Q: Dear John and Lee,
I had the privilege of reading some of the links on your home page. I am a seeker of God's truth and I greatly admire people who dedicate their lives to serving Him to the best of their abilities. Your statement of faith interests me because I usually look at statements and try to read phrases that express a particular belief or doctrine. I was impressed by your statement about how to be saved. I noticed that there was a requirement for people to basically welcome Jesus into their hearts in order to find salvation. In studying the Bible and trying to look only at the Bible, I keep seeing statements about baptism (immersion) after confessing Jesus as the Son of God. The immersion, in each case in Acts, is to wash away sins or for the remission of sins. This seems consistent with Jesus' final statement in Matthew. Can you please tell me if what you are saying meets these examples and statements in the Bible? If not, can you tell me what is your belief regarding immersion? Thank you for considering this inquiry.
Respectfully,
Mark
A: Regarding your question on water baptism and how it relates to salvation I would like for you to examine Acts 2:38. "Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit".
At first glance Peter seems to be saying that those who responded to the preaching of the Word had to be baptized before they could receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. We also know that the Holy Spirit is only given to those who have been saved.
However, to say that a person has to first be water baptized to be saved contradicts the teaching of Paul that we are saved by faith alone and not by works of righteousness. (Romans 4:4; Ephesians 2:8-9). This is in view of the fact that Jesus clearly taught that baptism is a work of righteousness (Matthew 3:15).
This apparent contradiction is explained when we understand that the critical word in the phrase "for the remission of sins" is the word "for" "eis." This word may also be translated "with a view to" or "because of". In this case, water baptism would be because they have saved, not in order to be saved.
Second, in Acts 10:47 we see that those who believed the gospel message received the Holy Spirit before they had been water baptized. Peter said "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" Bear in mind that the Holy Spirit is only given to those who have received the gift of eternal life.
Third, Romans 1:16 shows us that it is the gospel that saves us. Then Paul distinguishes baptism from the gospel by saying, "Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel" (Cor.1:17).). Showing that baptism is not part of what saves us.
When taking these passages in context with all other scripture, it leads us to understand the believers are baptized in view of God's work of forgiveness, not in order to receive forgiveness. Believing or repenting are placed together since baptism should follow belief. But scripture never makes baptism a condition of salvation.
I will add that baptism is an act of obedience that all Christians should observe as our Lord commands. It is a declaration to the world that a person has died with Christ and has been risen a new creation in Christ. Not by any works of righteousness of our own, but purely by God's grace and mercy.
When a person puts his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and His atonement on the cross for his sins, God then cleanses him from all unrighteousness by the blood of His precious Son and then wraps him in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. At that moment the new birth takes place and he receives the Holy Spirit who seals him and claims him as His own for all eternity. (2 Cor.1:21) Praise be to God for His marvelous Grace!
Q: Is the return of Christ and the rapture a physical event or is it symbolic of a spiritual transformation? My feeling is that it might be spiritual only. What is your opinion?
A: Thank you for your e-mail and sharing your ideas on the rapture. You asked me to respond and give some input. I agree with you that it is going to be such a glorious and marvelous event.
The one thing that we always want to do in Biblical interpretation is to take Scripture in context with other Scripture. In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, we see a description of what will take place when our Lord returns. "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall be with the Lord forever."
In this event we see the great promised resurrection which is the central theme of the Christian faith. Just as Christ resurrected, so will all those who put their faith and trust in Him as Lord and Savior. We know that the resurrection will be a physical resurrection as it is made very clear in scripture. For instance, in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, we see that the resurrected bodies of believers will be like that of Christ (1 John 3:2), incorruptible and immortal, and yet they will be bodies of flesh and bone (Luke 24:39,40;John 20:20,25,27). They will all be recognizable, as was the resurrected body of Christ. These new bodies that God gives us will never get tired, diseased or experience death. We will then move about in our glorified bodies. Praise be to God!
In Acts 1:9-11, we see the ascension of Jesus as an understanding of how He will return. "Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." By examining this scripture, we can see that the Second Coming of Christ and the establishment of His kingdom will occur the same way that Jesus ascended: physically, visibly, and literally in the clouds. It will be a glorious love affair in the sky as the Lord comes to get His bride.
I hope this will help you in your understanding of the great catching away of the church. Lets live our lives daily in the power of the Holy spirit with great expectation of His glorious return.
