Faith, Works, Baptism, and Obedience

Many believe that since the Bible teaches justification by faith (Rom. 5:1) and not by works (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5), baptism is excluded as an act essential to salvation, despite many passages that teach just the opposite (Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21; Titus 3:5; Eph. 5:26; 1 Cor. 12:13 paired with Eph. 5:23 [baptized into one body, Christ the Savior of the body]; John 3:5; Gal. 3:26-27; etc.). It is the burden of this article to show the fallacy of this belief.

In the first place, the Bible teaches that baptism is not a work of righteousness which we have done. Just the opposite is stated in Titus 3:5: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (NKJV). The washing of regeneration is a reference to baptism and is excluded by Paul as being a work of righteousness which we have done that saves us apart from God’s mercy. What is baptism, then? It is a part of God’s means of extending his mercy to mankind. Baptism is God showing us kindness. It is God, through grace, giving us a means to be saved by his mercy.

Water baptism amounts to nothing; it is worthless without God behind it in his compassion for us. When Naaman dipped seven times in the Jordan River for his cleansing from leprosy (2 Kings 5), it would not have made an ounce of difference without God being behind the command with the extension of his grace. The water did not cleanse Naaman; God did. But Naaman was not going to be cleansed without dipping in the Jordan those seven times, without obeying the command to do so. Why can’t we see the parallel with baptism in our day?

One acquainted with the New Testament cannot read Titus 3:5 without being reminded of John 3:5: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (NKJV). Paul, in Titus, is saying what Jesus said in John. To be saved in Titus is to enter the kingdom of God in John. To be saved is to be in the kingdom of God, where the saved are.

Indeed, Paul teaches justification by faith. “The just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:17 NKJV). “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:28 NKJV). “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:1-2 NKJV).

One cannot enter the waters of baptism without faith in what God said about doing so and expect the cleansing of sin. If I do not believe what God said about it, I have not acted in faith and cannot be justified by faith.

In the book of Romans, from which I have just quoted, Paul is writing to a mixed audience of Jews and Greeks. The Jews came to Christianity out of the background of Judaism and the Law of Moses. Much of what Paul writes in Romans is directed to the Jews, whose inclination through much of the first century was to try to hang on to both the Law of Moses and to Christ at the same time. The Law of Moses was a law system, not a faith system. What was the problem with the Law of Moses, a works system of salvation?

Paul tells us, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them’” (Gal. 3:10 NKJV). James says, “Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10 NKJV). This is the problem not just with the Law of Moses but with any and all law systems God might give man. As soon as a man violates one law, justice demands satisfaction—punishment—“the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression” (Rom. 4:15 NKJV). To violate a law of God, any law he gives, is unrighteousness; it is sin. “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4 KJV).

Jesus was the only sinless man ever to live. Law condemns all of us, for we have all broken God’s law. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23 NKJV). Thus, “by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Gal. 2:16c NKJV). The word “the” in Gal. 2:16, just quoted, is not found in the original but was added by the translators in both instances. When translated without the additions, it reads as follows: “By works of law no flesh shall be justified.” If you check an interlinear, you will find this to be true. What is the point?

The point is that while it is true Paul had specific reference to the Law of Moses because that is the law his audience had in mind, he phrases his statement in such a way as to include all law. No one will ever get to heaven by perfect keeping of works of law. Paul says the same thing in Rom. 3:28, where again the word “the” has been added by translators and is not in the original. It thus should read as follows: “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of (‘the’ omitted here is not in the original manuscripts—DS) law” (NKJV). Deeds are works.

A question thus arises: If I am not saved by works of law, why be concerned with obedience? Paul knew this was what some would conclude, and he begins to address that issue in Rom. 6:1, where he says, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” (NKJV). Remember, it is “by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8 NKJV).

Paul never meant to imply that obedience was optional. Paul responds vigorously, saying, “God forbid” (ASV, KJV), “By no means!” (ESV), “May it never be” (NAS), “Certainly not!” (NKJV). He says, “How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Rom. 6:2 NKJV).

He then says, “Do you not know,” introducing the subject of baptism, “that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death” (Rom. 6:3-4 NKJV). Whose death? Into Christ’s death. But watch it closely, for up pops verse 8: “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him” (NKJV). So we are baptized into Christ’s death, but that is also the place where “we died with Christ.” When we arise from this death, we “should walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4 NKJV), for we have been granted a new spiritual life and we should “present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead” (Rom. 6:13 NKJV). We have been “set free from sin” (Rom. 6:18 NKJV), but when? When we died to it, “For he who has died has been freed from sin” (Rom. 6:7 NKJV; see also Rom. 6:2). When did we die? In baptism (Rom. 6:4). Thus, no baptism, then no death; no death, then no being freed from sin.

Now who is Paul talking to? To Christians who have been justified by faith, not by works. Did Paul consider baptism to be a work of the kind of which he had been talking, by which a man could not be saved? Not at all! How, then, did he consider it? As a part of being justified by faith.

Paul begins the book of Romans with this statement in chapter 1, verse 5, saying he had been given grace and apostleship “to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles, for his name’s sake” (NAS). The NKJV says, “among all nations for his name” instead of “all the Gentiles.” But what was the objective? Obedience of faith! Why? Because without obedience, faith is dead and cannot save anyone, and that is from the get-go, from the very beginning. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26 NKJV).

When Peter stands up on the Day of Pentecost and preaches the first gospel sermon ever, creates by his preaching faith in those who hear, and then tells them what to do in response to their question asking what they can do, he responds by saying, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38 NKJV). You cannot tell me they were justified by faith if their response was, “I don’t think so right now, maybe later.” Nor can you tell me they were justified by faith if they failed to believe the word of God that baptism was for the remission of sins, just as Peter, speaking by the Holy Spirit, said, for that would not be belief but unbelief or disbelief. It would be the same as calling God a liar.

