The Bible teaches that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16). Jesus said, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). Peter taught that men purify their souls by obeying the truth (I Pet. 1:22). The truth and only the truth can make men free from their sins. Yet, many today claim that it doesn't matter what one believes, just as long as he is honest and sincere. But that only applies in religion.
Only in religion does the copulative conjunction "AND," not join things of equal value. The World Book Dictionary says that the word "and" joins words or phrases of equal value. Therefore, when Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16), it must be understood that both the believing and the baptism are required for one to be saved. Man says, he that believeth shall be saved, but "baptism is not essential to salvation...Do the will of God; follow Him in baptism after salvation." Does it not sound strange that only in religion men reason in such a manner?
Only in religion does the term "wash away," not mean to wash away or remove. "Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins" (Acts 22:16). What is difficult about that statement? Even children understands what it means to take soap and "wash away" the dirt from their hands. They know that the act of believing that fact, does not within itself remove the dirt. Question: If a person is saved before baptism, why did Ananias say that baptism washes away sins?
Again man applies the same false reasoning in Acts 2:38. Peter told those penitent Jews on the day of Pentecost to "Repent, and be baptized...for the remission of sins." Note the copulative conjunction connecting the terms repent and be baptized. One man wrote that Peter in this verse used the strongest term possible "REPENT." That is not what Peter said. He said repent and be baptized...for (in order to) the remission of sins. We need to remember that Jesus said, "Ye shall know the truth" in order to be free!
In order for one to learn what the Bible teaches, he must gather the evidence that is relevant to any particular subject and correctly handle that evidence by drawing only the conclusions as are warranted by that evidence. To hold, as some do, that to one man the Bible teaches that baptism is essential to salvation from alien sins, and to another man it teaches that baptism is not essential to salvation from alien sins, is to hold error. Truly, various men may infer contradictory conclusions from the Bible. But when such is the case, clearly some are wrong. They have erred in inferring the wrong conclusion.
Those who learn and obey truth become Christians. Those who obey any other doctrine do not become Christians. The truth is the only message that can make men free. "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).
"If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Pet. 4:11).
Don H. Noblin
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