Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Believe And Be Baptized Then You'll Be Saved????



Did you know that one of the main reasons, why there are so many denominations and fractures, within the church, is that people misread the Bible?

I know that's hard to believe. But seriously, there are countless issues that has caused division, within the church. Most of them arise out of misreading the scriptures. One of these is the self imposed requirement to be baptized, in order to be saved. This church fallacy comes from misinterpreting Mark 16:15-16

"Later, Yeshua appeared to the Eleven as they were eating, and he reproached them for their lack of trust and their spiritual insensitivity in not having believed those who had seen him after he had risen. Then he said to them, “As you go throughout the world, proclaim the Good News to all creation.  Whoever trusts in it, then immersed are saved. Whoever does not trust will be condemned."

and John 3:5.

"Yeshua answered, “Truly and Faithfully I affirm unto you, unless one is born out of water and Spirit, one will not enter the Kingdom of God."

First of all, let's look at Mark 16:15-16 again. Please notice that Y'shua was talking about their lack of trust. Also, Mark 16:15-16 ends in two separate statements. One states that those, who put their trust, in the previously mentioned Good News, and then immersed are saved. Notice, it doesn't say, 'will be saved'. That's a very important distinction.

All of Y'shua's teachings contain the 'If/Then structure. If you do this, then either this will happen or your will do this. When you trust, you follow. When you trust, you obey. When you trust, your first act of obedience is baptism. It drives the point home, in the last statement. 'Those, who do not trust, will be condemned.' Notice, it doesn't say anything about those, who do not get immersed. Immersion or Baptism is not required, but a result. Baptism is an act of obedience following putting your trust in the Lord.

Now, let's look at John 3:5, again. Y'shua could either be talking about Baptism or a well know Jewish idiom, 'The Daily Washing', at the Laver. Since Nicodemus appears to not understand, 'Born Again', Y'shua begins to approach it from a Torah, Old Testament angle. This is evident, when Yshua breaks into the example of the serpent, being lifted up in the desert.

So, what was Y'shua talking about? The Jewish idiom, 'Washing in the Laver', is describing our daily washing within the scriptures. He is saying that you won't understand being 'Born Again', unless you are born out of the scriptures, not literally water. You could say, 'Unless you are Baptized in the Word of God and his Spirit.', not Baptism in Water.

Don't take my word for it. Let's ask our Lord, Y'shua.

Remember, when Y'shua said to the woman, who wanted to be saved, in Matthew 9:22, "Your faith has saved you. And the woman was made whole from that hour." Amazing, no baptism.

Don't forget the theif, on the cross, when after giving his trust in Y'shua. Y'shua told him, 'Today, you will be with me in Paradise.' Again, no baptism.

Now let's stop right and pause a moment. There are some that will say that the women and the thief were under the old covenant. Ok, that's fine, but wasn't Nicodemus under the old covenant in John 3:5? If Y'shua was telling Nicodemus to be baptized, in order to be saved, wouldn't he have told the women and the theif to be baptized, since all three were "under the old covenant"? You can't have it both ways.

Finally, let's not forget, Ephesians 2:8-9.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Why do people want to add to what the Messiah did on the cross? He did it all. He doesn't need our help. However, he does want to act like you trust in him.

...and that's what you'll find, When You Search For The Truth.



9 comments:

  1. Hi Keith,
    I believe absolutely we should be baptized in water. There are so many examples in the new testament of people actually being commanded to be baptized in water - even when some of them had already been baptized in the Holy spirit. Even Jesus was baptized in water.
    It is not an argument though Keith, it is just my opinion. We all have to be fully convinced in our minds before we can do what we believe we are being called to do.

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  2. Hi Brenda, I think you hit it right on the money, Baptism is a commandment, not a requirement. After putting our trust in the Good News of Y'shua, we are commanded to be Baptized, not to be saved, but because we are saved and want to be obedient.

    Again, I think you put it perfectly, when you say,

    "We all have to be fully convinced (MAY I SAY TRUST)in our minds before we can do what we believe we are being called (COMMANDED)to do."

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  3. I agree Keith,
    I considered it my first act of obedience after my choosing to repent of my old sinful nature. Following that, I was instructed to not just be a hearer of that Word spoken to me as I learned God's ways through the mind of Christ, but to be a doer of that Word. I have made some errors on my journey, but we have a loving, merciful God Who understands that we are flesh.
    Trials have actually strengthened me as I realize that obedience to God profits much, and being side-tracked by the enemy profits nothing.

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  4. Think about it. If our salvation is a free gift, then why would God turn around and require something else? It doesn't make sense. It is kind of a moot point, though. If you are a Christian, you have been baptized. If you are not, you haven't.

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  5. Hi Sheryl,
    We don't have to pay any price for salvation, Jesus did that, but we do have to be obedient to the Word once we believe. It is an on going process as Philippians ch. 2 vs. 12 and 13 state:-
    'Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good pleasure.…'

    God's ways are not our ways, and we are required to act on the Word spoken to us, and not just be hearers.

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  6. Hi Brenda,
    We are in total agreement. Not only does it make sense, it's the only way to look at it, biblically. By the way, I checked your blog out. Just Beautiful.

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  7. Hi Cheryl,
    it is nice to meet you. I always like having discussions on Keith's blog, I feel it is a place where discussion takes place - not argument. Thank you for your kind comment regarding my blog. It is the Lord Who is beautiful eh?

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  8. Although I teach that those who are believers in Christ should consider water baptism, I am not seeing the difference between a command and a requirement. If Jesus commanded it, then doesn't that make it a requirement?

    However, if we say baptism is required then that would mean we gain salvation through our works which negates Jesus as a sacrifice.

    I think baptism is more of a fruit of the spirit kind of thing. If you want to be like Jesus then baptism is a step for you to take, in other words your conscience will "cause" you to do it.

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  9. Tim, sorry, for not responding sooner. It's been a hectic week.

    I think you can see the difference by answering this next two questions.

    1. Do you lie, occasionally?
    2. Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins, rose from the grave after three days in ascended into heaven, according to Scripture ?

    One is a commandment that can be disobeyed and does not affect your salvation, while the other is a requirement that directly affects your salvation.

    Placing your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only requirement of salvation.

    Stepping out on that faith consists of you following his commandments, thereby shows your commitment and level of relationship.

    Baptism shows your level of commitment in that faith. Are you willing to step out on that faith or are you just saying the words?

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