Saved by Works?

Baptism: Are We Saved By Works?

This series of articles which studies what the Bible says about baptism has shown how the Scriptures teach that baptism is something one must do in order to be saved and have sins forgiven (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21).  Many disagree with this for several reasons.  One such objection stems from a very understandable line of thought:  “The Bible says we are not saved by works (Eph. 2:8-9), and baptism is a work; therefore, baptism is not necessary for salvation.”

Salvation cannot be earned by works, disobedience will earn damnation.

Salvation cannot be earned by works, disobedience will earn damnation.

Certainly baptism is something one does, and therefore is a “work.”  However, is it a work of merit (by which one EARNS salvation)…or is it a work of faith (by which one RECEIVES salvation)?  Furthermore, who is the one who is doing the work?  Is it the man or woman who submits to being immersed…or is it God who forgives and regenerates them through the blood of Christ and the working of the Holy Spirit?

In answering these legitimate questions, it must first be pointed out that there are different kinds of works.  For instance, there are works of merit, which are done to earn something.  Those who have done such works believe they “deserve” something; they believe they will be saved because they kept the Ten Commandments, or because they did good deeds and went to church.  They do not realize that all the good we might do cannot outweigh even one sin (James 2:10), which is why we need the grace of God and faith in order to be saved (Rom. 3:27-28; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:4-5).

There are also works of faith, which are done to receive something.  Those who do works of faith believe that they “deserve” nothing.  They understand their obedience did not earn or merit their salvation.  They know their salvation rests upon the mercy and grace of God, not because God owes them anything.  This is why works of faith could also be called works of God.  In fact, Jesus called faith itself a work of God (John 6:28-29).  Other works of faith commanded by God are repentance (Acts 17:30) and confession (Rom. 10:9-10).  Jesus himself will specifically state on Judgment Day that those who will enter heaven will do so because of the benevolent deeds which they had done in their lives, while those who will enter hell will do so because of the LACK of benevolent deeds done in their lives (Matt. 25:31-46).

Those who say that one does not have to be baptized in order to be saved because baptism is a work…does one have to have faith in order to be saved?  Jesus said so (John 3:16; Mark 16:16).  Does faith require works, something done by you?  Yes (James 2:14-26).  Does one have to repent of sins in order to be saved?  Jesus said so (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30).  Is repentance a work, a deed done by you?  Yes.  Does one have to confess their faith in Christ before men in order to be saved?  Jesus said so (Matt. 10:32-33; Rom. 10:9-10).  Is confession a work, an action done by you?  Yes.  Does one have to do good to all men at every opportunity in order to go to heaven?  Jesus said so (Matt. 25:31-46; Gal. 6:10).  Are benevolent deeds works, deeds done by you?  Yes.

What’s the difference between obeying God’s commands to have faith, repent of sins, confess one’s faith before men, and do good to all men at every opportunity in order to be saved…and obeying God’s command to be baptized in order to be saved?  To ask is to answer.  Would one say that one does not have to have faith, repent of sins, confess faith, and do good to others in order to go to heaven?  Such notions blatantly contradict what the Bible teaches.  So if faith, repentance, confession, and doing good are required of us in order to be saved…why not baptism as well, since it also is commanded by God?

What is hard for some to comprehend is that even though works such as faith, repentance, confession, and benevolent deeds are commanded by God, they are not meritorious works; we do not earn salvation through them (Luke 17:10).  Instead, they are works God has ordained we do in order to receive his salvation.  When all is said and done, salvation is still by God’s grace and mercy.

Baptism, therefore, is a work of faith.  It requires faith (Mark 16:16; Acts 8:36-37), and is an act of faith by which one receives (not earns) the forgiveness of sins and gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).  Through it one receives (not earns) union with Christ in his death and is raised with him to new life (Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:27).  The fact that baptism is not a work of merit is emphasized by Paul when he wrote in Titus 3:4-5 that God saves us “through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (an allusion to baptism; compare this phrase to what Jesus said in John 3:5 and the continual scriptural references of water with baptism in John 3:23, Acts 8:36-39, and Acts 10:47-48), but does not save us by “works of righteousness” (i.e., works of merit).  God does not owe us salvation because we were baptized.  Baptism, like faith, repentance, confession, and benevolent deeds, is simply an act of faith by which we receive salvation.

