plan­ted." Only those who HAVE heard and believed the gospel could ever be "baptized into Christ."

One brother points out, "To understand what is taught about Chris­tian immersion in Mark 16:15,16, it is essential to note the sequential order in which Jesus places 1) procla­mation, 2) belief, 3) baptism and 4) salvation. To say that one who hears the proclama­tion and believes is saved prior to being immersed is to make Jesus say, 'the one 2) believing and 4) being saved shall later be 3) im­mersed.' Those who practice 'infant baptism' are, in effect, alter­ing His statement to read, '3) the one being baptized and 4) saved shall later 2) believe.'" Should we change the promise made by the Lord, and then expect Him to honor what He did not say? No, we must let Jesus speak for Himself. Our responsibility is to listen, believe and obey Him!

***
How did early disciples
understand their commission?

1. Acts 2:38-40

The celebration of Pentecost described in Acts 2 saw the be­gin­ning of Christian baptism. Jews from around the known world were assembled in Jerusalem for this par­ti­cular feast of Pentecost. Perhaps many of them had been there the 50 days since Passover. Most were prob­ably very aware of the crucifixion of the Galilean pre­ten­der to the throne of David. Some of them may have wit­nessed His death. It is conceivable that some of them were among the mob who had cried out for Him to be crucified.

The preaching (Spirit-empowered) of Peter em­ployed the best of Jewish logic, which was appropriate since his hearers were Jews. Those present for the Pente­cost ceremonies believed in prophecy and its ful­fill­ment. They also realized that the Jewish law re­quired the testimony of at least two "witnesses" to confirm any questionable matter.

Peter proclaimed as a fact that Jesus of Nazareth ful­filled the Old Testament requirements to identify Him as the Christ. He pointed out that there were many witnesses to fulfillment of the prophetic require­ments by Jesus of Nazareth. Therefore, said the apos­tle, "Jesus is the promised Messiah." To the Jewish mind, anything fore­told in Scripture must someday come to pass. If any event were attested to by at least two witnesses, it must be accepted as fact. Three thousand men that day heard and believed and acted upon Peter's message. Peter brought to their atten­tion that it was THEY who were responsible for putting to death God's man. So they asked the former­ly fearful but now-brave spokesman for God what they could do to make right what they had done wrong.

Peter's answer was enlightening and en­coura­ging. They could DO something to put right what they had done wrong. And it was something simple. It was a thing anyone could do. It wouldn't cost them more than they could afford in money or time or tal­ents. It required only an internal change of heart and mind, and then sub­mitting to a public ceremony to demonstrate that they now believed in Jesus and now wanted to serve Him.

New life in Christ starts by trusting Him. Then we obey Him. In order to receive both remission of sins and an unequalled gift of God's Holy Spirit, God's spokesman ad­vised these seekers they need only repent, and then submit to a baptism like that of John (which they all were familiar with), but which was not identical to John's. Those who had called for the crucifixion of Jesus had made up their minds that Jesus had different goals than theirs. They wanted an earthly kingdom. He would even do as the king, if He would lead them where they wanted to go. But by then they were sure His goals dif­fered from theirs. Some of them may have heard His reply to one of His judges, "My kingdom is NOT of this world."

Peter is saying those who want to turn to Jesus must accept HIS goals and make His goals their own. In so saying, the holder of the keys of the Lord's king­dom was explaining that the "new birth" which brings sinners INTO the Way of Christ includes a spiritual renewal--a "new birth" of water and spirit. No sinner's new birth took place while Jesus was on the cross. Jesus died for us on the cross. It's in the person's repentance and the Chris­­tian bap­tism humans are to perform that any indi­vi­dual's sin is washed away.

***
Christian baptism
is to change our status
As the Lord's assembly which we call His "church" began, it was made clear that entrance into this "king­dom" (which is not of this world) demanded cer­tain spiritual changes. Old and familiar ways of living were to be discarded. Ones who are satisfied as they are will not see any need to repent and be bap­tized. Yet, un­less we DO repent and are baptized, we die in our sins regard­less of all Jesus has done, and regardless of how many good deeds we might do on earth.

Some people today join a particular church organi­zation thinking they should influence it to make it like what THEY want it to be. God's planned church is per­fect. It is not improved by changes made by us or our forefathers or our children.

Today, do not many select their congregation based on what they like rather than what God likes? Their choice is apt to be a church that likes them unchanged, that approves of them as they now are. But Jesus will not accept or save those who love sin and want to con­tinue sinning. He calls for us to NOT remain as we were. He demands that we make needed changes! Those who in humility come to Christ are seeking to BE changed by Him. Jesus is not going to revise the rules for His kingdom to suit us. He offers to help US change to fit in with HIS kingdom the way it was designed from that first Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem in about 30 A.D.

Peter's offer was conditional: Receive these bless­ings from God IF you will change to be ones who from now on will live as Jesus showed us is right. You'll be wel­come in the Kingdom of Christ if you share the goals of God's Son, and if you now will live for Him. Peter didn't offer God's blessings to persons who had earned or deserved them. He explained how men must change in order to receive.

We save ourselves by repenting and accepting baptism. To repent is to change our preferences and practices. But mere change is not enough. We also must be baptized. In Chris­tian baptism we die to sin in order to be resurrected to new life as Jesus was. The new birth is of water AND spirit. After we turn to Jesus, we accept baptism. Then we continue to obey Jesus, living in and for Him, and walking in our new life.

We do see that the new birth is not only of water. It's obvious that salvation is by grace through faith. It's God's gift rather than our purchase. Men can't buy or earn cleansing from sin, but we ARE able to sur­render to do what Jesus wants us to do. Does not Peter say sinners must repent AND be baptized? The change is our new birth.

***
Christian baptism is
not a "work" a sinner does
Let's realize that baptism is not something done (a work) BY the one being baptized. It's done TO that per­son. A sinner can work all he (or she) wants to and still could not succeed in burying himself and raising himself out of a "watery grave." The sinner is placed UNDER the water by the hands of another person, and then is immediately lifted up OUT OF the water, still by the hands of another person. The sinner does no work. The baptizing is done by someone else. Yet some claim that baptism is a "human work." How can they think so? Was it not ordered by Jesus? Being baptized is just submitting to an act that JESUS said was to be performed upon anyone as soon as one came to believe in the risen Lord and wanted to make Jesus his Lord also. The next time you hear someone refer to being baptized as a work, you will do well to point out to the speaker that they're misunderstanding what is hap­pen­ing when a per­son is baptized. The one re­­ceiving bap­tism is doing NO work at all. The im­mer­sing is not done by, but is done TO the one being baptized. The baptizing was ordered by JESUS, not by any man. Who will say Jesus was wrong? Many do. They would do well to not suppose Jesus didn't know what He was talking about.

***
Christian baptism
is serious business
Christian baptism is not to be performed unthink­ingly or as if it were unimportant. Jesus tells us we ARE to baptize all who come to believe in Him. Those who want to become Christians do so by repenting and being baptized. Jesus is our Lord. We baptize in obedi­ence to our Mas­ter. Those who respect God will not think or speak lightly of what God commands.

The invitation to repent and be baptized is open to every person. There's no limit on who can repent and be baptized. The only limit is that one who does NOT repent must not be baptized. No committee or human power can decide who deserves baptism. No church body has the right to decide whether or not baptism can be performed upon any seeker.

Jesus has com­man­ded that immersion SHALL be done. He makes no pro­vision for us deciding whether or not it's appropri­­ate or proper. Our obedience of performing baptisms is done by order of our Lord. Why would anyone want to baptize except that Jesus said we should do so? Baptism which is not done in obedience to Jesus is not Christian baptism. We don't speak of special ritualistic speech which makes the act "kosher." We speak of the au­thori­ty by which the deed is done. We baptize to please God rather than men.

***
Christian baptism
is by free choice
Of course we baptize only those who WANT to be baptized! Did we even need to mention that fact? But how does a person know they should be baptized? Our sharing the gospel should without fail include our tell­ing of the need those outside of Christ have to repent and BE baptized. That's how they will know they should be baptized. We TELL them. If they read the bible they will learn from it about baptism. So what kind of a disciple of Christ is it who urges sinners to come to Christ by performing something OTHER than being baptized? Many do have other invi­tations. Some suggest reciting a "sinner's prayer," say­ing this will bring the sinner "into Christ." No, it won't. Not if Paul and Jesus and Peter point to the right Way. The Way into Christ's kingdom is by hearing and believing the gospel, then repenting and being baptized. That's how it was done on the birthday of the church. God hasn't changed His mind about how sinners become saints. The JESUS Way re­mains the one Way that works.

***
Christian baptism is
effective--It works
The apostle Peter promises two wonderful results of baptism of penitent believers in Jesus, neither of which are sure to be "felt" by the one who was baptized. God wipes the slate clean in heaven where books are kept which record our deeds. Sin is washed away. It is no longer counted against us. On the record, it's as if we were newly born, as in fact we are!

This result of baptism is based entirely upon our faith in the risen Lord. We have no reason to trust in baptism itself or even water of softest texture to wash away sin. We need not trust the baptizer. It's JESUS we trust. It's He who points out that the new birth is of water AND spirit, and who then through Peter calls for us to both repent AND be baptized in order to be saved. When we do so, He keeps His promise. He cleanses us from our sin. He gifts us with His Spirit.

Please don't miss seeing this truth. Sinners are not given God's Spirit. Those who are outside Christ are not possessed, empowered, or led by the Spirit of God. Those who repent and are baptized are THEN given the Spirit. After we are baptized, the closer we walk with Jesus the more we are apt to feel His presence and sense Him "within" us. Jesus is our Lord. Jesus is our Savior. Jesus is our friend. Jesus commanded that new disciples are to be baptized. Some presume they have some right to vote on whether or not to obey the Lord's command. Will their ignorance be excused?

***
Christian baptism is
new and different
John the Baptist had also baptized people "for the remission of sins." We hope each who experienced the bap­tism of John also felt cleansed from sin. But when the church began, there was an additional promise con­nected with this new baptism. Peter now promi­ses to those who do repent and are baptized both remission of sins AND "the gift of the Holy Spirit." John's baptism conveyed no such gift as re­ceiving the Holy Spirit.

The baptism by John, as is Christian baptism, was by command of God. John was called to prepare the way for the coming kingdom and to baptize all repentant Jews. But the baptism which Jesus Christ commands for sinners then and now, is because the kingdom HAS BEGUN. So God and Jesus choose to dwell within those who have surrendered to Christian bap­tism.

Note that this "gift of the Holy Spirit" for all who do repent and accept baptism is not at all the special spiritual gifts which were transmitted by the laying on of hands of Christ's apostles. This gift con­veys to us no powers, just the assurance that wherever we go God is in us and with us. That God now dwells in men is miracu­lous, but it doesn't empower us who have been baptized to perform any miracles at all. In early days of the church, miracles were frequent rather than rare. Many were being healed. Prophets were speaking directly from God to His people. Some were enabled to speak lan­guages they had never learned. Others were mira­culously enabled to understand those "tongues."

Strange things are prophesied by the writer of the last words in the gospel according to Mark:

[15] And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Who­ever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover" (Mark 16:15-18--ESV).

All these promised miracles were seen in that gene­ration, performed by persons who had received from the apostles power to perform "special" spiritual things. In some "missionary" locations particularly, some of these signs are still being seen, I'm told. Handling poisonous snakes and drinking poisons are not recommended spiritual exercises for us Christians to­day.

***
Christian baptism is for
all repentant believers
Whosoever will is invited to become a "born-again" believer in Jesus Christ. Both men and women can repent and be baptized. Persons of any race or mix­ture of races are welcome to turn to Jesus and be saved from sin. All are welcome. But at first only Jews were invited into this thrilling fellowship. Jews, then their Samaritan cousins, and several years later, non-Jews. The "growing pains" were evident as each new barrier was crossed by these who loved and lived for Jesus. Do we ever welcome change? Yet as we learn more, we each may see changes which are needed.

Samaritans were baptized, but until two apostles ap­peared on the scene, the Samaritans were said to have not "received the Spirit." After the apostles laid hands upon some Samaritans, those so favored had "special" miraculous powers which were seen as evi­dence that they by then HAD received the Holy Spirit of God. Every­one was then convinced that Samaritans could be­come Chris­tians. They still were hated and looked down on by non-Christian Jews, but Jews who had become Christians now recognized as their brothers in faith those formerly-despised Samari­tans who now believed in and followed Jesus as Lord.

Another crucial time came when God "pushed but­tons" to bring into His family those who were ob­viously not Jews or in any way related to Jews. It took several miracles to convince Peter that he should wel­come into the family of God those who were Gentiles. One of those miracles was a repeat of the signs which occurred on the first day the church was in existence. This was a special manifes­tation of the Holy Spirit, which so far as is known (so far as the bible reveals) occurred only twice in recorded history. Other unusual events will come to light as we look at later conversions recorded in the Acts.

In Acts we find recorded exceptional conversions. It appears that the nor­­mal conversion experience has always been similar to what we read about in Acts 2:38. Men hear the gospel. Some believe it. Some who believe turn away from sin and are baptized into Christ. While others continue in sin, those who repent and are baptized receive the promised remission of sins and a gift of the Holy Spirit of God coming to dwell within them.

We hope it's clear to every reader that these prom­ised blessings come only to those who both repent AND are bap­tized. Repentance alone does not save us. Baptism alone does not save us. The new birth is of water AND spirit. Having our sins washed away, receiving the "gift of the Holy Spirit," and reconciliation with our God all are ours when our new birth is complete. Believers come into fellowship with Christ and Christ's people through repentance and bap­tism.

***
Christian baptism brings
sinners "into Christ"
We are outside God's family until we experience new birth. This second birth is completed in the rite of Chris­tian baptism. That's why men of any age are not saved solely by what Jesus did on the cross! Note what the apostle Paul says on this subject:

[26] for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:26,27--ESV).

Inspired teachers always point out and emphasize that it's through faith in Jesus (never by faith alone) that any­one is saved. Paul places great reliance on our contin­u­ing at any cost to tell others that we do now believe in Jesus. To Christians in Rome he wrote: [9] ... if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved (Romans 10:9,10--ESV).

Did the apostle here mean all it takes to become saved is to believe in the resurrection, and all it takes to be justi­fied is to once tell someone we believe in Jesus? We are saved by a faith which leads us to obey! Re­mem­ber what he wrote in Galatians 3:27 (quoted just above). Paul is saying in Romans chapter ten that those who believe in Jesus are sure to continue to be obedient to Him in all ways. Believing is a way of LIFE. We save ourselves by continuing to believe in Jesus as Lord, and by obeying Him. He's saying we need to continue to believe and at any cost to say so!

Christian baptism is immersion in water. Jesus com­­manded that humans should perform this act. It is not performed by Jesus or by His Holy Spirit. Neither faith nor confession of faith can take the place of repentance and bap­tism (new birth into Christ). Only we who do believe in Jesus will obey Him. We WILL tell others of our faith. We move on now to other conversions re­ported by Luke in The Acts.

