[Biblemat] S) WHAT ABOUT BAPTISM, IS IT REALLY IMPORTANT?

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is a study from my rec-
ent files.  Use to the glory of God.

WHAT ABOUT BAPTISM, IS IT REALLY IMPORTANT?

       Many people do not believe that water has anything to do with the 
salvation of the sinner.  Water baptism is routinely mini-
mized and discarded as being not essential in God's plan for the
salvation of the sinner.  Let us look at some things we find in the
Bible that may cause one to change his mind:

       First let us look at the Old Testament and see what part water played 
in the blessings man received from God.  The case
we want to notice is concerning the healing of Naaman.  In 2 Kgs. 5 we learn 
tht  Naaman was a great man but he was a leper.
He could not cleanse himself of this terrible disease.  But he learned that 
there was a prophet of God in Samaria and the he
"would recover his leprosy."  This was good news for both Naa-
man and the King of Assyria.  Immediately, plans were made for 
Naaman to go to this prophet.  When Naaman reached the house of Elisha he 
learned  what would be necessary for him to
do to recover from the leprosy.  He was told by the prophet of God, "Go and 
wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall
come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean" (2 Kgs. 5:10).  I ask
you to note what it was that stood between Naaman and his being cleansed from 
his leprosy.  It is clear that it was obedience
to the command of God to "...go and wash in Jordan seven times" and he would 
be cleansed.  So we see water stood be-
tween Naaman and being cleansed from his leprosy.  At first he
rebelled and later decided that if he wanted to be cleansed he must do what 
God said.  The record says, "Then went he down,
and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the say-
ing of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the
flesh of a little child, and he was clean."  Some one may ask, 
"What does 'dipping in the River Jordan' have to do with being
healed from leprosy?"  I could tell a leper that and it would mean
exactly nothing.  There would be no healing of leprosy.  But, in 
the case of Naaman it was his obedience to God's Word.

       Many today seem to misunderstand the biblical teaching of 
baptism.  This is especially true concerning the essentiality of
baptism.  Let us all put out of our minds any preconceived ideas
as to this subject and let us allow God to speak to us through
His Word.

       Baptism stands between the sinner and salvation.  "He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth 
not shall be damned" (Mk. 16:16).  All men would understand if
Jesus would have said, "He who believes and is baptized will 
receive a castle located on 20 acres of land in the beautiful state
of Alabama."  Why is it tht the simplicity is lost when dealing with
our salvation from sin?  The probable reason is that many are
deceived.  They have allowed men to rob them of the hope they
can have in Jesus Christ.  Will we accept what Jesus has taught
us or be deceived by the creeds and traditions of men?  If we 
build our house on the sand, viz fail to do what Jesus says, our 
house is doomed.  It will fall.  He refers to such a one as "foolish" (Matt. 
7:24-27).

       Baptism stands between the sinner and the remission of 
sins.  Look at Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and
be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Both repentance and baptism are in order to obtain the remiss-
ion of sins.  Why can not men respond to the gospel the way 
they did on the day of Pentecost?  The Bible reveals, "Then they
that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day
there were added unto them about three thousand souls." (Acts
2:41).

       Baptism stand between the sinner and having his sins wash-
ed away.  Saul of Tarsus asked, "...Lord, what wilt Thou have me 
to do?  And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city,
and it shall be told thee what thou must do" (Acts 22:10).  Jesus
told him to go into the city and he would be told what he must do (Acts 9:6). 
 Observe here that Jesus told Saul he would be 
"told what he MUST do."  This was not something that Paul could do if he 
wanted to, or if it pleased him, or if he could do it
conveniently.  But it was a "must."  It was something tht was 
absolutely necessary.  Ananias told Paul, "Arise and be baptized
and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts
22:16).  He needed to be baptized in order to have his sins wash-
ed away.

       Baptism stands between the sinner and rejoicing because of
forgiveness.  The Ethiopian eunuch did not go on his way rejoic-
ing until after he was baptized (Acts 8:39).  Saul of Tarsus was in
scuh agony of the soul that he did not eat or drink until after he
was baptized (Acts 9:19).  The Philippian Jailer did not rejoice
until after he was baptized (Acts 16:33,34).  Becoming a child of
God is the greatest decision anyone will ever make.  There should be great 
rejoicing when a soul obeys the gospel and is 
forgiven of his sins.  However, this rejoicing only follows baptism.

       There are many other questions that are in the minds of many people 
about baptism.  But when we look at these things,
I hope you will see, from the Bible, that baptism is absolutely
necessary for the forgiveness of sins.  I hope all will be able to
see there is no salvation without it.  There is no power in the
water in and of itself.  It is not the water itself that saves, but God
simply chose this action to cleanse one from sin.  If you love the
Lord, you will do what He says.  "If you love Me, keep My comm-
andments" (Jno. 14:15).  In Jno. 15:23 Jesus said further, "...If a
man love Me, he will keep My Words..."

       Let none of us forget, we will stand before God in judgement
Do we know the standard that will be used in this judgement?
Yes, Jesus tells us, "He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not my
Words, hath one that judgeth him: the Word that I have spoken,
the same shall judge him in the last day" (Jno. 12:48).  -------------
Cecil F. Cox in Gospel Power, Vol. 15, No. 32, Aug. 10, 2008.   </HTML>
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