Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 9/22/2006

Question
I am currious if you could answer some questions for me.  All the bible characters I read about had faith and obeyed Gods commands.

They scriptures says that Abraham was found righteous because he believed God and showed God that he believed because of his actions.  He almost sacrificed his own son until the angel stopped him.

Did not Noah believe in God so he built the ark as commanded by God.  

1. How come all of the conversions in the book of Acts where baptized?  

2. Why does 1Peter 3:21 say word for word that baptism saves us?

3. Why did the people in the book of Romans call themselves the Church of Christ?

Can you please scripturally answer these qustions?  Thanks so much,  Josh


Answer
Hi Josh,

Thanks for these questions.  First of all, faith is the only thing that will access God's Grace.

Romans 5:1-2


Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

But that faith produces evidence and that evidence is seen in obedience.  So then faith saved the folks in Acts, and as a profession of that faith, they were baptized.

Now let us consider what 1 Peter 3 21 really says:

1 Peter 3:21
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:
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Baptism is a figure!  It is a picture of what happens during salvation.

Romans 6:3-4
3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

The Apostle Paul made a clear distinction between the Gospel and baptism.

1 Corinthians 1:17
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.  
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Jesus only started one church.

Matthew 16:18
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Anyone that is a member of one of the churches founded upon the principles of the Bible is a member of Christ's Church... but that is not a denomination.  If you wanted to go that route, one could say that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, and therefore the church He started was a Baptist church.  Or are we to believe that denominations were in play when God addressed the Corinthians?

1 Corinthians 1:1-2

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

So the Roman church was Church of Christ and the Corinthian Church was Church of God, and the Church of Antioch was the Christian church???

Acts 11:26
26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.  

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.


No.... denominations came later.  

I hope that this helps you some.  

In Christ
Pastor Don