***

2. Some Samaritans (Acts 8)

When God's people were taken away into Babylo­nian captivity, the "best" of them were taken--the brave, the beautiful, the useful. The "rest" also had lost their government and their religion with its priesthood and temple.

The religion of those who were not taken to Babylon became a mixture. Their blood-lines were no longer based on Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were no longer proud to be Jews. Much later, when a remnant who had survived in Babylon came back to re­store Jew­ish government and religion in Jeru­salem, the ones now called Samaritans offered to help rebuild the city and the temple. Their help was re­fused. From that time, there was open enmity between "real" Jews and Samari­tans.

Now however the time has come for Samaritans to hear the gospel. Jesus had told the apostles that they were to witness for Him in Jerusalem first, then nearby in all Judea and in Samaria, and later throughout the world. God sent a strong persecution against the dis­ciples in Jerusalem. They had to flee for their lives. Luke con­tinues the story:

[4] Now those who were scattered went about preach­ing the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city (Acts 8:4-8--ESV).

Luke informs us that the scattered disciples went every direction. He tells of one who chose to go to Sa­ma­ria. "Signs" given by God through Philip helped con­vince the people of the city of Samaria that here was some­thing they should pay attention to. Then Luke in­tro­­duces us to Simon of Samaria:

[9] But there was a man named Simon, who had pre­vious­ly practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was some­body great. They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called Great." And they paid attention to him be­cause for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.­ But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed, and after being bap­tized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles per­formed, he was amazed (Acts 8:9-13--ESV).

Philip's proclamation fell on willing ears. Some Sa­mari­­tans believed and were baptized.

[14] Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 8:14-16--ESV).

What we learn happened in Samaria took place sev­e­­ral months after the gospel of the risen Christ was first preached in Jerusalem. There were 3,000 converts the first day the church was in existence. Their number soon grew to 5,000, and the growth continued. All con­verts during those first months were Jews. These who were bap­tized in Samaria were the first who were not fully Jewish who became converts to Christ. Samaritans had once been Jewish, so Samaritans were thought of as part-Jewish, and were accepted now with joy as full members of Christ's church.

But one of the Samaritans, Simon, enters the pic­ture. As a practicing magician, he wants some of the power he sees being used by the apostles. He offers to buy the power. Peter says, "No, that's not the way it's done in the kingdom of Christ." So we observe that Christians can make mis­takes. Re­pen­tance is a continuing ongoing process. When a Chris­tian sins, the remedy is not trying for another new birth through repentance and baptism. It's simply repen­ting and pray­ing. If we repent, God will indeed forgive a Christian's sins. We see that only those outside of Christ can be or could be baptized "into Christ." Chris­tian baptism brings out­siders INTO Christian fellow­ship.

Note that the pattern for conversion we saw estab­lished in Jerusalem works somewhat differently in Sa­maria. Luke doesn't mention here that the people who believed and were baptized HAD first repented. I sus­pect they did, but Luke doesn't say so. And the "gift of the Holy Spirit," Luke reports, was lacking until the apos­tles came from Jerusalem and "laid their hands" upon some of them, who then were empowered (as Philip already was) to perform healings and other un­usual things.

Luke may have meant only that no "special" spiri­tual powers came to the Samaritans when they were bap­tized. For that's what he reports occurred after the apos­tles arrived. It's confusing, it seems to me. What is clear is that the gospel was proclaimed and heard, then be­lieved. And then people who believed were accepted in­to the fellow­ship of Christ's people by being bap­tized. We do not do well to overlook these similarities, which are common everywhere the gospel was taken in re­sponse to the great commission.

***

3. An Ethiopian (Acts 8)

[26] Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jeru­salem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot." ­So Philip ran to him and heard him read­ing Isaiah the prophet and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading"" And he said, "How can I, unless some­­one guides me"? And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humili­ation justice was denied him. Who can describe his genera­tion? For his life is taken away from the earth."

[34] And the eunuch said to Philip, "About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else"? Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized"? (Note that if persons of other races were not wel­come in God's family, this would have been a perfect time for Philip to say so. He didn't. God loves us all equally!)

[37] [38] And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eu­nuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azo­tus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea (Acts 8:26-40--ESV).

Luke reports that Philip was called away from fruit­ful proclamation to thousands in Samaria in order to talk to one man. This was an African Jew who had been to Je­rusalem to worship in the Jewish temple there, and who was now returning to his home in Ethiopia, which was the other side of Egypt from Palestine.

This is an exam­ple of God intervening to see that one person heard the gospel. We suspect He has also done this on other occasions. Roy Weece spoke often about "per­sonal" evan­g­e­l­ism. As he traveled, the Ethiopian was reading. "Books" at that time were scrolls, not simple to read while travel­ing. We assume this traveler was wealthy. We fig­ure he was not having to drive his own chariot, but that he had at least a driver with him. He was reading from the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah.

Luke says Philip had been divinely sent there. Philip introduced himself and asked the traveler if he under­stood what he was reading. The Ethiopian asked for help to understand. This opened the way for Philip to ride with the Ethiopian for a time and talk with him about Jesus. As they approached a body of water (it's not made clear what branch or creek or pond it was) the Ethiopian asked whe­ther he might be baptized.

It seems obvious that Philip had mentioned some­thing to the man about baptism while they talked, and had explained that you couldn't be a disciple of Christ without being baptized. Philip said the man could be baptized if he believed in Jesus, the risen Lord about whom Isaiah had written long years before. So the man who had heard about Jesus, and who now believed in Him and His sacrificial death in place of sinners, was baptized then and there. We're curious about the church experi­ence which awaited him, since he was the only disciple of Christ in Ethiopia when he and his party got home. But that's an­other story. This story has him hearing and believing the gospel, then obeying it by being baptized. O.K.?

***

4. Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9)

In Acts, Luke tells of the conversion of Saul of Tar­sus (yes, we call him the apostle Paul), then later Luke twice recounts Paul's retelling of the story. Here's the record of the first time Paul tells the story:

[22:1] "Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you. ... I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, bind­ing and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me wit­ness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

[6] "As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me'? And I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are per­se­cuting.' Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.' And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.

[12] "And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing by me said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And at that very hour I re­ceived my sight and saw him. And he said, 'The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name'" (Acts 22:1-16--ESV).

Yes, here's another exception! This convert had a vision. Jesus appeared to him. He didn't tell Saul, "Now that you've seen me, the risen Lord, you're saved. Now serve me." No, Jesus said, "Go on to Damascus. I'll send a man to tell you what you need to do." The man came, restored Saul's sight, then baptized him. That's a shortened form of the story.

In this case, Saul who became Paul already knew the story of Jesus. He just hadn't believed it. Seeing the liv­ing man he had thought was now dead changed Saul's understanding of the gospel. He no longer thought it foolish and false. Now he knew it was true! He had been vigorously fighting against the Lord's Way. Now he was embracing it. What a story! So how did he change? When he believed the gos­pel, he was baptized. Right away when he learned he should do so. That's how it's done.

***

5. Cornelius & Household (Acts 10,11)

Peter explains how he came to baptize a Gentile:

[11:1] Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had re­ceived the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jeru­salem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, "You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them." ­But Peter began and explained it to them in order: "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' But I said, 'By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' But the voice answered a second time from heaven, 'What God has made clean, do not call common.' This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven.

"And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. ­And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no dis­tinction. These six brothers also ac­com­panied me, and we entered the man's house. And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.' As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?" (Acts 11:1-17--ESV).

Here's yet another exception! This is the first true Gentile we hear of being accepted into the family of God which is Christ's church. Luke tells this story in Acts chapter 10, then has Peter retell it in chapter 11. Cornelius was not a Jew, but he was a godly man, and generous, and good. I earlier mentioned that several mira­­­cles were con­nected with this conversion. It took clear proof to convince Peter that Gentiles were al­lowed to become disciples of the Jewish Messiah.

Cornelius was visited by an angel who had come to tell Cornelius to send for Peter. He told him where Peter could be found. This experience would have qualified Cornelius for membership in many "Christian churches" to­day. But it didn't save Cornelius. Nor would it save anyone. For that's not how Christian con­version occurs. There were miracles. But what saved Cornelius was that as soon as Peter was convinced baptizing a non-Jew was good with God, Cornelius was baptized. Consider again the story as told by Luke in chapter 10 of Acts:

[10:1] At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, "Corne­lius." And he stared at him in terror and said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside." When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

[9] The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were pre­paring it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him: "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." But Peter said, "By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common." This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

[17] Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are look­ing for you. Rise and go down and accompany them with­out hesitation, for I have sent them." And Peter went down to the men and said, "I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?" ­And they said, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say." So he invited them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am a man." And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me."

[30] And Cornelius said, "Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tan­ner, by the sea.' ­So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord."

[34] So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I under­stand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Is­rael, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John pro­claimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the coun­try of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as wit­nesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

Let's interrupt the story to consider what Peter has just said. "Everyone who BELIEVES" in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins. Surely this proves that baptism is NOT essential for salvation. Yes? So Peter will next whip out a tract with a "sinner's prayer" for these new Christians to recite so they'll be saved by "faith alone." Things have changed since chapter 2 of Acts. No longer is it necessary for outsiders to "repent and be baptized" in order to receive new life. Is that how it is? Luke continues his story:

[44] While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the be­lievers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, "Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jsus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days (Acts 10:1-48 ESV).

Christian baptism in this one case was pre­ceded by careful and powerful preparations which were needed to satisfy Peter and all Jewish Christians that Gentiles could acceptably be baptized into Christ. This Gentile had long wanted to please and serve the true God. Now he could do so, for God had intervened to make it possi­ble, first by providing salvation through His sinless Son, and then by opening the way for Cornelius to learn of Je­sus and to obey the gospel by being baptized into Christ.

I hope it has become obvious what is common with these reports of conversions. Yes, after hearing and believing "the gospel," they each were bap­tized. It goes with­­out saying that each conversion came because the sinner turned away from sin, seeking instead to serve the Savior. Repentance is not mentioned every time, but is sure to have taken place. And repentance and bap­tism are the elements Jesus (with Peter, Acts 2:38) said make up the new birth (John 3:5).

It's by a new birth of water and spirit that any sinner is transformed into a saint. No new births happened on Calvary. Even to­day sinners must save themselves by obeying the gos­pel of Christ. Salvation is made possible by Calvary and what happened there. Individuals "put on Christ" when faith in Him leads them to be baptized.

***
Apostolic Teachings Concerning
Entering the Way of Christ

Romans 6:1-23

[6:1] What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

[5] For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resur­rection like his. We know that our old self was cruci­fied with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be en­slaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we be­lieve that we will also live with him. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

[12] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not present your mem­bers to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

[15] What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedi­ent slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteous­ness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were com­mitted, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your mem­bers as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctifi­cation.

[20] When you were slaves of sin, you were free in re­gard to righteousness. But what fruit were you get­ting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctifi­cation and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:1-23--ESV).

We note that Paul was writing this to Christians--to saved sinners, each of whom had already been baptized. Paul was wri­ting to make sure his readers understood the trans­ac­tion of baptism--what it meant, and what they should do because they had entered into the Way of Christ.

Some suppose that baptism is only an introduction into our local church life--that we are baptized because we are already saved. They may imply that we are baptized as a show for our family and friends. Paul says here that baptism is for the sake of God. Baptism is into the death of Christ. It is the point at which the one baptized is seen to die to sin. It's from the waters of baptism that the former sin­ner is raised up to enjoy new life with Christ. Isn't that what Paul in this text is carefully explaining?

Paul says it's because by being bap­tized into the death of Christ we have died to sin that we now should not sin. IN BAP­TISM we are united with the death and resur­rec­tion of the Christ. For this reason, the apostle says, we should not sin. His appeal is not alone to our faith in Jesus, it's to our realization that IN BAPTISM we have died to sin and have been raised up to walk in new life. This is made explicitly clear in this text. Do you now understand?

In earlier chapters in this book, Paul has ex­pounded on the truth that it was the death of Christ which bought our redemption. It was His death which paid for our sin and makes possible our life with Him and the Father in glory. IN BAPTISM we are united with His death, and with His resurrection. Is baptism just a show? No way! Baptism is where the change occurs.

***

1 Corinthians 1:13-16

[13] Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were bap­tized in my name. [I did baptize also the household of Steph­anas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else] (1 Corinthians 1:13-16--ESV).

We want to understand apostolic teaching as the early church did. Paul calls for us to serve Christ in unity and bases his call for unity on the seven unities he names in Ephesians 4 (quoted elsewhere in this study). Foun­da­­tional to unity is "one baptism." Every one of us has entered into life with Christ by way of turning away from sin and then being baptized into Him. And in ev­ery case, it's in the same spirit that baptism is done--a spirit of uni­ty, of love, and of obedience to our one Lord.

***

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

[10:1] I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play." We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temp­ta­tion has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faith­ful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:1-13--ESV).

Whether or not they understood what they were doing, the apostle says those Jewish slaves rescued from Egypt were pledging themselves to follow the leading of Moses. This pledge was sealed, Paul says, as they walked through the sea while being covered by a cloud over­head. Water was above them and all around them as they went into the sea (it was opened before them) and out on the other side. Paul calls this action a "bap­tism into Moses."

A lesson we can learn from Paul's teaching here is that human choices are not irrevocable. Those "bap­tized" that day pledged to faithfully follow Moses as their leader. They didn't stick to that commitment. They all--all who were adults on that day, died "in the wilder­ness" without ever entering the promised land. Are we listening? Are we hear­ing the apostolic lesson? We have been baptized into Christ. Are WE keep­ing OUR pledge?

***

1 Corinthians 12:12,13

[12] For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and all were made to drink of one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:12,13--ESV).

Paul says that our baptism which brings us into Christ also brings us into Christ's church, after which we are led to "drink of" God's Holy Spirit. He else­where describes our relations with the Spirit as our receiving a "renewal" of the Spirit as we are baptized (Titus 3:5). Each is baptized "in the same spirit," that is, in obedi­ence to the common command of our one Lord, Jesus Christ. We are buried with Him. We are raised up with Him. It's equal for each one who is baptized into Christ. And as we join ourselves with Christ, we are added by God to His assembly, the Lord's "church."

He does not add us to a denomination or even a local congregation. Likely we JOIN with the disciples who meet where we find ourselves. And if we move, or if they move, we will join ourselves with other disciples with whom we can serve our Lord and who will help us and receive our help in the work of the Lord. But the church to which God adds us is the timeless assembly of disciples of Christ everywhere in the world and until the end of time.

Much as we learn to love our local fellowships, local congregations come and go. A flourishing congre­ga­tion may grow, or as the years pass it may diminish or die. But Christ's church cannot be defeated. It's the eternal king­dom of Christ. Those who are made mem­bers of the church Christ built and who continue faith­ful to Jesus until the end of their lives or until He returns are sure of eternal life in the New Jerusalem with the Fa­ther and with Jesus.

