What about Christ's Commandment to be Baptized?
This article is basically an examination of the scriptures in answer to questions and thoughts about baptism and salvation. I hope the color coding is helpful to call attention to the relationship of words in scripture. The subjects of baptism and salvation are controversial to say the least, but hopefully, if we look at scriptures bearing upon these things, we will come away with a better understanding.
What did Jesus say about being saved in the Great Commission?
(Mark 16:15-16 NKJV) And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. {16} "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."
[Jesus didn't say, "He who believes and is saved shall be baptized,"? That is the wrong order compared to what Jesus really said, isn't it? But that is the order some are teaching, isn't it? - Because they say people are saved before baptism (or even without baptism) and they teach "saved by faith alone"]
But what do the scriptures say about "faith alone" or faith by itself?
(James 2:17 NASB) "Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself."
(James 2:24 NASB) "You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone."
(James 2:26 NASB) "For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead."
In other words, dead things have no power. Faith alone is dead and has no power to save by itself. The faith that saves will obey what the Lord has said to do.
Remember what Jesus said about keeping His commandments:
(John 14:15 NKJV) "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
But just because we obey the commands of the Lord does not mean we merit or earn our salvation. No! There is no way we can do that. Hear what the Lord says about obeying His commands:
(Luke 17:10 NASB) "So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'"
So what about "For by grace you have been saved through faith"? Let's see what Paul wrote:
(Eph 2:1-9 NASB) And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, {2} in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. {3} Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. {4} But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, {5} even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), {6} and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, {7} in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. {8} For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; {9} not as a result of works, that no one should boast."
There is no question that by God's grace we have been so graciously given the gift of God's love in the redeeming sacrifice of His precious Son, as so wonderfully stated in John 3:16, but we understand that one verse does not explain the whole of a complex issue that involves not only God's grace, but also our response to that grace. Let's see what we may discover as we examine verses that help explain what God expects of us. And please understand that in no way is there anything we can do to earn our salvation. Salvation is a gift from God, but that does not mean that God cannot ask for a positive response from us in following through with what He asks of us.
In regard to our salvation, works cannot earn our being saved. No way! Faith does not earn our salvation either! But the faith through which we are saved is faith that obeys, because faith by itself alone (like James 2 explains) is dead, and it does not save nor justify. God's mercy and grace provided for our salvation in the gift of His Son, Jesus, and nothing we have done, or can do, can earn our salvation – not works, not faith. There is nothing we can do to earn salvation – it is the free gift of God for those who are in Christ Jesus like Paul wrote in Romans 6:23:
(Rom 6:23 NASB) "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
What did Matthew record about what Jesus said as He gave the Great Commission?
(Mat 28:19-20 NKJV) "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, {20} "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen."
A disciple is simply someone who is willing to listen and learn and follow what they are taught.
What did Peter tell the people on the day of Pentecost when they wanted to know what they should do - after they heard Peter's sermon and as they were convicted of their sin?
(Acts 2:37-41 NKJV) Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" {38} Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. {39} "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." {40} And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." {41} Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
If someone gladly receives the message of the word then wouldn't it be logical that they follow through with what the word tells them to do if they have faith?
To what does Paul compare baptism in Romans 6?
(Find death, burial, and resurrection in the color code below.)
(Rom 6 NKJV) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? {2} Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? {3} Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? {4} Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. {5} For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, {6} knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. {7} For he who has died has been freed from sin. {8} Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, {9} knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. {10} For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. {11} Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. {12} Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. {13} And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God
Notice below (in this next verse from Romans 6) the phrase "that form of doctrine:"
"But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered." -- Romans 6:17
What is "that form of doctrine" referred to above in Romans 6:17? It is the doctrine of the gospel, about the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Christ, as shown below in 1 Cor. 15:1-8.
(1 Cor 15:1-8 NKJV) Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, {2} by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you; unless you believed in vain. {3} For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, {4} and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,"
We have to be in Christ in order to be set free from the penalty of sin. If we remain "in Adam" - we will die. To be "made alive" we must be in Christ.
(1 Cor 15:22 NKJV) "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive."
So, HOW do we get "into" Christ? or HOW do we "put on" Christ?
(Gal 3:26-27 NKJV) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. {27} For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
(Col 2:11-12 NKJV) "In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, {12} buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."
What comparison did Peter make with baptism in 1 Peter 3:20-21?