Paul closes the book of Romans the same way he opened it: “has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith” (Rom. 16:26 NAS). “Obedience of faith” is obedience led by faith, or obedience because of faith, or obedience out of faith. What does that mean, then? Faith must precede obedience. The justifying faith Paul was talking about in the book of Romans was a faith that led to obedience. Faith must precede obedience before you can have obedience out of faith.

There has never been a baptism acceptable to God but what it was first preceded by faith and submitted to by faith. This in itself invalidates infant baptism, as the infant is incapable of having faith. Faith saves because it believes God and does not doubt; therefore, it acts. Without obedience (acts, works, call it what you will), faith never really lives and is dead from the beginning and thus never saved the man at any point in time. If dead faith saved, the demons would be saved, for James says they believe (James 2:19). The same could be said of those rulers who believed in Jesus but did not confess him because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God (John 12:42-43).

Baptism is the dividing line between living faith and dead faith. Why? Is it because I said so? No! It is because Paul said when we arise from baptism that we “should walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4 NKJV). We are baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:27 NKJV). In Christ we are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17 NKJV). The old man died in baptism, and we arise a new creation. If we are saved before baptism (a baptism growing out of faith), the question ought to be asked, who is it that dies in baptism? Is it a saved man? Paul teaches that we die in baptism in the Romans 6:2-8 passage, but why would you want to put a saved man to death? Why kill a saved man? That is the position they put themselves in who believe we are saved by faith before baptism. This is a question that needs an answer.

I want to remind the reader once again of what Paul said of baptism in Titus 3:5: “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (NKJV). God gave us baptism (the washing of regeneration) as a part of his saving mercy toward us, not as a work of righteousness which we have done that works our way to heaven.

Baptism puts us into Christ, where salvation is. Paul says in this very book of Romans, where he promotes the doctrine of justification by faith, that there is “no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1 NKJV). In the same book he tells us how we got into Christ Jesus, where there is no condemnation. He says, “Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus …” (Rom. 6:3 NKJV).

This idea of separating faith from baptism is all man’s doing. You’ll not find it in the Bible. Paul says in the Galatian letter, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:26-27 NKJV). How do you get into Christ? Paul tells us a second time in this passage, that is, if we did not get it the first time in the Roman passage just quoted in the prior paragraph. But Paul tells us more. What?

He tells us you cannot separate faith from baptism unless you do it on your own initiative. The word “for,” beginning in verse 27 of Galatians 3, ties it to verse 26. You cannot separate the two sentences. There is more.

Can one put on Christ without baptism? Those who say you can ought to provide the passage that tells us that. According to this Galatian passage, it is done by baptism. I have never found another passage anywhere that has given an alternative.

Paul says those who are sons of God were baptized and thereby put on Christ. There is a law of exclusion in play here. If you were not baptized, you did not put on Christ in baptism and are therefore excluded from being a son of God.

To summarize, “the just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38 NKJV), but it is such a faith that, when it hears, it believes and obeys and is not indifferent to obedience. It is thus a living faith. It does not fear that obedience is working your way to heaven. Neither Peter nor Paul nor any other New Testament writer ever feared that obedience would be looked upon by God as an attempt to work your way to heaven. Baptism is God’s extension of grace to us, his means of cleansing us, chosen by him, not us, and not a part of works of righteousness that we have done that merit salvation.

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In Christ or Out of Christ

The phrase “in Christ” is of vast importance in New Testament teaching. One must be “in Christ” to be saved. The phrase itself is found 87 times in the New King James Version of the New Testament and 91 times in the English Standard Version, so we run across the phrase frequently in our Bibles. Well, what does the phrase mean? It depends on the context.

Context always matters in determining the meaning of words and phrases. It is no different with this phrase. For example, in Acts 24:24, Felix “sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.” (NKJV) In this passage Christ is the object of faith, thus this is only a reference to the person of Christ versus some other man.

By contrast, you run into a passage like 1 Cor. 15:17-18, which reads, “And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” (NKJV) In this passage “in Christ” clearly has reference to a location in the spiritual realm.

We are concerned with the phrase “in Christ” in this article only where the phrase is used in reference to a spiritual location. In the physical realm each body is separate from another body; we each have our own. In the spiritual realm we are to become one body with Christ. We enter into Christ. We are “baptized into Christ” and, having done so, “have put on Christ.” (Gal. 3:27 NKJV) “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” (1 Cor. 12:13 NKJV) Christ’s spiritual body is the church (Eph. 1:22-23, Col. 1:18).

One cannot overemphasize the importance of being “in Christ,” in being a reference to location. Wherever I am, it automatically excludes me from being anywhere else. I cannot be physically present in your house and in someone else’s house at the same time. In Christianity, in the spiritual realm, one is either “in Christ” or outside him. There are no other possible alternatives.

To be in Christ means:

·  Forgiveness. The apostle Paul, writing to the Colossians, says, “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:13-14 NKJV) In whom? The text makes it clear: in Christ. Yes, we are saved through Christ, through what he did on the cross, but we are saved in Christ, by being placed in his body through gospel obedience.

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23 NKJV) “There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Rom. 3:10 NKJV) If you desire forgiveness of your sins you must be “in Christ.” “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 NKJV) Forgiveness is in Christ, not outside of him.

