Post by DrGadget on Aug 20, 2014 17:16:38 GMT -5
RON's HANDOUTS
Ron reached into his pocket to give me some handouts. He had many, and carefully chose 4 to give me, in support of the two main positions he stated earlier.
These are descriptions of the 4 religious handouts given to me by Ron, under strict conditions that I not let anyone else read them, else he wouldn’t give them to me. I agreed, and plan to keep that agreement. However, he said I was free to discuss their contents with anyone, which I will now do.
These handouts were intended to prove his case. They were all 3rd or 4th generation Xerox copies, but still quite legible. Many of the titles and arguments were “shouted” in all caps, so I took the liberty of un-shouting them.
There were three main thrusts of his position:
a. If you backslide, you can lose your salvation.
b. In order to be saved, one must accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior AND be baptized. In other words, without baptism (and it must be a proper baptism), there is no salvation.
c. As a supporting argument, the thief on the cross died in the Old Testament, so he doesn’t count. He was apparently the final person who could be saved without baptism.
My position at the time was that all three of these were in error.
In the process of investigating the validity of Ron’s positions on backsliding, baptism, and the start of the New Testament, I made the intentional decision to allow whatever God said in the Bible to take precedence over whatever I had been taught previously, or whatever I found in these handouts. Anyone can claim something as “the truth” but I require the spiritual authority of Scripture before I believe it for myself. It should be self-evident to any Christian that the words of God trump any philosophy of Man.
One “Thus saith the Lord…” is worth more than a thousand “Here’s what I think…” philosophies of Man.
And before anything else, I must stress that I write all of this in love. My writing style can seem harsh at times, but I am writing this in love. I am seeking true doctrine, wherever it leads. It might disprove things I previously held dear, or things Ron held dear, or both. Truth, in love. But I will not water down the truth for anybody. God’s word takes precedence above any of my previous beliefs or philosophies.
So the real question here is how do these handouts compare to Scripture? I will first review these pamphlets in the order they were presented to me. Then I will research the Scriptures in greater depth to see what the Bible says about backsliding (and losing your salvation), baptism, and the real start of the New Testament.
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1. An Open Bible and an Open Mind
(by Kenton K. Smith)
The point of this handout is to read the Bible with an open mind. Approach it with humility. Let the Holy Spirit help you understand it. Enjoy group study as well as private study. So far, this is almost exactly what I said concerning the next handout (I wrote those notes before these).
Next, remove conscious prejudices. God works in mysterious ways. Don’t try to put God in a box or restrict what He can do. He’s already outside your box. If you have any beliefs that don’t agree with the Bible, be prepared to throw those beliefs out the window. God doesn’t do things your way. You need to learn to do things God’s way.
Master basic truths first. The end of this section sums it up well. God created Man, Man sinned against God, God desired Man’s salvation (John 3:16).
Act upon what is understood. Certainly you can’t act upon things you don’t understand yet, but that’s not what we’re saying here. Once you gain a working knowledge or basic understanding of a Biblical concept, act upon it. Make it part of your life. Then it’s no longer some abstract concept, but something you’ve already done. It’s yours.
But again (I wrote my notes on the next handout earlier) I must stress that people don’t start out reading the Bible. They start out hearing Scripture quoted to them from a friend who wants them saved.
Romans 10:17
[17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
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2. The Bible Can Be Understood
(by Jim Nichols 22959 W. Edison Rd, South Bend, IN 46628)
(re-branded “Ron’s Library”)
Three main parts to this one.
a. The Bible can be understood because we’re capable of clear communication.
b. The Bible can be understood because it’s written in common language.
c. The Bible can be understood despite the difficult parts.
I mainly agree with the central idea of this handout, saying that you should read the Bible and pray over what you read. But whether people CAN understand the Bible or they WILL understand the Bible is another matter. None of us are going to understand it as well as Christ did. It’s not going to happen.
To address the three main parts:
a. True, but every time we read the Bible there is new information illuminated by the Holy Spirit. You’re not going to see the same things on the first pass as you will on the 23rd pass. Each time, you get a much deeper understanding as the Holy Spirit illuminates the text in a new way. This must mean that on your first few times through, you will get less meaning. There’s always something new to learn, so I don’t think anyone ever gets a total 100% full meaning of the entire contents of the Bible.
b. It was written in common language for the year 1611. Today it reads like Shakespeare. People frequently get lost in the thees and thous. Also many verses discuss topics that were common in Biblical times but no longer. Sometimes you need to review history to understand what they mean.
c. True but some Books are harder to comprehend, like Numbers (people get lost in all the numbers) and Revelation (lots of imagery and things we haven’t seen yet). Daniel jumps around in time. Yes, you can understand it, but it takes more time and effort to digest.
I don’t see a solution presented here for how to understand the Bible. So I will tell you my experience.
a. It starts with preaching. Nobody starts by reading the Bible 30 times through. You start by hearing someone preach the Word to you. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). My preacher often says that you are the only Bible some people will ever read. He’s right. You need to memorize Scripture so you can preach to others. Imagine telling an atheist to read THIS (hands him a Bible) and get back to me. It’s not going to happen. You need to preach to them and put it in context with real-world events.
b. Read the Bible. There is no substitute for actually reading the Bible (KJV) for yourself. I first read it because I had gotten tired of people telling me foolish and obviously wrong doctrine but then saying it was in the Bible. When I asked where, they would point me to a verse – that out of context seemed to support their argument. And I knew that if I didn’t read the Bible I would never get the proper context to point out their error.
c. Pray for wisdom. God preserved that Bible you’re reading through thousands of years, many wars, and countless attempts to destroy it entirely. God has delivered to you His Word on a silver platter. Why would He do all this if you couldn’t understand it? He wouldn’t. So pray for wisdom from God, doubting nothing. He wants you to pray for wisdom. Remember how happy He was with Solomon when he prayed for wisdom? The Holy Spirit will illuminate the text you’re reading so it makes more sense. Let the Holy Spirit teach you. That’s one of His duties. Pray for God to send you strong wisdom – godly wisdom, not earthly wisdom.
d. Take advantage of Bible studies and workgroups. Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). God reveals more to you each time you read the Bible. So what if you took notes from someone who has read the Bible 50 times instead of half of one time? You can get deeper knowledge. For years I had prayed diligently for God to illuminate the Book of Revelation for me, as it was clear we were heading into the End Times. Then my pastor held a three month in-depth study of Revelation. Much was revealed to me, and the Holy Spirit was confirming the knowledge to me the entire time.
