Be Ye Doers. . . Of The Word!

Many talk of the need for "restoration" because the imperfect church will never arrive at the New Testament ideal. Such a philosophy makes our quest for Truth hopeless. If the New Testament church can never be completely restored, how can we confidently and accurately know when a doctrine or practice has been returned to a proper place in the life and message of the church? Continual restoration is needed, not because we are on an endless quest for an ever illusive ideal, but because so many Christian and church leaders seem determined to allow even the basic New Testament teachings to slip away in the river of evangelism, to be dashed on the rocks of modernism and compromise. Because of this doctrinal passivity we are required to continually re-establish and teach even the "elementary teaching" of the Gospel (see Hebrews 6:1,2).

Immersion in water for the remission of sins is fast becoming yet another casualty of this trend that leads away from the New Testament. Too many of our people seem to have swallowed the evangelical reasoning expressed by popular author, Dave Hunt, who, speaking of baptism and the Lord's Supper, says, "Neither is efficacious for forgiveness of sins or salvation. Both are symbolic of the believer's identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection." In other words, baptism is not essential for salvation. This sentiment is subtly expressed by our preachers who invite people to "accept Christ and be baptized;" or to "accept Jesus into your heart and be saved." The willingness of our people to consider pious, unimmersed authors, singers, and preachers as "Christians" and brothers is ample evidence that we no longer consider baptism to be a requirement of salvation. Evangelical singers perform at colleges, state conventions, and churches. Their books provide the teaching material for classes and study groups and adorn the library shelves of preachers. Some are real fans of evangelical TV and radio preachers and "can't see anything wrong with what they say!" How can we so blithely embrace those who deny baptism's essential role in salvation? When did we exchange the New Testament terms of pardon for evangelical cliche's? Baptism has fallen from its rightful place in the scheme of redemption and needs to be restored in the hearts of Christians, the practices of churches, and the messages of preachers and teachers. As always, the means of restoration is to wade through the rushing waters of evangelicalism and return to the solid ground of the word of God. According to the Bible, what are the benefits/results of baptism?

1. Baptism saves. Mark 16:16 says, "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned." Baptism has equal weight with belief in saving a person. Note that Jesus taught that a person is saved AFTER baptism, not before. Dave Hunt, commenting on baptism, says, "Baptism is a public declaration of faith in Christ, an act of obedience to Christ's command, and thus required of every Christian -- but it does not save the soul; it follows salvation." This statement may reflect the belief of many church of Christ preachers (ie. baptism is important, good, a command, but not essential), but it perverts the Bible order!

1 Peter 3:21 says, "And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you -- not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience -- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Again the Bible plainly says "baptism now saves us." Those who deny that baptism is essential for salvation want to convince us that the last part of this verse, "not the putting away. . .", cancels out the first part of the verse, "baptism now saves us." So they delete baptism from the plan of salvation and make Peter say, "Baptism now saves us, but we are not saved by baptism." Intelligent and inspired Peter would not make such a blunder! Can we be intelligent enough to see through the illogical, evangelical reasoning that flies in the face of a plain declaration of Scripture? The phrase, "not putting away..." simply tells us HOW baptism saves, "...through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

The plain statements of the Bible still stand and deliver the Truth that baptism saves.

2. Sins are forgiven at baptism. Peter said this in Acts 2:38, "Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Another result of baptism is the forgiveness of sins. Once again, make note of the fact that forgiveness of sins occurs after baptism and not before. Baptism has equal weight with repentance in saving a person. If one can be saved without baptism, he can also be saved without repentance! If repentance is a requirement of salvation (and it is), then baptism must also be a requirement.

3. Sins are washed away at baptism. Saul was told to, "Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name." in Acts 22:16. Until a person has been immersed, he is still in sin. Baptism is the point at which sins are washed away and baptism is the way we call upon His name. Paul gives this same progression in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. After listing the sins formerly committed by the Corinthians, Paul tells how they were cleansed from those sins. He says, "But you were washed..." The Greek word for "washed" is apoluw (to wash the whole body). The same word is used in Acts 22:16 and is translated "wash away sins." The Corinthians washed away their sins at baptism, and only then were they sanctified and justified.