·   Redemption. Paul, in Romans 3:24, speaks of “the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (NKJV) We are redeemed from sin and its consequences. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Eph. 1:7 NKJV) Jesus purchased us with his blood, the price for the forgiveness of our sins. “You were bought at a price.” (1 Cor. 6:20 NKJV) Peter tells us the price: “You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold … but with the precious blood of Christ.” (1 Peter 1:18-19 NKJV) Things are redeemed at a cost. Redemption is “in Christ,” not outside him. How do I know? The Bible tells me so, Rom. 3:24.

·   Salvation. In 2 Tim. 2:10, Paul speaks of “the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” (NKJV) Isn’t that the thing we all long for? It is found “in Christ,” not outside him.

·   Promise of Life. Paul speaks of “the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim. 1:1 NKJV) Even if death were simply a state of unconsciousness, which it is not, do we not all desire life? The promise of life is in Jesus, not outside him.

·   Eternal Life. “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23 NKJV) In Christ, there need be no more fear of death, or of sickness, or illness, or of separation. “And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Rev. 21:4 NKJV) But this is “in Christ,” not outside him.

·   No Condemnation. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:1 NKJV) It is a wonderful thing not to have to carry around the burden of sin, but this is only “in Christ,” not outside of him. We are not condemned “in Christ.” Outside Christ is a different matter.

·   Alive to God. We are “alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:11 NKJV) Man cannot come to God in any way other than through Christ. Jesus’ own words were, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NKJV) “In Christ” we are alive to God. Outside Christ, we are dead to God. You cannot live for God outside Christ.

·   A New Creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17 NKJV) “New creation” is “new creature” in the New American Standard translation. Do you want a new start in life? Do you need one? It is only found “in Christ.” A new life, a new beginning, is found “in Christ,” not outside him.

·   The Love of God. In Rom. 8:38-39, Paul tells Christians there is no outside power that “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NKJV) Yes, sin separates us from God (Isa. 59:2), but in Christ those sins are forgiven. God loves us even as sinners (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), but in Christ the floodgates of God’s love are wide open toward us. You can rest assured of God’s love for you “in Christ.”

·   God’s kindness. “That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:7 NKJV) God’s kindness comes to us “in Christ,” not outside of him.

·   Sanctification. Paul, in writing to the church at Corinth, begins his letter “to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:2 NKJV) We are sanctified in Christ, which means we are made holy. We become consecrated to God in Christ. One cannot be made holy outside Christ. Holiness is found “in Christ,” not outside Christ.

·   Grace. Do you want to be saved by grace? It is the only way any of us can be saved. If so, grace is found “in Christ,” not outside him. “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim. 2:1 NKJV) If grace is found there, that is where you and I need to be, “in Christ.” If you were told where riches were found for the taking, the wise individual would go to that location.

·   Every spiritual blessing. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” (Eph. 1:3 NKJV) Spiritual blessings are found “in Christ,” not outside him. What are these blessings? That is the very thing we are discussing in this article, incomplete as it is.

·   The righteousness of God. “For he has made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5:21 NKJV) “In him” is clearly a reference to Jesus. In Jesus we find our righteousness, “in Christ,” not outside Christ.

Surely any open-minded person who believes the Bible to be the word of God can see the absolute necessity of being “in Christ” for salvation and to obtain the many blessings associated with being “in Christ.” Thus, the only question remaining is how one enters into Christ? Although this was discussed earlier, let us go over it again. The Bible plainly tells us how we enter into Christ. “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” (Rom. 6:3 NKJV) “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Gal. 3:27 NKJV)

No, baptism will not bring you into Christ without faith and repentance, but baptism is the final step one takes to enter into Christ. How do I know? The Bible just told me so in the passages just quoted.

Few in Christendom believe baptism is essential. They think they can get “in Christ” some other way, although the passage that teaches that way has never been provided. We, as human beings, are heavily influenced by what the majority thinks. If your own thinking contradicts the thought of the majority, it seems natural to question yourself. How can I be right and everyone else be wrong? In addition to that, there are negative consequences for bucking the consensus of thought. There is pressure to conform. Who wants to be ostracized? Who wants to alienate friends and family? It is easy to tell yourself baptism does not matter because that seems to be what the majority of Christendom has concluded.

However, I am reminded that Peter and the apostles said, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29 NKJV) They were speaking for themselves, but no doubt the same principle applies to us as well. One is also reminded of Paul’s statement to the Galatians, “Do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Gal. 1:10 NKJV)

To be “in Christ” or to be out of Christ, that is the decision all persons of accountable age must make. I will close this with words from an old hymn often sung: “trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” If you have not obeyed Jesus in baptism it is past time. Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day to enter Christ.

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Born of Water and of the Spirit: The New Birth

Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:3, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" (NASU) and then a couple of verses later expounds upon his statement when he says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5 NASU)

This passage has troubled people over the years. What does it mean to be born of water and the Spirit? The real problem lies not in the difficulty of the passage but rather with those who are unwilling to accept the obvious import of the passage.

People often fail to understand Bible passages not because they are difficult but rather due to prejudice, closed minds. While I want to discuss the entire phrase "born of water and the Spirit," I first want to give you an example of what I am talking about as it relates to the passage we will be discussing. One very well-known Bible scholar who is also an author, and one I might add who has profited me in some of the things he has written, said of this passage that water here could not mean water.

In his mind, this was such a settled fact that there was no reason to even think about giving a reason for making such a statement, and he did not give one. The mind is closed to the thought. It is not worthy of consideration, for it is simply not possible for water to mean water in this passage. It has to mean something else.

Let us now deal with the passage and make it as simple as it really is. I begin by saying that it is essential to come to a correct understanding, as our eternal lives depend on it. Jesus says if we are not "born of water and the Spirit," we cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

I need not tell you that salvation is in God's kingdom, not outside it. It is essential to get into the kingdom of God if we hope to be saved. We are either in the domain of darkness or in the kingdom of God. There is no middle ground; it is an either-or proposition; we are either in or we are out.