Bible studies and study workgroups are important. Even if you don’t learn anything, others may learn from you. Let your iron sharpen someone else’s iron.
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Handouts 3, 3a, and 3b were all stapled together.
3. Let Jesus Come Into Your Heart
(by Charles R. Gresham)
(link unavailable)
The first thing that jumped out at me was how the author quoted the NASB version of the Bible. I only deal in KJV (King James Version) and consider all other “translations” to be inferior. I can’t sufficiently stress the need for the sarcastic quotes around the word “translation” as the NASB is not a translation. It’s a perversion. The people who wrote the NASB started with the KJV and rearranged enough words (in defiance of Revelation 22:18-19) so that it becomes an “original document” and they can get a copyright on it and make more money selling it. There was no team of translators carefully looking at ancient Hebrew manuscripts, as King James provided. They just took the KJV and twisted it into a cash cow. On Judgment Day, the people who did this will have to account for their actions. I will take no part in pretending that the NASB is a “real Bible” because it is not. I never quote from the NASB or any other modern per-version except to point out how awful they are.
The gist of this handout is that Jesus doesn’t really come into your heart. Instead, you are placed in the Body of Christ. These are both true.
Jesus doesn’t come into your heart, although this is close enough to the truth that it doesn’t bother me when people say it. To be technical, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in your body (your heart?) and you become a temple to the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit is one Person of “God” while Jesus is another Person of “God”. Both are God. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all God and are all one. We don’t worship three gods. We worship one God who appears to us in three different ways.
I liken this to people who say that the unsaved go to Hell for eternity. They don’t. Hell is temporal. Eventually the people in Hell will be cast into the Lake of Fire, which is for eternity. Death and Hell will also be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14-15). The unsaved remain in the Lake of Fire forever. But saying that Hell is forever is close enough to the truth that you might cause harm by saying it isn’t forever. The underlying truth is that the unsaved will be punished forever, with no mercy, and never enter Heaven. This truth is necessary to show people the need for salvation, and it needs to begin right away, before the people preaching understand the distinction between Hell and the Lake of Fire.
So no, if you’re saved, “Jesus” didn’t enter your heart but the Holy Spirit did. And the Holy Spirit is saying the same things Jesus said, and is working to keep you focused on Jesus. A 6 year old child may not understand the distinction here, so it really doesn’t bother me if they say that Jesus came into their heart. I know what they meant. The Holy Spirit came into their heart and now they are being conformed into the image of Jesus.
What the writers of this handout miss here is the fact that earthly baptism is an outward show of an inward change that has already occurred. You were saved when you received the gift of the Holy Spirit. This was spiritual baptism. Just as a child may not understand the technicality error of saying that Jesus came into their heart, some adults are spiritually still children and don’t understand how baptism really works. All they see is the physical.
There are really two baptisms going on. When you get saved, the Holy Spirit takes up residence within you, and then places you (or “baptizes” you) into the Body of Christ. Then your pastor or whoever baptizes you in a tank of water. You can focus on the water too much and miss the greater spiritual truth of the other baptism. A tank of water is not salvation. The Holy Spirit baptizing you into the Body of Christ indicates salvation.
1 Corinthians 12:12-14
[12] For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
[13] For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
[14] For the body is not one member, but many.
The Holy Spirit is the one who baptizes us (or places us, “submerges” us) into one body, that being the Body of Christ. Your preacher is not the Holy Spirit. There are two baptisms going on. The Holy Spirit baptizes you into the Body of Christ (mandatory for salvation) and your preacher baptizes your body in a lake, river, or tub of water (mandatory for spiritual growth within the Body).
Let’s look at a similar verse.
Galatians 3:27
[27] For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
This seems to me that Paul is saying that we were baptized into the Body of Christ, and that means we have “put on Christ”. When you perform a baptism ceremony, you baptize someone in water. You first baptize (fully submerge) them into the water and then move them back into fresh air. You don’t baptize them into Christ. Do you literally see Christ and cause that person to be absorbed into Christ like fruit into a jello mold? How can you tell where Christ is standing? Do you get to decide where to put that person into the Body of Christ? What if they don’t want to be a toenail and bribe you to place them into the hand, as that seems more important? No, your pastor doesn’t place you into Christ, nor decide where you will be placed into Christ. That’s the Holy Spirit’s job. We on earth baptize people in water. On a spiritual level, the Holy Spirit baptizes people into the Body of Christ (or “into Christ”). We can’t do that, nor can we see it happen.
This is in no way saying that you should not be baptized in water. You should. Every Christian should, and it is the first order of business for all new Christians. That makes it mandatory for spiritual growth. But if for whatever reason you can’t, you will not be denied a place in Heaven. If you choose not to get baptized, this would be a serious mistake. It’s the first thing every Christian should do. If you don’t do it, Jesus will never give you the next thing He wants you to do. That means you can never grow from faith to faith and from glory to glory. You’re still stuck at Square One. You have to cross the Red Sea before you get to the Promised Land.
Jesus gives you commands in order. First get baptized. Second, do this other thing over here I (Jesus) want you to do. If you skip baptism and say, “What’s next?” then Jesus will tell you to go back and get baptized first before He gives you anything else. Your spiritual growth will be stunted and you will never advance past initial salvation.
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3a. What About the Thief on the Cross
(by James E. Gibbons)
This handout makes it immediately clear that it is common knowledge (and therefore a common argument) that the thief on the cross was never baptized. This is somehow a “loophole” to indicate that baptism isn’t necessary. By this the author means it’s a dangerous loophole because baptism is needed and people are going to Hell unbaptized.
