Tag: salvation

“IS BAPTISM FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS?”

Neal Pollard

A very cordial and kind denominational preacher visited our church web site and had questions about the page teaching that baptism is essential.  He had two good questions about what we were teaching.  The first centered around why, if baptism is necessary, people filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts ten needed it.  He sought to reconcile this with Acts 2:38.  Second, he wondered about the thief on the cross and why he was saved without baptism.  How would you answer that?  No doubt many of you could do far better than I did, but here is what I said.
(1) Acts 2:38 and Acts 10:48.  I want you to notice that nowhere in Acts is anyone commanded to receive Holy Spirit baptism.  It is always mentioned as a promise, blessing or gift.  In the same context of Acts 2, Peter says, “For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (39).  In proper interpretation of scripture, one of the questions we must ask is, “To whom is the speaker or writer speaking?”  The answer here is, “To Jews” (see Acts 2:22).  Also, Jesus had told them to start in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and then the uttermost parts of the world (Acts 1:8-11).  The promise of Acts 2:39 is the receiving of the Holy Spirit.  The “you and your children” would most logically refer to Jews.  Who would “them that are afar off” reference?  Well, in New Testament terminology, there were only two groups-Jews and Gentiles.  Jesus intended for the gospel to go to the Jew first, but also to the Greek (i.e., Gentiles) (Rom. 1:16).  Cornelius is often cited as the first “Gentile convert.”  Why would the Holy Spirit come upon this Gentile household in Acts 10?  The context tells us.  The Jews are amazed because this gift of the Holy Spirit came on them ALSO (Acts 10:45-46).  After this occurs, Peter asks the logical question, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit the same as we have?” (Acts 10:47).  Incidentally, baptized was then commanded of them (Acts 10:48).  In Acts 11:14-15, Peter said they were told words whereby they should be saved.  Those words must have included instructions to be baptized.  You will notice that throughout Acts, baptism was part of the instructions for salvation (Acts 2:38,41; Acts 8:12-13; Acts 8:36-38; Acts 16:14-15; Acts 16:31-34; Acts 22:16).  Other books show us the role of baptism as part of God’s plan to redeem us (1 Peter 3:21; Romans 6:1-12; Galatians 3:26-27; Colossians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 12:13).

(2)     The thief on the cross.  We’ve got to remember that baptism is part of God’s plan under the new covenant.  There can not be a change of the testament without the death of the testator (i.e., the one who creates a will)(Hebrews 9:16).  We must remember that Jesus and that thief died under the old covenant, the Law of Moses.  In fact, Jesus nailed it to the cross when dying there (Colossians 2:14).  Also, while Jesus was on earth, He had the power to forgive sins (Mark 2:10).  The thief, then, is not a good example for how we come to salvation today.  He was subject to a different covenant and enjoyed a different circumstance, having Jesus there with Him to forgive His sins.  In light of all of those passages already mentioned telling us how to be forgiven, we must conclude that the terms of pardon are different from us than it was for this penitent thief.

I am sure this is an honest, searching man interested in knowing the truth.  What a reminder that there are those who are willing to open their hearts to scripture.  May we ever be that way, too.  And, let us all be ready to fulfill 1 Peter 3:15 in all its component parts.

A DROP OF JOHN’S BLOOD

Neal Pollard

Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, Poland, presented a drop of the late Pope John II’s blood to the St. Mary Roman Catholic Church in Greeley, Colorado, last month.  The Associated Press reported that this is a highly-prized relic for the church, especially in light of rumors that the Vatican will soon name the late pontiff a “saint.”  Father Pawel Zborowski, of the Greeley church, said that Dziwisz “presented the drop of blood on a cloth encased in a decorated gold cross last month in Poland” (via Colorado Springs Gazette online).

The discerning Bible student will find much in the above paragraph to deconstruct, but focus for a moment on the value some have attached to the blood of a man venerated by a sizable percentage of people around the globe.  They carefully encase it, preserve it, and desire to display it.  They call it a “relic” (i.e., a part of a deceased holy person’s body or belongings kept as an object of reverence). It is a rarity to be prized and treasured.

My purpose is not to debate the good and bad qualities of John Paul II.  He will stand before “the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15), the same as you and me.  It is amazing, though, that much ado is made over inefficacious, ordinary blood, while the vast majority reject the only blood that can save.  His blood redeems (Eph. 1:7), washes away sins (Rev. 1:5-6), acquits (Rom. 5:9), makes holy (Heb. 10:29), brings near (Eph. 2:13), cleanses (1 Jn. 1:7), cancels our sin debt (Mt. 26:28), clears our conscience (Heb. 9:14), and purchased the church (Ac. 20:28).  I cannot literally contact that blood.  Jesus died 2,000 years ago, 8,000 miles from here.  In four different ways, God ties the blood of Christ to baptism (see John 19:34 + Romans 6:3; Matthew 26:28 + Acts 2:38; Revelation 1:5 + Acts 22:16; Hebrews 13:12 + Ephesians 5:25-27).  Christ’s is the only blood that matters!