Note that we have no voice in who our fellow mem­­­bers in Christ's body will be. Every human is wel­come to turn to Jesus and find salvation in Him. Each who does so is added to God's church. God has already elected into membership in Christ's "one body" every person who chooses new birth of water and spirit. This is re­gard­less of any of the distinctives we humans may prefer when choo­sing our friends. All are saved who hear the gospel and obey its call for sinners to turn away from sin and to serve Jesus instead, and to be baptized to seal their calling. Age is no barrier. Social status means nothing in seeking mem­bership in God's kingdom. Both men and women are welcome, as are all children old enough to make sensi­ble decisions concerning their future. No one is too poor to be accepted. No one is so rich that his riches will cause him to be rejected so long as the person is not in love with things of this world. What Paul is saying is that in Christ's church we should find no barriers to fellowship with every other member. We should love every saved Christian. Are we each that kind of Christian? Shouldn't we be?

***

1 Corinthians 15:12-29

[12] Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resur­rection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresent­ing God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

[20] But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resur­­rection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first­fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he de­livers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For "God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "all things are put in subjection," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in sub­jection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. Otherwise, what do people mean by being bap­tized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? (1 Corin­thians 15:12-29--ESV).

Is there "baptism for the dead" in God's church? Well, we would more likely word it, "for death." In bap­­tism we who have died to sin are buried. Death is involved. We choose to be baptized because we choose to put sin to death in our mortal bodies. We opt for baptism because we realize that we are mortal. The death we face impels us to make preparations as best we can for the life we think faces us after death. In both these ways death is involved in baptism. Both death and new life are in­volved, for up out of the waters of baptism we each are raised to walk in NEW LIFE.

No person could possibly be baptized for another person. No more could we be baptized for another than we can repent for another or believe for another. Our re­lationship with our God is personal. There are no cere­monies of any kind which can by themselves change our status with God. God knows nothing about "sacra­ments" which within themselves can affect how God feels toward any individual. There are no pay­ments one can make for the saving of the soul of the one paying, or for another.

Note that no one is asked to believe in baptism. We accept baptism because of faith in JESUS. He commanded it. His apostles practiced it because the Lord said to practice it. Their motive is our motive as well. We want to please our Lord.

***

2 Corinthians 5:14,15

[14] For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised (2 Corinthians 5:14,15--ESV).

The cross of Christ, when considered in the light of His resurrection, meant that Jesus indeed was dying for the sins of men rather than to atone for any wrong­doing of His own. And this means that we who want to take up His cross and follow Him must also die to sin. In our baptism, our repentance is pledged. In repent­ance and baptism we die to sin and are raised to new life. Is it not so? We now have entered a new life with Christ. We are to forsake sin in order to live for the Lord!

***

Galatians 3:26-29

[26] for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's off­spring, heirs accor­ding to promise (Gala­tians 3:26-29--ESV).

This simple apostolic teaching is apparently un­known to many "Christian" people today. For many in­vite sin­ners to save themselves by reciting a "sinner's prayer," and then perhaps later be baptized for some reason. I hear the apos­tle saying simply that faith in Je­sus leads us to accept bap­tism, at which point we become joined to Christ. No one is saved outside the Savior. We who are IN Christ are saved. We "put on Christ" in baptism. We didn't HAVE Him before. That's why baptism is not to be post­poned. As soon as any sinner learns of salvation in Jesus and is convinced that Jesus IS the risen Lord who can save from sin, that sinner should be "baptized into Christ."

In baptism the sinner can "put on" Christ and be saved. Isn't that what Paul says in this text? Isn't that what inspired proclaimers of the gospel that we read about in the Acts always did? There need be no delay. Jesus is willing to save from sin any minute of any day. There'll never be a better time to be baptized than when a sinner first realizes his or her sin and learns how to be saved from the results of having sinned. Yes, Paul also points out that we who are in Christ are heirs of God's promise to Abraham, and if we remain in Christ's "one body" we are united.

In the Christian Standard for May 18, 2003 is an interesting article by Kevin W. Larsen. It's titled, "Deal­ing with Theological Differences." This is what the View­point Discussion group hosted by Ray Downen is aimed at also, of course. I recommend Larsen's article for your in­spection. Address of Standard Publishing is 8805 Governor's Hill Dr, Suite 400, Cincinnati OH 45249. I believe every church worker should subscribe to the weekly Christian Standard, and every scholar should subscribe if means permit and ac­cess is not certain in nearby libraries. Internet access is also possible.

Larsen speaks of "the controversy in Galatia" in his arti­cle. Galatia is the Roman province into which Paul and Barnabas first carried the "gospel to the Gentiles." Paul had enemies before he became a Christian. He had enemies after he became a Christian. He was preaching primarily to Gentiles in Galatia. He first in every city went to the Jewish synagogue so that the gospel could be heard first by faithful Jews. Of all possible hearers, god-fearing Jews should have been the best prospects for becoming Christians. This is still true. But when opposi­tion to the gospel prevented Paul's teaching in the syna­gogue, he took with him those who had accepted the gospel as true and began teaching in non-synagogue locations, and broadened his outreach to include Gen­tiles.

Converts to Jewry needed to be circumcised and only then could be baptized into the Jewish faith. Con­verts to Christ, according to Paul, did not need to be circum­cised, but did need to be baptized. In the earli­est years of the church, the gospel was only taken to those who WERE Jews, and therefore to ones who had already been circumcised and who had thereby pledged to obey the Law of Moses. Many Christians assumed in­correctly that before a person could become a Chris­tian he must first, by being circumcised and choosing to obey the Mosaic Law "become a Jew" (as was Jesus).

Paul's accepting into Christ Gentiles who had NOT been circumcised upset some of the Jewish Christians. They felt Paul was wrong. So into each of the new churches established by Paul and Barnabas in Galatia came other teachers with a "different gospel" than that which had won these converts to Christ. These present enemies of Paul were con­vinced that circumcision was essential for every Christian, and that every Chris­tian must adopt Jewish customs and traditions in order to ade­quately serve Christ.

Paul respected the Old Testament scriptures which included laws which were given to God's people by God Himself and by ones inspired BY God to transmit His decrees to His people. Paul taught that these Old Testa­ment scriptures should lead every reader to the Christ toward whom they pointed as a promised "Mes­siah." Paul taught that sinners were not (could not pos­sibly be) saved by keeping laws, even the perfect law of God. His mes­sage was that salvation was found in Jesus Christ and the Way He taught. Circumcision and keeping the Law given by Moses was not (and of course IS not) any part of becoming a Chris­tian or living as a Christian.

Larsen suggests, "Paul taught that the law's pur­pose is not for acquiring salvation, but as a tutor to lead one to Christ (Galatians 3:24). One gains salvation [Paul taught, according to Larsen] only by accepting it as a gift offered by God and paid for by the blood of His Son (Romans 5:9)." This particular way of sum­mari­zing the gospel taught by Paul seems to me to be easily mis­understood. It may seem to imply that Paul taught that all it takes to be saved is to do nothing and just let it happen, that somehow the sinner is transformed into a saint while doing nothing.

But that's not what Paul taught. He did teach that sinners need not be cir­cum­cised. He did teach that saints or sinners did not need to try to earn salva­tion by law-keeping (an impossible endeavor). But Paul does not and did not teach that it was possible to be­come a Christian by passively waiting and doing nothing. Merely "accepting salvation as a gift" is not within the scope of accurate presentation of the gospel.

If that HAD been what Paul taught, would he have pointed out to brothers in Thessalonica (2 Thessa­loni­ans 1:1-10, page 2) that part of becoming a Christian is OBEY­ING the gospel? Would Paul have pointed out in this very letter to saints in Galatian churches that sinners are baptized INTO Christ and in being baptized "put on" (clothe themselves with) Christ? No, Paul clearly taught that our being baptized was a part of "accepting the gift from God." I think this is not made clear by the wording used by Larsen in this sen­tence. Becoming a Christian is done by doing some­thing rather than by doing nothing. It involves making a choice between competing agendas. It is done by delib­er­ately turn­­ing away from false hopes and moving toward the Savior whose blood WILL wash away sin.

Jesus does not save people who do not knock on sal­vation's door, who do not seek salvation, and who do not ask for what is freely offered. Salvation is not forced upon unwilling victims who passively accept what must be. It is given to persons who strongly DESIRE and willingly SEEK what is offered. So I don't like the word­ing, "One gains salvation only by accep­ting it as a gift." Yes, of course it IS a gift. No one can earn it, but to receive it, any person must eagerly and sincerely WANT it enough to repent and be baptized.

What Paul taught and what his enemies opposed was that everyone, whether Jew or Gentile, could be saved without trying to earn salvation by keeping laws, without "earning" it by the person's own righteousness. Larsen sure­ly is right that sinners come to Christ and are saved by what Jesus did in our behalf and by their recognition that salvation is IN CHRIST. If we turn to Christ for salvation we will, without fail, be baptized INTO Him and thereby have our sins washed away. Christ's blood cleanses. Peter had said so. Paul concurs.

The Galatian controversy was between those who believed that the Way included being circumcised and those who denied that circumcision was any part of the Christian Way. In his article Larsen does make this truth clear. So it's only the one sentence which to me seems less clear than it might be that salvation is never by faith alone. Paul taught his converts that it's in baptism that we come into Christ. His enemies in those early days were insisting that this was true only if the convert were first converted to the Jewish faith, which included keep­ing the Mosaic Law.

Many today have added human traditions to the Way and are now teaching that you must be baptized, and then must follow their human laws in order to remain in Christ. Galatians deals with works of the Mosaic Law. To­day, Paul would have needed to fight against human laws no less than laws based on keeping the Old Testa­ment law code. The article is well worth our consideration. Larsen is right­ly pointing out that if we're going to contend for "the faith" we need first to know what IS the faith revealed through Jesus and His apostles. For what is revealed, we certainly should contend. For most of the things which we are contentious about, we would do well to love one another and realize that in any matter about which God has NOT spoken, men have no business speaking authoritatively.

Larsen urges us to weigh the importance of any­thing about which we want to contend, and avoid fight­ing about matters which are unimportant. And he urges that in all our work for God that we keep the "right" atti­tude. He wants us to keep lines of com­muni­cation open with all who as we do seek unity "in Christ." That seems to me to be excellent advice!

***

Ephesians 2:1-10

[2:1] And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience--among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the com­ing ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his work­manship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:1-10--ESV).

If God expects us to "walk in" good works, why would anyone think it doesn't matter how we live? Some sup­pose all it takes to be saved is to believe in Jesus. God does it all, if the sinner just believes, they think. Paul makes clear that we do not deserve the good things God gives us, including eternal life through Je­sus. We haven't earned God's gifts. We can't earn them. God wants us to realize that nothing we do could put Him in our debt. Because God loves us, He offers us eternal life as a gift.

But there is a spirit at work in God's world which is at enmity with God and with goodness. Some people are controlled by that wicked spirit. These "world­ly" people, whether in or outside the church, are dis­obedi­ent to God. They do not seek to do His will. They want their own way at any cost.

It should be clear to every reader that God does not save through faith alone. Human response to the gospel is essen­tial for salvation. God's gift of eternal life is given to those who repent and are baptized. We who have died to sin will now be living for God. We'll be doing the good works--prepared beforehand--with which God wants us to busy ourselves on this earth. If we love Je­sus, we will "keep" His commandments. Christians have repented of self-love. We have cho­sen to become servants of God to do HIS will. When we love Him most of all, and obey Him, God's grace can save us. His plan is that we WILL turn away from self-will in order to do His will. Those who love self more than God will not be saved from sin.

We should realize from this text and every word of apostolic doctrine that the works we are called to do are not to assemble regularly in order to praise Him. It's in heaven that we'll do that. Here on earth His work, He says, is in doing good to other people, par­ticu­larly those whose needs are great. His work is to love our neighbor no less than we love our self. His work wher­ever we go is to tell others about Jesus. Are we DOING these good works? By the way, do you know any Bible verse or passage which calls for Christian priests to ever be "led in wor­ship"? We should not lose sight of the fact that every Christian IS a priest. Or did you realize that?

***

Ephesians 4:1-6

[4:1] I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call--one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:1-6--ESV).

Unity is a foundational description of the Way of Christ. Paul includes "one baptism" in this listing of the essential unities of Christ's church. These are facts, not opin­ions. The church is built upon these foundations. They're not optional. Everyone who has experienced Christian baptism has been immersed into DEATH, the atoning death of Christ, and the personal death to sin from which we rise to walk in a changed life-style. After we each "die to sin" in repentance and baptism we also are resurrected to LIVE with Christ and as co-workers with all others who are His.

The one body of which Paul speaks is, of course, the assembly Jesus built. He adds each of us to His assembly when we are reborn spiritually. We must not seek to split His body apart. It's our job to maintain the body's unity by unswerving loyalty to its one head, who is the one Lord Jesus Christ. When we all are loyal to Je­sus, we'll not split our loyalty by thinking of our­selves as "Metho­dist Christians" or "Baptist Christians" or any kind of Christians at all except LOYAL and loving servants of our one Lord. All who belong to Jesus are Christians; just Christians, ones who belong to the Christ, held firmly to Him by bonds of love.

God is one, so of course His Spirit will not be one thing to one disciple and something else to another. God's influence, through His one Spirit in His church, will bring us together and keep us together. Any thought of splitting the body comes from some source other than our God. We each look forward with longing ... our one hope is for eternal life with our loving Father and His loving Son. Jesus is the one Lord of all. We must remain loyal to HIM.

The "one faith" which was "once for all delivered" to us can be found described in the written Word which is the New Testament. God's gifts are perfect. The New Testament scrip­tures need no updating. They need no change. They only need to be believed and obeyed. And they tell us of the one baptism which brings us into the one body. Of course this is the baptism commanded by our one Lord.

Each of these unities come from the one God who is in fact three in one, described by Jesus as "the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." The Lord's real prayer (John 17) is that we disciples should seek as perfect unity together as that which exists between God's Son and His Father. If our chief aim in life is to please Jesus, then we will do all we humanly can do to be a friend to every other Christian. Yes, we'll see some things differently. We'll not each be exactly like every other child of God. But we will be ONE in spirit and in love and in obedience to our ONE Lord. Our boss has no office on earth. Had you noticed?

***

Ephesians 5:22-33

[22] Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. [25] Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This mystery is pro­found, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her hus­band (Ephesians 5:22-33--ESV).

Shall we repeat Paul's thought? Jesus is Lord of all. He is the HEAD of the church which is His body. We are His church. He owns us. He controls us all. We are one body because we all love and obey Jesus as our Lord. As "mem­bers" of His body, we seek the good of the body, which includes our humbly working together with every other part. Shall we not pray and work for unity in Christ's church of which we are a part?

How has Jesus "cleansed us (His church) by the washing of water with the word"? We should not ima­gine the apostle doesn't know the difference between water and "the word." Water is a cleansing agent. Words are not. Our sins are washed away in baptism's waters as we enter the Lord's body which is His "church." We are begotten for new birth by the Word.

