Matthew 28:18-20 ESV



Baptism has long been a central concern of those with roots in the “Restoration Movement”, including those with a history in the “International Churches of Christ’ (ICOC). In response to the diversity of views about baptism that developed after the apostolic age, many have felt compelled to clarify the “normative” pattern of baptism and conversion in the New Testament. Most within the churches of Christ have concluded that adherence to this “normative” pattern is essential to salvation. Specifically, many have rejected the legitimacy of anyone’s conversion experience that was not baptized “for the forgiveness of sins”. In addition to faith in Jesus and repentance, it has been maintained that a person must be baptized by immersion with the conviction that salvation occurs during baptism. Those who were baptized with the belief that their salvation coincided with their point of faith (prior to their baptism) are regarded as “lost” (even if they were immersed). According to this view, such people must be re-baptized “for the forgiveness of sins” in order to be saved. Some of the scriptures that are cited to support this view of baptism are as follows:

Matthew 28:18-20 ESV

(18) And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

(19) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

(20) teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Acts 2:36-41 ESV

(36) Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."

(37) Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"

(38) And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

(39) For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."

(40) And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation."

(41) So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Acts 8:35-39 ESV

(35) Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.

(36) And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?"

(38) And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

(39) And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.

Acts 16:27-33 ESV

(27) When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

(28) But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here."

(29) And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.

(30) Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

(31) And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

(32) And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

(33) And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.

Acts 22:14-16 ESV

(14) And he said, 'The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth;

(15) for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.

(16) And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'

Romans 6:3-7 ESV

(3) Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

(4) We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

(5) For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

(6) We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

(7) For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Galatians 3:27 ESV

(27) For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Colossians 2:11-12 ESV

(11) In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

(12) having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

1 Peter 3:21 ESV

(21) Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Jesus commanded baptism and Peter included it in the first gospel message on the day of Pentecost. These scriptures provide support for the conclusion that forgiveness of sins occurs during baptism, marking a person’s passing from darkness to light, lost to saved, non-Christian to Christian, etc. The urgency to be baptized “in the middle of the desert” or “in the middle of the night” is consistent with the belief that salvation is linked to baptism. The fact that Saul (Paul) still needed to have his “sins washed away” even after a personal encounter with Jesus and three days of fasting and prayer provides further support for this conclusion. These scriptures appear to teach that one is “united with Christ”, “puts on Christ”, and is “spiritually circumcised” during baptism. None of these scriptures suggest that the act of baptism alone produces salvation. Rather, they indicate that God saves faithful, repentant sinners during baptism. It is the work of God, not the one being baptized, that causes salvation. Regardless, these verses support the conclusion that God forgives sins and imparts the indwelling Holy Spirit to people during baptism.

The view that salvation occurs during baptism appears to be supported by the writings of the early Christians who lived prior to the time of Constantine. In his book, “Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up?” (1989) David Bercot quotes from the writings of several Ante-Nicene Fathers, illustrating their view that a person is “born again of water and the Sprit” (John 3:5) during baptism. They did not subscribe to the Catholic belief that babies are born guilty of “original sin” and in need of “infant baptism” in order to be forgiven. Neither did they subscribe to the “believer’s baptism” view that regards baptism as a “ceremony” that is not urgent to the salvation process. In spite of the their apparent view of baptism, the early Christians did not “put God in a box”. Bercot commented that “…although early Christians stressed the significance of baptism and its role in the new birth, they didn’t portray God as a cold, inflexible Being who could work in no other way.” (Page 81) Other writings of the early Christians suggest that they did not subscribe to the previously described position that has been adopted by some within the “Restoration Movement”.

Interestingly, Alexander Campbell, perhaps the most recognizable individual in the formation of the “Restoration Movement”, did not categorically reject the conversion experiences of anyone who was baptized with the understanding that salvation occurred at the “point of faith” (prior to baptism). Others in the “Restoration Movement”, such as John Thomas of Richmond, Virginia initiated the previously described position as early as 1834. Thomas later left the “Restoration Movement” to found the “Christadelphians” (a group that denies the deity of Christ). Campbell rejected the view of Thomas as being analogous to the legalism of the Pharisees. Nevertheless, others embraced the view Thomas promoted, including Austin McGary, who began publishing the “Firm Foundation” in Austin, Texas in 1884. McGary attacked the view of David Lipscomb who was the editor of the Nashville based “Gospel Advocate”. Lipscomb believed that “those who were immersed upon a confession of faith in Jesus in obedience to the divine command were biblically immersed whether or not they were aware that baptism was the moment of forgiveness” (see ). The view held by Campbell and Lipscomb dominated the “Restoration Movement” in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; however, the view of Thomas and McGary dominated the churches of Christ in the last half of the 20th century.

