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March 1, 2006, Vol.5, No.5. Baptism Part 13 Keith Sharp To make the determination who should be baptized, Mr. Lane summarizes his position on the requirements for salvation. He concludes: Faith is the response to the whole set of facts contained in the preaching of Christ.... It is believing that the things he did in his life, death, resurrection and ascension he did in order to make forgiveness and life available to those who hear and believe. Faith also has two elements: i. an acceptance of the literal truth of the facts of the gospel, so that there is no doubt about any of them .... ii. Coming personally to him with these sins and, because of what he did and offers, believing he takes them away from the sight of God and implants a new life by which they can be overcome. What is important is that nothing else is required, either for salvation or baptism, other than these two things - no further instruction, spiritual guidance or even response. (114-115) The gospel not only contains facts to believe, it also includes commands to obey. (Romans 10:16) There is more to preaching Christ than Mr. Lane realizes. Philip preached Christ to the Samaritans (Acts 8:5) and as the result they believed and were baptized (verses 12-13). He preached Jesus to the eunuch of Ethiopia (Acts 8:35), and as the result the eunuch asked to be baptized (verse 36). Preaching Christ includes preaching baptism. There is more to saving faith than Mr. Lane recognizes. Saving faith, the basis of hope, is itself based on evidence and pertains to unseen things (Hebrews 11:1,3). But saving faith also includes trust in God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) We must trust God to reward us if we "diligently seek Him." How do we seek Him? Isaiah advised Israel: "Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near." (Isaiah 55:6) We seek the Lord by calling on Him. How do we call on Him? Certainly not by praying. (Matthew 7:21) The New Testament never teaches alien sinners to pray for salvation. The prophet Joel promised and prophesied concerning the latter days And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Joel 2:32) On the day of Pentecost the apostle Peter quoted this passage and applied it to the events of that day (Acts 2:17-21). He informed them that the Lord on whom we are to call is Jesus of Nazareth, whom God has made "both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:22-36) His audience, many of whom had participated in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, were cut to the heart and urgently inquired what to do (Acts 2:37). Peter replied: Repent, and let every one 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. (Acts 2:38) This was how these believers were to call on the name of the Lord. Ananias was sent to Saul of Tarsus to tell him what he must do. (Acts 9:1-17) Ananias’ command to Saul was, "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16) The apostle Paul reminded the Roman Christians of the "word of faith" by which they had been saved (Romans 10:8-17). That word promised, "For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’" (Romans 10:13) But that word teaches, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) It promises: But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:8-10) Thus, to call on the name of the Lord, you must hear the gospel, believe in Christ Jesus, repent of your sins, confess your faith in Christ and be baptized for the remission of sins. What does baptism have to do with calling on the name of the Lord? And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you – not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 3:21, New American Standard Bible) Baptism is the means God has appointed for us to reach the blood of Christ (Romans 6:3-4), and when we obey the Lord in baptism we are calling on Him, appealing to Him, to cleanse our consciences of the guilt of sin. What blessings are experienced in baptism? Mr. Lane asserts, "The only means of publicly confessing an experience of conversion that we find in the New Testament is baptism." (117) Not only is baptism never identified in the New Testament as "confessing an experience of conversion," the whole idea of an "experience of conversion" is foreign to the New Testament. The Lord’s appearance to Saul of Tarsus is usually cited as just such an experience. (Acts 9:1-6; 22:6-8; 26:13-18) As Mr. Lane recognizes, the Lord did not appear to Saul of Tarsus to convert him but to call him to be an apostle (Acts 26:16-18). It was three days later when Saul’s sins were washed away (Acts 22:16; 9:8-18). Furthermore, the wrong Person in the Godhead appeared to Saul to make this an evangelical conversion experience. Mr. Lane contends conversion is effected by Spirit baptism. Jesus Christ, not the Holy Spirit, appeared to Saul on the way. Three days later, when Ananias came to him, Saul still had not received the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17).
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