(1 Pet 3:20-21 NKJV) "who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. {21} There is also an antitype which now saves us; baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,"
Above, in verse 21, the phrase -"not the removal of the filth of the flesh" is saying that the water of baptism is not concerned with removing dirt from our body, but rather baptism has to do with "the answer of a good conscience toward God" - which suggests that when we obey the Lord's command to be baptized that gives us a clear conscience, as opposed to the answer of a bad conscience if we refuse to obey His command.
How many baptisms did Paul say there are now?
(Eph 4:4-6 NKJV) "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; {5} one Lord, one faith, one baptism; {6} one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
There have been other baptisms up until the time those baptisms were no longer valid (John's baptism) or no longer available (the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which happened twice: (1) First on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit fell upon the apostles in Acts 2, and (2) Then (about ten or so years later) upon Cornelius and his household as God demonstrated by pouring out of His Spirit upon them that He would now accept Gentiles into His kingdom. Let's first look at what happened on the day of Pentecost, starting with Acts 1:26 to show the context of who "they" were:
(1) (Acts 1:26- Acts 2:1-4 (Acts 1:26 NKJV) "And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 2:1-4) When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they [the 12 apostles- now including Matthias] were all with one accord in one place. {2} And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. {3} Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. {4} And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
Then we see clearly that it was the apostles who were speaking because the apostles were all from Galilee - See verse 7 below:
(Acts 2:5-11 NASB) "Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men, from every nation under heaven. {6} And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because they were each one hearing them speak in his own language. {7} And they were amazed and marveled, saying, "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? {8} "And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? {9} "Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, {10} Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, {11} Cretans and Arabs-- we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God."
The second instance of the falling (or baptism) of the Holy Spirit is also given as a sign of a new thing happening (as the beginning of the church on Pentecost was a new thing that God gave a miraculous sign to verify that this thing was indeed from Him. This second time that the Holy Spirit falls on a select group (like it did upon the select group of the apostles) is recorded in Acts 10 after Peter had been told by the Holy Spirit to go with the Gentile men who had come to take him to the home of Cornelius, a Gentile. This is the first occurrence of "non proselyte" Gentiles having the gospel preached to them - the Jews were still under the impression that they alone were God's special people. As Peter, accompanied by some Jewish believers, met with Cornelius and his relatives and friends (who were all Gentiles) we see that God sent a sign to attest to and confirm that it is His will that Gentiles also have access to the kingdom of God - without having to become proselyte Jews. See what it says:
(Acts 10:24 NASB) And on the following day he [Peter] entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. . . . (Acts 10:44-47) While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. {45} And all the circumcised believers [Jews] who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. {46} For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, {47} "Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?" -- (Acts 10:24, 44-47)
Peter has to defend his actions of going into the home of Gentiles and preaching to them as some of the Jewish believers took issue with him:
(Acts 11:2-3 NASB) And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him, {3} saying, "You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them."
Peter explains how he was directed by the Spirit to do this and how the Spirit fell upon those Gentiles as confirmation that this was God's doing.
(Acts 11:11-18) "And behold, at that moment three men appeared before the house in which we were staying, having been sent to me from Caesarea. {12} "And the Spirit told me to go with them without misgivings. And these six brethren also went with me, and we entered the man's house. {13} "And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, 'Send to Joppa, and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; {14} and he shall speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.' {15} "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He did upon us [the apostles] at the beginning. {16} "And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' {17} "If God therefore gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also, after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ who was I that I could stand in God's way?" {18} And when they heard this, they quieted down, and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life."
Who were they to stand against the testimony of the sign of the Holy Spirit as He poured forth on the Gentiles the same sign that He poured forth on the apostles at the beginning on Pentecost? We can understand that this pouring forth (or baptism) of the Holy Spirit was not a common occurrence, (not something that happened regularly) from the way Peter tells about it, and what he said he "remembered" about what the Lord had said about being "baptized with the Holy Spirit":
"And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you [the apostles, to whom He was speaking at the time] shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' --
The thing Peter remembered was the thing that happened "at the beginning" on that first Pentecost when the church began – the sign of the power of the Holy Spirit being poured forth and giving the apostles the power to speak to all those people in their own native languages – to confirm that this happening was from God. In the same way God confirmed that He was also accepting Gentiles for salvation.