Paul speaking to Christians says, "For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son." (Col. 1:13 NASU) Whether we are in the domain of darkness or in Christ's kingdom depends on whether or not we have met his qualifications for being in his kingdom.

I know this is hard for us to sometimes accept, for we know people we would consider good people who are not Christians. They are moral people; they are honest; they work hard; they treat us well, and it is hard to see how God could reject them. It is hard for us to accept that they are in the domain of darkness.

They are like Cornelius in Acts 10, a man of whom nothing but good was spoken of. The Scriptures say of him that he was "a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually." (Acts 10:2 NASU) But I remind the reader that Cornelius, to be saved, had to hear, believe, and obey the gospel for salvation.

If he was already saved, in the state he was in, why bother Peter? Why does Peter need to travel to Caesarea, in view of the fact that it is a waste of his time to preach to Cornelius if Cornelius, a good man, is already saved? He was not saved. Peter later reported to the brethren back in Jerusalem about this matter saying, "He (Cornelius—DS) reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, 'Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; and he will speak words (the gospel--DS) to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.'" (Acts 11:13-14 NASU)

When a man obeys the gospel, it is an act of submission to God's will. We will either submit to his will or our own. When we refuse to submit to his will, no matter how good we are in other areas of life, how can it be truly said that we are godly? By our refusal to obey the gospel, we are saying we do not need God, Jesus did not need to die for me (his death was a waste, I did not need it), and I am not a sinner. The very fact that we refuse to obey the gospel, a command of God, proves in itself that we are in rebellion, in sin.

This being the case, how is one born of water and the Spirit, which is the equivalent of hearing, believing, and obeying the gospel? I say first of all that this is a single birth rather than two separate ones. How do I know? Because Jesus tells us so, just two verses before this verse, for he says in John 3:3, "unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (NASU) How many times does Jesus say a man is born again? Once! If we make these two births, one of water and the other of the Spirit, then we have one more birth than Jesus requires. One is born again, not twice, but once.

What is the role of the Spirit? Jesus says in John 6:44-45, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me." (NASU)

How is one taught of God? The answer is through the teachings of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, found in our day in the pages of the New Testament. Hear Jesus, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life." (John 6:63 NASU) So it is clearly seen that words do make a difference in bringing about spiritual life; the words of the Spirit bring life.

Peter says we have "been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God." (1 Peter 1:23 NASU) God's word is living. James says, "In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth." (James 1:18 NASU) God's word produces life in those who believe and accept it. James, "brought us forth" in this passage, is a reference to how the process of being born again comes about, by the "word of truth."

The Spirit works in bringing about the new birth in a man or woman by means of the word of God in the pages of the New Testament. In the parable of the sower (or soils if you prefer), as found in Luke 8, Jesus said "the seed is the word of God." (Luke 8:11) As it is sown in the hearts of people, it bears fruit, not in all but in those willing to hear and accept it. Four types of soil are mentioned in the parable, but only one type brought forth fruit. Jesus, in speaking of that soil, says "the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance." (Luke 8:15 NASU)

When one accepts the word of God and allows it to work in his life, having an honest and good heart, faith develops and leads the man to repentance, changing him within in his inner being, his spirit. He now believes differently, has different goals and aspirations, and wants to live a different life. When this occurs, the first prerequisite for the new birth has been met. However, Jesus also says in John 3:5 that one must be born not only of the Spirit but also of water if he is to enter into the kingdom of God.

Here is where multitudes have come up short. They fail to accept baptism. Needless to say, water is a reference to baptism. However, lest I be like the man who says water is not water but offers no proof, I need to prove my statement.

First of all, Jesus taught that baptism was essential when he gave the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20). He says, "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved…" (Mark 16:16 NASU). He does not say "he who has believed and has not been baptized shall be saved," even though many want to read it that way. The baptism of the Great Commission was in water and thus was essential for salvation.

But let us look at some other passages that, relating to the new birth, are even clearer. "Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life." (Rom. 6:4 NASU) When do we walk in newness of life (born again, the new birth)? When we have been baptized.

Take a look at 2 Cor. 5:17, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." (NASU) A new creature equals a new birth. The Bible tells us how to enter Christ. "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Gal. 3:27 NASU) Now, what does it take to get into Christ—baptism. Paul says we are "baptized into Christ." Then we are the new creature.

Where is salvation? Peter says, "there is salvation in no one else" (Acts 4:12 NASU), speaking of Jesus. Paul says, "For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory." (2 Tim. 2:10 NASU) Getting into Christ Jesus is thus essential.

One is a new creature upon entering into Christ (born again). One enters Christ by the act of baptism, having been baptized as a result of the consequences of the Spirit working in his life. "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body." (1 Cor. 12:13 NASU) That body into which we are baptized is the body of Christ, the body where one finds salvation, "He Himself being the Savior of the body." (Eph. 5:23 NASU)

Let us take a look at a couple of passages that teach just what Jesus taught about the new birth in John 3, but which are often overlooked. Paul says in Titus 3:5 (NASU), "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit."

God's mercy, his grace, saves us, but how? By the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. This is just another way of saying exactly what Jesus said in John 3:5 regarding being born of water and the Spirit. The washing of regeneration is baptism.

In another parallel passage Paul says in Eph. 5:25-26 regarding Jesus and the church (the church being his spiritual body, the body he saves, Eph. 1:22-23), "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word." (NASU) Yes, water is water in John 3:5, and not something else, and Jesus says his word "gives life" (John 6:63 NAS) and that his words "are spirit" (John 6:63 NAS).

