The author states that "Mr._____, by his human wisdom and ingenuity lead you in a merry-go-round chase, in an attempt to sustain a false doctrine, which was conjured up by carnal minded men many years ago. This is the doctrine, which is commonly known as 'water salvation.'" I have never heard of or known anyone in the church of Christ who used the term "water salvation." But, I have heard many who reject baptism for the remission of sins, falsely accuse us of such. Is the claim valid? Hear what the apostle Peter had to say. "...Baptism doth also now save us..." (I Pet. 3:21). That didn't say water saves us. But baptism saves us! What does baptism do Peter? "Repent, and be baptized...for the remission of sins..."(Acts 2:38). It remits or washes away sins (Acts 22:16). God's word does not teach water salvation, but rather it teaches that baptism saves one from his past sins. To teach anything less is to reject the counsel of God (Luke 7:29-30).
The author, in his attempt to reject baptism, makes reference to repentance in II Pet. 3:9 and Luke 13:3, then states: "The words, repentance and faith, in a Bible sense are inseparable, and is in compliance to the requirements of God for salvation." That is an impossibility. One can have faith in God without knowing about repentance. Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17). In Acts 2:14 we read where Peter stood up and began to preach. Then in verse 37 we are told that some in the audience, hearing this message, asked, "what shall we do?" In verse 38 Peter tells them to REPENT and BE BAPTIZED for the remission of sins! According to the author of The One Mediator, Peter should have told them, "you have nothing to do because you have repented when you believed and thereby you were saved." Who could subscribe to that? Those Jews were believers when they asked "what shall we do," but their sins were not removed until they repented and were baptized. In John 12:42-43 we read: "Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many BELIEVED on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." Thus, according to the author of The One Mediator, when these chief rulers believed, they repented and were saved. One big problem with that is that they loved the praise of men so much that they refused to confess Christ. What did the apostle John have to say about that? "Every spirit that confesseth NOT that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist..."(I John 4:3). "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (I John 4:1). We have tried the spirit in this case and learned that he is a false prophet.
Then he states: "It is evident that salvation becomes a personal matter between God and the sinner..." God does not change his plan of salvation for any man. Christ died for the church. In Acts 20:28, it is stated that Christ purchased the church "with his own blood." Then in Eph. 5:25,23 it says that he "loved the church, and gave himself for it; and he is the saviour of the body." The term that one "accepts Christ as his personal savior" is simply false. If one is to be saved, it must be on God's terms. When one believes, repents, confesses Christ and is baptized into Christ, the Lord will add him to his church (Rom. 10:17; Luke 13:3; Acts 8:37; Gal. 3:27; Acts 2:47). Since all the saved are in the church there are no saved outside of his church. (II Tim. 2:10)
"If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Pet. 4:11).
Don H. Noblin
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