***

Colossians 2:6-15

[6] Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and estab­lished in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanks­giving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradi­tion, according to the ele­mental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole full­ness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circum­cised with a circumcision made without hands, by put­ting off the body of the flesh, by the circum­cision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive to­gether with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him (Colossians 2:6-15--ESV).

Paul reminds that the early church was taught, and they learned, what they should believe. "The faith" was not being developed by men. It was delivered from the mind of God. We today should remain loyal to what the Lord's apostles delivered once for all to the early church. We cannot improve on God's revelation. Why do we sometimes try to do so? This body of "faith" which came from God tells us how we should think, talk, and act. So Paul pleads with his hearers that they (and we) should "walk" as God has taught us to do. That is, our daily way of life should be patterned after that of the Lord Jesus.

And in what are we taught to abound? Yes, in thanks­­giving. We need never fret. We should in all things give thanks to our loving Father. We also need to carefully remember what the apostles did teach. We should not seek to change it. We should believe it's true even if it sometimes seems difficult for us to under­stand. All the blessings Paul lists as belonging to us who are in Christ are based on our having been born again. Please read this passage again and again and realize Paul is here explaining the PURPOSE of baptism into Christ. He's talking about what really happened when we received Christian baptism. Do we NOW know what happened to us when we were buried with Christ in baptism and raised then to walk in NEW life? In baptism we are united with the burial and resurrection of Jesus. God then gives us new life!

***

Titus 3:5-7

[5] he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of REGENERATION [new birth], and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justi­fied by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:5-7--ESV).

These exhortations to his friend Titus are another way of saying what Paul has written in Ephe­sians 2:4-10: [4] ... God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the im­measurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us IN CHRIST JESUS. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.­ For we are his workman­ship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:4-10--ESV).

That is, God saves us in new birth because He loves us, not be­cause we're already or in the future will be marvelous or beautiful or wise or rich and generous. He saves us because of Who He is rather than because of any merit within us. God saves us IN CHRIST through the process of a new birth of wa­ter and spirit which results in His placing His Spirit with­in us. Our God indeed is gracious, giving us far more than we deserve or could possibly earn.

Where does bap­tism fit into this picture? That's easy. It's the culmination of the new birth, the actual birthing of a new life in Christ. Repentance and baptism are "the wash­ing of regeneration" here spoken of.

And how does the Spirit fit into the picture? The Spirit is God's gracious gift to each newly-born "Christian." His tasks? To comfort and strengthen us in every way pos­sible that does not take away our freedom of choice; to help us build up our brethren in Christ's body; and to encourage us in our desire to serve the Lord in the ways most pleasing to Him.

Through His Spirit, God, both the Father and the Son, dwells within us wherever in the world we may scatter as we seek to serve Him and do what is right for ourselves and our loved ones. We do well to re­mem­­ber, however, that God does not promise to mira­cu­lously remind US of what Jesus said, as Jesus did promise would be the case with the apostles who had in fact heard Him speak. God does not promise to lead US into all truth, as He divinely led apostles and prophets in teaching the church in its early days.

The Spirit was active indeed in the lives of early Christians. In those days, many disciples spoke to the churches through the direct inspiration of God's Spirit. Many sick were miraculously healed. As quoted earlier, Mark's gospel speaks of unusual miracles which would and did in those days accompany the preaching of the gospel. Most of us in this generation do not see fre­quent miracles as we daily serve our Savior. Yet some do.

We can be sure that God is not dead. His Spirit is still walking WITH (within) US. In every need, we do well to call on God to provide and bless and help us. He can and will, in whatever ways He chooses to use, both lead and strengthen us. And He works on earth to­day through His Spirit. Paul reminds Titus of this true fact.

***

Hebrews chapters 5 and 6

Please thoughtfully read what is written in your Bible in these two chapters. Note especially 5:9: "And being made perfect, he (Jesus) became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him ..." 5:14: "But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." And 6:4-6: "For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt."

***

Hebrews 10:19-26

[19] Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the con­fes­sion of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but en­couraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. For if we go on sinning deliber­ately after receiving the knowl­edge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacri­fice for sins ... (Hebrews 10:19-26--ESV).

Some think it was Paul who wrote Hebrews. Some are convinced it was not Paul. Does it matter? I think not. The early church felt the book of Hebrews reflec­ted apostolic doctrine. I figure they were in a better position to judge the matter than anyone who has lived since their time could possibly do it.

For whatever reason, God set up a system by which only blood could atone for sin. And not just any blood would do. It must be the guiltless which would atone for the guilty. So in the final analysis, only if God fur­nished a sinless sacrifice could human sin be atoned for. God provided. The blood of Jesus can wash away sin. But how do we access His blood? It's through a wash­ing. With "pure water," says this writer.

In fact, any water, clean or dirty, frigid or hot or com­fortable, running or stagnant--any water at all will do for Christian baptism. For the purity is in the death of Jesus on the cross. His sacrifice makes baptismal water "pure." Bap­tism, the seeking of a clean con­science because it's God's plan for taking sin away, surely will result in our gaining a clean conscience. In obeying the gospel, we can be sure we have pleased the author and planner OF that good news. It's baptism that takes away the sin of a repentant be­liever in Jesus Christ. We've tried to "prove" this to thoughtful read­ers by the bible texts previously fur­nished in this study. It is hoped that they have done the job satisfactorily.

This text also points out that sin is still a possibility for ones who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb of God. And some, using the freedom of choice which God gives each of us, will turn back to sinful ways. Such rene­gades deserve death, and that's exactly what they will re­ceive unless they repent. But God points out that some who once were saved are later so rebellious that their hardened hearts are not re­spon­sive to any call for repentance. Some will sin and repent of their sin and be forgiven. Some will not repent. There is no greater sacrifice for sins than Jesus on the cross. Those who spurn salvation through the cross of Christ have no hope of salvation or eternal life.

This text also speaks of God's plan for our spiritual security. Why did our Lord create an assembly? Some say it was so people would worship Him, and frequently re­mind Him how good He is and how much they love Him. So they meet frequently so they can worship Him together "in church." But what this text, and each bible passage on the subject, calls for us to do as we meet together is to build up other Christians, and to receive encour­age­ment from other Christians by our assembling as God's people. Do you see that the text is aimed at us strengthening and encouraging Christians as we meet together? Think about it.

***

1 Peter 3:15-22

[15] but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

[18] For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righ­teous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being pre­pared, in which a few, that is, eight per­sons, were brought safely through water. BAP­TISM, which corresponds to this, NOW SAVES YOU, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him (1 Peter 3:15-22--ESV).

Peter makes no apology for believing that Christian baptism is involved in salvation. He simply says, "Bap­tism now saves you." Did Peter believe Jesus saves solely by what He did on Calvary? No, the apostle urged sinners to save themselves by repenting and being baptized. Have we correctly under­stood Paul then if we think he is teaching that we are saved prior to our bap­tism into Christ? No. Should we apolo­gize for seeing that the new birth is essential for salva­tion? No. Shall we ignore Acts 2:38 in discus­sing how sinners become saints? We should not. Some do so.

Earlier we called to your attention what Peter said at the birthday of the church. He exhorted those who heard him to save themselves by repenting and being baptized. And as soon as he was convinced that the gos­pel was for Gentiles as well as Jews, Peter com­manded the particular Gentiles in question to be bap­tized. Even ones who had just enjoyed a unique spiri­tual blessing were not saved without Christian baptism. I point out once again that converts were never told they already HAD BEEN saved by what Jesus did on the cross. There was something sinners were required to DO in order to receive remission of sins. There still is.

***
Conclusion
Christian baptism was and is a cleansing, a "wash­ing away" of sin. It seems likely that the earliest Chris­tian believers, because they were familiar with the baptism of converts to Jewry, and because they had become familiar with John's baptism, had little diffi­culty in understanding the terminology which was used to introduce immersion "into Christ."

After reading this brief study, what do you think that the bible teaches about Christian baptism? The ques­­tion is not what people who call themselves Chris­tians teach. But what do we see the Bible teaching? We need to regulate our beliefs and our practice by what God teaches. Is it not so? Do you see that Christian bap­­tism is a sinner dying to sin and being resurrected into a new life with Jesus?

Our words should be carefully chosen to reveal God's truth and never to conceal it. We ask ourselves, "WERE we buried with Christ? ARE we now walking in new life?" If we experienced the new birth Jesus speaks of in John 3:5, we HAVE been buried and resurrected with Christ. We repen­ted. We accepted bap­tism into Christ. We now ARE reborn. Jesus now lives within us! We now are walking in NEW LIFE with Christ.

--30-- *** "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful" (Colossians 3:14,15).
***

RAISED into NEW LIFE

ONE Baptism? Yes.

Knowles--Baptism Into Christ

Baptized by Whom? the Spirit?

PROPER Understanding

Mouton on COVENANTS

Al Maxey--Boxed-In Believers

"Elected" for salvation?

Alan Smith--PAYING THE PRICE

Mouton ON COVENANTS

The One OLD Covenant, and the One NEW Covenant by BOYCE MOUTON of Carl Junction, Missouri

Consider how two covenants from God are alike and how they differ . . .

Life is filled with agreements, that is, with covenants. Before signing any agreement (entering into a covenant) it is wise to understand well the exact nature of that covenant (read the small print as well as the large). Human judges render verdicts every day based upon what participating parties agree by covenant to do.

God also has written covenants. He will someday render His eternal verdict based upon the new covenant mediated by His unique Son, Jesus Christ. Nothing is more important than our understanding the nature of our covenant relationship with God, or its lack by some of us. Note that in the Bible, God's written Word, the words covenant and testament are used interchangeably.

The Hebrew word for covenant is berith. The word "testament" is not found in Old Testament scriptures. In the New Testament scriptures the Greek word diatheke is used to translate berith. In the King James Version this word is translated into English as both testament and covenant. As testament: 2 Corinthians 3:6,14; Hebrews 7:22, 9:15-20, etc.; and as covenant: Hebrews 8:6-13; 9:1,4; 10:16, etc. Many covenants are mentioned in the Bible, seven of which are found in Genesis:

1. God with Noah regarding the ark (Genesis 6:18).
2. God with Noah and every living creature regarding future floods (Genesis 9:9-17).
3. God with Abram concerning the promised land (Genesis 15:18).
4. God with Abraham and his descendants concerning circumcision (Genesis 17:1-21).
5. Abraham with Abimelech (Genesis 21:17-32).
6. Isaac with Abimelech (Genesis 26:28).
7. Jacob with Laban (Genesis 31:44,45).

When the Bible speaks about "the OLD covenant," it is not referring to any of these listed covenants. The contrast between the covenant mediated by Jesus and the "old covenant" it replaced is in reference to the Mosaic covenant rather than any other previous agreement between God and men. Consider these facts about "The Old Testament":

The OLD TESTAMENT Defined

It is a common practice today to refer to the first 39 books of the Bible as "the Old Testament" or the old covenant, and the final 27 books as "the New Testament" or the new covenant. This usage of words is incorrect. It is not right. The "old covenant," in the language of scripture, was the Ten Commandments. It was not the first 39 Bible books. Facts:

• Not one verse of scripture ever refers to the first 39 books of the Bible as a covenant or testament.
• The "old" testament was made when "God took His people by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt" (Hebrews 8:9). The books we call the Old Testament were written much later than at the time of the Exodus.
• God made the "old" covenant with His people in Horeb (Deuteronomy 5:2), or in the language of Galatians 4:25, "Mt. Sinai in Arabia." The "Old Testament" books were written later in Palestine, Babylon, and Persia. None were written at Mt. Sinai when the covenant was made. Only the commandments were written at the time the covenant was begun.
• The "old" covenant was broken by the time of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:32). Only some of the Old Testament books had been written by that time.

The Scriptures state explicitly that Moses received a covenant while he was 40 days upon Mt. Sinai. This covenant, also called the Ten Commandments, was written on two tablets of stone. The stone tablets were placed in a receptacle identified as the "Ark of the Covenant" (Numbers 10:33). Once this covenant was completed, God "added nothing more" (Deuteronomy 5:22; and see also Exodus 34:27,28, Deuteronomy 4:11-13; 5:1-3; 9:11, etc.).

While there are many covenants mentioned in the Bible, the "old covenant," ("Old Testament") as mentioned in Hebrews 8:6-13, was in fact the Ten Commandments (as written on stone tablets). It was NOT the first 39 books of our Bibles. It was not an agreement between God and Abraham, or Isaac, or Jacob. It was the Ten Commandments. The Old Testament was written on stone. It was cold, rigid, and inflexible. For example, when a man was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath day, it was "not clear what should be done to him" (Numbers 15:34). In this instance they prayed to God for guidance. The Lord said to Moses that the man must die. Under the Old Covenant, lawbreakers died "without mercy" (Deuteronomy 13:8, 19:13; Hebrews 10:28, etc.).

The Hebrew Scriptures are inspired and were written to a covenant people, but these 39 books of the Bible are NOT the "old covenant." They never were. They never will be.

The NEW TESTAMENT (Covenant)

The Scriptures teach that God found fault with the old covenant and decided to write a new one (Hebrews 8:7,8). The new covenant would be totally different and distinct from the old one. Like new wine and old wineskins, the two must not be combined.

• The revolutionary new covenant is not cold, rigid, and inflexible. It is written in the hearts and minds of believers in Jesus as the Christ (Hebrews 8:6-13).
• Not once within the 27 books we call the New Testament are they ever described in that way by inspiration. Inspired writers simply do not call some or all of these books a "New Testament."
• The books we call the New Testament were written with ink on paper (papyrus?) (2 John 12, 3 John 13). The "New Testament" is written with the Spirit of the Living God (2 Corinthians 3:3).
• The New Testament became an immediate reality on the first Pentecost after our Lord's resurrection. Thousands were saved and became covenant people on that day, yet the New Testament scriptures were not written for many years. The books are ABOUT the new covenant. They are not, however, the covenant itself.
• The New Testament Scriptures came gradually as God guided inspired men into all truth. The canon (approved list) of New Testament Scripture was not completed until near the end of the 1st century. It was not generally accepted until the 4th century. Many thousands of Christians had died as martyrs before even one word of the New Testament Scriptures was written.
• The Old Testament was written on tablets of stone (the covenant, the Ten Commandments). The New Testament is written upon the fleshly tables of human hearts and minds (2 Corinthians 3:3, Hebrews 8:8-10). It was given by a merciful and faithful High Priest (1 Corinthians 6:19).
• The Old Testament was kept in that part of the Jewish temple called the "Holy of Holies, the Most Holy Place." The New Testament transforms US into temples of the Living God (1 Corinthians 6:19). Just as the glory of God was associated with the Ten Commandments, so also we are to glorify God in our bodies in which God now dwells.