If this passage does not clarify what it means to be born of water and the Spirit, I am not sure I know what it would take. How are we cleansed; how are we born again; how are we saved? By the washing of water (baptism—DS) with the word (the Spirit using the word as his tool to change us in our spirit).

Thus, the new birth, what it means to be born again, to be born of water and the Spirit, is not that difficult and could be easily understood if we had open minds.

However, like the Jews of old, we often have too much at stake to allow us to see the truth. We have family that has passed on, and we cannot allow water to mean baptism, for we think that would condemn them. We cannot allow water to mean water, for if we were to accept that, it would make demands on us to comply, which might alienate friends and family who do not believe baptism is essential. The sacrifice is too great; we will not allow it. We will not allow water to be baptism. It has to mean something else.

Will not God condemn us for our hardness of heart when he has made a thing as clear as this, yet we refuse to accept it? When we prefer spiritual blindness rather than light, what do we think he will say to us in the Day of Judgment?

But now to make the application personal, the question for us all is what will we do in the face of the truth? Do we accept it or deny it? Do we act on it, or do we remain passive and do nothing? What will you say to Jesus on the last day?

"If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word." (Jesus—John 14:23 NASU)

I do think it would be appropriate to comment before closing to any who hold back from obeying Jesus in the new birth because of a loved one who passed on without going through that birth. Here are some points to consider. (1) Jesus teaches we must love him above father, mother, son, or daughter (Matt. 10:37). (2) If a loved one failed to get to heaven do you think you would be doing them a favor by joining them? Is that what they would want? Read Luke 16:19-31. The rich man in this account did not want his five brothers joining him. (3) Finally, why not leave judgment up to God? "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Gen. 18:25 NKJV)

Note: Underlining in verses quoted was by me to emphasize certain statements and was not in the original quoted texts.

What Must a Person Believe to be Saved by the Gospel of Christ

That the gospel of Christ must be believed (as well as obeyed) to receive Christian salvation is made abundantly clear by the apostle Paul in one of the best-known passages found in the Bible—Rom. 1:16: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Rom. 1:16 NAS) It thus becomes essential that we learn what it is that an individual must believe in order to be saved if we seek the salvation of our souls. What is included in the gospel that must be believed?

Paul helps us out and gives us a good start in defining the gospel in 1 Cor. 15:1-4: "Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which 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 according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." (NAS)

We learn from this passage two things found in the gospel, thus things that must be believed. (1) Christ died for our sins. (2) He was resurrected from the dead. We will discuss each. We will not discuss his burial for that has never been an issue.

One must believe that Christ died for a purpose, to accomplish a goal—he died for our sins. He died as a propitiation for our sins. "He himself is the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 2:2 NAS) Or, as some other translations put it, "he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins" (NIV, CSB, NRSV). Jesus was "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29 NAS) He "appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." (Heb. 9:26 NKJV) He was God's sacrificial lamb who died to make atonement for the sins of mankind.

God cannot be a God of justice nor can he maintain his honor if he allows man to violate his law and run amok without consequence. No one respects a law or its author if the law can be broken without a penalty for doing so. "Sin is the transgression of the law" of God. (1 John 3:4 KJV)

God cannot be glorified by men who show disrespect by violating his laws at will. When men violate God's law by sin it shows disrespect for God and dishonors him. It displaces the natural order of things and puts man over God, man's will over God's will, man over his maker. God will not allow that to happen. "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap." (Gal. 6:7 NAS)

"The wages of sin is death." (Rom. 6:23 NAS) One could almost say God, by definition of what it means to be God, has to punish sin. His nature demands it, and justice calls for it.

While God will uphold his honor and his glory the Bible also teaches that God loves man, "for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son" (John 3:16 NKJV), and does not desire that any man perish for he is "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV) As far back as Ezekiel we read the words of God, "'I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,' says the Lord God. 'Therefore turn and live.'" (Ezek. 18:32 NKJV) "God is love." (1 John 4:8 NAS)

God's desire for man is man's salvation, but "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23 NAS) The question then became one of how God could save man and, at the same time, be just? Sin had to be punished if justice was to exist.

The answer was to punish sin through his son's death on the cross. "He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by his wounds you were healed." (1 Peter 2:24 NAS) Christ took man's place. He took man's punishment for sin. Thus, one thing man must believe, that is absolutely essential to salvation, is that Christ died for our sins just as it is stated in 1 Cor. 15:3 and that he obtained atonement for them in his death.

A second thing Paul says we must believe is that Christ was raised from the dead. He says in Rom. 1:4, in speaking of Jesus, that he was "declared with power to be the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead." (Rom. 1:4 NAS) Jesus' resurrection proved that he was who he claimed to be, proved him to be God's son, which meant he had the power to forgive sins and save man. His resurrection was essential. Paul goes so far as to say, "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless." (1 Cor. 15:17 NAS) Why would that be true? Because without the resurrection, it would have shown Jesus to be an imposter.

Think about it as follows. If Jesus was lying all the while he was on earth about who he was and what he was doing that would make him a liar and a deceitful man. Would a righteous God resurrect such a man and join in the deception? Not if God is good and just. If Jesus is not resurrected, it shows God wants no part of him. However, Jesus was resurrected, which showed that God placed his stamp of approval on Jesus' life and teaching and his sacrificial death, to provide a means for the forgiveness of sins.