Regardless of the views held by various proponents of the “Restoration Movement”, the previously cited scriptures appear to provide compelling evidence for the conclusion that salvation occurs during baptism. Why, then, do some view baptism as a “post-salvation” ceremony? Some verses that are often cited to support the view that salvation occurs at the point of faith, prior to baptism, are as follows:

Acts 10:37-48 ESV

(37) you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed:

(38) how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

(39) And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree,

(40) but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear,

(41) not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

(42) And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.

(43) To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

(44) While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.

(45) And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles.

(46) For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared,

(47) "Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"

(48) And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

Romans 10:8-13 ESV

(8) But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);

(9) because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

(10) For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

(11) For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame."

(12) For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.

(13) For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Romans 4:9-12 ESV

(9) Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.

(10) How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.

(11) He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well,

(12) and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Galatians 3:2 ESV

(2) Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?

Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV

(13) In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

(14) who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

1 John 5:1 ESV

(1) Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.

The conversion experience of Cornelius and his family differs from the “normative” pattern observed in most conversion accounts. The scriptures state that they “received the Holy Spirit” prior to their baptism. It has been argued that this statement actually refers to the “miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit” rather than the “indwelling Holy Spirit” (even though the text does not specify as such). Likewise, this event has been represented as an “atypical” conversion experience that marked the “outpouring of the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles”, making it a “one-time” event. Accordingly, the “outpouring of the Holy Spirit to the Jews” is believed to have occurred on the day of Pentecost as indicated in Acts 2. These explanations have been offered to reconcile the apparent variation in the conversion experience observed in Acts 10 with the previously cited verses that appear to support the view that salvation occurs during baptism. Much explanation has also been offered regarding the wording contained in Romans 10 in view of the wording contained in the earlier chapters of the book. In any event, Romans 10:10 appears to indicate that salvation coincides with “belief and confession”. Those who view baptism as the “New Covenant circumcision” logically conclude that salvation occurs prior to baptism based on the message of Romans 4. While it may be argued that baptism does not equal “New Covenant circumcision”, it is understandable why some would view Romans 4 as supportive of the view that salvation occurs at the point of faith (prior to baptism). Other passages like Galatians 3, Ephesians 1, and 1 John 5 all appear to link the new birth and the receipt of the Holy Spirit to the point of faith. In view of these observations, the best argument that can be advanced is for what is “normative”. Even in this regard, it must be recognized that there are exceptions to the “normative” pattern, as evidence by the following scripture.

Acts 8:14-17 ESV

(14) Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,

(15) who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,

(16) for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

(17) Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

Again, it has been argued that Luke’s intent was to convey the message that the “miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit” were not yet imparted to the Samaritan Christians even though they had indeed received the “indwelling Holy Spirit” at baptism (in spite of the absence of such clarification in the text). It has been reasoned that this event was intended to display God’s acceptance of the Samaritans to the Jewish Christians (similar to the manner in which the event in Acts 10 displayed God’s acceptance of the Gentiles). In any event, such conclusions rely on implicit assumptions rather than explicit biblical revelation.

In spite of these observations, some remain convinced that the previously described position embraced by many within the “Restoration Movement” is biblically supported. The following passages have been cited in an effort to “prove” that re-baptism is essential for anyone who was not baptized “for the forgiveness of sins”.

Acts 18:24-28 ESV

(24) Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures.

(25) He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.

(26) He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

(27) And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed,

(28) for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

Acts 19:1-5 ESV

(1) And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.

(2) And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

(3) And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism."

(4) And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus."

(5) On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

It is concluded that the Ephesian disciples of Acts 19 were “lost” as evidenced by the following verse.

Romans 8:9 ESV

(9) You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

Since these individuals did not “have the Spirit of Christ” (they didn’t even know that there was a Holy Spirit), they were still “lost”, in spite of their baptisms. It appears that Paul specifically went to Ephesus looking for people who had been converted by Apollos and had been incorrectly baptized with “John’s baptism”. Since Acts 18 states that Apollos “knew only the baptism of John”, it is reasoned that he too lacked the “Spirit of Christ”. Accordingly, it is reasoned that Apollos was also “lost” and must have been “re-taught” and “re-baptized” by Priscilla and Aquila. Under this premise, it is reasoned that if a zealous preacher like Apollos could be “lost”, then anyone could be “lost” (regardless of his or her religious activism). Based on this logic, no one should be assumed saved unless his or her baptism “passed the test”.