This is so because baptism involves the working of God.  Paul said while talking about baptism that we are buried and raised with Christ “through faith in the working of God” (Col. 2:11-13).  It is God who does the work, not us!  We are dead in our sins, but when we were baptized God made us alive, forgiving us of our sins.  It is God who saves us, not we ourselves, and he saves us “through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Tit. 3:4-5)…baptism.

When one undergoes surgery, it requires faith in the skills of the surgeon in order to submit to the operating table.  No patient after the surgery thinks they have earned or merited healing; rather, they had faith in the doctor and were willing to submit to him.  In like manner, baptism is a spiritual operation in which the Great Physician does his work.  Our faith in God and in the death of his Son for our sins prompts us to submit to this spiritual operation of baptism, in which God does his wonderful work of cleansing us by the blood of his Son and the regeneration of his Spirit.

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Eyes of Faith

Eyes of Faith Looking Upward

It is remarkable how often the Bible makes reference to our ability to see. The contrast between righteousness and unrighteousness is illustrated by referring to light and darkness. The Bible uses the spiritual eyes of Christians walking by faith in contrast to those who walk in darkness. Our God wants us to use the eyes of faith to look upward.

Do your eyes see when life is dark?

Do your eyes see when life is dark?

David, whose heart was like the heart of God, gives insight into the source of his spirituality. How did he begin his day? Take time to read his words slowly and think about them. “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You and I will look up” (Psa. 5:3). Imagine how busy the life of the king of Israel was, yet he found time each day to look upward and spend time with God. How foolish are we when we get so busy that we cannot find time to look up to our God!

The prophet Micah also showed this same use of spiritual eyes. “Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me” (Mic. 7:7). Reading his description of Israel is like reading the description of America today. It was a land where men went to bed at night but not to rest. “Woe to those who devise iniquity, and work out evil on their beds! At morning light they practice it” (Mic. 2:1). Some men practice evil, but the prophet described Israel as those who “…successfully do evil with both hands” (Mic. 7:3). How did Micah deal with all of this? He looked upward to God, waiting for God to bring about His salvation. As you are filled with despair about all that is happening in this land, look upwards and wait for God.

The writer of Hebrews dealt with those whose faith was being challenged and who were tempted to turn away from God and choose a less demanding life. What illustration did he use to encourage them? He described life as being like a race. He urged them to lay aside every weight which encumbered them as they ran and to keep going onward with patient steadfastness. Then he said, “Looking unto Jesus…who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). Instead of focusing on our own “crosses” and adversities, we should look upward to see our Lord seated in heaven. He never gave up, and we can look upward and see Him there awaiting our arrival.

So, when you are in the midst of trial, remember the examples set before us by David, Micah and the Lord. We are never alone, for He will never leave us or forsake us. Instead of looking outward at the problems, may God help us to look up. The eyes of faith see things which others will never see!

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The Thief on the Cross

Baptism:  What about the Thief on the Cross?

In continuing this series of articles on baptism and what God’s Word says about it, we’ve seen that baptism is necessary for sins to be forgiven and thus necessary for salvation (Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21; Mark 16:16).  However, many questions still arise about whether baptism is a scriptural necessity for salvation.  Despite all that is revealed about the purpose of baptism in the New Testament, one of the most popular questions which object to the necessity baptism pertains to the thief of the cross (Luke 23:39-43).  Here was a man whom Jesus undoubtedly saved, and yet we fail to read that he was baptized.  Thus, the understandable conclusion is made that baptism is in fact NOT essential to salvation.

Many thoughts on baptism surround the thief on the cross.

Many thoughts on baptism surround the thief on the cross.

In examining the validity of this objection, we must remember that we are commanded to “rightly divide” or accurately handle God’s Word (2 Tim. 2:15), which means that we must take into account the entirety of what Scripture says about any given subject in order to arrive to the whole truth about it (Ps. 119:160).  With this in mind, might there be something in Scripture overlooked by those who cite the thief on the cross as proof that baptism is not needed for salvation?  Something that renders the salvation of the thief irrelevant to the issue?

There is no doubt that the thief was saved.  Jesus had the power to save him because Christ had the authority while on earth to forgive sins, something which he did on several occasions (Luke 5:18-26; 7:36-50).  While on the cross, Jesus clearly offered the thief salvation when he promised him he would be with Jesus in Paradise that very day (Luke 23:42-43).  Yet, the question still remains as to whether the salvation of the thief is relevant to the issue of whether baptism is needed for salvation today.