In believing Jesus was resurrected, one is thus accepting of the fact that Jesus was and is the Lord and Savior of man and the Son of God. Jesus predicted his own death and resurrection (see Matt. 16:21, 17:22-23, 20:18-19 and other similar scriptures throughout the other gospels) and taught the necessity of his own sacrificial death (John 3:14-15) in order for man to be saved. His resurrection provided proof that his word was good in all that he taught and that man can have faith in him.

What else must one believe to be saved by the gospel of Christ? One good way to find out is to examine the preaching of the apostles and evangelists as recorded in Acts as they went out into the world attempting to convert people to Christ. First, a couple of premises need to be laid down for if you do not accept the premises you will not accept the apostles' and evangelists' inspired teaching on the subject. Premise one is that they preached the gospel. Premise two is that what one taught by inspiration as essential all taught by inspiration as essential, whether the item is mentioned or not. If this were not the case, then you would have multiple gospels being preached with one apostle preaching one thing and another something different.

In Peter's gospel sermon in Acts 2, the first such sermon ever preached after Christ's ascension and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, Peter preached repentance and baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Was one required to believe him? Was this something a person had to believe to be saved? Was what he preached a part of the gospel? Did he preach by inspiration that day? Is a man required to believe he must repent of sins? Is a man required to believe he must be baptized for the remission of sins? If a man is not required to believe it, why preach it to people? Why preach it to people who need the gospel if it is not a part of the gospel?

Sadly, most of the world is not willing to accept Peter's gospel preaching in Acts 2, but 3,000 that day did. "So then, those who had received (does the word 'received' mean believed?—DS) his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls." (Acts 2:41 NAS) The truth is deep down people know Peter preached by inspiration; they know he preached the gospel, but their religious tradition will not allow them to accept the part about baptism.

Philip in Samaria (Acts 8:12), Philip also in preaching to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:35-38), Ananias in preaching to Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:17-18 and Acts 22:16), Peter in preaching to Cornelius and his household (Acts 10:48), Paul in preaching to Lydia (Acts 16:14-15) and to the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:31-33), Paul again in Corinth (Acts 18:8) and then later to the 12 at Ephesus (Acts 19:1-5) all preached baptism in preaching the gospel. How do we know? We know because in each account at the end of the preaching, we find those who were receptive to the preaching being baptized. It is impossible to be baptized if you are ignorant of baptism which is the case if it is not being preached, preached as a part of the gospel in those conversion accounts. Thus, we see that one must believe there is a need to be baptized after repentance and then do it.

Well, what else? Well, a man must believe he needs to confess Christ and then do that as well. "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." (Rom. 10:9-10 NAS)

The only scripturally qualified candidate for baptism is a person who believes and has repented of his sins. One can only know a person is a believer if they tell you, which requires a confession by the mouth of the Lord Jesus. The fact that some religious groups sprinkle those too young to know or believe anything and call it baptism does not make it so. Scriptural baptism has prerequisites. Without those, you just have someone getting wet. Even worse, those people grow up believing a lie, believing they have been baptized. Bible baptism requires a penitent believer in Jesus Christ, which disqualifies infants, toddlers, and young children.

In John 3:16, we are told that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life." (NAS) Who is this person one must believe in? The text teaches it is the only begotten Son of God. It is "he who believes in the Son" who has eternal life (John 3:36 NAS). One must believe Jesus was and is the Son of God.

John, near the end of his gospel, speaking of things that had been written, says, "These have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:31 NAS) Jesus said, "Unless you believe that I am he, you shall die in your sins." (John 8:24 NAS)

When Jesus asked his disciples in Matt. 16 who men said he was, they told him, but then he asked a more specific question, "But who do you say that I am?" (Matt. 16:15 NKJV) Peter responded, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matt. 16:16 NKJV) Upon this fact, Jesus built the church (Matt. 16:18) of which he is the Savior (Eph. 5:23). This foundational truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, is the confession men need to make out of believing hearts to obtain salvation. Men must believe Jesus was/is the Son of God and be willing to confess the same.

The faith we hold must lead to an "obedience of faith" (Rom. 1:5, 16:26), which is to say it is not just a conceptual faith held inactive in the mind but one that leads a man or woman to act according to that which they have come to believe. As James says, "faith without works (obedience—DS) is dead" (James 2:26 NAS). Dead things do not bring life (salvation). If one's faith stops at the point of intellectual faith alone, and leaves out repentance, confession of Jesus, and baptism, then it is dead. It is dead for two reasons. One, it stopped short of full faith in the gospel message, which required these things, and two, it was never "obedient to the faith." (see Acts 6:7 NAS)

The last thing that must be believed is that God is a rewarder of those who seek him. "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." (Heb. 11:6 NAS) When one believes and obeys the gospel, he has been a seeker after God. We must then believe, having done that, that God has forgiven us of our sins. They are cast off, done away. We are forgiven. This is the gospel that we must believe.

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The Cleansing of the Church at Ephesus

How was the church at Ephesus cleansed from sin? To be cleansed from sin is to be saved. I think most in Christendom are well aware of the famous Ephesian passage found in chapter two, verses eight and nine, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (NAS) Many, many passages of the New Testament teach that salvation is a matter of God’s grace (Acts 15:11, Rom. 3:24, Gal. 2:21, 5:4, Eph. 1:7, 2:5, 2 Thess. 2:16, 2 Tim. 1:9, Titus 2:11, Titus 3:7, 1 Peter 1:10, 1 Peter 1:13). I have listed most of them here so the reader will know I am well aware of them.

I am thankful it is that way. If salvation were by works, a person might well come up short; the Bible teaches he would (Rom. 3:23). That is exactly what happened to the Jewish people under the Law of Moses. None was able to keep it. “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” (Gal. 3:10 NKJV) I think we are all glad salvation is a matter of God’s grace, versus works, for works demanded perfection.