Covenantal DIFFERENCES (Contrasts)

• Under the old covenant, little children and aliens had no knowledge of God. They had to be taught (Deuter­onomy 6:7). New covenant people do not have to be taught basic covenantal truths. From the least to the greatest, we already know God (Jeremiah 31:34, Hebrews 8:11). We learn basics before we enter the covenant. We study and learn after we are reborn, but the basic truths were learned to enable us to obey the gospel.
• The old covenant was kept in a box (Deuter­onomy 10:5, Numbers 10:33), but the new covenant is put within our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19).
• Old Testament worship was confined to particular places (Deuteronomy 12:5). New Testament worship (in spirit and truth) can happen anywhere (John 4:23).
• The old covenant was administered by priests "without pity" (Deuteronomy 13:8). The new covenant is administered by a priest who is both faithful and merciful (Hebrews 2:17).
• When the old covenant became a reality, 3,000 were put to death (Exodus 32:28). When the new covenant became a reality, 3,000 were given new life and the gift of God's Spirit (Acts 2:41).
• The Old Testament priesthood came from the tribe of Levi. New Testament priesthood is after the order of Melchizedek, which is superior to that of Levi (Hebrews 8:6).
• The Old Testament high priest ministered on earth in a tabernacle made by man. The New Testament high priest ministers in heaven in the true tabernacle made by God (Hebrews 8:2).
• Death prevented Old Testament priests from continuing their service. Jesus, our great High Priest, ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25).

It was GOD who found something wrong with the old covenant and decided to write a new covenant (Hebrews 8:7). Ishmael and Isaac are used in Scripture to help us understand the dramatic difference between these two covenants. These two sons of Abraham, and their mothers, are said to be an allegory of the two covenants (Galatians 4:24). The Greek word translated as allegory is "allegoreo." "Allos" means "other." "Agoreuo" means "to speak in an assembly." An allegory is a teaching tool that describes one thing under the image of another.

By understanding the difference between Ishmael and Isaac we gain insight into the difference between the old covenant and the new covenant. Ishmael and the old covenant represent slavery. Isaac and the new covenant represent freedom from slavery (Galatians 4:25,26).

Ishmael and Isaac

Ishmael and Isaac were half brothers. They had the same father, but different mothers. They were similar in many ways. Abraham begat both in his old age. God spoke to both mothers and prophesied about the future of both sons. Both sons were circumcised. Both fathered great nations. Both lived in the same part of the world. Both helped bury their father. Since both had the same father, it is quite possible that they were similar in appearance. We may assume that both wore the same type of clothing, ate the same type of food, and had the same lifestyle. If we saw them from a distance, we might easily confuse one with the other.

Although these two may have seemed alike, they were radically different. The word "radical" comes from the Latin "radix," which means root. This is the basis of our English word radish, which is a root. These brothers were radically different, as is slavery and freedom.

Judaism and Christianity are also similar in many superficial ways. In Corinth, for example, the Christians met in a house next door to the Jewish synagogue (Acts 18:7), but their meetings, although similar, were not alike. Both met each week. Both studied inspired writings. Both were evangelistic, willing to accept new members. Both baptized their converts by immersion in water. Both sang hymns while gathered. Both had nothing to do with pagan idols. Both had high standards of moral conduct. Both emphasized the importance of prayer. Both had elders and deacons. When seen from a distance, one might easily be confused with the other.

As were Ishmael and Isaac, however, the groups were radically different. The Jewish synagogue was based upon the old covenant, that is, the Ten Commandments. As the old covenant was to be administered without mercy, the synagogue gave punishment without mercy. It was not at all uncommon for people to be physically beaten in the synagogue (Matthew 10:17, Mark 13:9, Acts 26:11, etc.).

While the Christians were filled with joy, faithful-to-the-law Jews were filled with fear. They were so afraid of taking the name of God in vain that they would not even try to pronounce the name of God. Moreover, the actual meaning of each of the Ten Commandments was also a constant source of controversy.

For example, consider the commandment to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. What exactly was necessary? We've already mentioned the case of the man caught gathering sticks on the Sabbath. When it was not clear what the authorities should do about this breach of Sabbath law, God intervened and commanded that he be stoned to death (Numbers 15:34,35). Notice that it was "not clear" until God rendered judgment. Over the years there have been thousands and perhaps even millions of controversial cases in which the Lord did not intervene to explain what must be done.

The synagogue became a place where these controversial points of law were debated. The commandment is that the day is to be kept holy and that no work is to be done that day. But what's "no work"? Some felt that to carry a burden on the Sabbath was work, which raises another question, "What is a burden?"

Scribal law defined a burden as "food equal in weight to a dried fig, enough wine for mixing in a goblet, milk enough for one swallow, honey enough to put upon a wound, oil enough to anoint a small member, water enough to moisten an eye-salve, paper enough to write a customs house notice upon, ink enough to write two letters of the alphabet, reed enough to make a pen," and the list continued. So rabbis spent endless hours debating the meaning of the old covenant. The people were never quite certain which rabbi to follow. Simple procedures like moving a lamp, stitching a garment, wearing a wig, putting in false teeth, lifting a child. . . all became focal points of debate, controversy, and division.

Thus the old covenant is controversial, as was Ishmael. Before he was born, the angel of the Lord said to his mother: "You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man. His hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him. He will live in hostility toward all his brothers" (Genesis 16:11,12). The name Ishmael means "God hears." There are at least two reasons why the name was appropriate. First, the Lord "heard" the cries of Hagar's misery. Second Ishmael kept crying out to God about the loss of his inheritance, and thus was in constant hostility with all his brothers.

A brief review of Ishmael's life will help us understand his combative nature. For almost 14 years he had every reason to believe he would inherit the wealth of his father. During those years, he was not only the firstborn son of Abram, he was the only son. He was also much loved by his father. Note that when Abraham was informed that Sarah would have a son, he cried out to God: "O that Ishmael might live before thee!" (Genesis 17:18). Such, however, was not to be.

Soon after Isaac was born, an incredible thing happened. Ishmael, the firstborn and beloved son of Abraham, was driven out and disinherited. The Scriptures are clear in this regard: "Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac" (Gene­sis 25:5). No wonder Ishmael was angry. He must have cried out to God in his misery, just as his mother had cried out in her misery so many years before.

This is, of course, an allegory which may help us to understand the nature of law. The very essence of law is litigious and quarrelsome, just as Ishmael was. That which is written in stone never changes. Our understanding, however, does change. Consequently, our understandings of particular laws are in a constant state of flux. Human beings are seldom all at the same level of knowledge and understanding. Sometimes we even learn new information that requires us to abandon a previous position about which we once felt confident. This is one reason why the old covenant, written in stone, will always be controversial. Likewise with us if we attempt to enforce laws created by men who went before us. Times change. Only our God needs no change, no updating.

Sarah and Isaac

Isaac and Sarah, who are an allegory of the new covenant, are much different from Ishmael and his mother. Let us briefly review their story. Thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael, God appeared again to Abram. He renewed His promises. This time, the promises were given in association with the covenant of circumcision and the changing of names. Abram (exalted father) was given the name Abraham (father of multitudes). Sarai (Jehovah is Prince) was given the name Sarah (Princess).

The essence of Isaac's birth involved the supernatural. From a human point of view, Sarah couldn't possibly have a baby. It had ceased to be with her after the manner of women (Genesis 18:11). She was "past age" (Hebrews 11:11). She had a dead womb (Romans 4:19). She had wanted to have a baby all her married life, and had failed. The very idea that she now could conceive and carry a baby was preposterous. This idea, as we know, did not come from man. It came from God. The name Isaac means "laughter." Abraham laughed at the idea of his birth (Genesis 17:17). So did Sarah (Genesis 18:12). When he inherited everything Ishmael had hoped for, Isaac also must have laughed. As has been already pointed out, when Abraham died he left his considerable fortune, everything he owned, to Isaac (Genesis 25:5). The son of the bondwoman was not an heir with the son of the free woman (Galatians 4:30).

Likewise, our inheritance in Christ is both miraculous and undeserved. Our inheritance is like that of Isaac. While Ishmael was arguing and complaining, Isaac was laughing. This is indeed a poignant allegory of the two covenants.

The New BIRTH & the new COVENANT

On the third day of creation, God created living things that reproduced by means of seeds (Genesis 1:11). Each seed reproduced after its own kind. Apple seeds produced apple trees, pear seeds produced pear trees, etc. Even human life comes from seeds. It is interesting and significant to note that the first time Jesus is mentioned in Scripture, He is described as the "seed" of woman (Genesis 3:15).

Every seed has a specific genetic code that produces a specific form of life. That's why Jesus explained to Nicodemus that he had to be born again (John 3:1-8). Flesh gives birth to flesh. Spirit gives birth to spirit (John 3:6). If Nicodemus wanted spiritual life, he had to receive it from a spiritual seed. So must we. It is not an option.

If we want to enter the kingdom of Christ, we MUST be born again of water and spirit. Our physical birth came from a physical seed that contained the "deoxyribonucleic acid" or DNA of our parents. Our spiritual birth gives us the DNA of our Spiritual Father. Our physical bodies will die. Spiritually, we can live forever.

Peter reminded his readers that Christians are "born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides forever" (1 Peter 1:23). This spiritual seed places God's nature within us. Just as a physical seed gave us the "image" of our earthly father, spiritual rebirth gives us the image of our Heavenly Father (1 Corinthians 15:49).

The kingdom of God is spiritual. That's why it cannot be inherited by flesh and blood. Even though the product of being reborn is spiritual, it is very real. In fact, Christians are called "new creations" in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17).

If God has written His laws in our minds and hearts, the transformation of our lives will be obvious. Here are some of the ways the apostle John describes us who have been born again:

• "... Everyone who does what is right has been born of Him" (1 John 2:29).
• "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him. He cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God" (1 John 3:9).
• " ... Let us love one another for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God" (1 John 4:7).
• "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well" (1 John 5:1).
• "Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4).
• "We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin. The one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him" (1 John 5:18).

Our Fatherhood and Brotherhood

Something is obviously wrong in our brotherhood of Christian congregations, (Christian Churches/Churches of Christ) a reformation or restoration movement. Jesus prayed that we would be "one," but we in this reformation are not united (John 17:21). There are literally hundreds of divisions within this family of God. Incredibly, it seems that the brethren who study the Bible the most are often the most divided. Perhaps a reason for this division is a basic misunderstanding of the new covenant.

I repeat that what we call the New Testament is NOT the covenant of Christ. Our unity is not based upon the New Testament writings, but rather upon the one Lord about whom the New Testament is written. Yes, the Bible is inspired by God. Yes, the Bible is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. But the written documents are not the covenant. We should find unity in the new COVENANT.

• The Jerusalem church was united in Christ before even one word of the New Testament scriptures was written.
• Christians in the first century were united even though the canon of Scripture was not settled until the 4th century.
• Even after the invention of the printing press, the majority of believers in the world today still do not have a Bible of their own. Millions do not even have a written language. This lack does not keep us from being united in Christ!
• The majority of people who have Bibles have not read them. If you find this hard to believe, check at your own church and see how many members have ever read the entire Bible.
• Many who have read the whole Bible have yet not studied the whole Bible.
• We who study the Bible are invariably guided by the preconceptions and prejudices of our own religious fellowship. To illustrate: Two Christian brothers told me that they, simply by studying the Bible, had come to identically the same view of the millennium and the rapture. This is remarkable especially since the words "millennium" and "rapture" are not even once found IN the Bible.

These and other considerations make it difficult if not impossible for all of the brethren to understand all of the Bible in identically the same way.

Corinthian Christians were divided because their unity was in men like Paul, Apollos, and Cephas. The only true foundation for Christian unity is Jesus Christ Himself (1 Corinthians 3:11). Paul faced death with confidence because he knew "Whom" he had believed (2 Timothy 1:12). Our faith is personal, not propositional. "Whom" we believe is far more important than what we believe. We can be wrong about a lot of things as long as we are right about Jesus. If we are wrong about Jesus, it doesn't matter about what else we may be right. If we are born again with seed from our Heavenly Father, we are in the same family with Jesus. Even though we are in every way inferior to Jesus, He is not ashamed to call us His brethren. We have the same father. This is specifically stated in Hebrews 2:11. How then should we live?

Believers are to "test everything" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). This brief study leaves many questions unanswered. It raises issues that are yet to be resolved. The serious student will not avoid these questions, and will pray to God for wisdom in finding answers. He will test everything just as he is commanded to do. It is important to remember, however, that we are not saved by knowledge but rather we are saved by faith. Just because someone is ignorant or uninformed on some point of Biblical teaching does not necessarily imply that he is not Christian.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 commands us to avoid every kind of evil. What does this mean? A five-year-old child will not have the same understanding of these inspired words as will his brother who is 15 years of age. This doctrinal discrepancy does not mean that the two boys are not brothers. It certainly should not be a basis for division between them. The boys are brothers because they have the same father. Fraternity is based upon paternity or adoption.

So also in the religious world we have brothers who are at different levels of wisdom and maturity. The only way they can have identically the same view on every point of Bible doctrine is by turning off their minds and blindly accepting a creed spoken or written by someone else. This is obviously wrong. It is the very basis of denominationalism. True unity is not in Paul, Apollos, or Cephas, but in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11).

The church at Corinth had many problems. In fact, they seem to have been plagued with more problems than any other church mentioned in apostolic epistles. They were divided. They tolerated fornication. They had serious problems over a wide variety of important issues. They needed teaching on marriage, idolatry, the Lord's Supper, the work of women, spiritual gifts, and even the resurrection. Their most pressing need, however, was not more knowledge. They needed more LOVE. As we all know, knowledge puffs up, but love builds up (1 Corinthians 8:1). The apostle exhorts:

"Eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

"If I give all I possess to the poor, and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It is not rude. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 12:31-13:8).

Summary Thoughts on covenant

The first 39 books of the Bible are NOT the "Old Testament." The final 27 books of the Bible are NOT the "New Testament." The Bible is inspired by God. It is profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. It, however, is NOT a covenant between God and man.

Even though the Bible itself is not a covenant, study of the Bible is still desirable and necessary. Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3 and emphasized that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Regarding earthly matters, it is important to understand the nature of contracts (covenants). Many have lost a house, or a car, or incurred great debts simply because they did not understand the nature of a contract or covenant to which they agreed. If this is important regarding earthly covenants, and it is, it is even more important regarding our covenant with God.

Like all spiritual teaching, this brief study should be approached with skepticism. We are commanded in Scripture to "prove (test) all things." Let us each as did the noble Bereans in an earlier day search the Scriptures daily to see if these things are so. -- BOYCE MOUTON.

RAISED into NEW LIFE

ONE Baptism? Yes.

Knowles--Baptism Into Christ

Baptized by Whom? the Spirit"

PROPER Understanding

Mouton on COVENANTS

Al Maxey--Boxed-In Believers

"Elected" for salvation?