4. We are buried with Christ at baptism. Both Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12 state that baptism is the point at which we are buried with Him. Being buried with Christ involves much more than "identifying a believer with Christ" -- whatever that means. Baptism is never called an identification. Without this burial there is no promise of resurrection with Christ. So eternal life hinges on our willingness to be buried with Christ in baptism.

5. We are baptized into Christ. Baptism is how we get into Christ according to Romans 6:3 and Galatians 3:27. We are not clothed with Christ until we have put on Christ at baptism. The pious unimmersed, though religious, are still outside of Christ and need to be immersed for the forgiveness of sins.

6. We are born again at baptism. That is what the Bible says in John 3:5 and Titus 3:5. Evangelicalism has made the new birth a mystical experience. Vague terminology has been mixed with emotionalism to produce a purely subjective experience. In baptism our old sinful man dies and is laid to rest. We come out of the water to walk in a new life. From this point we live as forgiven children of God. Not only is this a new birth, but it is a fresh start as well. The sins, blunders, foolish mistakes of the past are forgiven and forgotten by God (Hebrews 10:17). The assurance that comes from the Bible to those obeying God's clear commands are far superior to a fleeting emotional rush, falsely called being "born again." The only time the New Testament connects water and salvation is in baptism.

7. We are added to the Lord's church at baptism. Acts 2:42 and 47 states this fact. These verses are not talking of membership in a local church. Baptism is not an initiation rite that merely identifies a person with a particular congregation. People were added to His church when they were saved. Salvation occurred as Peter commanded in Acts 2:38 and included baptism as one essential step.

8. The gift of the Holy Spirit is received at baptism. We have already quoted Acts 2:38 where, in addition to the forgiveness of sins, Peter preached that those who would repent and be baptized would receive ". . .the gift of the Holy Spirit." Repentance and baptism are clearly conditions that must be met before one receives the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. How can the unimmersed have the Holy Spirit? When do they receive the indwelling Spirit apart from baptism?

We must use logic and wisdom in applying these verses to modern situations. Common Sense tells us if something is true, the opposite is not true! If an action is right, the opposite action must be wrong! If baptism is essential to salvation, then a person cannot be saved unless they are immersed in water for the remission of sins. If baptism is essential for salvation, the unimmersed are disobedient, lost, and in need of evangelism.

We are not advocating salvation by "baptism alone." Baptism without faith and repentance is just as worthless as "faith alone" in commending one to God. The necessity of believing and repenting preclude the Calvinistic practice of infant baptism. Perhaps this comparison chart will more graphically illustrate what the unimmersed have not received from Christ --

Results of Baptism:

Saved, Forgiven of sins, Sins washed away, Buried with Christ, In Christ, Born again, Added to His church, Gift of the Holy Spirit .

Unimmersed Are:

Lost, Unforgiven, Still in sins, Not united with Christ, Outside of Christ, Old self, Outside His church, No indwelling Spirit.

The unimmersed, according to Scriptures, have none of these blessings/results of baptism since they have failed to obey His command to be immersed. How can the unimmersed be honestly and Scripturally considered Christians when they are outside of Christ, outside of His church, still in their sins, etc.? We in the Restoration Movement desperately need to restore baptism to its proper place. Though some seem embarrassed by baptism, there is no need to make apology for this Scriptural position. As Apollos was helped by Christians not afraid to "explain more accurately the way of God," do folks a favor -- tell them all the Truth!

The Restoration of the New Testament church is not a hopelessly idealistic dream. Restoration occurs when people have the courage to obey the Word and then stand firmly upon God's Truth. We must not throw away our heritage and abandon our historic position on baptism simply to be trendy and popular. The end result of this folly will leave us as simply another vague face among the vast evangelical mob. Though some have already relegated this Movement to the anonymous ranks of Protestantism, the great plea of the Restoration Movement is just as needed, just as vibrant, and just as workable as ever. What a tragedy if we abandon that plea just when the world needs most to hear of simple, New Testament Christianity. Let's restore baptism as an essential step in the plan of salvation -- not because of our heritage -- but because baptism is Biblical!

All Scriptures quoted are from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

1. Dave Hunt, Cib Bulletin, February 1990, Volume 6, No. 2.
2. Ibid