Regarding Apollos, Luke does not indicate that he was re-baptized. Regarding the “baptism of John”, the scriptures reveal the following:

Luke 3:3 ESV

(3) And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Luke 3:16 ESV

(16) John answered them all, saying, "I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

John 3:22-26 ESV

(22) After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.

(23) John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized

(24) (for John had not yet been put in prison).

(25) Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification.

(26) And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness--look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him."

John 4:1-3 ESV

(1) Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John

(2) (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples),

(3) he left Judea and departed again for Galilee.

Accordingly, the baptism of John was effective for the forgiveness of sins but was “incomplete” as compared to the “Christian baptism” that had not yet been introduced. John prepared people for Jesus and the New Covenant, which would not become effective until after Jesus’ resurrection. The “transitional period” that existed between the time when John began preaching and the “outpouring of the Spirit” that is described in Acts 2 is reflected in the following passage:

John 7:37-39 ESV

(37) On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.

(38) Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"

(39) Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

John 7:39 indicates that those who believed in Jesus “were to receive” the Spirit, but not until after Jesus’ resurrection. Such was the case with the apostles as well as the other believers who had experienced the “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins”. There is no biblical record that the apostles or any other baptized believer was re-baptized. Their initial baptism was sufficient for “the forgiveness of sins”. After Jesus rose from the dead, he bestowed the Spirit on the disciples as described in the following verse.

John 20:22 ESV

(22) And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

Likewise, the Bible does not indicate that Apollos was “lost” when he met Priscilla and Acquila – only that he needed for them to “explain to him the way of God more accurately”. Like the apostles, his baptism was effective for the forgiveness of sins at the time in which he received it. While the “baptism of John” was effective for forgiveness for Apollos, it was no longer applicable when he administered it to the “Ephesian disciples”. Accordingly, the “Ephesian disciples” had a legitimate need to be re-baptized whereas Apollos had no such need. The ramifications of this understanding are significant. Many who have presumptuously concluded that Apollos was “lost” at the time he met Priscilla and Acquila have rationalized the similar classification as “lost” of others who are zealous for Jesus and have been immersed, but differ in their baptismal theology. Moreover, inconsistent comparisons have been applied between the “Ephesian disciples” of Acts 19 and individuals today who are baptized with an understanding that differs from the previously described position. No one today has experienced “John’s baptism”. Accordingly, the difference between the baptisms of the “Ephesian disciples” and Paul is not the same as the difference between the baptisms of a “church of Christ member” and a “Baptist church member”. Furthermore, the following scriptures illustrate that God’s basis of judgment does not fit within a “neat formula” that can easily be grasped by humans.

2 Chronicles 30:18-20 ESV

(18) For a majority of the people, many of them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than as prescribed. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, "May the good LORD pardon everyone

(19) who sets his heart to seek God, the LORD, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness."

(20) And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

Matthew 12:1-7 ESV

(1) At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.

(2) But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath."

(3) He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him:

(4) how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?

(5) Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?

(6) I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.

(7) And if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless.

Both of these passages refer to individuals who violated the “letter of the law”, yet were considered innocent by God. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their failure to recognize the intention behind God’s commands. The following verse illustrates the principle further.

Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV

(8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.

(9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and

my thoughts than your thoughts.

Furthermore, reflection on the “nature of God” as described in the following verses provides additional considerations that are relevant to this topic.

2 Peter 3:8 ESV

(8) But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Isaiah 46:8-10 ESV

(8) "Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors,

(9) remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,

(10) declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,'

Jeremiah 23:24 ESV

(24) Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD.

These passages reflect God’s transcendent nature that is unlimited by space or time. His foreknowledge is further illustrated in the following passages.

Jeremiah 1:5 ESV

(5) "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."

Ephesians 1:3-5 ESV

(3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

(4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

(5) he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

God knew us before the creation of the world, before we were “formed in the womb”. He can see all the events of our lives including our conception, birth, point of faith, baptism, death, etc. – simultaneously. Based on the “normative” conversion pattern observed in the New Testament, it might be argued that salvation occurs at baptism and not before. Conversely, there is no conclusive biblical support for the view that God rejects baptized, repentant believers simply because they believed that their salvation coincided with their point of faith rather than their baptism. Given God’s capacity to see “the end from the beginning”, the legitimacy of the previously described view of baptism is drawn into question even further. Indeed, “his ways are higher than our ways”. These observations reinforce the importance of observing God’s directions about “judging others” as revealed in the following scriptures.

Matthew 7:1-2 ESV

(1) "Judge not, that you be not judged.

(2) For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

Luke 6:37 ESV

(37) "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

Mark 9:38-40 ESV

(38) John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us."

