defense of the gospel”. Throughout his epistles, and in Acts 15 as well, we read
about a heresy that was then attempting to compromise the gospel with regard to
the salvation of souls. Jewish Christians, in those days, were endeavoring to bind
upon their Gentile brethren the Old Testament rite of circumcision for salvation.
But the gospel of Christ makes no such affirmation. Circumcision in the flesh is
not a part of the duties enjoined in the New Testament. To make circumcision a
necessary condition of salvation is to add unto or to alter the unalterable gospel.
Paul, with firm convictions, therefore, regarding the immutability or the
changelessness of the gospel of Christ, adamantly stood against the false teachers
of his day and gave place by subjection to them not even for an hour, that the
truth of the gospel might continue (Galatians 2:1- 5). Correspondingly, we have
today, as we have for centuries, a multitude of individuals who attempt to alter
the unalterable gospel of Christ with reference to the salvation of souls.
Claims are being heralded from the vanguard of denominationalism that
baptism plays no part in one’s salvation. They maintain that baptism does not
save us and that it is not necessary to do for the remission of sins. I’ve had a
number of Baptist preachers argue that water does not save (the power is not in
the water) – the blood of Christ does. And while the premises are valid, the
conclusion that baptism is therefore not necessary for salvation simply does not
follow. It’s a misconception and a misrepresentation of what baptism really is.
Indeed, it is the blood of Christ which saves (that’s where the power is).
Nonetheless, whereas water does not save us, baptism, or immersion in that
water, does based upon the atoning power of the blood of Christ. Why? Because
that’s what God said.
For some reason, those who deny the essentiality of baptism for salvation, have
no difficulty in comprehending the necessity of partaking the Lord’s Supper,
which is governed by virtually the very same principles. Granted, not everyone
agrees in regard to how often one should participate in the event. But I know of
no one who would deny its importance.
Suppose someone were to say, there’s no power in unleavened bread or in the
fruit of the vine – the power’s in the broken body and shed of blood of Christ
upon the cross of Calvary. Would you deduce from these statements, both of
which are true, that therefore it is not necessary to partake of the Lord’s Supper?
Such would be absurd. The fact of the matter is, although the power lies with the
death of Christ, the elements which are utilized to commemorate that death are
nevertheless necessary for disciples to take part in, for God so said. Friends, the
parallel is evidently clear, that if baptism is not necessary because there’s no
power in the elements involved therein – no power in the water - the it would
stand to reason, by the very same analysis, that the Lord’s Supper is not necessary
– for there’s no power in the elements of that grand feast! No, such reasoning is
the fallacious reasoning of mere man.
When our Lord said in Matthew 28:20 to His apostles, that they ought to teach
men to observe all the things He had commanded, that included the Lord’s
Supper (cf. Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:15). Equally so, when our Lord
said in Matthew 28:20 to His apostles, that they ought to teach men to observe all
the things He had commanded, that included Baptism. Mark 16:16 “He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved”. John 3:5 “Except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”. And in
Matthew 28:19, Jesus views baptism as the culminating act by which one is made
His disciple. Perhaps that is why Peter, the Lord’s apostle, commanded
repentance and baptism to the Jews on Pentecost in Acts 2. In verse 38, “Repent
and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins”. Perhaps that is why he also commanded Cornelius to baptized in the name
of the Lord (Acts 10:48). And perhaps that is why he made that statement found
in the first epistle that bears his name, “baptism doth also now save us” (I Pet. 3:
21). The Lord required His apostles to teach all His commandments, and yet the
Lord had commanded baptism for salvation, and therefore Peter, along with the
rest of the apostles, taught the gospel truth that baptism is necessary for
salvation. After all, friends, doesn’t our Lord have the right to make His own
stipulations for us? Why would we ever want to take away His authority by
minimizing the necessity of baptism, which He said was necessary?
Baptism, like the Lord’s Supper, is a marvelous symbolic act. It resembles the
burial and the resurrection of Christ. The penitent believer is crucified, slain by
the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17), forsaking the flesh
with the affections and lust thereof (Gal. 5:24). Upon his confession of faith
(Rom. 10:9), the believer is laid down in water and subsequently rises up from
the watery grave, “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” (Rom. 6:4). The
power is in the blood. But the blood is in obedience to His gospel – and one
cannot appropriate that blood without being buried with him by baptism.
Those who deny the necessity of baptism for the remission of sins do not
realize that they have abandoned pristine Christianity, and are now etching out
and walking down their own respective paths and are founding their own religion.
Like the Jewish Christians who perverted the gospel in the first century with
reference to the salvation of souls, many today have abandoned the simple, old,
Jerusalem gospel, which is able to save their souls (James 1:21). And you may
believe what you want to believe with regard to baptism, but friends the Bible is
abundantly clear concerning the matter. As for me, I’ll continue to be like Paul –
“set for the defense of the gospel” – and will not give place by subjection to false
teachers, not even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue. That’s
what God said concerning the matter. So, where do you stand?
