"He who believes
and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be
condemned."
This is such a simple command to obey in the way the Lord says to do it.
Notice the divine order: 1) Believe, 2) Baptism, 3) Saved. Jesus says that
both belief and baptism are required to be saved. But men, at the prompting
of Satan, are trying to tell us many other different things that are contrary
to what Jesus says. Men have taken what the Lord said, "He
who believes and is baptized will be saved," and have changed it in every
way possible to suit themselves. The following is what Jesus says and
also ways in which man has tried to change what the Lord has said.Jesus says
in Mark 16:16, "He who believes and
is baptized will be saved."
2) There are those who in reality say that, "He that does not
believe and is not baptized will be saved," because they say God is
going to save everyone. This is the Universalist who says that everyone is
going to be saved and no one is going to be lost. We know this is not true
because of what our Lord said in Matthew 7:13-14, that many are going to be lost
and only few are going to be saved.
3)
Then there are others who essentially say that, "He who believes and is
baptized will not be saved." They say that no one is going to be saved.
This is the Atheist who says that there is not going to be an eternity and
that when you are dead, you are like the dog Rover, you are dead all over.
But again we know that this is false. We have already seen that few will be
saved, but the majority will be lost.
4) Still others imply that, "He who does not believe but is
baptized will be saved." These are those who practice infant baptism,
but an infant certainly cannot believe. Of course an infant is not
accountable but is innocent and is not lost.
5) Then there are also those who essentially say that, "He who
believes and is not baptized will be saved." They are trying to tell us
that we are saved by faith only and that baptism is not necessary to be
saved, but all that you have to do is believe. Again, like the other three,
this is contrary to what the Lord has said in Mark 16:16, "He who
believes and is baptized shall be saved." On the day of judgment we are
only going to be judged by what the Lord says and not by what we think.
Who are you following? Are you following 1) Jesus, 2) the Universalist, 3)
the Atheist, 4) those promoting infant baptism, or 5) those promoting faith
only? We can go to heaven only by following what Jesus says and not
what man says. The following chart shows what the Lord has said and
also the many ways that men have tried to change it. They have changed it
every way possible to suit themselves.
1)
Jesus in Mark 16:16 says: Believe + Baptized = Saved
2) Universalist says: Not Believe + Not Baptized = Saved
3) Atheist says: Believe + Baptized = Not Saved
4) Infant Baptism says: Not Believe + Baptized = Saved
5) Faith Only says: Believe + Not Baptized = Saved
------------------------------------------------------------------------
When we stand before the Lord on the day of judgment to be judged by him,
there are going to be many who have chosen not to do what the Lord has said.
Rather they have chosen to do what man has said to do. Romans
10:3 tells
us that people are "Seeking to establish their own
righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God." The choice is ours. Either we
have tried to establish our own righteousness or we have submitted to the
righteousness of God. We make the decision; but we will reap the eternal
consequences. Are you ready for those consequences?
The Lord says in John 12:48, "The
word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day." We are not going to be judged
by what man says or by what we think, but by what our Lord says. This is
going to be the standard for judgment.
For the majority of people, the judgment will be a horrible day, and a day of
many terrible surprises. Obedience to our Lord will save any lost person, no
matter how evil his past has been, but obedience to a mere human doctrine
will not save anyone, no matter how good they have been. Speaking of Christ Hebrews
5:9 says, "And
having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all them
that obey Him." Yes, we must obey our Lord, if we expect Him to save us.
Baptism is not a work that man does. Baptism is God’s chosen way of imparting
His saving grace. Baptism is the submission to the command of God that saves.
As we read in Acts 10:48, "And He commanded
them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." God offers salvation to all
men, but He conditions that offer with obeying the requirements which He has
set out in His word. The Lord has commanded us to be baptized. The Lord has
no nonessential commands. In Hebrews 5:9 we saw that no man can be saved
by the grace of God without being obedient to the will of God.
Believing and being baptized to be saved, as Mark
16:16 says,
does not nullify the grace of God, but it activates it. The fact that baptism
is essential to our salvation in no way reflects upon the wonderful grace
offered to all; but rather it honors Christ who commanded it. Baptism is a
very serious matter. According to the Bible, baptism is for the purpose of
salvation. Satan does not want anyone to be baptized for the purpose of
being saved. Satan tells people that after you think you are saved and your
sins are forgiven then you can be baptized. But this is a lie of Satan
which will cause many people to be lost. We cannot afford to be wrong
on this vital point. Our eternal destiny depends on our being right with God.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Questions Lesson 13 Must We Be Baptized To
Be Saved?
1) (Mark
16:16) According to the Bible what must we do to be saved?
Believe
only.
Believe
and be baptized.
Not
be baptized.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) He that believes and is not baptized shall be saved.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) (Romans 10:3) Why do people not submit to the righteousness of God?
They
want to but they don't know how.
They
want to be saved.
They
seek to establish their own righteousness.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Many people choose not to do what God has says.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
5) (John 12:48) What will judge us on Judgment Day?
What
we believe.
What
our preacher says.
The
words of Christ.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
6) We are going to be judged according to what man says.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
7) (Hebrews 5:9) Christ is the author of eternal salvation to
All
who obey Him.
To
everyone.
To
no one.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
8) Good people who have not obeyed the Lord will still be saved.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
9) (Acts 10:48) What were these people commanded to do?
Only
believe.
Nothing.
Be
baptized.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10) Baptism is a command of God.