I plan to be away from my computer for a week (to speak at a conference and to preach at a Church).
I won’t be able to keep up with current events and write an article, so it is my prayer that the following comments will be of benefit to some that read this article.
I try to inform people on current events, but knowing current events is not enough.
A person can be knowledgeable about current events and still be lost.
Therefore, it is important for everyone to be sure they are saved before they die or before the Rapture happens, whichever occurs first.
First, the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Paul and Silas responded, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).
Notice, that salvation comes by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, plus nothing.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16).
When a person truly believes in Jesus, the Holy Spirit performs a miracle and adds that person to the real Church (the body of true believers in heaven and on earth).
Paul said, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body” (I Cor. 12:13).
The Holy Spirit adds people to the true spiritual body of Christ in heaven and on earth, and He writes their name in the Lamb’s Book of Life in heaven (Acts 2:41; Rev. 13:8, 21:27).
But there is just one way that this will happen.
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me” (Jn. 14:6).
John said, “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from ALL sin” (I John 1:7).
Have you got that?
The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from ALL sin; so a person doesn’t need anything else to be saved.
God’s only requirement for adding a person to the real Church and writing that person’s name in the Lamb’s Book of Life is a genuine faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus for the remission of their sins.
Consider the thief on the cross.
The thief said, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom, And Jesus said unto him, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-43).
He put His faith in Jesus Christ, his sin was forgiven and he went to paradise.
Paul said, “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).
Second, why do some Christians say a person must believe in Jesus Christ (get saved) before they are baptized with water?
When God sent Philip to tell the Ethiopian eunuch about Jesus, the Ethiopian eunuch said, “Sir, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?”
“And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (see Acts 8:26-37).
Water baptism is for people who already believe in Jesus with all their heart (not their mind, but their heart, their innermost being).
Third, if faith in Jesus is God’s only requirement for salvation, why does the Earthly Church require people to be baptized with water before they let them become a member, if water baptism doesn’t save a person?
Here are four reasons:
The first is that Jesus was baptized with water, and He is our example (Mark 1:9).
The earthly Church requires people to be baptized with water before they join the earthly Church because the Bible instructs people to follow the example of Jesus.
A second reason is that in the Great Commission Jesus told Christians to go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matt. 28:19).
The earthly Church requires people to be baptized with water before they join the earthly Church because it fulfills the Great Commission.
A third reason is that Jesus said, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32).
Water baptism is a confession of faith in Jesus before people.
A fourth reason is that when John the Baptist balked at baptizing Jesus, our Lord said, “it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15).
The earthly Church requires people to be baptized with water before they join the earthly Church because it is right for believers to obey the Word of God.
Water baptism is not a requirement for salvation, but it is an act of obedience if a person wants to join an earthly denomination.
Some denominations require people to be immersed in water; some denominations give people a choice between sprinkling, pouring and immersion in water; some denominations baptize people in water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; some denominations baptize people in water in the name of Jesus, some denominations require people to speak in tongues, etc., but God’s only requirement for salvation is faith in Jesus.
But faith in Jesus is a requirement.
A person that gets baptized in water and joins the Church without putting their faith in Jesus is lost and destined for Hell, if they never put their faith in Jesus.
Get saved first (God requires this), baptized in water second (a requirement to join a denomination, but not a requirement for salvation), and join the Church third.
Get it right (God’s way) and you will gain everything.
Get it wrong (Satan’s way) and you will lose everything.
Remember that we could be running out of time, so do it God’s way and don’t put it off.
