Sullivan church of Christ – Sullivan, MO
Date: May 25, 2008
BAPTISM – A DISCUSSION (Part 1)
[PREFACE: The following article is reproduced from the “Gospel Preceptor” website, which
can be found at www.gospelpreceptor.com]
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EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is an exchange on the subject of baptism that was
precipitated by a letter to this website. The letter we received is printed first, followed by
our reply.
Letter To The Website:
I do believe Mark 16:16. But I still contend baptism is not essential to be saved. In that verse
Jesus says that "he that believeth not shall be damned." If we have to be baptized why didn't
Jesus say "he that doesn't believe or doesn't get baptized?"
Jesus says over and over again if we believe in him and the Father we will be saved or have
everlasting life (Jn. 5:24; 6:47; 6:40; Lk. 8:12). His apostles say it also (Acts 16:30; Heb. 10:39).
In Acts 16 the Paul and Silas told the jail keeper to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course
they then instructed him to be baptized and would have gone on to disciple him.
Baptism is very important but it is not essential to salvation. If it is essential what becomes the
focus? A physical act I must perform and not Christ's shedding of blood, death, and resurrection.
Those are the essentials to salvation. It was what God did for us not if we get immersed in water.
Baptism is an outward sign of what happens spiritually. It is also a command of God so all those
who believe in Jesus should then be baptized. If it was immensely important to be completely
immersed I believe God would have made that as clear as the way to salvation is.
It is my opinion that sometimes people hold on to baptism, or baptism of the Holy Spirit, or a
certain translation of the Bible, or the gift of tongues, or conservative dress, etc. to be able to say
"I am more holy than you." In that, Christians loose the focus of our faith and squabble and argue
over the details while we lose sight of Jesus' death and resurrection.
A Biblical Reply:
Thanks for your reply. This is an informative exchange and I appreciate it very much.
You wrote, "I do believe Mark 16:16. But I still contend baptism is not essential to be
saved. In that verse Jesus says that 'he that believeth not shall be damned.' If we have to
be baptized why didn't Jesus say 'he that doesn't believe or doesn't get baptized?'"
My reply: The word "and" between "believeth" and "is baptized" is a coordinating
conjunction which, like a coupling pin between railroad cars, moves both in the same
direction. Jesus couples belief with baptism. There was no need for Him to say, "He that is
not baptized shall be saved." One who does not believe will certainly not be baptized. A
parallel statement is, "He that eateth and digesteth his food shall live, but he that eateth
not shall die." One who does not eat will not digest any food. One who does not believe
won't bother to be baptized. Jesus coupled belief and baptism in Mark 16:16, and what he
has joined together, we dare not put asunder.
You wrote, "Jesus says over and over again if we believe in him and the Father we will be
saved or have everlasting life (Jn. 5:24; 6:47; 6:40; Lk. 8:12)."
My reply: You are correct in citing what Jesus says, but proper hermeneutics (Biblical
interpretation) requires that we take all of what the Bible says on a given subject. If belief
alone (mental assent to Jesus' Deity as the Son of God) will save, then the devils are
saved, for James says they also "believe and tremble." (Jas. 2:19). If mere belief that Jesus
is who He claimed to be brings salvation, then the chief rulers were saved, although they
refused to confess Him (John 12:42).
We do not discount faith in any way, but the Bible teaches that salvation by faith includes
baptism for the remission of sins. (Acts 2:38). When Paul wrote his epistle to the churches
in the region of Galatia, he made the following statement: "For ye are all the children of
God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26). Remember that he is writing to Christians and
states that they had become children of God "by faith in Christ Jesus." Now, notice the
very next verse in which he reminds them of how they became the children of God by faith
in Christ: "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal.
3:27). One is not a child of God by faith until he is "in Christ" and one is not "in Christ"
until he has been baptized. It is a loving, active, obedient faith that leads one to submit to
Christ in baptism. No one can be saved without either faith or baptism, but either one
without the other does not save.
[WILL CONTINUE NEXT]
LORD’S SUPPER PRAYERS
Ben Justice
When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, he offered a prayer for both the bread and the
cup. Matthew’s account states, “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed [it],
and brake [it], and gave [it] to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the
cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it” (Matt. 26:26-27).
With all prayers that we utter they must be scriptural. We must be taught how to pray
(Luke 11:1-4). Lord’s Supper prayers are no exception. Sometimes, when brethren offer
prayers at the Lord’s Table they are not according to scripture. Granted, this is not done
deliberately but nonetheless unscriptural. Note the following points:
1.) When praying at the Lord’s Table, sometimes brethren pray something to this effect:
“Father, we gather around your table.” However, it is not the Father’s Table. It is the Lord’
s Table. It was Jesus — the Son — who died on the cross — not the Father.
2.) Matthew recorded that Jesus “blessed it” (Matt. 26:26). The “it” is italicized, which
means it was added by the translators. Commentators are divided as to what Jesus
blessed? Did Jesus bless the bread, or did he bless God? The Bible is its own best
commentary. The word “blessed” means “to give thanks.” In v. 27, in connection with the
cup, the text plainly says that Jesus “gave thanks.” Luke’s account makes it even clearer
— “And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, . . .” (Luke 22:19).
“Blessed” is obviously synonymous with “gave thanks.” Jesus was not blessing the bread;
rather, he gave thanks to God for the bread that was about to be eaten. When the men
offer prayers at the Lord’s Table, sometimes they pray something like, “Father, bless this
bread.” This terminology actually smacks at Roman Catholic teaching, wherein the priest
will actually bless the bread, and it turns into the literally body of Jesus. Jesus blessed
God, that is, he gave thanks to God. Scripturally speaking, when we offer prayers they
should not be asking God to bless the bread, but rather we should give thanks to God for
the bread. When someone asks to offer a blessing for the bread, this is synonymous with
asking to give thanks for it. When someone asks God to “bless” the bread, this is
unscriptural.