Something not realized by many is that Christ saved the thief BEFORE he commanded baptism.  The “one baptism” commanded under the new covenant of Christ (Eph. 4:5) was commanded after Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16).  This baptism, according to Paul, is a baptism into Jesus’ death (Rom. 6:3-4).  It goes without saying that the thief could not have been baptized into Jesus’ death when Jesus had not yet died when he promised the thief salvation.  Thus, the thief was never subject to the baptism commanded by Christ and his apostles because they first gave this command after he had died.  In this way, the thief joins the ranks of saved individuals such as Noah, Moses, David, and the like, none of whom had been baptized and yet all had lived before the death of Jesus and, like the thief, had never received the command to be baptized.

Granted, the thief had been alive when Jesus’ cousin, John, had been baptizing people (Mark 1:4-5).  However, the baptism of John was to prepare people for the coming of Christ and was designed to be replaced by baptism into Christ and his death (Acts 19:4-5).  So one might use the thief on the cross to say that John’s baptism was not necessary for one to be saved and become a Christian, but the argument can’t be made regarding the baptism which Christ later commanded.  It is clear that the thief died before Jesus commanded baptism in his name.  Since we live after Christ gave that commandment, how can we use the example of the thief to say baptism is not necessary?

In like manner, we must also recognize that the thief was saved before the old covenant was taken out of the way and replaced by the new covenant.  The Bible teaches that there are two different covenants.  There was first the covenant between God and Israel which governed all Old Testament Israelites such as Moses, Isaiah, Daniel, and the thief on the cross, a covenant which never commanded people to be baptized and, even more significantly, came to an end when Jesus died on the cross (Eph. 2:14-16; Col. 2:14).  It was replaced by the new covenant which is now in force (Heb. 8:6-7), the new covenant of which Jesus spoke when he instituted the Lord’s Supper (Matt. 26:28) and which came into force only after he died (Heb. 9:15-17).  We now live under that new covenant, and therefore we must submit to Christ’s authority as expressed after his death, an authority delegated to his apostles (Matt. 28:18-20; John 13:20).  With that in mind, notice again that both Christ and his apostles clearly commanded baptism (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 10:48; 22:16; Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:11-12; 1 Pet. 3:21).

Therefore, we cannot appeal to the example of the thief, who lived and died before the new covenant came into effect, just as we cannot appeal to the example of David and Isaiah as what one must do in order to be saved.  Rather, we must heed what Jesus and his apostles taught after the new covenant began.  Yes, the thief was saved without baptism, something for which we should be thankful and praise God for his wonderful grace.  However, the thief’s example is irrelevant to the issue of baptism because he died under the old covenant, before the new covenant which commands baptism for salvation came into effect.  We live under that new covenant, and the command to be baptized has been given to us.  Salvation is given only to those who obey (Heb. 5:9; Matt. 7:21-27).

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Bearing Fruit

Bearing Fruit

In Luke 3:8 John tells the people to “bear fruits worthy of repentance.” There are those who will proudly proclaim that no one has to do anything in order to be saved and loudly complain about a perceived “works salvation.” So let’s be clear and balanced here…Does the Bible teach that we don’t have to do any-thing? Not even close! Does the Bible teach that we somehow merit our salvation by the works that we do? Nope, doesn’t teach that either. John tells the people that beyond even baptism there are things they should do (see Luke 3:10–14).

Does your life tree bear fruit?

Does your life tree bear fruit?

The truth, as often is the case, lies some-where in between the two extreme ideals of “doing nothing” versus “meritorious works.” John demanded that those who came out to be baptized return and “bear fruit” if they hoped to be saved. When many came to him asking what they needed to do he didn’t say that they didn’t have to do anything but instructed them in the ways of righteousness.

When Jesus came along he not only taught righteous living but also went about doing good, leaving us an example to do just as he did. Obedience to God is absolutely essential! Yet we must also consider that just going about doing good doesn’t define Christianity or righteousness. Jesus also said that the gospel needed to be preached. Doing good and bearing fruit is a vehicle through which we gain the opportunity to tell others about Christ, his love, and the hope we have in him.

Obeying God includes baptism, bear fruit is the evidence of repentance, and preaching the Good News is the ultimate act of love to those who are lost. Obedience and faithful living are essential to our preparation for heaven! Are you ready?

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Should Babies Be Baptized?

Should Babies Be Baptized?