It then goes on to say that the Old Testament lasted until Jesus died on the cross. It cites Galatians 3:24-27, Colossians 2:14 for this.
Galatians 3:24-27
[24] Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
[25] But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
[26] For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
[27] For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Colossians 2:14
[14] Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Galatians calls the Old Testament the “schoolmaster” that is no longer needed. Colossians calls the Old Testament (or The Law) the “handwriting of ordinances against us” that was nailed to the cross. But both of these are vague as to when the Old Testament “died”. According to Colossians, one could make the case that the Old Testament died as soon as it was nailed to the cross, while Jesus was still laying flat on the ground, and before the Romans ever lifted Him up. If the Law was nailed to the cross with Christ, this happened several agonizing hours before He died. Jesus didn’t die the instant He was nailed to the cross.
Then it says to look at Hebrews 9:15-17. Now we’re actually getting somewhere.
Hebrews 9:15-17
[15] And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
[16] For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
[17] For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
Hebrews 9:17 is the one and only verse in the entire Bible that suggests the Old Testament lasted until Jesus died on the cross. This is a wrong interpretation for several reasons, of which I elaborate more later on.
a. The Gospel is the New Testament. Mark 1:1 says this is the beginning of the Gospel.
b. Just because the testament (will) had no strength until Jesus died, it still existed. The Gospels don’t start with Jesus dying. A dying man writes his will before he dies. It exists before it is in force.
c. Jesus died first. The thief on the cross died afterward. This undermines the entire argument against the thief dying during the “Old Testament”. He definitely died in the New Testament, according to Hebrews 9:17.
The author then goes on to compare a testament to a will, saying that Jesus could make up whatever rules He wanted while alive, but then was shackled by the plan once He died. But Jesus was following God’s perfect plan, so He couldn’t just change the will on a whim. Also, Jesus was promoted higher than ever by the Father after He resurrected. He was anything but a shackled version of His former self.
Look at what Jesus said in Luke 12:49-50.
[49] I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I if it be already kindled?
[50] But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
Jesus said He was straightened (constrained) for now (before the cross) but after it was accomplished He would not be. This is the exact opposite of what the author of the handout is saying. Jesus was constrained during His earthly ministry, but not afterwards.
Also take note that in Luke 12:50, Jesus says He has a baptism to be baptized with. But He had already been baptized by John the Baptist at the beginning of His earthly mission. There is no mention of Jesus being baptized a second time by submersion in water. He’s talking about a spiritual baptism that His disciples won’t be able to witness personally.
The author then misquotes Mark 16:16 by editing in the exact same way as in the handout for Baptism- What is it for? This is intentionally deceitful, for the same reason.
The author then repeats the lie that Jesus could forgive sins in any way he* wanted to, but was then restricted after He died, which is the opposite of the truth (see above).
* The author called Jesus “he” (not capitalized). I think we can all agree that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords deserves to be called either “He” or “HE”. He is the great I AM. Jesus is not a “he”.
In the last paragraph, the author starts out truly, by saying that the thief had no opportunity to be baptized. But then he lies and says that the New Testament was not in force. Remember, the ONLY verse in the entire Bible that says anything about the New Testament not being in force (or having no strength) is Hebrews 9:17. This verse clearly states that a testament has no force while the testator lives. But Jesus died first. So that thief was still alive when the New Testament took full effect. Although the Romans wouldn’t have allowed it, it was definitely possible for them to let that thief get baptized before he died. As improbable as this was, it was possible.
The author then spends a great deal of time blurring the lines of what was stated plainly in Hebrews 9:17. He stretches it out to say at the end that the New Testament couldn’t yet apply because Christ was still alive (blatant lie) and not yet buried. So what if He wasn’t buried yet? Hebrews 9:17 says nothing about burial. The testament takes on strength when the testator (Jesus) dies. As soon as Jesus died on the cross, the full force of the New Testament took effect. Jesus died, but the repentant thief was still alive and unbaptized.
The thief was definitely still alive when Jesus died. They had to break his legs to kill him before the Sabbath day. According to this author’s interpretation of when the New Testament really started, the thief still died in the New Testament. If baptism is 100% absolutely mandatory for people to be saved in the New Testament, then the thief on the cross couldn’t be saved. This makes Jesus a liar when He promised that He and the thief would be together in Paradise that same day. The thief would go to Hell instead.
After carefully reading this handout and comparing it to Scripture, it falls short. Even when taking it as fact that the New Testament really started when Jesus died, the argument falls apart and contradicts itself all over the place. No amount of intellectual gymnastics (such as illegally editing Mark 16:16) can make this add up to anything worth reading. The author obviously had a hidden agenda and was willing to twist the clear wording of Scripture around to suit his view.
After reconciling the contradictions and errors of this handout, there is nothing left. It was all useless. This is not even close to sound Biblical doctrine. It was closer to something an atheist might write in an attempt to disprove the Gospel.
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3b. Baptism – What is it for? (handwritten “Proves Its Necessity”)
(by The Christian Contender Magazine, no specific author)
The first thing I noticed on this handout was that they abbreviated every single verse they cited. This raises a red flag. Why are you editing God’s word? Who gave you the authority to do this?
In all of these edited verses, important information was eliminated. There was plenty of room on this page to print the entire verse, but the verses were edited – clearly with the intent of hiding inconvenient information that didn’t support their argument. Let’s un-eliminate what God said. We shall compare what they (mis)quoted and what the Bible really says.
Mark 16:16
Them: [16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved...
Bible: [16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
In Mark 16, they edited out the part that says the person who doesn’t believe shall be damned. Notice that it says nothing about anyone who doesn’t get baptized being damned. The contrast here is that belief means saved and believing not means damned. If you believe you should get baptized as well. Belief is the key. We are saved by grace through faith.
Ephesians 2:
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
How does this work? God supplies the grace and you supply the faith. This is the path to salvation. But not just any faith. You might have faith in Buddha, but that won’t get you saved. You need to have faith (believe) in the Gospel. And what exactly is the “Gospel”? It is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The thief on the cross witnessed Jesus dying, and could easily assume his burial to come. But he also saw (through the eyes of faith) Jesus being resurrected and coming into His kingdom. Jesus knew exactly what this meant and promised him that he would be with Him that day in Paradise.
