What Saves? Baptism
or
Jesus Christ?By Buddy Bryant
IS SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH
FAITH IN JESUS FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF
SINS A MAN MADE RELIGION???
A preacher in the city of Wichita Falls, Texas
read one of our circulars and wrote an article in
the paper saying that salvation by grace through
faith (which we emphasize in our literature) for
forgiveness of sins, is a man made religion.
Let me quote some of the article he wrote and
give Scripture he referred to in trying to prove
water salvation.
He refers to Acts 2:38 and has it printed in bold
capital letters. "REPENT, AND BE BAPTIZED
EVERY ONE OF YOU IN THE NAME OF
JESUS CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF
SINS, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost."In Acts 2:38 the "REPENT" (SECOND PER-
SON PLURAL) and "BE BAPTIZED" (THIRD
PERSON SINGULAR) and "YE SHALL
RECEIVED THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST"
(SECOND PERSON PLURAL).Repent and be baptized cannot be joined
together to procure remission of sins, because "re-
pent" is a universal command to all men
everywhere (Acts 17:30) and "be baptized" is a
specific command to believers only (Acts 8:12).The passage is simply saying "repent", and ye
shall receive the gift the Holy Ghost, and each
one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins.The Greek word "FOR" is "eis" and means,
upon, unto, because of, but never in order to
obtain.In the article, the preacher speaks of the faith
mentioned in this passage and says that faith
alone will not save. Then he refers to James
2:14-17 and calls attention to verse 24.
Notice verse 17. "Even so faith, if it hath not
works, is dead, being alone."
Is the "FAITH" in Acts 2:38 dead faith or is it a
living active faith? If it is dead faith (the author of
the article believes it is) then it is the same kind
of faith James refers to in James 2:17, which God
condemns. If it is a living faith, then the people
Peter spoke to had faith (living faith) before they
were baptized. Either way, the author of the arti-
cle is in a fix he can't get out of.
I wonder if he would give us an answer to this
problem?
In James 2:21-24, James speaks of Abraham
and him being justified by works when he had
offered up Isaac.
Rom. 4:1-6, he was justified by FAITH 40 years
before this.
In my discussion with the author of the article
on Mark 15:16, I asked him to produce one Scrip-
ture that said, "He that believeth and is Baptized
shall be saved, but he that believeth not (AND IS
NOT BAPTIZED) shall be damned." He could not
produce one in his favor, yet I gave many that
said the believer is not condemned...John 3:18-19;
John 3:36; John 5:24; Rom. 5:1.
The only place I know that says a man that
believeth and is not baptized shall be damned is
found in the Mormon bible in 3rd Nephi 11:33-34.
I wonder if this man's doctrine didn't come from
men just as the Mormon bible did.What Saves, Baptism Or Jesus Christ? The Scriptures teach that alien sinners are
saved by faith without water baptism.By saved, I mean one made safe by the God of
Heaven; no longer an alien, but a son of God, an
heir of God, and a joint heir with Jesus Christ.
By faith, I mean one who has trusted Jesus
Christ with all his heart for salvation.
Before water baptism, I mean that faith comes
before water baptism and hence the alien sinner
is saved before and without water baptism.Some Questions We Need To Ask In Order To
Clarify Water Baptism For Salvation1. Do you baptize a child of God or a child of the
Devil?
2. Does one coming for baptism have a pure
heart or an impure heart?
3. Do you baptize a man with a clean soul or one
who has a filthy soul?
4. When a person is on the way to be baptized
for remission of sins, is he being led of God or be-
ing led of the Devil?
5. Is a candidate for baptism condemned or is he
out from under condemnation?
The issue in this article is not, "Is Baptism A
Command?" I believe it is a command, but for
what is it commanded?
Is it a means of obtaining salvation, or is it to
declare that one is saved?
The issue is not "Is Baptism Important?" I
agree that baptism is important. But for what is it
important?
The issue is "At what point in obeying the
thousands of the Lord's commands is one saved?"
Which of the commands of the Lord are given as
conditions with which one must comply before he
can be saved, justified, or become a child of God?
John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way,
the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father but by me."
What Jesus Says Is An Absolute Must In
Order For A Man To Be Saved1. MAN MUST HEAR--Luke 14:35, "He that
hath ears to hear let him hear."
a. Rom. 10:17, "Faith [Living active faith.
NOT DEAD FAITH] cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the Word of God."
b. NEGATIVELY--Acts 3:23, "And it shall
come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear
that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the
people."
c. Where does the Bible say every soul that
is not baptized shall be destroyed?