God’s grace, which gives us salvation, is granted to us as a result of faith we possess. “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand.” (Rom. 5:1-2 NAS) “For by grace you have been saved through faith.” (Eph. 2:8 NAS) There are many other passages teaching that we are saved by faith. Here are quite a number of them: John 3:14-16, John 8:24, John 11:25-26, John 20:31, Acts 16:31, Rom. 10:9, 1 Cor. 1:21, Gal. 3:22, 1 Tim. 1:16, Heb. 11:6, 1 John 5:13, Rom. 3:26, 28, 30, 5:1, 11:20, Gal. 2:16, 3:24, 26, Eph. 2:8, Philippians 3:9, 1 Peter 1:9. These were again listed that the reader might know I am fully aware of them.

The question that arises, however, is what is this faith that justifies, that gives us God’s grace? I am not asking what the object of the faith is, for we know that. I am asking what the nature of this faith is. Many, perhaps most, are persuaded today (and have been since the Reformation) that it is merely a state of the mind regarding a belief one has in Jesus, who he is, and what he has accomplished for us. It is mental assent to the teachings of the scriptures about him. This is the faith that it is said saves. I certainly agree with that as far as it goes, but it stops short, too short.

One must not only believe what the scriptures teach about Jesus--who he was, what he accomplished--but faith also commits us to believe the man himself, believe what he said, and act on it. If faith does not lead to action, it is dead faith (James 2:17). James says it is “useless.” (James 2:20 NAS) Even in this world, as regards worldly matters, how can we say we have faith in a man when we will not take the man at his word?

The faith the Ephesians had that resulted in their cleansing from sin was the faith they had in what Jesus taught them through his inspired representatives. Paul was an inspired man, but the Holy Spirit, whether speaking through Paul or through any other apostle or first-century prophet, did not speak on his own initiative. “He will not speak on his own initiative, but whatever he hears, he will speak…he shall take of mine, and shall disclose it to you.” (John 16:13-14 NAS--the words of Jesus referring to the Holy Spirit) Thus, the Holy Spirit spoke the words of Jesus, and Jesus was thus their teacher.

Paul said later in the book of Ephesians that Jesus cleansed the church, “by the washing of water with the word.” (Eph. 5:26 NAS) “Husbands, love your wives, just 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.” (Eph. 5:25-26 NAS)

Who was cleansed that way? Those Paul said earlier that had been saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8). The washing of water with the word is clearly a reference to baptism. What did Jesus teach about baptism? “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved.” (Mark 16:16 NAS) “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5 NAS)

John 3:5 and Eph. 5:26 teach the same thing. The Spirit gave the word. The Spirit working through the word works on our spirit, if we will allow it to do so, changing our thinking, our attitudes, our desires, and our will, bringing us to the point where we are ready to put the old man to death and be baptized to arise in “newness of life.” (Rom. 6:4 NAS) To be cleansed by the washing of water by the word (Eph. 5:26) is the same as to be born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5).

Furthermore, in scripture, the church (Eph. 5:25-26) and the kingdom (John 3:5), generally, not always but generally, are interchangeable terms. Peter was given the keys of the kingdom. When he used those keys, by preaching the gospel on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, and people believed and obeyed, they were added to the church, one and the same as the kingdom that Peter was opening with his keys.

Were the Ephesians saved by grace through faith “before” they were cleansed? What was the church, the church being the members, cleansed of, if not sin? Can you be saved without first being cleansed of sin? They were saved by grace through faith when cleansed of sin by the washing of water with the word. That washing was done by “the obedience of faith.” (Rom. 1:5 NAS) Paul said he had received grace and apostleship, “to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles.” (Rom. 1:5 NAS)

Paul himself, obviously a church member, was told at his own conversion, “Why do you delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” (Acts 22:16 NAS) Paul had experienced the same washing and for the same reason the church had at Ephesus. No, water itself cannot wash away sins, but it can if God has made the decision that that is the time and place where he will act in response to a person’s faith. Some have said baptism is a test of faith, and I do not argue with them.

Naaman, in the Old Testament, “became furious” (2 Kings 5:11 NKJV) when told he needed to go wash in the Jordan seven times to be healed of his leprosy. He did not want to do it that way. His faith had brought him thus far to Elisha, and he felt that should be good enough. Elisha should just come out and “stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:11 NKJV) Obedience of faith had no place in his thinking. One is reminded of today.

No, the water of the Jordan had no magical power to heal Naaman, but faith in what God told Naaman to do, a faith strong enough to get him to act simply because God said to do it, was the faith that made the difference. Naaman is an excellent example of a man who experienced two types of faith. The first failed him in obtaining his objective. Why? Because it was based on his preconceived ideas of how God should do things.

When told to go wash in the Jordan seven times, "Naaman became furious, and went away and said, 'Indeed, I said to myself, 'He (reference to Elisha, God's prophet—DS) will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.''" (2 Kings 5:11 NKJV) Naaman's faith that failed was faith in his own idea of how God should act. Naaman admits as much when he says, "I said to myself."

His later faith that brought Naaman healing was based not on Naaman's personal thinking but on what God said—"Go and wash in the Jordan seven times." (2 Kings 5:10 NKJV) This was the faith that brought healing when his faith became strong enough to become obedient to God's word.

This illustrates man's faith today in the spiritual realm with regard to baptism. There are two types of faith in what is commonly referred to as Christendom, as it relates to our salvation. The one says we will stop here (at the point of faith--mental assent) and do it this way. We have gone far enough; let God do the rest. The other faith says God said to do it (be baptized) for this reason (the remission of sins--Acts 2:38), I believe him, and I will do what he says because I believe. Both have what men generally call faith, but clearly, the faith is not the same.