Acts 2:38
Them: [38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins...
Bible: [38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
In Acts 2, they edited out the part about receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Anyone who receives the gift of the Holy Ghost (Comforter, Holy Spirit, Spirit of God) is saved. Period. The Holy Ghost is God. The Holy Ghost doesn’t make mistakes. The Holy Ghost knows exactly who is saved and who is not. When you get saved, you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, meaning that He takes up residence inside you, and your body becomes a temple for the Holy Ghost.
Acts 22:16
Them: [16] And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins...
Bible: [16] And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
In Acts 22, they edited out the part about calling upon the name of the Lord. This is the most important part. They falsely make it look like baptism alone washes your sins and saves you, when it definitely doesn’t. Calling upon the name of the Lord is what does it.
Romans 10:13
[13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
But “call upon the name of the Lord” to do what, exactly? To paint your house? No. To save you. You believe the Gospel (Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection) and you call upon the name of the Lord (Jesus Christ) to save you and let you share in His resurrection.
So if baptism in water doesn’t cleanse us from our sin, what does? The blood of Jesus does. Christ had to shed His precious blood for the remission of sins.
1 John 1:7
[7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Hebrews 9:22
[22] And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
This passage in Hebrews shows the comparison between the Old Testament sacrifices and Jesus making Himself a perfect final sacrifice, to fully satisfy the wrath of a holy God.
Isaiah 53:5
[5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53 was a chapter devoted to the “Man of Sorrows”, a clear prophecy of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. We are healed by His stripes. What does that mean? When the guards whipped Jesus, and the blood came out, we are healed. He took the punishment we deserved. He was bruised for our iniquities, not His own, because He was perfectly sinless. He was the innocent, perfect, sacrificial Lamb that willingly shed His blood for us. His beatings (chastisement) now equals peace between us and God. The Gospel brings us into peace with the Father, who at one time was our enemy because of sin.
1 Peter 3:21
Them: [21] The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience…)
Bible: [21] The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
In 1 Peter 3, they edited out two things. First is that your good conscience is toward God (and not just your own personal good conscience). Second, they left out the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our hope is in the resurrection. If Christ is not risen, then we are all doomed. But Christ has indeed risen, and is now sitting at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. This is our hope and faith. This is what Christ did and why our hope is in Him.
1 Timothy 1:1
[1] Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
I found all of these excerpts from the Bible to be intentionally misleading, to the point of being bad doctrine. The author(s) of this had to know that they were editing out the most important information about salvation.
Now look at what Paul said. Paul didn’t come to baptize.
1 Corinthians 1:17-21
[17] For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
[18] For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
[19] For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
[20] Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
[21] For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Paul put the major emphasis on preaching the Gospel, preaching the cross of Christ, because the “foolishness of preaching” is what saves people. They hear the preaching and believe in Jesus Christ. Getting baptized comes afterward, and can be done by a subordinate later. Paul’s intent here was most definitely to save the lost (verse 21). But he didn’t come to baptize (verse 17). Why not, if baptism were required for your salvation? Because it’s not required. Faith is required. Without faith it is impossible to please God. There is no similar verse saying that without being baptized it’s impossible to please God.
Hebrews 11:5-6
[5] By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
[6] But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
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4. How to Receive a Gift
(no author listed)
(link unavailable)
This handout basically says that you can’t pay for a gift or it’s no longer a gift. Salvation is a gift from God that we can never repay. This I totally agree with. But then it goes on to say that you must be baptized, emphasizing that baptism doesn’t actually repay God. No, but then neither does fasting, prayer, giving food to the poor, or any other “work” you can do. There’s nothing you can do to repay God even if you wanted to. He already owns this world and the next. What can you give Him that He doesn’t already own? You can’t even give Him yourself, because He already owns you. He can accept you into Heaven or cast you into Hell because He owns you. He owns everyone whether they accept Him or not. You may not be His child, but you are His property.
He doesn’t call baptism a “work”, but a manner in which we should accept the gift of salvation. But this suggests that you are already saved before baptism, doesn’t it? Otherwise, it’s a carrot dangling in front of you. Do this deed or you can’t be saved. This makes baptism sound a lot like a “work”. But what if I live in the middle of the dessert, where water is scarce and there’s no good place to be baptized? Am I unsavable?
Or let’s suppose that I’m on a space station (that’s a real thing). We just found out that it’s leaking air and we’re going to die before a resupply ship can reach us. We’re all going to die in space. This nearly happened with Apollo 13, so it’s not crazy fiction. Anyway, we will all die in space. That’s a certainty. The unsaved people, facing their own mortality, look to me as a Christian to properly meet their maker. Do I shrug my shoulders and tell them they can’t be saved because we don’t have enough water to perform a proper baptism? Or do I lead them to Christ, trusting in Him to save sinners to the uttermost?
Or here’s another scenario that actually happened to my pastor. There was an awful car wreck. There’s a man trapped upside-down in his car and he’s bleeding out. He won’t live to see the hospital. He has mere minutes to live and the ambulance is still a half hour away. Did my pastor say, “Come by the church on Sunday and get baptized,”? No, he led the man to Christ. With his last remaining breaths, the man accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
How about ministries where people preach to those in prison? Part of Christ’s mission was to set the captives free. This is a very serious mission. Paul spent the last year of his life preaching as a prisoner in Rome. It’s often easier to preach to prisoners because they know they are sinners and understand their need for a Savior. There’s no false wall of pride to overcome. Death Row prisoners especially are quite aware of their own mortality and the cost of sin. But there are no bathtubs in prison. There are no immersion tanks. Prisoners could drown each other with them, so they are not allowed. How can you baptize someone in prison? How can you baptize someone as he’s being strapped into the electric chair? Are these people outside of God’s reach?
No, not at all. Jesus can save sinners to the uttermost. I may not know how great a sinner you are, but I do know how great a Savior He is. Jesus saves.