Alan Smith--PAYING THE PRICE

BOXED-IN BELIEVERS

Shhh ... Do Not Disturb! Saints are Slumbering

by AL MAXEY I can't help but think that Proverbs 6:10 is a rather apt depiction of far too many disciples of Christ today: "A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep." In verse 9 the question is posed to these spiritual sluggards: "When will you rise from your sleep?!" The apostle Paul, adapting a quote he took from the prophet Isaiah, pleaded, "Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead" [Ephesians 5:14]. He also informed the Roman brethren, "it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep" [Romans 13:11]. We have become a people "at ease in Zion" [Amos 6:1], tucked away in our cozy little comfort zones.

Too many have become little more than believers within a box, shielded from those about them, shut off from all who might dare to challenge their cherished convictions, personal preferences, and party perceptions and practices. It is a blissful ignorance; a calm repose. Their box is a coffin, however, and the hush that descends about them is the silence of a tomb. There is the smell of death, not the sweet savor of a life of sacrificial service offered up unto the Lord among those about us who are perishing in the darkness.

Voltaire [1694-1778] nailed it when he spoke of Brutus sleeping while Rome was in chains. Too many who profess to be disciples of Jesus today are similarly indisposed. There are precious souls all about them in chains "in bondage to the harsh masters of legalism and sin." Yet these "walled-in weekend warriors" slumber peacefully within their comfortable religious boxes while others perish in shackles. They are seemingly oblivious to the oppression that exists about them.

A soldier asleep on watch, or snoozing in a foxhole, is of little use to our Commander-in-Chief; indeed, such are a liability. So is an entombed disciple--one encased within his own peaceful mausoleum while the world suffers and dies on his doorstep. President John F. Kennedy (1917- 1963) rightly observed, "If men and women are in chains anywhere in the world, then freedom is endangered everywhere." Brethren, we must abandon our religious boxes. We were not called by Christ to slumber in cozy chambers; we were called to put on armor, take up a sword, and engage the forces of darkness on the front lines of the battle for men's souls.

I fear that the church has grown comfortable. We have found that "zone of comfort" which, in reality, equates to a zone of complacency. We no longer feel a sense of urgency to accomplish our mission. Why are we here? What is our purpose? What have we been called to? And, what can you and I do, individually as well as collectively, to help achieve these godly goals?

These are questions that have not only gone unanswered, but largely unconsidered. Why? Because we have been much too busy tip-toeing around sleeping saints to sound the trumpet summoning God's people to action. "Let's not disturb them!" Au Contraire!! Let's blast them out of their padded pews and into the streets. Let's shake their box until they spill forth from it, so that they might start being the church, instead of going through life just going to and doing church, neither of which are biblical concepts.

It is time for us to take the Light into the darkness, rather than merely cursing the dark from behind our sectarian walls of exclusion. Salt cannot flavor and preserve while in a crystal shaker, and yeast does not do its work unless mixed in with the dough. Sealed in a protective wrapper, it is useless. So too with the genuine disciple of Jesus Christ.

I heard an old preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ once declare within a sermon that if he were given a single wish that would be immediately fulfilled by the Lord God, then he would wish for every church building on earth to burn to the ground overnight, thus forcing the people of God to spill forth into their communities. It was his feeling, and I believe he has a point, that we have become a people who tend to "practice Christianity" within a building; behind closed doors. Our Light has been placed under that proverbial basket, thus hiding it from those who need it most.

I'll be honest with you, brethren, I'm personally convicted that we would be far more effective within our communities if we were all meeting in homes and inviting in our neighbors, instead of meeting in a single church building, waiting for the lost to come to us.

If the legalistic patternists want to "restore the pattern," why don't they start here, instead of worrying about the preciseness of some "act of worship" within some "worship service" inside some "church building," "none of which are even mentioned in Scripture, must less regulated. Focusing on these, rather than our true mission in this misguided world, has transformed us into feuding factionists and squabbling sectarians, rather than everyday evangelists of the grace of God to a perishing world. We ought to be ashamed of ourselves!

A gifted brother in Christ, Max Lucado, once did an article on what happens when fishermen do not fish. A group had gone to a lake for a week of fishing, but the rains were really heavy, so they ended up packed together inside a cabin. It wasn't long before they were at one another's throats. When fishermen do not fish, they fight.

It was an amusing story; an attention grabber ... but it shares a valid insight into human nature. If we, as disciples of Christ, as fishers of men, are failing to fulfill our calling, then our sights will turn from the lost and turn upon one that varies greatly with each and every party, sect, faction and schism in Christendom.

If a Biblically-conservative congregation is not growing, both spiritually and numerically, if there is tension among the members, I can almost guarantee you that there are "legalistic patternism" issues at work within that group of religionists. I can also guarantee you that unchecked, in time it will destroy that congregation. Such little groups are closing their doors for the last time in ever increasing numbers, and many predict that by the end of this century such hardened legalistic congregations of patternists will be all but nonexistent. If they won't wake up, abandon their boxes, and embrace the freedom in Christ Jesus to effect the necessary changes to their teachings and practices, they will perish ... and deservedly so! I receive emails, letters, phone calls and even a few personal visits from people every day who are fed up with being "boxed in" by the tedious tenets of a tyrannical Traditionalism.

They've had it ... and they are leaving the Churches of Christ in droves! Frankly, I understand their concerns completely. Indeed, I'm in sympathy with them. Saints should never be shackled by their sectarian siblings. Believers should not be berated for voicing convictions contrary to the accepted "group think" of the party. We are free in Christ, and if a religious group seeks to limit that freedom ... then flee it, is my advice. The only exception to this is if you feel you are in a position to perhaps challenge that legalistic mindset from within and bring about some degree of change that may yet transform a few within this faith-heritage into what the Lord intended them to be. Such is my own personal determination. My weapon? The "boxcutter (sword) of the Spirit," with which one may do battle with those walls that box us in and keep us from fulfilling our mission.

A dear brother in Christ, who is a leader with a well known international mission effort among Churches of Christ, recently shared with me a letter he had written to an individual who was struggling with some of the changes being made by an awakened leadership at her congregation. They are attempting to come "out of the box" in their thinking and practice, and to become more relevant to the lost about them. Such requires responsible change, and this is truly uncomfortable for those who have, in some cases, been slumbering for decades!

One of the changes taking place at that congregation of Churches of Christ is that they have introduced an instrumental service, while also maintaining an a cappella service. This brother has stated to me: "Maybe some of your readers can critique my position--either to affirm or refute it. I would welcome your comments as well, but I think I know at least the gist of what you would say!" Needless to say, I will not reveal this brother's identity, or his location, or even the organization for which he works, as we all know what would happen. The "keepers of the box" would go after him without mercy, seeking to destroy him.

This brother is doing a tremendous work for the Lord throughout the world, and I won't jeopardize that in any way. However, I will share some of his letter to this woman in the hope that it will touch your hearts and minds, and challenge you to "think outside the box." If you have any comments for this brother, I will forward them on to him if they are sent to me.

Dear ***, I'm distressed that you are having such a difficult time with the changes at ***-. I wish I knew how I could help you in this.

I think many people do not realize the number of assumptions that have to be made to arrive at our traditional position on Instrumental Music:

• You must assume that our hermeneutic is correct in its approach to the silence of the Scriptures.
• You must assume that absence of a specific command or example prohibits an action.
• You must assume that the word "sing" always means without instruments.

But, our hermeneutic has not been given to us by God. Are our inferences the same as God's Word, the same as what He has said? I really don't think that my reasoning (or that of any other man) can measure up to being called "the Word of God," no matter how good I think my "reasoning" might be.

Does the absence of a specific command or example prohibit an action taken to help/aid in obeying a command of God? If so, why do we find Jesus in the Synagogue on the Sabbath? Or in the Temple at the Winter Festival? Both of these things, the Jewish Synagogue and Hanukkah, had their beginnings during the intertestamental period, not as part of the revelation of the Old Testament writings.

Does the word "sing" carry with it the idea that the singing is to be UNaccompanied? I've heard it preached so all my life--but does it? In our normal speech in English, it doesn't. If I should say that I like to hear Perry Como sing, I am not saying that I expect him to be singing without any accompaniment, and that if he does sing with accompaniment, then I won't like it. I don't think I've ever heard him sing UNaccompanied, and yet I do enjoy hearing him sing.

This, I believe, is equally true in the Greek. In Revelation 5:8,9 and 15:1-3 we have some in heaven holding harps and singing. The word used for "singing" in these texts is ado. I'm not making an argument here about there being harps in heaven [I did, however, in my article Holding Harps of God Reflections #297--Al Maxey]. What I'm doing is talking about the meaning of the Greek word ado.

It means to sing, but the way it is used in Revelation shows that it does not exclude the use of an accompanying musical instrument. And this is the word for "sing" that is used by Paul in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. Most all of our discussions of the Greek within those verses has centered on the word psallo. "Speaking to yourselves in psalms (a noun form of psallo), and hymns and spiritual songs (a noun form of ado), singing (the verb ado) and making melody (psallo) in your hearts to the Lord."

This is entirely a lexical argument, not a hermeneutical argument. It only seeks to answer the question: Does the word "sing" inheently exclude the act of accompanying the singing with a musical instrument? I am simply not convinced that it does. Yet, an assumption of prohibition must be made for our traditional interpretation to be sustained. In fact, if any one of the above three assumptions that I have listed at the beginning of this letter fails, then our position fails as well.

And I'm not sure that any of those assumptions is solid enough to allow us to tell someone that he is sinning by using the instrument. And yet, if these fail, that still does not require that we USE an instrument. However, all of these assumptions must be absolutely valid for us to demand dogmatically that the instrument be forbidden. And yet, I suspect that there are also other assumptions besides these three that are involved in our argumentation, if the whole truth be known.

I personally prefer not to use the instrument. I will not introduce it. If someone tried to introduce it at my home congregation, I would object because it would split the congregation. Things can be lawful, and still not be profitable. I do think some will probably be lost because of attitudes about the use of the instrument, whether for or against. I can not say categorically and dogmatically, however, that people will be lost because they use it or do not use it. If I'm wrong in this analysis, I'd like to know it. I hope that this has given you something to think about, and that it just may give you some peace of mind.

Clearly, our brother has sought to challenge this sister (and all who may read his letter) to "think outside of the box," with the "box" being our traditional perceptions and practices which tend to bind us back from any significant forward progress in our efforts to reach the lost and edify the saved with the relevance of eternal Truth (which should never be frozen in time and place and cultural expression). Although Tradition may be limited and limiting, Truth is truly limitless. It transcends all barriers and boundaries, and may be both embraced and expressed in a wide variety of culturally acceptable ways by any person any place and at any time. You can't box Truth! It will always burst through such barriers ... as it should ... as it must. Truth is on the move, and it is bringing change in its wake.

So, wake up, brethren ... shake off your shackles ... climb on board ... and let's journey boldly together into the glorious future our Lord has prepared for us. It might not look like our recent past, but isn't our aim to restore ourselves to the ideal church as led and taught by Christ's apostles?

RAY DOWNEN COMMENTS:

RAISED into NEW LIFE

ONE Baptism? Yes.

Knowles--Baptism Into Christ

Baptized by Whom? the Spirit"

PROPER Understanding

Mouton on COVENANTS

Al Maxey--Boxed-In Believers

"Elected" for salvation?

Alan Smith--PAYING THE PRICE

For Christians, There is
ONE Baptism

by RAY DOWNEN The apostle Paul is an advocate of unity in Christ. In particular, when he wrote to Ephesian Christians, he spoke of seven ones which unite us: one God, one Lord, one spirit, one assembly (the body of Christ, His church), one hope, one faith (the body of teaching given through Christ's apostles), and one baptism. I ask, was Paul inspired in calling for these unities? Or shall we say he was mistaken in one or more of them?

Aren't there more baptisms mentioned in the inspired writings than just one? Yes, indeed there are. Yet Paul calls for us to be united in only ONE baptism. Is that John's baptism? Is it baptism in the Spirit? Is it some other baptism? Since Jesus speaks of a baptism which is to accompany spreading the gospel, we might well think the "one baptism" Paul refers to is the one Jesus speaks of. I certainly think so.

The birth of the "one body" which is Christ's church is reported in chapter two of Acts. The spokesman for the risen Lord, the one whose words are recorded for our information by the reporter, was the apostle Peter. Peter responded to a plea for word as to what sinners could do to make themselves right with God. His advice, "Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Jesus had connected baptism with telling others about Him. Peter connects baptism with repentance and turning to Christ.

Earlier in the chapter where this connection is made we read of a baptism in the Spirit, which was heard and seen in strange ways. Jesus had promised His apostles that they would be baptized in the Holy Spirit only a few days after the promise was given. The apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit and thereby empowered for the tremendous tasks to which they had been called. But the baptism Jesus spoke of for His disciples to perform was not the baptism in the Spirit which was performed by Jesus Himself. No, the baptism men were to perform is in water, as is made clear in many passages in the New Testament scriptures. I'll mention only one in this brief study.

Jesus spoke prophetically about a new birth of water and spirit which He said was essential for admission into His Kingdom. His Kingdom is His assembly (church). Peter was inspired to call for a change in the human spirit as necessary for admission into the church of the Lord, and linked with it was a baptism IN WATER. I see both water and spirit there. In the history of the early church as told us by Luke, we read of several instances of conversion which brought people into Christ's church. In the latter part of chapter eight we note in particular that the baptism in reference was immersion in water.

Baptism in God's Spirit could only be performed by God. Baptism in water can be performed by men. And Jesus calls for MEN to preach the gospel and to baptize. Shall we try to baptize in the Spirit? How could we? Apparently the apostles who were first given the commission we call the great commission thought the baptism spoken of by Jesus was in water.

Now some brothers are trying to pick out selected uses of "baptism" and "baptize" in inspired writings and say that those references refer to a baptism by the Holy Spirit. Some say this unseen immersion takes place at the instant of belief in Christ. Others place it as coincidental with an immersion in water in the name of Jesus. Baptism BY the Spirit. In which Bible verse is such a baptism promised or foretold? None. In which Bible verse is such a baptism seen to have been performed? None. Why then would any Bible teacher try to create a second baptism where the Bible clearly teaches there is only one?

Why? It's because one verse is handled wrongly by most translators. That's 1 Corinthians 12:13. The apostle Paul there is speaking about the unity which should pervade the church of God. What many translators cause him to have said is that entry into the church is through a baptism performed by the Holy Spirit. The New International Version has it read: "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink."

Those who speak and study the Greek language know that the phrase they translate as "by one Spirit" could easily and correctly have been translated as "in one spirit." That would have agreed with apostolic truth and with the apostle's plea for unity based on all having been baptized in exactly the same way. But the translators choose in this one passage to create a baptism by the Spirit, an immersion (the Greek word we translate as baptism simply means immersion) which is never spoken of by inspiration.

Would Paul have contradicted his clear teaching that there is ONE baptism? Of course not. Paul was inspired. He taught truth. He certainly would not then have created a second baptism to conflict with the ONE baptism which exists for the body of Christ. Baptism IN the Spirit was performed, Luke tells us, twice in the history of the church. Baptism BY the Spirit is never spoken of except in this one mistranslation. Why then would anyone jump in to say Paul was mistaken in teaching there is ONE baptism for Christians? Well, they seldom speak of this different baptism as a second baptism, for they want to believe in two baptisms and don't want to worry about this not being what the apostle really taught.