There is also a question that needs to be asked. If Paul did not consider baptism to be salvation by works, why should we consider it to be salvation by works today? I have never heard a direct answer to that question. Paul tells the Ephesians they have been saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8) and then tells them at the same time they have been cleansed by the washing of water through the word (Eph. 5:26). He doesn’t miss a beat, doesn’t seem in the least to feel he has contradicted himself, so why should we feel that the two passages are contradictory? Why do we feel we have to try and devise a way to explain away the obvious meaning of the phrase "the washing of water?"

But there is much more in proof of the point I am making. In Eph. 1:7, Paul says, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” (NAS) In him is a reference, obviously, to Jesus who shed his blood for us. How does one get into him, into Jesus Christ? Gal. 3:27 says we were “baptized into Christ” (NAS) and so does Rom. 6:3, “do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus.” (NAS) I know of no passage in the New Testament anywhere that tells one how to get into Christ other than through baptism.

If you were to start through the book of Ephesians and start marking every passage you come to that talks about different things that are found “in him,” “in Christ,” “in the Beloved,” here is some of what you would come up with: (1) every spiritual blessing--Eph. 1:3, (2) grace--Eph. 1:6, (3) redemption--Eph. 1:7, (4) an inheritance--Eph. 1:10-11, (5) sealed with the Holy Spirit--Eph. 1:13, (6) seated us in heavenly places--Eph. 2:6, (7) kindness toward us--Eph. 2:7, (8) his workmanship--Eph. 2:10, (9) brought near by the blood of Christ--Eph. 2:13, (10) partakers of the promise--Eph. 3:6. But one must note that all of these blessings are in, not outside of, but in Christ. “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Gal. 3:27 NAS) How does one enter Christ? By baptism. If one is clothed with Christ, he is in Christ.

Paul says elsewhere in the book of Ephesians, “we are members of his body.” (Eph. 5:30 NAS) But, then Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 12:13 how we get into that body, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” (NAS) What is Christ the Savior of according to Paul in Ephesians? “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, he himself being the Savior of the body.” (Eph. 5: 23 NAS) This is the same body we are baptized into, that is, if we are in it, for that is the only way the scriptures give of entering into it--not by baptism alone but by the obedience of faith that results in baptism. The body of Christ, being the church (Eph. 1:22-23), is that which was cleansed "with the washing of water by the word." (Eph. 5:26 NKJV)

Where is grace found? The Bible tells us, “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim. 2:1 NAS) Paul tells the Ephesians that this grace is “bestowed on us in the Beloved.” (Eph. 1:6 NAS) Again, how does one get into Christ, the Beloved, according to the scriptures? We have already answered that. When one is led by faith to believe Jesus and obey him in baptism for the remission of sins, he enters into Christ, into the realm of grace by which he is saved.

In the book of Acts, chapter 19, Paul comes to Ephesus and finds 12 men there who are disciples. He asks them this question: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” (Acts 19:2 NAS) They respond no, they had not even heard of the Holy Spirit. Paul then says, “Into what then were you baptized?” (Acts 19:3 NAS) Please note this one thing--Paul takes it for granted that if they were Christians, they had been baptized. He doesn’t ask them if they had been baptized. Why not? Paul doesn’t ask them because he knows what it takes to become a Christian and be saved. “Why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins.” (Acts 22:16 KJV, Ananias speaking to Saul, a believer, before Saul’s baptism)

One also ought to note the first thing Paul did with these 12 men, after learning their situation, was to have them “baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 19:5 NAS) Yes, Paul taught baptism at Ephesus. Paul stayed in Ephesus at least two years (see Acts 19:10) after this event, so when Paul said later in Ephesians that the church was cleansed by the washing of water with the word, there is no doubt he knew from personal experience all about baptism at Ephesus. There is no such thing as an unbaptized Christian, for Jesus commanded in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19) that all disciples be baptized. Paul either baptized them personally or saw to it that they were baptized by one or more of those who helped with the work. Either that or he disobeyed Christ, for which disciple was it that Christ said need not be baptized?

Faith is not just something to be believed but also obeyed. One must obey the gospel to be saved (2 Thess. 1:7-8). In a sense, the gospel is the faith (Jude 3); it is that body of doctrine that is to be believed, but within that body of doctrine that constitutes the faith, there are things that must be obeyed as well as believed. In addition to mental assent to the truth about Jesus as revealed in the scripture one must repent of sins (Acts 17:30), one must confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus (Rom. 10:9-10), and one must be baptized into Christ, baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38, Gal. 3:27). Faith, the faith that saves, is not a dead faith but an active one. It is by faith that a man does these things, by faith because he heard the words of God and believed them enough to take them to heart and obey them.

Do not allow yourself to be misled. A person does not believe Jesus who believes the doctrine that says, “he who has believed and has not been baptized shall be saved,” for that is not what Jesus said. Jesus said just the opposite.

I have asked this question before, but have never gotten an answer. If Jesus wanted man to know that baptism was essential to the remission of sins, the cleansing from sin, how would he say it in a way to get man to understand it? He could not say “repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38 KJV) for he already said that via the Holy Spirit speaking through Peter, and men will not accept it.

How would he say it to make it plain and simple enough so all could understand it? No one has yet answered that question. The truth is, Jesus has stated it as clearly as it can be stated by mere words alone. Men will either accept it or reject it and thereby be judged.

Have you been cleansed with the washing of water by the word? Will you be one with those saints in Ephesus Paul wrote to, or are you going to be another kind of Christian unknown to the church at Ephesus?

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