The Bible clearly teaches that baptism is essential to salvation and forgiveness of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21) and is needed in order to become a disciple of Christ (Matt. 28:19-20; Gal. 3:26-27).  Concerning this act, a question many have is whether infants should be baptized.  This question is relevant especially to me at this point in my life, being a new daddy with an infant daughter a little over a year of age.  Is my daughter in need of salvation and forgiveness of sins?  Should she be baptized today?  Should I have baptized her a year ago when she was born?  A careful study of everything the Scripture says about baptism and sin in general reveals that the baptism of infants is not the baptism one reads about in God’s Word.

What does water on the head of babies do?

What does water on the head of babies do?

For one, biblical baptism is actually immersion in the original Greek, rather than pouring or sprinkling.  Today, the “baptism” of infants as commonly practiced is a misnomer, in that water more often poured or sprinkled on the baby.  It could only be truly called “infant baptism” if the baby was immersed.

That said, immersion is not the only thing which constitutes biblical baptism, because the baptism one reads of in the New Testament requires certain prerequisites.  First, one must have faith in Christ before being baptized (Acts 8:35-38; Mark 16:16; cf. Rom. 10:9-10).  An infant is incapable of believing in anything, much less in Jesus, and certainly cannot confess that faith as is commanded by Paul and exemplified by the Ethiopian eunuch.  Secondly, one must also choose to repent of their sins before being baptized (Acts 2:38).  Repentance requires having godly sorrow over one’s sins (2 Cor. 7:9-10).  An infant does not have the capability to have godly sorrow over sin and thus make the decision to repent or turn away from said sin.

In fact, the Bible actually teaches that infants have no sin in their lives that they need to repent of or be saved from the wages of (Rom. 6:23) in the first place.  A widely held belief in the denominational world is that babies inherit the guilt of their ancestor’s sins, going all the way back to Adam.  It is this belief that in fact led to the establishment of the practice of infant baptism by men two centuries after Christ lived on this earth and the church began.  However, the Bible very specifically states that people are not held accountable for the sins of their ancestors (Ezek. 18:20).  In fact, Paul described a time in his life when he was spiritually alive before becoming a sinner (Rom. 7:7-11).  He also described Jacob and Esau as having not yet done either good or evil while in the womb (Rom. 9:10-11).  If the doctrine known as “original sin” is true, Paul would not have been able to say this about himself or about Jacob and Esau because they all would have been physically born sinful.  But if children are born free from the guilt of sin and remain so until they reach an accountable age as taught in the Bible (Is. 7:15), then Paul’s statements about himself and Jacob and Esau are correct.

Finally, consider the fact that no one enters into the new covenant with the Lord without first knowing him (Heb. 8:6-13).  In the old covenant, the Israelites entered into it by virtue of being born into a Jewish family.  The males entered the covenant by way of circumcision when they were eight days old (Gen. 17:9-14), and as they grew older they had to be taught to know the Lord.  But under the new covenant, you are first taught the gospel about the Lord (Rom. 10:17; Mark 16:15).  Only after having obeyed it through faithful, penitent, baptism do you enter into that covenant relationship with God with a “circumcision without hands” (Col. 2:11-12).  Where infant baptism is practiced, this distinctive feature of the new covenant is no longer present.  Infants who have been baptized and supposedly entered a covenant relationship with the Lord at that point would still need to be introduced to know the Lord as they grew older.  However, what the writer of Hebrews said about the new covenant is true only when baptism (the means by which we enter a covenant relationship with the Lord today) is administered to penitent believers.

Therefore, God’s Word teaches me that there is no need for my infant daughter to be baptized.  If I did so, I would only accomplish getting her wet and going against what the Bible teaches myself.  Eventually, she will grow enough so that she will become accountable, and then it will be inevitable that she will sin (Rom. 3:23).  That is when she will need the salvation and forgiveness of sins that only the penitent baptism of a whole-hearted believer in the gospel of Jesus Christ can provide.

What about you?  Were you baptized as an infant?  If so, I encourage you to consider that you need to be baptized again, baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, baptized into his body which is his church (1 Cor. 12:13; cf. Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4; Gal. 3:26-27), so that your sins will be washed away (Acts 22:16).  If you believe in Jesus with all of your heart and are willing to repent of your sins and dedicate your life to him, there is no better time than today for you to be baptized (Acts 8:35-38; 2:38; cf. 2 Cor. 6:1-2).  Jesus is extending to you his invitation right now.  Accept it by obeying his commands.  Only then will he truly be your Lord and Savior (Luke 6:46; Matt. 7:21-27; Heb. 5:9).

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