Why do some want to believe in a second baptism for Christians? It may be because Paul makes clear more than once that baptism is the point at which we are admitted into the church of Christ and brought into Christ Himself. That is, into fellowship with Jesus as sons and daughters of the Father. And some don't want to believe that baptism is essential for salvation. No way, they say.

Writing to Galatian Christians, Paul affirms, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." Paul appeals for unity in Christ. All who obey the gospel do so by repenting and being baptized. Babies can't do this. That's obvious. It's ones who have sinned who need to turn away from sin and be baptized. It's ones who now believe in Jesus who need to obey Him. Babies can't.

Accepting baptism is an act of the will. Christian baptism is not done, it could not possibly be done, to a person except to one who chooses freely to submit to having it done. A sinner clothes himself with Christ by turning away from sin in order to make Jesus his Lord and by being immersed in water in obedience to the expressed desire of Jesus.

How does the Spirit become involved in baptism into Christ? The Spirit is given by Jesus to those who repent and are immersed in obedience to the gospel call. Note that the apostle didn't say the Spirit chooses to come to the new Christian, but that He is a gift. Gifts don't normally give themselves. They are given by a gift-giver. Just as Jesus said He would send baptism in the Spirit to His apostles, Peter says Jesus will send the Spirit to join Himself with the spirits of us who have obeyed the gospel of Christ.

There is no baptism BY the Spirit, regardless of what any translators might think. Salvation is in Jesus Christ. Jesus saves. It's not the Spirit of God who died for us and who will reign eternally at the right hand of the Father. Jesus saves. Jesus sends His Spirit to glorify the Lord Jesus in the lives of all who submit to the one baptism which brings us into Christ and into His church. Please think about this and let me know what you think. Thanks.--RAY DOWNEN

To join Viewpoint Discussion group which is hosted by Ray, please send an e-mail with the subject "Subscribe Viewpoint Discussions" with your name, to Ray Downen at outreach@sofnet.com. To receive only weekly Viewpoint News/Views notes, your subject should read "Subscribe Viewpoints" with your full name. Ray would like to hear from you.

RAISED into NEW LIFE

ONE Baptism? Yes.

Knowles--Baptism Into Christ

Baptized by Whom? the Spirit"

PROPER Understanding

Mouton on COVENANTS

Al Maxey--Boxed-In Believers

"Elected" for salvation?

Alan Smith--PAYING THE PRICE

And here's another word
about baptism,

by VICTOR KNOWLES United States Senator Sam Houston was baptized November 19, 1854 in Little Rocky Creek near Independence, Texas. It is said that the two people who had the most influence on leading Houston from a life of sin to enter Christ's Way were his wife Margaret and Baines Johnson (great-grandfather of President Lyndon Baines Johnson). It is said that when Houston arose from the waters of baptism he exclaimed, "God have mercy on the fish!"

Baptism is mentioned more than 120 times in the Bible. The noun "baptism" and the verb "baptize" are anglicized Greek words that mean "to dip, plunge, or immerse." "The simple act of a new believer being immersed into Christ is a divine drama that illustrates beautifully the washing away of sins by the blood of Jesus and the rising to walk in a new life by faith in the resurrected Christ" (Bob Russell, THE LOOKOUT, January 20, 2002).

Baptism and Jesus

Baptism was the first public act of Jesus' ministry. He walked about 70 miles to be immersed in the Jordan River by his cousin John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13-17). After his baptism, the heavens were opened, the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove, and God's voice was heard: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17, New King James Version). . . .

Baptism was part of the last command given by Jesus on earth. Jesus said, "All authority In heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:18,19). Baptism is the only command in the Bible given in the name of the Godhead.

Baptism in the New Testament

Each of the nine accounts of conversion in the book of Acts culminates in Christian baptism. Believers repented of their sins, confessed Christ, and were baptized. They did not balk at baptism. They did not belittle baptism. They did not bide their time. From the Day of Pentecost onward, baptism was always an immediate faith response to the gospel of grace heard and believed.

In his book Baptism Today and Tomorrow (St. Martin's Press, 1966), G. R. Beasley-Murray finds five attendant blessings to baptism in the New Testament:

• Forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16),
• Union with Christ (Galatians 3:26; Colossians 2:12; Romans 6:1-11),
• Possession of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; Titus 3:5),
• Membership in the church (1 Corinthians 12:13),
• Inheritance of the kingdom of God (John 3:5).

Beasley-Murray concludes, "In the light of these statements I am compelled to conclude that the understanding of baptism as 'a beautiful and expressive symbol,' and nothing more, is irreconcilable with the New Testament." The apostle Paul wrote often about baptism in his epistles. Baptism is the threshold of entrance into Christ, his atoning death, and his glorious church. Paul states that we are "baptized into Christ" Galatians 3:27), "baptized into his death" (Romans 6:3), and "baptized into one body" (1 Corinthians 12:13). The footnotes of several Bible translations indicate that the Great Commission may also read "baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19).

"Baptism, then, brings a convert into a new relationship--where God becomes his heavenly Father, God's Son becomes his personal Savior, and God's Spirit becomes his indwelling strength" (The Beauty of Baptism, by Alger Fitch, 2003).

Baptism and the Cross

Recently Timothy George, executive editor of Christianity Today, answered a question from a reader in his column "Good Question." The question was, "What is the role of baptism in faith and salvation?" George responded, in part, "Baptism must take place in the context of faith, and it must connect to the central events of the gospel--Jesus' cross and resurrection" (CT, July 2003).

This is precisely the point the apostle Paul makes in Romans 6:1-4, where he writes, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."

Baptism certainly connects to the central events of the gospel! We are "baptized into Christ Jesus." We are "baptized into his death." We are "buried with him through baptism into death." We are raised "just as Christ was raised from the dead." It's all there in baptism--death, burial, and resurrection.

The passage in Romans is more clearly understood when placed alongside what Paul wrote to the Corinthians when he defined the gospel. He said, "that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4). The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ--as it is portrayed in Scripture. The response to the gospel is our death, burial, and resurrection--as it is portrayed in Christian baptism.

Baptism is more than a commemoration of what has already happened. It is a dynamic action, an actual participation, a life-changing event. We are buried with Christ. We are baptized into his death. There we die with Christ. We are raised with Christ, just as he was raised. The saving power in this act is linked to the resurrection of Christ (1 Peter 3:21). All this is indeed an act of faith that God is graciously doing something special at this time. "Having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead" (Colossians 2:12).

Martin Luther said, "Your baptism is nothing less than grace clutching you by the throat: a grace-full throttling, by which your sin is submerged in order that ye may remain under grace. Come thus to thy baptism. Give thyself up to be drowned in baptism and killed by the mercy of thy dear God, saying: 'Drown me and throttle me, dear Lord, for henceforth I will gladly die to sin with thy Son'" (as quoted in Down in the River to Pray, John Mark Hicks and Greg Taylor, Leafwood Publishers, 2003). The death to sin, the burial of a dead sinner, and the resurrection of a new person all occur in baptism.

Baptism has been likened to a tomb. Alger Fitch says baptism is a tomb in that "the person buried in the tomb of water is to have died to self. Eyes, ears, lips are under the wave. Sex organs, hands, feet, and mind are now ready to rise into a life over which Jesus is to have control. The total surrender of a total person to the total will of God is what baptism confesses." Baptism can also be likened to a womb where one is born again of the water and of the spirit (John 3:5; 1 Corinthians 12:13).

Baptism and the New Life

New life, free from the dominion of sin, is the result of our baptism into the death of Christ. Norma McCorvey (of "Roe vs. Wade" notoriety) was baptized on August 8, 1995. The same day was her last day of employment at a Dallas abortion clinic. She testified, "I'll serve the Lord and help women save their babies for the rest of my life." Former NFL great and TV broadcaster Pat Summerall, who nearly ruined his life with alcohol, was recently baptized. He said, "I went down into the water, and when I came up it was like a 40-pound weight had been lifted from me. I have a happier life, a healthy life, and a more positive feeling about life than ever before."

Here's the bottom line on baptism: "So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? I should hope not! If we've left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn't you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace--a new life in a new land! That's what baptism into the life of Jesus means" (Romans 6:1-3 The Message).

Victor Knowles is founder and director of POEM
(Peace on Earth Ministries), Joplin, MO.

RAISED into NEW LIFE

ONE Baptism? Yes.

Knowles--Baptism Into Christ

Baptized by Whom? the Spirit"

PROPER Understanding

Mouton on COVENANTS

Al Maxey--Boxed-In Believers

"Elected" for salvation?

Alan Smith--PAYING THE PRICE

Are SOME SINNERS
(s)Elected BY the
Holy Spirit for salvation?
OF COURSE NOT.

BY RAY DOWNEN Jesus explains how the seed which produces "new life" is sown. Those who want "new birth" to be of water and Spirit should be surprised that the planting is not commissioned to be done by the Spirit. It's not DONE by the Spirit. It's done by humans presenting a choice to the human spirit.

Seed is planted by us humans as we carry the gospel throughout the world. Jesus told HUMANS to teach and preach, to so live that our very lives will proclaim the good news that Jesus offers eternal life to all who will turn to Him in repentance and then accept the baptism in water by which their "new birth" is sealed and proclaimed.

God does not "elect" particular persons to be saved. He orders that the good news of available salvation is to be taken to ALL. God chose that all who hear and obey the gospel shall be saved. He voted. Satan voted. Now it's our turn!

Some do listen, believe, and act as the gospel directs. We "elect" ourselves to salvation. Just as with the "law of gravity" (which equally affects every person and object on earth or in space), God has put in place a means of salvation which affects every person equally. Those who obey the gospel are saving themselves. Those who choose to not believe or to not obey the gospel elect themselves to certain eternal death.

The Spirit does not cause the new birth of water and spirit. The Spirit instead is given to those who are being reborn of water and their spirit. By the way we speak and act, we reveal whether or not we have voted and are voting for eternal glory at any necessary cost while we live on earth. JESUS saves. JESUS is Lord. By how we act and how we speak, we declare or deny faith in Jesus of Nazareth.

RAISED into NEW LIFE

ONE Baptism? Yes.

Knowles--Baptism Into Christ

Baptized by Whom? the Spirit"

PROPER Understanding

Mouton on COVENANTS

Al Maxey--Boxed-In Believers

"Elected" for salvation?

Alan Smith--PAYING THE PRICE

Are Christians Baptized BY the Holy Spirit? OF COURSE NOT.

BY RAY DOWNEN The apostle Paul wrote to Corinthian Christians to set them straight on at least two problems within the group. They were allowing sexual sin by one of the group to be ignored. And they were splitting themselves into groups loyal to one beloved leader or another beloved leader. They also needed guidance concerning use of spiritual gifts.

The study below has to do with the disunity problem. It incorrectly translates a verse in such a way as to create conflicting teaching between the apostle here and in several other passages. It sets the stage for teaching salvation by faith only, that is, for salvation prior to obeying the gospel. A brother writes:

"We must get our eyes off some elusive humanly perceived pattern, derived largely from mere assumptions, and direct them toward the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ."

RAY: This introductory statement is absolutely correct, yet is not what the later remarks in fact do. Obeying JESUS saves sinners. Obeying JESUS is the Way to eternal life. JESUS is Lord. Is not Jesus head of His church? The gospel is telling about JESUS. Our unity is in JESUS, in loving and serving HIM. Our spirits are one in HIM.

"It is a 'unity of the Spirit' that will ultimately prove to be transforming, not this futile quest to force the Family of God into some form of our own devising. Our unity, therefore, is not based upon what we do, but rather upon who we are. And the force that brings this oneness to His universal Body is none other than the Holy Spirit."

RAY: And all along I thought it was JESUS and our love for HIM which should make us one. If we obey JESUS, if we ALL obey Jesus, we will surely be one in our spirits. But now we're told it's the Holy Spirit rather than the one Lord who creates and sustains unity. I don't agree. Isn't ONE Lord enough?

"I believe we too often discount the operation of the Spirit among the called-out people of God. He has been given for a purpose, and far too many disciples, especially within our own faith-heritage (the Stone-Campbell Movement), have sought to utterly remove the Holy Spirit as the vital life-giving, unifying force within the Lord's One Body."

RAY: I'm quite sure that JESUS is the vital life-giving, unifying force which unites us within HIS body. Should we all unite around the Spirit instead of God's SON? If we love and serve Jesus we are Christians. What name would be right for those who instead love and serve the Spirit?

"This is a grave error, and the result has been apparent to the world about us. Rather than believing, they merely mock. Who wants to be part of a dismembered, dysfunctional Body? Brethren, it is time once more to be indwelt, empowered and led by the Holy Spirit."

RAY: I think it is time still to be led and empowered by the living and powerful SON of God to whom our loyalty belongs. Is the Spirit the head of our churches? Did He die for us? Jesus claims He has ALL power in Heaven and on earth. Shall we agree with Jesus, or shall we think the Spirit is our source of power and truth?

"The apostle Paul wrote to a group of believers who were struggling greatly with themselves, saying, 'Just as there is one body that has many members, and all of the many members of the body are one body, so also is Christ; for we were all immersed into the one body by the one Spirit, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free men; and we all have been given to drink of one Spirit' [1 Corinthians 12:12,13, Hugo McCord's New Testament Translation of the Everlasting Gospel]."

RAY: So we've now arrived at the mistranslation. Jesus commissioned MEN to baptize. Paul would not, he could not claim that unity required everyone to have been baptized by the Spirit. Or was the great commission given to the Spirit? You know better. Every baptism recorded in the book of Acts, the history book of the early church, was performed either by Jesus Himself or by one of His disciples. Not a single baptism recorded by inspired writers was performed by the Holy Spirit. Every convert was baptized in water in the name of Jesus. The immersing was done by human hands.

What Paul appeals to is the shared experience that EVERY Christian had submitted to because they learned of Jesus and sought salvation through Him. All were baptized IN one spirit rather than BY one Spirit.

The Holy Spirit did no baptizing. But every convert to CHRIST received baptism because each was submitting to the authority of JESUS. "In one spirit" is the proper translation of the phrase which speaks of being baptized into the body which we call the church. No Bible baptism was ever performed by the Holy Spirit. Yet Paul is appealing to a baptism which ALL disciples had experienced and which they KNEW they had experienced. And the apostle never speaks of any sacrament for becoming or remaining a Christ-follower.

"Not a few biblical interpreters have taken the view that this passage is sacramental in nature. In other words, the baptism mentioned is water baptism and the drink has reference to the cup of the Lord's Supper. Frankly, I do not believe either "sacrament" is in view in this passage. Contextually, neither practice fits. Rather, Paul is speaking of the concept of unity within the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the role of the Holy Spirit in bringing about this reality."