2. MAN MUST HEED--Heb. 3:7-8, "...the
Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear His voice,
Harden not your hearts, ..."
a. NEGATIVELY--Rom. 8:9, "...if any
man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of
his."
b. Where in the Bible does it say if any man
hath not baptism he is none of His?
3. MAN MUST REPENT--Acts 17:30, God
"...commandeth all men every where to
repent."
a. NEGATIVELY--Luke 13:3-5, "...except
ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
b. Where in the Bible does it say except ye
be baptized ye shall perish?
4. MAN IS TO BELIEVE--Acts 16:31, "And
they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
NEGATIVELY--John 8:24, "...if ye
believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your
sins."Some Scriptures That Tell How To Be Saved
1. John 3:14-16, "And as Moses lifted up the ser-
pent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of
Man be lifted up: that whosoever BELIEVETH in
him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life."
2. Eph. 2:8-9, "For by GRACE are ye SAVED
through FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God: Not of WORKS, lest any man
should boast."
a. Acts 22:16 is used to teach that baptism
saves. Note--Paul was told to wash away his sins.
Was this literal or symbolic? It could not be
literal because Paul said in Eph. 2:8, it is not of
self, and in Rev. 1:5, we are told that Christ
washed us from our sins in His own blood.
Either Christ washed away Paul's sins in His
own blood or Paul washed them away in water.
Which will you believe?
b. Eph. 2:8 did not say, "For by GRACE,
through FAITH and BAPTISM are ye saved."
c. Matt. 3:13-17, Jesus declared BAPTISM
to be a work of righteousness. Note the word
"US" in v. 15. Baptism must be included in the
term "WORKS".
(It cannot be included in the term SAVED; it
cannot be included in the term FAITH; it cannot
be included in "THAT WHICH IS NOT OF
OURSELVES"; it cannot be included in that
which is the "THE GIFT OF GOD".)
d. Titus 3:5, Baptism is a work of
righteousness and we are not saved by works of
righteousness which we have done.
3. John 3:36, "He that believeth on the Son
HATH [Present Tense] everlasting life..."
Note--It is the unbeliever that the wrath of God
abideth on.
4. John 5:24, "...He that heareth my word,
and believeth on him that sent me hath [Present
Tense] everlasting life..."
Note--And shall not come into condemnation.
5. John 20:31, "But these are written, that ye
might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God; and that BELIEVING ye might have life
through his name."
6. Phil. 3:9, Paul had no desire to stand in his
own righteousness but in the righteousness of
God which is by FAITH in Jesus.
7. I Cor. 1:21, When "...the world by wisdom
knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of
preaching to save them that believe."
Note--It did not say that it pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching and baptism to save
them that believed.
8. Rom 3:25-26, We are told that Jesus Christ is
the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
9. Gal. 5:6, "For in Jesus Christ neither circum-
cision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision;
BUT FAITH which worketh by love."
a. Does the faith a person has worketh by
love when that person comes for baptism?
b. If it does not, what kind of faith is it? Does
it hate God and the things of God? Is it a dead
faith which God condemns?
10. Acts 26:16-18, "But rise, and stand upon thy
feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this pur-
pose, to make thee a minister and a witness both
of these things which thou hast seen, and of those
things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Delivering thee from the people, and from the
Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open
their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to
light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that
they may receive forgiveness of sins, and in-
heritance among them which are sanctified by
FAITH that is in me."
a. Jesus Christ, in this special commission
to Paul, sent him to preach the Gospel.
b. The result was that they would have the
following things, (1) eyes opened..(2) turned from
darkness to light..and from the power of Satan un-
to God..(3) forgiveness of sins and an inheritance
among the saved.
This was to come by FAITH THAT IS IN ME.
c. Note--Christ sent Paul to preach the
Gospel. Rom. 1:16, The gospel is the power of God
unto salvation. I Cor. 15:1-4, "...how that Christ
died for our sins according to the scriptures; And
that he was buried, and that he rose again the
third day according to the scriptures."
(1) Gal. 1:6-9, Paul said, "...If any man
preach any other gospel unto you than ye have
received, let him be accursed."
(2) I Cor. 1:17, Paul said that Christ sent
him not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel.
11. Luke 19:5-10, Zacchaeus was saved before
he was baptized.
12. Gal. 3:26, We are told that "...ye are all
the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus."
a. The play made by some on the words
"PUT ON CHRIST" is answered in Rom. 13:14.
Paul said to the people who are already saved,
already baptized, "But put ye on the Lord Jesus
Christ..."
b. You cannot put a coat on unless you
already have one.