Ron reached into his pocket to give me some handouts. He had many, and carefully chose 4 to give me, in support of the two main positions he stated earlier.
These are descriptions of the 4 religious handouts given to me by Ron, under strict conditions that I not let anyone else read them, else he wouldn’t give them to me. I agreed, and plan to keep that agreement. However, he said I was free to discuss their contents with anyone, which I will now do.
These handouts were intended to prove his case. They were all 3rd or 4th generation Xerox copies, but still quite legible. Many of the titles and arguments were “shouted” in all caps, so I took the liberty of un-shouting them.
There were three main thrusts of his position:
a. If you backslide, you can lose your salvation.
b. In order to be saved, one must accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior AND be baptized. In other words, without baptism (and it must be a proper baptism), there is no salvation.
c. As a supporting argument, the thief on the cross died in the Old Testament, so he doesn’t count. He was apparently the final person who could be saved without baptism.
My position at the time was that all three of these were in error.
In the process of investigating the validity of Ron’s positions on backsliding, baptism, and the start of the New Testament, I made the intentional decision to allow whatever God said in the Bible to take precedence over whatever I had been taught previously, or whatever I found in these handouts. Anyone can claim something as “the truth” but I require the spiritual authority of Scripture before I believe it for myself. It should be self-evident to any Christian that the words of God trump any philosophy of Man.
One “Thus saith the Lord…” is worth more than a thousand “Here’s what I think…” philosophies of Man.
And before anything else, I must stress that I write all of this in love. My writing style can seem harsh at times, but I am writing this in love. I am seeking true doctrine, wherever it leads. It might disprove things I previously held dear, or things Ron held dear, or both. Truth, in love. But I will not water down the truth for anybody. God’s word takes precedence above any of my previous beliefs or philosophies.
So the real question here is how do these handouts compare to Scripture? I will first review these pamphlets in the order they were presented to me. Then I will research the Scriptures in greater depth to see what the Bible says about backsliding (and losing your salvation), baptism, and the real start of the New Testament.
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1. An Open Bible and an Open Mind
(by Kenton K. Smith)
The point of this handout is to read the Bible with an open mind. Approach it with humility. Let the Holy Spirit help you understand it. Enjoy group study as well as private study. So far, this is almost exactly what I said concerning the next handout (I wrote those notes before these).
Next, remove conscious prejudices. God works in mysterious ways. Don’t try to put God in a box or restrict what He can do. He’s already outside your box. If you have any beliefs that don’t agree with the Bible, be prepared to throw those beliefs out the window. God doesn’t do things your way. You need to learn to do things God’s way.
Master basic truths first. The end of this section sums it up well. God created Man, Man sinned against God, God desired Man’s salvation (John 3:16).
Act upon what is understood. Certainly you can’t act upon things you don’t understand yet, but that’s not what we’re saying here. Once you gain a working knowledge or basic understanding of a Biblical concept, act upon it. Make it part of your life. Then it’s no longer some abstract concept, but something you’ve already done. It’s yours.
But again (I wrote my notes on the next handout earlier) I must stress that people don’t start out reading the Bible. They start out hearing Scripture quoted to them from a friend who wants them saved.
Romans 10:17
[17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
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2. The Bible Can Be Understood
(by Jim Nichols 22959 W. Edison Rd, South Bend, IN 46628)
(re-branded “Ron’s Library”)
Three main parts to this one.
a. The Bible can be understood because we’re capable of clear communication.
b. The Bible can be understood because it’s written in common language.
c. The Bible can be understood despite the difficult parts.
I mainly agree with the central idea of this handout, saying that you should read the Bible and pray over what you read. But whether people CAN understand the Bible or they WILL understand the Bible is another matter. None of us are going to understand it as well as Christ did. It’s not going to happen.
To address the three main parts:
a. True, but every time we read the Bible there is new information illuminated by the Holy Spirit. You’re not going to see the same things on the first pass as you will on the 23rd pass. Each time, you get a much deeper understanding as the Holy Spirit illuminates the text in a new way. This must mean that on your first few times through, you will get less meaning. There’s always something new to learn, so I don’t think anyone ever gets a total 100% full meaning of the entire contents of the Bible.
b. It was written in common language for the year 1611. Today it reads like Shakespeare. People frequently get lost in the thees and thous. Also many verses discuss topics that were common in Biblical times but no longer. Sometimes you need to review history to understand what they mean.
c. True but some Books are harder to comprehend, like Numbers (people get lost in all the numbers) and Revelation (lots of imagery and things we haven’t seen yet). Daniel jumps around in time. Yes, you can understand it, but it takes more time and effort to digest.
I don’t see a solution presented here for how to understand the Bible. So I will tell you my experience.
a. It starts with preaching. Nobody starts by reading the Bible 30 times through. You start by hearing someone preach the Word to you. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). My preacher often says that you are the only Bible some people will ever read. He’s right. You need to memorize Scripture so you can preach to others. Imagine telling an atheist to read THIS (hands him a Bible) and get back to me. It’s not going to happen. You need to preach to them and put it in context with real-world events.
b. Read the Bible. There is no substitute for actually reading the Bible (KJV) for yourself. I first read it because I had gotten tired of people telling me foolish and obviously wrong doctrine but then saying it was in the Bible. When I asked where, they would point me to a verse – that out of context seemed to support their argument. And I knew that if I didn’t read the Bible I would never get the proper context to point out their error.
c. Pray for wisdom. God preserved that Bible you’re reading through thousands of years, many wars, and countless attempts to destroy it entirely. God has delivered to you His Word on a silver platter. Why would He do all this if you couldn’t understand it? He wouldn’t. So pray for wisdom from God, doubting nothing. He wants you to pray for wisdom. Remember how happy He was with Solomon when he prayed for wisdom? The Holy Spirit will illuminate the text you’re reading so it makes more sense. Let the Holy Spirit teach you. That’s one of His duties. Pray for God to send you strong wisdom – godly wisdom, not earthly wisdom.
d. Take advantage of Bible studies and workgroups. Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). God reveals more to you each time you read the Bible. So what if you took notes from someone who has read the Bible 50 times instead of half of one time? You can get deeper knowledge. For years I had prayed diligently for God to illuminate the Book of Revelation for me, as it was clear we were heading into the End Times. Then my pastor held a three month in-depth study of Revelation. Much was revealed to me, and the Holy Spirit was confirming the knowledge to me the entire time.
