WATER IN GOD’S PLAN

I often write articles emphasizing the necessity of baptism in regard to salvation. And I am often criticized and misrepresented in regard to this belief. Some say, “This is water salvation that he teaches.” No, I put the water just where Jesus put it. He put it as the final step in God’s plan for the forgiveness of sins. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be condemned” (Mark 16:16). He put it as the final step into Christ.“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” (Romans 6:3)

Baptism alone no more saves than does faith alone. Scriptural baptism must be preceded by scriptural teaching. “He that believeth” what? The gospel, the doctrine, the teaching. Jesus said, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them ...” One who is taught right, will be baptized right but one who is taught wrong, his baptism will be wrong.

Notice the people in Acts 19:1-5. They had been baptized but their teaching had been wrong so, after hearing the proper teaching, they were rebaptized. This time “in the name of the Lord Jesus;” i.e., by his authority, in harmony with his teaching. Many people today have undergone something that is called baptism; affusion which is the pouring on of water, sprinkling of water on the receiver, and some have been immersed. But if their teaching was such that denied that baptism is for (in order to) the remission (forgiveness) of sins, a part of God’s plan of salvation, then their teaching was wrong therefore their baptism was wrong. And if they had been taught that affusion or sprinkling is baptism (immersion) then that teaching is wrong.

So, I hear what Jesus says, “he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,” and so I teach. Is there anything wrong with that? “Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Colossians 3:17)

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