To the apostles Christ said: “He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me” (Matthew 10:40). Luke 10:16 puts it this way: “He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you dispiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.” God the Father sent Christ and, the Father and Christ sent the Holy Spirit, who gave the word to the apostles.
Since the apostles were Christ’s personal representatives on earth, and through them God’s word was delivered and bound, to hear the apostles is to hear and accept the Godhead three. To reject the gospel delivered by the apostles is to reject the Godhead (John 16:13-15; 2 Cor. 5:18-20).
God did not give any foolish or unnecessary commands. It is our duty to declare all that God has said on any subject, and respect it (Acts 20:20,27). There are some commands that the denominational world completely ignore, even fight against. This is tragic. One of the most opposed is baptism. It is thought unnecessary by most and even foolish by some. The subject of this article is: WHO SHOULD BE BAPTIZED?
Those who have been taught. It was commanded by Christ in the Great Commission to “Go therefore and teach all nations.” Teaching is necessary to impart knowledge and for learning (Matt. 28:19). Those who are ignorant of God’s word cannot be scripturally baptized. This includes those who harden their hearts and refuse to hear or understand (Matt. 13:14-15,23).
In John 6:44-45, Jesus said that those who are taught, who have heard and learned can come to Him. Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17). Then when one learns, he must obey from the heart (that is, intelligently) the gospel, which includes baptism (Rom . 6:3-6; 17-18).
Those who believe in Christ. Acts 15:7 shows that faith comes by hearing the gospel, or reading it in the New Testament. Belief in Christ is necessary to Scriptural baptism. Baptism without faith is valueless. Unbelievers stand condemned, and are not fit subjects. Infants are not subject either, for they cannot believe, have no sins to be forgiven, but are pure and safe. They do not need saving, for infants were never lost. Only responsible individuals who believe and repent of sin are fit subjects. In Mark’s account of the Great Commission, Jesus said: “He that believeth and is baptized shaII be saved” (Mark 16:16). But somebody says: “ It does not say that he that is not baptized shall be condemned.” It does not need to, for John 3:18 says he that believes not is condemned already. That is like saying: “He that eateth and digesteth his food shall live, he that eateth not shall die.” No need to add “He that eateth not and digesteth not his food shall die,” for one cannot digest what he does not eat, and if he does not eat he will die. This shows the invalidity of faithless baptism, or no Scriptural baptism, and refutes the argument on what Jesus SHOULD have said. Hence, only a true believer can be baptized (Mark 16:16; Acts 8:36-39; 18-8).
Those who genuinely repent. Just believing alone is insufficient. Salvation by faith only is not Bible doctrine. In fact, James 2:24 says one is NOT saved by faith only, and that ought to settle it. John 8:30-44 shows that many who believed on Christ plotted to kill him, and the Lord called them children of the devil. Repentance is a requirement for baptism and salvation (Luke 13:3-5). So it is repent or perish, turn or burn.
Acts 3:19 teaches that one must repent in order to have sins blotted out. Acts 17:30 -31 says that God commands all men everywhere to repent, for Christ will judge the world in righteousness . To repent means that one must have a change of heart that will lead him to a reformation of life, that is, purpose to quit whatever separates between himself and God. No passage on faith excludes repentance or baptism. Thus, baptism without sorrow for sin, and purpose to cease is valueless (2 Cor. 7:10).
Those who confess Christ. Matthew 10:32-33 says that those who confess Christ, He will confess before the Father which is in heaven, but those who deny Him will be denied before the Father. Romans 10:9-10teaches that with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. After the Ethiopian eunuch had been taught by Phillip, and demanded baptism, he was called upon to confess the name of Christ as a prerequisite to being baptized. He said: “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:37).
There were rulers of the Jews who refused to confess Him lest they be put out of the synagogue (John 12:42-43). Therefore, Jesus refused to confess them to the Father (Matt. 10:32-33). To confess Christ is universally required (Philippians 2:9-11).
The infallibly safe course is to take God at His word and obey every command, whether or not we can see any sense in it.
-Roy J. Hearn
0 Comments