Bible studies and study workgroups are important. Even if you don’t learn anything, others may learn from you. Let your iron sharpen someone else’s iron.
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Handouts 3, 3a, and 3b were all stapled together.
3. Let Jesus Come Into Your Heart
(by Charles R. Gresham)
(link unavailable)
The first thing that jumped out at me was how the author quoted the NASB version of the Bible. I only deal in KJV (King James Version) and consider all other “translations” to be inferior. I can’t sufficiently stress the need for the sarcastic quotes around the word “translation” as the NASB is not a translation. It’s a perversion. The people who wrote the NASB started with the KJV and rearranged enough words (in defiance of Revelation 22:18-19) so that it becomes an “original document” and they can get a copyright on it and make more money selling it. There was no team of translators carefully looking at ancient Hebrew manuscripts, as King James provided. They just took the KJV and twisted it into a cash cow. On Judgment Day, the people who did this will have to account for their actions. I will take no part in pretending that the NASB is a “real Bible” because it is not. I never quote from the NASB or any other modern per-version except to point out how awful they are.
The gist of this handout is that Jesus doesn’t really come into your heart. Instead, you are placed in the Body of Christ. These are both true.
Jesus doesn’t come into your heart, although this is close enough to the truth that it doesn’t bother me when people say it. To be technical, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in your body (your heart?) and you become a temple to the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit is one Person of “God” while Jesus is another Person of “God”. Both are God. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all God and are all one. We don’t worship three gods. We worship one God who appears to us in three different ways.
I liken this to people who say that the unsaved go to Hell for eternity. They don’t. Hell is temporal. Eventually the people in Hell will be cast into the Lake of Fire, which is for eternity. Death and Hell will also be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14-15). The unsaved remain in the Lake of Fire forever. But saying that Hell is forever is close enough to the truth that you might cause harm by saying it isn’t forever. The underlying truth is that the unsaved will be punished forever, with no mercy, and never enter Heaven. This truth is necessary to show people the need for salvation, and it needs to begin right away, before the people preaching understand the distinction between Hell and the Lake of Fire.
So no, if you’re saved, “Jesus” didn’t enter your heart but the Holy Spirit did. And the Holy Spirit is saying the same things Jesus said, and is working to keep you focused on Jesus. A 6 year old child may not understand the distinction here, so it really doesn’t bother me if they say that Jesus came into their heart. I know what they meant. The Holy Spirit came into their heart and now they are being conformed into the image of Jesus.
What the writers of this handout miss here is the fact that earthly baptism is an outward show of an inward change that has already occurred. You were saved when you received the gift of the Holy Spirit. This was spiritual baptism. Just as a child may not understand the technicality error of saying that Jesus came into their heart, some adults are spiritually still children and don’t understand how baptism really works. All they see is the physical.
There are really two baptisms going on. When you get saved, the Holy Spirit takes up residence within you, and then places you (or “baptizes” you) into the Body of Christ. Then your pastor or whoever baptizes you in a tank of water. You can focus on the water too much and miss the greater spiritual truth of the other baptism. A tank of water is not salvation. The Holy Spirit baptizing you into the Body of Christ indicates salvation.
1 Corinthians 12:12-14
[12] For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
[13] For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
[14] For the body is not one member, but many.
The Holy Spirit is the one who baptizes us (or places us, “submerges” us) into one body, that being the Body of Christ. Your preacher is not the Holy Spirit. There are two baptisms going on. The Holy Spirit baptizes you into the Body of Christ (mandatory for salvation) and your preacher baptizes your body in a lake, river, or tub of water (mandatory for spiritual growth within the Body).
Let’s look at a similar verse.
Galatians 3:27
[27] For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
This seems to me that Paul is saying that we were baptized into the Body of Christ, and that means we have “put on Christ”. When you perform a baptism ceremony, you baptize someone in water. You first baptize (fully submerge) them into the water and then move them back into fresh air. You don’t baptize them into Christ. Do you literally see Christ and cause that person to be absorbed into Christ like fruit into a jello mold? How can you tell where Christ is standing? Do you get to decide where to put that person into the Body of Christ? What if they don’t want to be a toenail and bribe you to place them into the hand, as that seems more important? No, your pastor doesn’t place you into Christ, nor decide where you will be placed into Christ. That’s the Holy Spirit’s job. We on earth baptize people in water. On a spiritual level, the Holy Spirit baptizes people into the Body of Christ (or “into Christ”). We can’t do that, nor can we see it happen.
This is in no way saying that you should not be baptized in water. You should. Every Christian should, and it is the first order of business for all new Christians. That makes it mandatory for spiritual growth. But if for whatever reason you can’t, you will not be denied a place in Heaven. If you choose not to get baptized, this would be a serious mistake. It’s the first thing every Christian should do. If you don’t do it, Jesus will never give you the next thing He wants you to do. That means you can never grow from faith to faith and from glory to glory. You’re still stuck at Square One. You have to cross the Red Sea before you get to the Promised Land.
Jesus gives you commands in order. First get baptized. Second, do this other thing over here I (Jesus) want you to do. If you skip baptism and say, “What’s next?” then Jesus will tell you to go back and get baptized first before He gives you anything else. Your spiritual growth will be stunted and you will never advance past initial salvation.
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3a. What About the Thief on the Cross
(by James E. Gibbons)
This handout makes it immediately clear that it is common knowledge (and therefore a common argument) that the thief on the cross was never baptized. This is somehow a “loophole” to indicate that baptism isn’t necessary. By this the author means it’s a dangerous loophole because baptism is needed and people are going to Hell unbaptized.
