“Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to
you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of
God’ …. After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea,
and there He remained with them and baptized. Now John also was baptizing in
Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were
baptized” (John 3:5, 22, 23).1 “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’” (Acts
2:38). “‘And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your
sins, calling on the name of the Lord’” (Acts 22:16). “For you are all sons of
God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into
Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:26-27). “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” (1
Pet. 3:21).2
What does God require in order to
receive his gracious gift of forgiveness and salvation? Not one of the above
scriptures discounts believing in Jesus, repenting of sins, or confessing faith.
Why, then, do so many have trouble accepting baptism as a divine requisite? I’ve
heard people retort, “But what about the person on his deathbed? If he accepts
Jesus in his heart, surely the Lord will save him without baptism!” Or for a
more emotionally stirring argument, “What about the soldier dying on the
battlefield? If he can’t get baptized but says the sinners prayer, are you
saying he won’t be saved?!” Maybe you’ve heard this one: “What if the person
dies in a car wreck on the way to the baptistery? Is he going to burn in hell
forever just because he wasn’t dunked in water?!!!!”
What are we to make of these hypothetical scenarios?
They certainly stir the emotions, but do they affirm the truth? Do they provide
a solid foundation upon which to build one’s faith? Here are six points to
consider.
1. Hypotheticals do not change what the Bible says. A deathbed experience won’t make Mark 16:16 say,
“He who believes and is not baptized
will be saved...” One might cherry pick verses emphasizing faith, but this won’t
eliminate all the other passages that link saving faith to obedience.3
2. Hypotheticals do not overrule divine providence. If “God desires
all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4), surely
he will providentially ensure that everyone who is willing has the opportunity to learn and
obey the truth. Did you notice that the truth-seeking Ethiopian official didn’t die in a
chariot crash before he found a body of water as he learned the truth of the
gospel? (Acts 8:26-39)
3. Hypotheticals do not eliminate personal responsibility. “The
Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any
who understand, who seek God” (Psa. 14:2; cf. Matt. 7:7; John 7:17; Acts
17:27).
What has the ninety-year-old man on his
deathbed been doing the past ninety years? When people dismiss God until the
last moment or until it’s too late, neither God nor his inspired word is to be blamed (2 Cor.
6:2).
4. Hypotheticals do not support logical conclusions that can’t be consistently applied. What
if the soldier on the battlefield dies before engendering faith in his heart?
Does this tragic scenario eliminate faith from the salvation process? If not, why stop short of baptism? What
about repentance, or anything else the Lord requires?
5. Hypotheticals do not excuse those who aren’t in these
situations. Even if I were convinced
that God saves an incapacitated person without baptism, how does this affect
what is required of me or anyone else who is fully capable of obeying the whole
counsel of God?
6. Hypotheticals do not determine one’s eternal destiny. After death, it’s in God’s hands (Heb. 9:27). I’m
happy to leave the final judgment to him. But as long as I have a beating heart
in my chest and still have my mental faculties, I am compelled to study, learn, obey,
teach, and defend the truth of God’s word.
People are separated from God because of sin (Isa. 59:2; Rom. 3:23). Reconciliation is offered through God's Son, but an obedient response is required (2 Thess. 1:8; Heb. 5:9). Don’t just pick and choose what you want to accept from the Bible, while dismissing everything else. Don’t tenaciously cling to long-held preconceptions that may very well be misconceptions. Don’t substitute emotional arguments for biblical truth. And don’t build your faith on the shaky ground of hypotheticals.
--Kevin L. Moore
People are separated from God because of sin (Isa. 59:2; Rom. 3:23). Reconciliation is offered through God's Son, but an obedient response is required (2 Thess. 1:8; Heb. 5:9). Don’t just pick and choose what you want to accept from the Bible, while dismissing everything else. Don’t tenaciously cling to long-held preconceptions that may very well be misconceptions. Don’t substitute emotional arguments for biblical truth. And don’t build your faith on the shaky ground of hypotheticals.
--Kevin L. Moore
Endnotes:
1 Scripture quotations are from
the NKJV.
2 See also Matt. 28:18-20; Mark
16:15-16; Acts 8:12-13, 35-39; 9:18; 10:33, 48; 16:15, 33; 18:8; 19:5; Rom.
6:3-5, 17-18; 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:5; Col. 2:12; Tit. 3:5; Heb. 10:22.
3 See Matt. 7:21; Luke 6:46; John 3:21;
7:17; 8:12, 51; 14:15, 21-24; 15:10-14; Rom. 1:5;
5:19; 6:16-18; 15:18; 16:19, 26; 2 Cor. 7:15; 10:5, 6; Gal. 5:6; 1 Thess. 1:8; Philem. 21; Heb. 5:8-9; Jas. 2:14-26; 1 John 2:3-5; cf. Rom.
10:16; Phil. 2:12.
Related Posts: What Must I Do to Be Saved?, Thief on the Cross, Abbreviated Gospel, What if I'm Too Late?
Related articles: Wes McAdams' Baptism 'Because Of' or 'For'?, Dave Miller's Born of Water
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There is evidence in the Word that baptism is not required for salvation..no hypothetical required. Did we forget about the theif on the cross? Did Jesus command him to come down and be baptized before He would accept him in paradise? No...he had faith and repented and Jesus a center him and forgave him on his deathbed. Washed him clean and he gained eternal life as a son.
ReplyDeleteSarah, Thank you for your reply. I invite you to read "Are You Sure the Thief on the Cross Was Not Baptized?" -- the Link is above in the "Related Posts." Let me know your thoughts after reading the article with an open Bible. Thanks!
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