Expert: Marvin Howard - 8/29/2007

Question
Since my sins were paid for, by JESUS CHRIST on the cross, that day, why imply that we (true believers, recievers) must do something else other than recieve this gift of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone. Remember GOD'S wrath was poured out on JESUS, and satisfied that day , we know, because JESUS said "it is finished". Paid in full!!!!!!! You guys use water" baptism for the remission of sins" seem like it takes two payments for the remission of sins . Once from the cross, then another at baptism, which one is it? Will you deny the Cross of CHRIST for your baptismal regeneration doctrine?

Answer
Hi!

Anthony, I deeply appreciate the opportunity you have given me to answer your questions. I am honored to have been chosen by you. From reading your questions, it seems clear to me that you have some inaccurate understanding of what is taught by the church regarding water baptism. You have some misconceptions toward the churches of Christ as well. Please know that it does not matter what any group or individual says regarding any Christian topic. What matters is what the Bible actually teaches. There should not be this animosity between one group and another, but a sincere desire to unite on God’s Word.

The first thing I want to address is that you are correct that Jesus paid for our sins on the cross. This is beyond doubt and I know of no one in the churches of Christ who believes or teaches otherwise. We are definitely saved by grace through faith as is clearly stated by Paul in Ephesians 2:8. Jesus Christ was our perfect sacrifice and He died in our place. He bore the sins of the world on the cross (1st Peter 2:24). The thing to remember is that although Jesus died on the cross and bore the sins of all who ever lived and will ever live, only a very few will be saved (Matthew 7:14-15). Why is that? How do we receive this “free gift” from God?

The answer to that question is what separates many who claim to be Christian. One problem is that there is confusion as to what earns salvation. Obviously the only way anyone could ever earn their salvation is by living a perfect and sinless life from beginning to end. We all know that is not possible. If it were, there would have been no need for Jesus to come in the flesh and die on the cross. No one I know of among the churches of Christ believes, teaches, or implies that we must do something other than receive this gift of grace through faith. Your idea of what saving faith entails and what the Bible teaches are different and therein lies your error.

The verse that everyone uses to define faith is Hebrews 11:1.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Now I ask you, how can faith be “evidence of things not seen” if there is no action involved in faith? Faith involves trust and there is no faith until one acts on what they believe. James teaches that faith is perfected in works (James 2:14-26). Yet, these works are not self-righteous if they were commanded by God. This is the difference between Ephesians and James; our works as opposed to God’s works. Our trust is in God and not ourselves. We do not believe that water baptism earns our salvation. We teach just what Peter taught regarding water baptism in 1st Peter 3:21.

Water baptism is our appeal to God for a clean conscience. Most versions use the word “answer,” but when you look at the Greek “appeal” is more accurate. Although water baptism is the point in which we receive the gift of salvation from God. In water baptism, we do not baptize ourselves, we submit ourselves completely to someone else to water baptize us. Nothing else parallels so perfectly with what Jesus did in His sacrifice. He submitted His will to God’s and the people who wanted Him crucified. We submit our will to God’s in allowing someone else to water baptize us. In that moment, we are declaring that from that point on, we submit our will to God for life. Does this mean we can live a perfect and sinless life? No. Yet, John tells us that as long as we continue to walk in the light as He is in the light, Christ’s blood will continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1st John 1:7)

Peter taught that water baptism was part of what was needed to have sins remitted (halted or arrested) in Acts 2:38. Ananias told Saul (Paul) to arise and be baptized and wash away his sins in Acts 22:16. In every conversion recorded in the New Testament, water baptism is there. Water baptism is not a payment. It is how we receive the free gift. The power is not in the water, but in Christ’s blood. The doctrine of water baptism for remission of sins is not ours, it is God’s. Moreover Jesus’ final instructions to the apostles made this abundantly clear.

Matthew 28:19-20

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Mark 16:15-16

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

This reception of salvation is no different from the following analogy. Suppose you were starving. You have no means of satisfying your hunger, as you cannot pay the price yourself. Someone goes to the grocery store in your place. They pay the price for everything you need in advance. Your benefactor then tells you that you must go to the store before you can obtain this free gift. However, according to your doctrine, you do not have to do as you are told. Instead, you insist that you are already in possession of the groceries, before you go to the store, simply because you believe your benefactor already paid for them, and you should have to do nothing as the gift is free. You can believe your benefactor paid the price. This is not faith. You will die without accepting this gift; believing you are already in possession of your needs. You do not have faith in your benefactor until you obey him; going to the store. Going to the store in no way makes the gift not free. Going to the store is not a second payment for those groceries. Even though you go to the store, you still do not have the price that must be paid for that food, and you still did not earn it in any way, shape, or form.

Likewise, baptism is part of faith, as outlined and defined in Scripture: not something separate or in addition to faith. Without baptism, you have no faith, and thus without baptism, you are not saved. This is exactly the case with the conversion of Saul/Paul. It is clear that he believed on the road to Damascus. Your doctrine declares that was the point of his salvation. Nevertheless, after three days of prayer and fasting, he still had sins that needed to be washed away. It is from this account that you can plainly see, if you are willing to accept the truth, that praying through and/or the sinner’s prayer are not how to obtain salvation, for they did not work for Paul. You can find no place where they worked for anyone. More importantly, you can find no place where either was commanded. Therefore, regardless of what anyone says, if you think you are saved before or without baptism, you are not saved regardless of anything you may or may not do after that point.

Even Romans 6:1-6 declares this truth. We do not get newness of life (we are not born again) until we are emerging from the waters of baptism. That is the grave where we leave our sins.

Anthony, I do hope that I have helped you to understand God’s Word more accurately and that your questions have been answered to your satisfaction, but I am more concerned with God’s approval than any man’s. If you have further questions or need further clarification, I am more than happy to respond. Thank you again and may God bless you in your sincere desire to understand His Word.

In His Service,
Marvin Howard
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