Part 2 of 12 · Salvation in Jesus Christ: The New Testament Witness to Grace, Faith, and the Blood
Before we look at the baptism verses people argue over, let’s start with Jesus Christ Himself. Again and again, Jesus tied everlasting life to believing on Him.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24, KJV)
Notice the tense. The one who believes the Father who sent Jesus hath everlasting life right now. He has already passed from death unto life.
Jesus said it again: “He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47). At the grave of Lazarus He said, “he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).
Jesus showed the same truth with real people. To the man let down through the roof, He said, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee” (Mark 2:5). To the woman who washed His feet with her tears, He said, “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace” (Luke 7:50). To the dying thief, He said, “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Jesus received each one right where they were, and none of these accounts mentions baptism.
John tells us why he wrote his Gospel at all: “that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). The whole book was written so that people would believe on Jesus Christ and live.
That steady witness cannot be pushed aside. Jesus Christ pointed sinners to Himself every time.
This does not make baptism unimportant. It puts things in the right order. Jesus Christ is the Savior. Faith in Jesus Christ receives Him. Baptism follows as obedience to Jesus Christ.
So when you come to a hard baptism verse, start with what Jesus plainly and repeatedly said. Do not let one disputed verse overturn His many clear promises.
Christians should be baptized, and this series will say so again and again. What these studies test is whether the water itself carries saving power. Jesus Christ keeps pointing us to Himself.
Search these Scriptures for yourself: John 3:16–18; John 5:24; John 6:40; John 6:47; John 11:25–26; John 3:36; Mark 2:1–12; Luke 7:36–50; Luke 23:39–43; Acts 16:30–33; Acts 18:8; Romans 10:9–13.
Next in this series: Part 3, His Blood Shed for the Remission of Sins.
Go Deeper
Old Testament foundation: Abraham Believed God: Righteous Before the Sign (Part 6 of 7)
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“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (KJV)
The Gospel, Stated Plainly
Everything I teach on this site rests on one message from Scripture. Read it in God’s own words from 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 1:16, and Ephesians 2:8-9.
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