(Acts 15:7-8 NASB) "And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. {8} "And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;"
Notice, just above, the words in yellow highlight near the end of verse {8} "did to us" is past tense. Peter did not say – "as He also "does to us" – which would have signified an ongoing happening of the pouring forth of the Spirit in this miraculous gift of languages. But rather he remembered a past happening - "at the beginning."
Now, changing the focus a little, what does James tell us about someone who knows to do good but refuses to do it? (It is good to obey the commands of the Lord, isn't it?)
(James 4:17 NKJV) "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin."
Also what does John say about those who claim to know God but do not keep His commandments?
(1 John 2:3-5 NKJV) "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. {4} He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. {5} But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him."
What did Jesus say to those who claimed to know and acknowledge Jesus as "Lord"? Why were they told by the Lord that they "practiced lawlessness"?
(Mat 7:22-23 NKJV) "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' {23} "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
What is "lawlessness" according to the scripture?
(1 John 3:4 NASB) "Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness."
The key word is "practices" – which means these people have no intention of changing and leaving off their practices of sin. John says that everyone who practices sin practices lawlessness. This does not mean we are perfectly living without any sin, because John also says to the Christians (1 John 2:1) to whom he wrote this letter:
(1 John 1:8-10 NKJV) "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. {9} If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. {10} If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."
The above verse 9 is sometimes erroneously used to tell people what to do to become Christians, but, no, this was not written to tell non-Christians what to do to be saved, but rather it was written to people who were already Christians (1 John 2:1) to tell them how they continually have access to God so that they may confess their sins, and to let them know that if they confess their sins " He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Another misused verse, that some people use to tell people what to do to be saved, is found in another letter addressed to a church, where the Lord Jesus is speaking to Christians who have gone astray and become lukewarm, thereby shutting Him out of their lives.
(Rev 3:14-16) "And to the messenger of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:" {15} "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. {16} "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. . . . (Rev 3:19-21) "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. {20} "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. {21} "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."
The above letter was written to Christians who had "fallen away" from faithfulness to the Lord, and what is written should not be used as instruction to people who have never committed their lives to the Lord in obedience to what He commanded sinners to do in order to be saved: Hear and believe the gospel, repent of your sins, confess faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, and rise to walk in newness of life.
(Rom 6:4 NKJV) Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
(2 Cor 5:17 NKJV) "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
What did Jesus say about those who hear His teachings (sayings) but do not do what he teaches?
{26} "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: {27} "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."
Concerning the Christian faith, what did Jude say to let us know that God would not change the message of the gospel over the centuries?
(Jude 1:3 NKJV) "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints."
How does God look upon men changing what He has laid down in His word? Are there examples in scripture that would show us about this?
(Rev 22:18-19 NKJV) For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; {19} and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
(Prov 30:6 NKJV) "Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar."
(Deu 4:2 NKJV) "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you."
How serious were Paul's warnings about what would happen among the disciples when he told them to watch and remember his warnings about men who would rise up and speak perverse things, as in Acts, Galatians, and 2 Corinthians?
(Acts 20:30-31) "Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse [distorted, i.e. (fig.) misinterpreted, or (mor.) corrupted:--perverse- from Strong's Greek Dictionary] things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. {31} "Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears."
(Gal 1:8-9 NKJV) "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. {9} As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed."
(2 Cor 11:13-15 NASB) For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. {14} And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. {15} Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds.
Peter also added his warning, through the Spirit's guidance, about those who would twist the scriptures to their own destruction.
(2 Pet 3:15-17 NKJV) "and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, {16} as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. {17} You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;"
The last word above - "wicked"- is from the Greek word "athesmos" which literally means "lawless"
Remember what the Lord told those who practice lawlessness in Matthew 7:23?
(Mat 7:23 NKJV) "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
This "lawlessness" is from the Greek word "anomia" which means literally "no law" or "without law."
The law under which Christians live (the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, or the law of liberty) is different from the law of Moses which was the law of sin and death.
(Rom 8:2 NKJV) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
(James 1:25 NKJV) "But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."
(James 2:12-14 NKJV) So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. {13} For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. {14} What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can faith save him?
The last two questions above in James 2:14 are worth consideration if you have been taught that you are saved by faith alone.
If you are interested in further study, see Harley's video, entitled "The Response."
Scripture quotations marked "NKJV™" are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.