Friday, March 1, 2013

Belief and baptism

BELIEF AND BAPTISM
Mark 16:15-16
pdf
Dr. Paul Manuel—November 10, 2012

We are here to witness Jim's baptism. A variation of this event took place much earlier in his life. In the New Testament, however, there are no instances of infant baptism. That is because baptism accompanies decisions a child cannot make and his parents cannot make for him, such as confession of sin and repentance from sin.1 Another personal decision baptism accompanies is belief, which raises two questions.
  • First, what must a person believe?
  • Is there a prescribed subject for this faith, or can he believe anything he wishes?
  • Second, when must a person believe it?
  • Is there a proper sequence to these steps, or can he do them in any order he wishes?
Jesus answers both questions with the final instructions he gives the disciples before his ascension.2

Mark 16:15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
Jesus says here that it matters what a person believes, that it is not enough to believe in...
  • Magic or miracles,
  • Aliens or angels,
  • Flying pigs or fairy tales,
  • Santa Claus or even yourself.
For baptism to mean what God intended, a person must believe the gospel, "the good news" about Jesus—that his sacrifice redeemed you from paying the penalty your sin required. That is the message his disciples carry "to all creation," because it matters what a person believes.

Jesus also says here that it matters when a person believes the gospel, that his belief must precede his baptism, and he cannot reverse the order without potentially ruining the outcome. According to this passage, life ends in one of two ways: salvation or condemnation. According to Jesus, "whoever believes and is baptized will be saved." Does that mean a person cannot be saved unless he is baptized? ...No. At Calvary, Jesus promised salvation to a condemned man who expressed faith in Jesus yet could not be baptized.3 Jesus includes baptism in these final instructions to indicate what is expected of disciples not what is essential for them. This distinction become clear when Jesus says, "whoever does not believe will be condemned." Baptism without belief accomplishes nothing. What matters is when a person believes the gospel, because belief must precede baptism, and belief is the requisite to salvation.

As you witness Jim's baptism, it presents a duel opportunity, a chance to rejoice with him in this expression of faith and to review with him the essentials of faith. Belief is the beginning of knowing God. As you become more aware of His will for your life, you realize the need to revise your thinking, your speaking, your doing, in countless ways. When that task seems overwhelming, and you wonder at the complexity of what is expected for your sanctification, adopting the character of God, remember the simplicity of what is essential for your salvation: only having faith in God because of His gracious provision through Jesus of pardon for sin.


Endnotes

[1] Examples include:
  • Confession
Matt 3:6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Mark 1:5b Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Acts 22:16b Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.
  • Repentance
Matt 3:1 la I baptize you with water for repentance.
Mark 1:4 ...John came...preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Luke 3:3 He went...preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Acts 2:38a Repent and be baptized...in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
Acts 13:24 ...John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel.
Acts 19:4a ...John's baptism was a baptism of repentance.
Baptism is also joined with another adult decision: discipleship
Matt 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them...
[2] Other passages confirm the prescribed subject and the proper sequence.
Acts 2:41a Those who accepted his message were baptized....
Acts 8:12 ...when they believed Philip as he preached the good news...they were baptized.....
Acts 8:35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?"
Acts 16:14b The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. 15a When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home.
Acts 16:31 ..."Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." 33b ...then immediately he and all his family were baptized.
Acts 18:8b ...many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.
Acts 19:4 ...John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.
[3] The relevant passage is:
Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will he with me in paradise."

1 comment:

  1. THE PRICE OF TRADITION

    A tradition that could cost you your salvation is the one that states that "for"(eis in Greek) in Acts 2:38 should have been translated, "because of."

    Let us compare "for" (eis) found in Acts 2:38 and Matthew 26:28.

    New American Standard Bible: Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.


    New American Standard Bible: Matthew 26:28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.


    Jesus did not shed His blood because the people already had their sins forgiven. Jesus shed His blood for (in order to) the remission of sins.


    Those three thousand on the Day of Pentecost were not baptized in water because their sins were already forgiven. They were baptized for (in order to) the remission of their sins.


    WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE THAT "EIS" SHOULD HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED "BECAUSE OF" INSTEAD OF "FOR"?


    How did the following translations translate "eis" in Acts 2:38?


    NEW KING JAMES VERSION: Acts 2:38 ......for the remission of sins..


    NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE: Acts 2:38...for the forgiveness of your sins...


    ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION: Acts 2:38...for the forgiveness of your sins....


    AMERICAN KING JAMES VERSION: Acts 2:38...for the remission of sins...


    KING JAMES BIBLE: Acts 2:38....for the remission of sins...


    THE BETTER VERSION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT by Chester Estes: Acts 2:38...in order to the remission of your sins...


    THE AMPLIFIED NEW TESTAMENT: ...Acts 2:38...for the forgiveness of and release from your sins....


    THE NEW TESTAMENT IN MODERN ENGLISH by J.B. Phillips: Acts 2:38....so that you may have your sins forgiven....


    NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION: Acts 2:38...for the forgiveness of your sins.....


    NEW LIVING TRANSLATION: Acts 2:38....for the forgiveness of your sins....


    INTERNATIONAL STANDARD VERSION: Acts 2:38...for the forgiveness of your sins...


    ARAMAIC BIBLE IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Acts 2:38...for release from sin...


    AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION: Acts 2:38...unto the remission of your sins...


    DARBY BIBLE TRANSLATION: Acts 2:38...for remission of sins....


    ENGLISH REVISED VERSION: Acts 2:38 ......unto the the remission of your sins....


    WEBSTER'S BIBLE TRANSLATION: Acts 2:38...for the remission of sins....


    WEYMOUTH NEW TESTAMENT: Acts 2:38 ...with a view to the remission of your sins...


    WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE: Acts 2:38...for the forgiveness of sins....


    YOUNG'S LITERAL TRANSLATION: Acts 2:38...to the remission of sins...


    THE THOMPSON CHAIN-REFERENCE BIBLE (NIV): Acts 2:38...so that your sins may be forgiven...


    There is no translation of the Bible that translates "eis" in Act 2:38 as "BECAUSE OF" NOR DOES "EIS" IN ACTS 2:38 MEAN "BECAUSE OF".


    If 'eis" in Acts 2:38 meant "because of", it would have been translated as such.


    The shed blood of Jesus is the reason we receive forgiveness from sins. We contact that blood after faith John 3:16-repentance Acts 2:38-confession Romans 10:9-10 and water baptism Acts 2:38. Water baptism is the point of contact. Water baptism is the last act of a sinner, it not the first act of a Christian.


    THE PRICE OF TRADITION IS TOO HIGH IF IT PREVENTS YOU FROM ACCEPTING THE TRUTH!


    YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW MY CHRISTIAN BLOG. Google search>>>> steve finnell a christian view

    ReplyDelete

Relevant and civil comments are welcome. Whether there will be any response depends on whether Dr. Manuel notices them and has the time and inclination to respond or, if not, whether I feel competent to do so.
Jim Skaggs