It then goes on to say that the Old Testament lasted until Jesus died on the cross. It cites Galatians 3:24-27, Colossians 2:14 for this.
Galatians 3:24-27
[24] Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
[25] But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
[26] For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
[27] For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Colossians 2:14
[14] Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Galatians calls the Old Testament the “schoolmaster” that is no longer needed. Colossians calls the Old Testament (or The Law) the “handwriting of ordinances against us” that was nailed to the cross. But both of these are vague as to when the Old Testament “died”. According to Colossians, one could make the case that the Old Testament died as soon as it was nailed to the cross, while Jesus was still laying flat on the ground, and before the Romans ever lifted Him up. If the Law was nailed to the cross with Christ, this happened several agonizing hours before He died. Jesus didn’t die the instant He was nailed to the cross.
Then it says to look at Hebrews 9:15-17. Now we’re actually getting somewhere.
Hebrews 9:15-17
[15] And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
[16] For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
[17] For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
Hebrews 9:17 is the one and only verse in the entire Bible that suggests the Old Testament lasted until Jesus died on the cross. This is a wrong interpretation for several reasons, of which I elaborate more later on.
a. The Gospel is the New Testament. Mark 1:1 says this is the beginning of the Gospel.
b. Just because the testament (will) had no strength until Jesus died, it still existed. The Gospels don’t start with Jesus dying. A dying man writes his will before he dies. It exists before it is in force.
c. Jesus died first. The thief on the cross died afterward. This undermines the entire argument against the thief dying during the “Old Testament”. He definitely died in the New Testament, according to Hebrews 9:17.
The author then goes on to compare a testament to a will, saying that Jesus could make up whatever rules He wanted while alive, but then was shackled by the plan once He died. But Jesus was following God’s perfect plan, so He couldn’t just change the will on a whim. Also, Jesus was promoted higher than ever by the Father after He resurrected. He was anything but a shackled version of His former self.
Look at what Jesus said in Luke 12:49-50.
[49] I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I if it be already kindled?
[50] But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
Jesus said He was straightened (constrained) for now (before the cross) but after it was accomplished He would not be. This is the exact opposite of what the author of the handout is saying. Jesus was constrained during His earthly ministry, but not afterwards.
Also take note that in Luke 12:50, Jesus says He has a baptism to be baptized with. But He had already been baptized by John the Baptist at the beginning of His earthly mission. There is no mention of Jesus being baptized a second time by submersion in water. He’s talking about a spiritual baptism that His disciples won’t be able to witness personally.
The author then misquotes Mark 16:16 by editing in the exact same way as in the handout for Baptism- What is it for? This is intentionally deceitful, for the same reason.
The author then repeats the lie that Jesus could forgive sins in any way he* wanted to, but was then restricted after He died, which is the opposite of the truth (see above).
* The author called Jesus “he” (not capitalized). I think we can all agree that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords deserves to be called either “He” or “HE”. He is the great I AM. Jesus is not a “he”.
In the last paragraph, the author starts out truly, by saying that the thief had no opportunity to be baptized. But then he lies and says that the New Testament was not in force. Remember, the ONLY verse in the entire Bible that says anything about the New Testament not being in force (or having no strength) is Hebrews 9:17. This verse clearly states that a testament has no force while the testator lives. But Jesus died first. So that thief was still alive when the New Testament took full effect. Although the Romans wouldn’t have allowed it, it was definitely possible for them to let that thief get baptized before he died. As improbable as this was, it was possible.
The author then spends a great deal of time blurring the lines of what was stated plainly in Hebrews 9:17. He stretches it out to say at the end that the New Testament couldn’t yet apply because Christ was still alive (blatant lie) and not yet buried. So what if He wasn’t buried yet? Hebrews 9:17 says nothing about burial. The testament takes on strength when the testator (Jesus) dies. As soon as Jesus died on the cross, the full force of the New Testament took effect. Jesus died, but the repentant thief was still alive and unbaptized.
The thief was definitely still alive when Jesus died. They had to break his legs to kill him before the Sabbath day. According to this author’s interpretation of when the New Testament really started, the thief still died in the New Testament. If baptism is 100% absolutely mandatory for people to be saved in the New Testament, then the thief on the cross couldn’t be saved. This makes Jesus a liar when He promised that He and the thief would be together in Paradise that same day. The thief would go to Hell instead.
After carefully reading this handout and comparing it to Scripture, it falls short. Even when taking it as fact that the New Testament really started when Jesus died, the argument falls apart and contradicts itself all over the place. No amount of intellectual gymnastics (such as illegally editing Mark 16:16) can make this add up to anything worth reading. The author obviously had a hidden agenda and was willing to twist the clear wording of Scripture around to suit his view.
After reconciling the contradictions and errors of this handout, there is nothing left. It was all useless. This is not even close to sound Biblical doctrine. It was closer to something an atheist might write in an attempt to disprove the Gospel.
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3b. Baptism – What is it for? (handwritten “Proves Its Necessity”)
(by The Christian Contender Magazine, no specific author)
The first thing I noticed on this handout was that they abbreviated every single verse they cited. This raises a red flag. Why are you editing God’s word? Who gave you the authority to do this?
In all of these edited verses, important information was eliminated. There was plenty of room on this page to print the entire verse, but the verses were edited – clearly with the intent of hiding inconvenient information that didn’t support their argument. Let’s un-eliminate what God said. We shall compare what they (mis)quoted and what the Bible really says.
Mark 16:16
Them: [16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved...
Bible: [16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
In Mark 16, they edited out the part that says the person who doesn’t believe shall be damned. Notice that it says nothing about anyone who doesn’t get baptized being damned. The contrast here is that belief means saved and believing not means damned. If you believe you should get baptized as well. Belief is the key. We are saved by grace through faith.
Ephesians 2:
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
How does this work? God supplies the grace and you supply the faith. This is the path to salvation. But not just any faith. You might have faith in Buddha, but that won’t get you saved. You need to have faith (believe) in the Gospel. And what exactly is the “Gospel”? It is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The thief on the cross witnessed Jesus dying, and could easily assume his burial to come. But he also saw (through the eyes of faith) Jesus being resurrected and coming into His kingdom. Jesus knew exactly what this meant and promised him that he would be with Him that day in Paradise.