(39) But Jesus said, "Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.

(40) For the one who is not against us is for us.

Romans 2:1-4 ESV

(1) Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.

(2) We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who do such things.

(3) Do you suppose, O man--you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself--that you will escape the judgment of God?

(4) Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

Romans 14:4 ESV

(4) Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Romans 14:10 ESV

(10) Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;

Romans 14:13 ESV

(13) Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.

James 4:11-12 ESV

(11) Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.

(12) There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

In view of these observations, it is much more reasonable to concentrate on “explicit” teachings that are “matters of doctrine” and avoid the elevation of “implicit interpretations” (which are actually “matters of opinion”) to the status of a “test of salvation”. The following scripture serves as an excellent foundation for this type of emphasis.

1 Corinthians 15:1-10 ESV

(1) Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,

(2) and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you--unless you believed in vain.

(3) For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

(4) that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

(5) and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

(6) Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

(7) Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

(8) Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

(9) For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

(10) But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

The gospel is not “baptism for the forgiveness of sins”. It is the message that Christ died for us and was raised again, proving that eternal life awaits all who embrace Jesus as Lord. It is a message of grace and it was the basis for Paul’s inspiration to work as hard as he did. Does this mean that “anything goes” and that “sound doctrine” is unimportant? Obviously, that is not the message of the following scriptures:

1 Timothy 4:16 ESV

(16) Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

2 Timothy 2:15 ESV

(15) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

2 Timothy 4:1-5 ESV

(1) I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:

(2) preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

(3) For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

(4) and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

(5) As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Indeed, we have a responsibility to faithfully proclaim the Word of God without diluting it in order to accommodate those who prefer to hear “Peace, peace, when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14). We represent Jesus, not the “lost” as described in the following passage:

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 ESV

(18) All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

(19) that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

(20) Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

What should be our response, in view of these observations? We should be unyielding with regard to the issues of “first importance” that are explicitly defined in scripture and free from any “exceptions”. At the same time; however, we should be careful about “going beyond what is written” (1 Corinthians 4:16) with regard to the following verse:

Mark 16:16 ESV

(16) Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

This is not to say that we should not explain what we consider to be the “best fit” in terms of the purpose of baptism and the “normative” conversion experience as reflected in the scriptures. We can certainly appeal to the writings of the early Christians as strong evidence for what those who were “closest to the apostles” believed about baptism. We can alert people to the biblical example of the “Ephesian disciples” who had deficiencies in their conversion experiences and were willing to correct them. We can even appeal to people to imitate the example of Jesus as illustrated in the following passage:

Matthew 3:13-15 ESV

(13) Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.

(14) John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

(15) But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.

Jesus set an example of doing what was “fitting to fulfill all righteousness”. In this regard, it is reasonable to teach people to adapt their lives to the scriptures and not vice-versa. Yet in all of this, we must refrain from “judging” those we teach. It is much more appropriate that we challenge them to identify their spiritual status for themselves, in view of the scriptures. The Holy Spirit is capable of working through the Word of God to convict the lost without the help of our “speculative” judgment. Some may fear the consequences of relinquishing the view of baptism that was previously described. Such fears are unsubstantiated. The real issue has never been baptism. It has always been a proper response to God’s grace. Some scriptures that are much more relevant as a “test of faith” are as follows:

Romans 6:16-23 ESV

(16) Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

(17) But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,

(18) and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

(19) I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

(20) When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

(21) But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death.

(22) But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

(23) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 12:1-2 ESV

(1) I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

(2) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 ESV

(14) For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;

(15) and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Galatians 2:20 ESV

(20) I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 5:22-26 ESV

(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

(23) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

(24) And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

(25) If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

(26) Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

In conclusion, we should continue to teach people the importance of baptism and its connection with salvation as evidenced by scripture and supported by the writings of the early Christians. At the same time, we should be honest about our limitations and acknowledge our inability to precisely determine “who is and who is not a Christian”. It is much more appropriate to challenge our listeners to answer that question for themselves in view of the message of scripture and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Such an approach is much more consistent with the scriptural admonitions to refrain from “judging” others. Moreover, it will enhance our credibility so that we will be more effective in sharing the message that actually is “of first importance” with others.

A much more thorough investigation of this topic is presented in the book, “Down in the River to Pray” by John Mark Hicks & Greg Taylor (2004). John Mark Hicks is a professor of theology at Lipscomb University and he holds a Ph. D. in Reformation and Post-Reformation History from Westminster Theological Seminary. Greg Taylor is managing editor of New Wineskins magazine in Nashville and holds a Masters Degree in Divinity from Harding Graduate School of Religion. Additional information about their book is available from the following website:



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