13. Acts 15:8-9, These had their hearts purified
by FAITH, also Rom. 5:1.
14. Acts 10:43-48, Cornelius was saved and
received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized.
a. Lost people cannot receive the Holy
Spirit.
b. John 14:17, We are told that the world
cannot receive the Holy Ghost.
15. Gal. 3:8, We are told that God foresaw that
He would justify the heathen through FAITH.
16. Gal. 3:8, We are told that Abraham had the
gospel preached unto him.
Rom. 4:1-3, Note these words about Abraham.
17. I John 1:7; Rev. 1:5, We are told that the
blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sins.If His blood cleanses us from all sin what is left
for baptism?Scriptures Used By Some People To Try And
Prove That Baptism Saves1. Mark 16:16, "He that believeth and is bap-
tized shall be saved..."
a. Note it is he that BELIEVETH NOT shall
be damned.
b. Baptism is a commandment and if com-
mandments save, let us note the first one man is
to keep.
(1) Matt. 22:37, The first commandment
is to love God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind.
(2) Matt. 22:39, The second is to love thy
neighbor as thy self.
(3) Acts 2:41, Another is to be added to
the church.
(4) Heb. 10:25, Another is to attend
church.
c. Which commandment must I keep to be
saved, and how many will I have to break before I
am lost again? (Many people believe that you can
be lost again after you are saved.)
d. The thing that determines a person being
damned is unbelief.
2. Acts 2:38, "...Repent, and be baptized every
one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of
the Holy Ghost."
a. Repent ye in Acts 2:38 is second person
plural, and "Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost" is also second person plural, be baptized is
third person singular.
b. God is simply saying REPENT and ye
shall received the gift of the Holy Ghost and be
baptized every one of you (You who have repented
and received the gift of the Holy ghost) because of
the remission of sins.
Remember, a lost person cannot receive the
Holy Ghost. The person who repents and believes
in Christ as Saviour is saved.
c. Repent and be baptized cannot be joined
together to procure the remission of sins, because
"repentance" is a universal command to all men
everywhere, Acts 17:30 and "be baptized" is a
specific command to believers only, Acts 8:12.
3. Rom. 6:3-4, "Know ye not, that so many of us
as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized
into His death?"
a. Note--Rom. 6:2, Paul is speaking to peo-
ple who are dead to sin.
(1) Rom. 6:7, "...he that is dead is freed
from sin."
(2) Baptism is a burial. You bury a dead
thing. You don't bury a dead thing to make it
alive.
4. Acts 22:16, "...Arise, and be baptized, and
wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the
Lord."
a. Note how he was to wash away his sins
"CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD."
b. Acts 9:1-19, We have the record of Paul's
conversion and you will notice that Ananias said
that God had chosen Paul and that he was sent
that Paul might receive the Holy Ghost.
(1) Every time Paul tells of his conver-
sion he goes back to the Damascus road.
(2) Acts 9:9, Note, it was three days
before Ananias came to him.
5. I Pet. 3:18-21, Note verse 21; "The like figure
[picture] whereunto even baptism doth also now
save us...."
a. Baptism is a figure (or picture) of that
which saves, Rom. 1:16; I Cor. 15:1-4.
b. You can put a log across a creek that is
full of water and you can see the shadow of that
log in the water, however, a 4 year old child has
enough sense to know that you can't walk across
on the shadow.
c. Many people are trying to cross on the
shadow instead of the real thing.
(1) Let me tell you, Jesus is the real
thing.
(2) Isa. 45:22, God said, "Look unto me
and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am
God, and there is none else."
(3) Acts 4:11-12, Peter said there is none
other name under heaven whereby we must be
saved.
(4) John 5:24, God tells us that the per-
son who believes on Him HATH everlasting life,
and shall not come into condemnation.
(5) I John 5:11-13, God said, "And this is
the record, that God hath given us eternal life and
THIS LIFE IS IN HIS SON."
(6) I John 5:13, "These things have I writ-
ten unto you that BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF
THE SON OF GOD; that YE MAY KNOW THAT
YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE..."Tract # A-222 Order From: TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH
1911 34th St., E.L. Bynum, former Pastor
P.O. Box 3100, Lubbock, Texas 79452Send payment with order and we pay the postage! If total is less than $5.00, add .50 cents.
10 for $2.00 100 for $ 8.00 500 for $28.00
50 for $5.00 250 for $16.00 1,000 for $44.00[][] All foreign add 40% and send U.S. Funds [][] For current discount prices send stamped envelope!
[ Christian Helps Ministry (USA) ] [ Christian Home Bible Course ]