RAY: Our unity is in JESUS, not in the Holy Spirit. Paul's reference to being made to drink of the Spirit is parallel to Peter's promise that those who repent and are baptized will receive the Spirit as God's gift. It has nothing whatever to do with drinking the emblem which is representative of the blood of Jesus. JESUS is the head of the church to which we belong. His word is supreme. His wish is our command. Unity comes from JESUS and our shared love for HIM.

"I really appreciate the manner in which Ken Taylor phrased this passage in his Living Bible -- 'Each of us is a part of the one body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves and some are free. But the Holy Spirit has fitted us all together into one body. We have been baptized into Christ's body by the one Spirit, and have all been given that same Holy Spirit.' Paul is not talking about water baptism, nor is he speaking of the Lord's Supper. He is talking about the power of the Spirit to unite us as beloved brethren in the universal One Family."

RAY: In 1 Corinthians 12:13 Paul certainly IS talking about water baptism. That's the ONE baptism to which every Christian has chosen to submit. It signifies our acceptance of JESUS as Lord. It shows forth his death and resurrection as dying sinners are buried and raised up into new life. Why does anyone want to try to replace Jesus as our Lord and Master? Are we not all loyal to HIM? Do we not all seek to please HIM? Are there two Lords? Two heads? Two Masters?

Paul speaks nothing here about any sacrament at all. The writer asks about not only one but two sacraments. A sacrament is an act which creates merit, as I understand it. What do Christians have to do with sacraments? Is that an apostolic word? No, it is not. But his topic here is the baptism which brings sinners into Christ and His body.

"Some have taken these thoughts as references to the Christian sacraments -- water baptism and the Holy Communion. ... It is doubtful that this is Paul's primary intent. Rather, he is emphasizing spiritual baptism, and the communion of spiritual food and drink" [The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 10, p. 264].

"The aorist forms argue against the view that this verse refers to the ongoing practice of water baptism and Communion, as though the physical acts would somehow make the Christians one body. If the physical rites were in view, present tense verbs would be expected" [ibid, p. 265].

"John Gill, in his classic Exposition of the Entire Bible, in commenting on this passage, concurs: 'This is to be understood not of water baptism.'

"Dr. Albert Barnes, in his monumental work Barnes' Notes on the Bible, also agrees: 'Many suppose that there is reference here to the ordinance of baptism by water.' However, Dr. Barnes notes, this seems clearly out of touch with the context of the passage. I completely concur."

RAY: The author agrees with false teaching. And now we reach the ultimate error:

"I'm thoroughly convinced that the baptism mentioned in this passage is not some ritual or rite or sacrament, but is rather simply a use of the Greek word to convey the idea of complete immersion into something. That 'something' into which the people of God are completely plunged is JESUS, and, by extension, His universal One Body. And the One who places us WITHIN HIM is none other than the Holy Spirit."

RAY: Compare this with the inspired truth that the Spirit is GIVEN to those who obey the gospel of CHRIST. It's an absurd claim that it takes the Holy Spirit to save us by "placing us within JESUS." This surely is not apostolic doctrine! And it gets even worse:

"Thus, by the agency of the Holy Spirit we are all completely plunged into (immersed into) the Lord Jesus, with all who are thus incorporated into Him constituting the One Body universal of our Lord on earth. This passage, therefore, has nothing whatsoever to do with water baptism, but has everything to do with the power of the Holy Spirit to unite us with the Son of God, and in so doing to unite us with all others the world over who also have been added to Him. It is 'the unity of the Spirit.'

RAY: This imagined "baptism by the Spirit" can't be seen with human eyes. There's no evidence that any such 2nd baptism occurs. It's a figment of someone's imagination, not any result of inspired teaching. What the text says, and what agrees with all other Bible teaching, is that our baptism into Christ (we die to sin and are raised from the water to walk in NEW life) brings us into the ONE BODY which is HIS church. It's not the church of the Holy Spirit. The baptism is not by the one Spirit. It's IN one spirit, which is a spirit of humble obedience to the Lord Jesus.

"As the passage states, 'we were all immersed into the one body BY the one Spirit.' This is an 'immersion' effected BY the Holy Spirit, the purpose of which is to unite the many diverse parts into a unified, harmonious, functional whole body."

RAY: The purpose for the one baptism which brings us into Christ and His church is "the remission of sins," as is made clear in Acts 2:38. The purpose of this second baptism the writer and translators imagine is, the writer says, "to unite." Yet obeying the one LORD is entering into unity with Him and with all who are His. We are reborn of water and spirit and ALL are made one by our obedience to the ONE LORD.

"Therefore, Paul immediately goes on to say that as a result of this spiritual 'immersion,' there is no longer the distinction of Jew or Greek, slave or free, or any other such human perception of separateness. We are all now ONE by the action of the Spirit, who has incorporated (immersed) us all into Christ Jesus."

RAY: I hope every reader realizes that this "baptism by the Spirit" is never spoken of except in this one mistranslation. But look at all the places we're asked to go based on human imagination! And some imagined that JESUS saves and that the baptism Jesus said WE were to perform had something to do with obeying the gospel and clothing us with HIM in His body. But this writer thinks the work is done invisibly by the Holy Spirit rather than by those told to preach throughout the world, baptizing those who believe the gospel of JESUS. Absurd is a kind description of such imaginations.

"Dr. C. K. Barrett, who at the time he produced his commentary was a professor of theology at the University of Durham, points out that the intent of Paul in this passage was very practical in nature: he sought to illustrate the reality of their oneness, and that this was the work of the Holy Spirit. 'The various national and social groups, and the dissident religious cliques at Corinth, have all entered into the unity of the Body of Christ, which they ought to express, and not deny, by means of their various gifts.' [A Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians, p. 289].

"Again quoting from the work of Dr. Albert Barnes -- 'it means, that by the agency of the Holy Spirit, they had all been suited, each to his appropriate place, to constitute the Body of Christ -- the church. The Spirit had so endowed them as to fit them to constitute One Body, or to be united in one, and to perform the various duties which resulted from their union.'

"Dr. G. R. Beasley-Murray, in his great study Baptism in the New Testament, observed, 'Baptism into the one Body by the one Spirit overcomes the deepest religious and social divisions of mankind: in the Body there is no room for maintaining the distinctions between Jew and Gentile, and slaves and free; in Christ they are "one man" (Gal. 3:28), and the one Spirit divides his gifts to all. The unity of the Body thus does not consist in uniformity of character and function, on the contrary Paul is about to explain how the very idea of a body presumes the necessity of members with different functions; but these differentiated functions are possible because the Body is a unity, informed by one life and inspired by one Spirit [p. 171]."

RAY: Are there no "authorities" who could be quoted to provide light on what the apostle really said and meant? Our writer friend apparently knew of none. Yet Paul everywhere teaches that it's JESUS who is exalted and is to be obeyed. JESUS is Lord. Or are we to obey whatever we think we hear the Spirit telling us to do? How would that unite us when the messages claimed and thought to be from the Spirit are often conflicting and contradictory?

"There are a couple of companion passages that I strongly believe provide us some additional insight into the thinking of the apostle Paul on this matter. 'For as many of you as were immersed into Christ clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male and female, for you are all united in Christ Jesus' [Gal. 3:27,28, Hugo McCord's translation].

"Many translations render the final phrase: 'For you are all one in Christ Jesus.' This is essentially the same message as that found in 1 Corinthians 12:13. Paul is stressing our oneness, and a unity of diverse brethren which comes from the immersion by the Holy Spirit of these diverse elements into spiritual union with Jesus Himself, thereby making of us One Body. When the Spirit plunges us into Him, we are thereafter fully "clothed" with Christ Jesus.

"The Greek word translated 'clothed' is enduo, which signifies 'to be arrayed, invested; to be clothed with.' The Analytical Greek Lexicon states, 'to be invested with spiritual gifts, graces, or character' [p. 138]. When the Holy Spirit plunges us completely and intimately into Jesus, we are so utterly immersed in Him that we are daily thereafter increasingly transformed into His character, overwhelmed with His grace, and endowed with His gifts. It is this immersion of which Paul speaks, NOT the rite of water baptism. It is an immersion performed BY the Spirit of God that incorporates us into the Son and thus not only unites us with Him, but also with all others who have been thusly incorporated by the Spirit into the Son. THEREIN is the basis of our unity and oneness! Paul tells us that when this is our reality, we, in effect, have cast off our 'old man' and have 'put on the new self' who is being transformed into the very image of the One into whom we have been immersed -- 'a renewal in which there's no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all' [Colossians 3:10,11].

"It is an immersion we dare not deny, and dare not diminish, both of which I believe we do when we seek to restrict the meaning of 'baptism' in these passages to the rite of water baptism."

RAY: This writer seems to have joined the ranks of faith-only teachers who will do whatever they must to avoid believing that we are baptized into Christ and thereby saved, with sin washed away by our obeying the gospel of JESUS. He nonetheless says he does not believe in salvation by faith alone. I point out that the ONE BAPTISM which unites us is the one commissioned by JESUS. It is to be performed by the same ones who proclaim the gospel throughout the world. It's an immersion in water. There are not two baptisms in the Christian Way, one commanded by Jesus and the other performed by the Holy Spirit. The writer continues:

"Does this perception in any way whatsoever diminish the place of water baptism as a visible demonstration of faith; as an evidence essential to our faith response? Of course not. I am in no way suggesting such a thing."

RAY: Is he "in no way suggesting" that water baptism is NOT the one baptism involved in obeying the great commission and in securing the remission of sin? That's precisely what the writer IS suggesting and far more than only suggesting.

"I am merely suggesting that perhaps we have misapplied the above passages in our zeal to prove a particular doctrine and practice that, frankly, if one is not careful, can be easily given improper emphasis and thereby abused. Water baptism most definitely has its place in the process that leads us to and evidences our union with Christ Jesus. I fear, however, that too many for too long have elevated it to such a place of distinction that the work of the Spirit has been all but forgotten, if not replaced altogether. This is dangerous, and such a practice really needs to be challenged.

RAY: Yes, many do indeed challenge Jesus as Lord, seeking to replace the baptism HE commands in any way they can find to displace His authority. Note that the apostles put receiving the Spirit AFTER repenting and being baptized into Christ. Many place salvation prior to obeying the gospel by the sinner repenting and being baptized. But of course they're not teaching salvation by faith alone, they say. Just ask them, and they'll explain why their heresy is NOT attempting to make their substitutes such as an unseen baptism by the Spirit take the place of what Jesus commands. May I remind again that a baptism by the Spirit is spoken of only in this one MISTRANSLATION. It's never prophesied. It's never reported as having happened. Paul surely never spoke of any baptism by the Spirit.

"There are many uses of the term 'baptism' within the pages of the New Covenant writings. Thus, it is totally fallacious to assume they all have reference to water baptism."

RAY: Quite true. We don't make any such claim as the writer speaks of. But each time baptism is associated with salvation in Jesus, it's in reference to the ONE BAPTISM which unites us, or else Paul's unifying appeal in Ephesians 4:4-6 means nothing. The "one baptism" is not Baptist baptism, which is mentioned in the gospel records and also in Acts. It's not the experience of the Israelites as they moved through the Red Sea while fleeing from Egypt. No one tries to say it is. Here's yet another effort to confuse the question with a nonsensical application. No one is saying or thinking that every use of the word "baptism" refers to Christian baptism.

"Jesus, by way of a singular example, spoke of a baptism He would soon experience, and which many of His disciples would experience as well (Mark 10:38,39; Luke 12:50). This was an immersion into suffering and death, however, which had nothing to do with the rite of water baptism. Let us always remember those three essential rules of biblical interpretation: context, context, context! It can prove to be a life saver ... literally!"

RAY: The context of 1 Corinthians 12:13 is important. The context surely proves that Paul is not trying to confuse his readers by speaking of a unifying baptism that they've never heard of before and yet that he says they all share. I believe there's ONE BAPTISM associated with being added to Christ's church. It's in water. It's performed by human hands. It's identical for every convert. It brings us into Christ's ONE BODY as it brings us into Jesus Christ Himself. The gift of the Spirit follows, both in 1 Corinthians 12:13 and in Acts 2:38. Parallel passages inform no less than does the context of any problem passage. Apostolic doctrine includes no baptism BY the Holy Spirit.

RAISED into NEW LIFE

ONE Baptism? Yes.

Knowles--Baptism Into Christ

Baptized by Whom? the Spirit"

PROPER Understanding

Mouton on COVENANTS

Al Maxey--Boxed-In Believers

"Elected" for salvation?

Alan Smith--PAYING THE PRICE

WILLING TO
PAY THE PRICE"

BY ALAN SMITH Though skeptical of his teenage son's newfound determination to build bulging muscles, one father followed his teenager to the store's weight-lifting department, where they admired a set of weights.

"Please, Dad," pleaded the teen, "I promise I'll use 'em every day."

"I don't know, Michael. It's really a commitment on your part," the father said.

"Please, Dad."

"They're not cheap either," the father said.

"I'll use 'em, Dad, I promise. You'll see."

Finally won over, the father paid for the equipment and headed for the door. After a few steps, he heard his son behind him say, "What! You mean I have to carry them to the car?"

The comparison to our Christian lives is all too obvious. We can be told how much commitment is involved in being a Christian. We can be told how much will be required of us when we become a Christian. We say that we understand all that is involved and we are still willing to give our "all" to Christ. But, often, we are barely dried off from our baptism before we are complaining about what is expected of us--"Surely you don't expect me to spend that much time, that much money, that much effort!"

The truth is, those of us who are Christians rarely see Christianity as much of a struggle. Christianity is an easy way of living for most of us. Perhaps too easy. I think there's enough in scripture to label Christianity as a struggle for our faith.

In Luke 13:24, Jesus said, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able." We don't just walk through the narrow gate; we have to strive to get through. That word suggests there is to be a great deal of effort on our part.

In Ephesians 6:12, Paul describes the Christian life in this way: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

The picture Paul paints for us is a picture of struggling, a picture of constant battle. The Hebrew writer constantly alludes to the fact that we need to put a great deal of effort into our Christian lives. The word diligent is frequently used. "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest." (Hebrews 4:11). But that truth applies to far more than just financial matters; it applies to all of life.

Rudyard Kipling once said that if anyone did not get from life what they really wanted, it was because either he didn't really want it or because he began to quibble about the price. That may be a bit of an overstatement, but I do think there's a great deal of truth there. We must be willing to pay the price for what we want.

The price for the Christian life is high, and Jesus wants us to count that cost as part of our decision to follow him.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

DID JESUS DO ALL THAT's NEEDED TO SAVE A SINNER?

NEW LIFE in Christ is a priceless and glorious way for anyone to live. Eternal blessings await. Current joy and peace are ours.

RAISED into NEW LIFE

ONE Baptism? Yes.

Knowles--Baptism Into Christ

Baptized by Whom? the Spirit"

PROPER Understanding

Mouton on COVENANTS

Al Maxey--Boxed-In Believers

"Elected" for salvation?

Alan Smith--PAYING THE PRICE