Acts 2:38
Them: [38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins...
Bible: [38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
In Acts 2, they edited out the part about receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Anyone who receives the gift of the Holy Ghost (Comforter, Holy Spirit, Spirit of God) is saved. Period. The Holy Ghost is God. The Holy Ghost doesn’t make mistakes. The Holy Ghost knows exactly who is saved and who is not. When you get saved, you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, meaning that He takes up residence inside you, and your body becomes a temple for the Holy Ghost.
Acts 22:16
Them: [16] And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins...
Bible: [16] And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
In Acts 22, they edited out the part about calling upon the name of the Lord. This is the most important part. They falsely make it look like baptism alone washes your sins and saves you, when it definitely doesn’t. Calling upon the name of the Lord is what does it.
Romans 10:13
[13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
But “call upon the name of the Lord” to do what, exactly? To paint your house? No. To save you. You believe the Gospel (Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection) and you call upon the name of the Lord (Jesus Christ) to save you and let you share in His resurrection.
So if baptism in water doesn’t cleanse us from our sin, what does? The blood of Jesus does. Christ had to shed His precious blood for the remission of sins.
1 John 1:7
[7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Hebrews 9:22
[22] And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
This passage in Hebrews shows the comparison between the Old Testament sacrifices and Jesus making Himself a perfect final sacrifice, to fully satisfy the wrath of a holy God.
Isaiah 53:5
[5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53 was a chapter devoted to the “Man of Sorrows”, a clear prophecy of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. We are healed by His stripes. What does that mean? When the guards whipped Jesus, and the blood came out, we are healed. He took the punishment we deserved. He was bruised for our iniquities, not His own, because He was perfectly sinless. He was the innocent, perfect, sacrificial Lamb that willingly shed His blood for us. His beatings (chastisement) now equals peace between us and God. The Gospel brings us into peace with the Father, who at one time was our enemy because of sin.
1 Peter 3:21
Them: [21] The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience…)
Bible: [21] The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
In 1 Peter 3, they edited out two things. First is that your good conscience is toward God (and not just your own personal good conscience). Second, they left out the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our hope is in the resurrection. If Christ is not risen, then we are all doomed. But Christ has indeed risen, and is now sitting at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. This is our hope and faith. This is what Christ did and why our hope is in Him.
1 Timothy 1:1
[1] Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
I found all of these excerpts from the Bible to be intentionally misleading, to the point of being bad doctrine. The author(s) of this had to know that they were editing out the most important information about salvation.
Now look at what Paul said. Paul didn’t come to baptize.
1 Corinthians 1:17-21
[17] For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
[18] For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
[19] For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
[20] Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
[21] For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Paul put the major emphasis on preaching the Gospel, preaching the cross of Christ, because the “foolishness of preaching” is what saves people. They hear the preaching and believe in Jesus Christ. Getting baptized comes afterward, and can be done by a subordinate later. Paul’s intent here was most definitely to save the lost (verse 21). But he didn’t come to baptize (verse 17). Why not, if baptism were required for your salvation? Because it’s not required. Faith is required. Without faith it is impossible to please God. There is no similar verse saying that without being baptized it’s impossible to please God.
Hebrews 11:5-6
[5] By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
[6] But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
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4. How to Receive a Gift
(no author listed)
(link unavailable)
This handout basically says that you can’t pay for a gift or it’s no longer a gift. Salvation is a gift from God that we can never repay. This I totally agree with. But then it goes on to say that you must be baptized, emphasizing that baptism doesn’t actually repay God. No, but then neither does fasting, prayer, giving food to the poor, or any other “work” you can do. There’s nothing you can do to repay God even if you wanted to. He already owns this world and the next. What can you give Him that He doesn’t already own? You can’t even give Him yourself, because He already owns you. He can accept you into Heaven or cast you into Hell because He owns you. He owns everyone whether they accept Him or not. You may not be His child, but you are His property.
He doesn’t call baptism a “work”, but a manner in which we should accept the gift of salvation. But this suggests that you are already saved before baptism, doesn’t it? Otherwise, it’s a carrot dangling in front of you. Do this deed or you can’t be saved. This makes baptism sound a lot like a “work”. But what if I live in the middle of the dessert, where water is scarce and there’s no good place to be baptized? Am I unsavable?
Or let’s suppose that I’m on a space station (that’s a real thing). We just found out that it’s leaking air and we’re going to die before a resupply ship can reach us. We’re all going to die in space. This nearly happened with Apollo 13, so it’s not crazy fiction. Anyway, we will all die in space. That’s a certainty. The unsaved people, facing their own mortality, look to me as a Christian to properly meet their maker. Do I shrug my shoulders and tell them they can’t be saved because we don’t have enough water to perform a proper baptism? Or do I lead them to Christ, trusting in Him to save sinners to the uttermost?
Or here’s another scenario that actually happened to my pastor. There was an awful car wreck. There’s a man trapped upside-down in his car and he’s bleeding out. He won’t live to see the hospital. He has mere minutes to live and the ambulance is still a half hour away. Did my pastor say, “Come by the church on Sunday and get baptized,”? No, he led the man to Christ. With his last remaining breaths, the man accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
How about ministries where people preach to those in prison? Part of Christ’s mission was to set the captives free. This is a very serious mission. Paul spent the last year of his life preaching as a prisoner in Rome. It’s often easier to preach to prisoners because they know they are sinners and understand their need for a Savior. There’s no false wall of pride to overcome. Death Row prisoners especially are quite aware of their own mortality and the cost of sin. But there are no bathtubs in prison. There are no immersion tanks. Prisoners could drown each other with them, so they are not allowed. How can you baptize someone in prison? How can you baptize someone as he’s being strapped into the electric chair? Are these people outside of God’s reach?
No, not at all. Jesus can save sinners to the uttermost. I may not know how great a sinner you are, but I do know how great a Savior He is. Jesus saves.
