| We can know! by Norman Childs |
| Books by Norman Childs Links Guest Register Home Contact Us About Us 800-973-2646 |
|
Chapter Ten I THANK GOD I BAPTIZED NONE OF YOU 1 Cor 1:14-17 KJV “I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” Notice what this passage does not say: It does not say that Paul was sorry that these people were baptized. It does not say that Paul never emphasized baptism. In Paul’s writings he mentions the importance of baptism 16 times. It does not say baptism is unimportant. The word baptism in its various forms is found 103 times in the New Testament. There are approximately 300 chapters in the New Testament which would give us an average of one mention of baptism for every three chapters. The New Testament alludes to approximately 50,000 baptisms. Christ sent me not to baptize 1 Cor 1:7 KJV. “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel.” Titus 1:5 “The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.” Question: Since Titus was sent specifically to straightening out and appointing elders, does this make preaching the gospel of no importance? We all have different talents and opportunities but they do not diminish the value of other people’s talents and activities. Just because Paul was not sent with the specific job of baptizing does not say baptism is unimportant. WHY WAS PAUL THANKFUL THAT HE HAD NOT BAPTIZED MORE? 1 Cor 1:15 “Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.” Paul didn’t want to cause division in the church and he knew that some people were thinking that they were better than others because they were baptized by “The Apostle Paul!” baptism is a work and eph 2:8, 9 say that we are not saved by works. It is interesting that those who hold the “faith only” position teach the necessity of the works of faith. They teach that the work of faith, the work of repentance, and the work of confession are all necessary for the sinner to do in order to receive salvation. Faith, repentance and confession are all personal active works, that is, they are definite works the sinner must do to receive the free gift of salvation. Baptism, on the other hand is like the preaching of the gospel, it is a passive, (inactive, motionless, inert, idle) work. Baptism is a work that others do for us. Other people did the work of writing the word that we may have life, Jn 20:30-31. Other people did the work of preaching that we might be saved, 1 Cor 1:21-22. Other people do the work of baptizing us that we might have remission of our sins, Acts 2:38. QUESTION: Why don’t the faith only people exclude personal active works from Eph 2:8, 9? QUESTION: Why don’t they condemn the works of writing and preaching? QUESTION: Why do they single out baptism as the work that defies Eph 2:8, 9? ISN’T CORNELIUS AN EXAMPLE OF CONVERSION BEFORE BAPTISM? The story of Cornelius’ conversion is told twice in two chapters. The story is best understood when it is arranged chronologically. Please consider the following: Acts 10:32 Peter will speak to you Acts 10:5, 6 He will tell you what you MUST do Acts 11:14 to be saved. Acts 10:32 [You must] believe and obey Acts 10:47, 48 [and] be baptized in water. It should be remembered that Balaam’s donkey spoke in tongues but that did not make her a Christian. Cornelius speaking in tongues did not make him a Christian, but it did persuade Peter that he should be baptized. (Acts 10:47, 48) WHAT ABOUT JOHN 3:16? John 3:16 KJV “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Notice Webster’s illustrations to define the word should: “I had hoped I should see you.” “You should ask first.” “The plants should be watered weekly.” “He should be here soon.” “If I should die tomorrow...” If a person believes in Jesus he should not perish but should receive eternal life. If a person is at a banquet feast he should not go away hungry but an opportunity does not require the acceptance. Further: James 2 qualifies the word belief in the Bible. Saving faith is the faith that obeys. Faith (believeth) alone is dead. Some people quote Jn 3:16 to show we are saved by faith only but ignore the previous verses, (Jn 3:3, 5) which plainly say that baptism plays a roll in salvation. THE DEVIL’S LIES: Jesus said, “…the devil… is a liar and the father of lies” John 8:44-45. In Gen 2:17 God said, “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” In Gen 3:4-5 Satan said, “You will not surely die...” Adam and Eve did not die physically the day they ate of the forbidden fruit. That part of the Devil’s statement was true. We might say he told a partial truth but it was told with the desire to mislead which made it a terrible lie. In Matt 4:6-7 Satan said, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” It is true that if Jesus accidentally stumbled the angels would bear him up. Satan used this partial truth with the desire to mislead Jesus. Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test." In other words, we must gather the whole truth in order to know what the truth really is. THE DEVIL USED JOHN 3:16 FOR ONE OF HIS MOST CRUEL LIES. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16. We must constantly remember that Satan tells half truths with the desire to mislead. John 3:16 is a partial truth. Notice what Jesus taught just before he said the words of John 3:16. Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit’” John 3:5. The Devil will do all he can to keep a person from desiring to become a Christian. If he fails the Devil will lie about baptized. The Devil lies about the person who is to be baptized. The Devil says baptism is for infants or for those who are already Christians. The Bible clearly shows that baptism is for the person who is old enough to sin, has done so and is living in sin. The Devil lies about the procedure of baptism. The Devil says it is by sprinkling or pouring. The Bible clearly shows that baptism is a burial or an immersion. The Devil lies about the purpose of baptism. The Devil says it is to show that the person is already a Christian. (An outward sign of an inward grace) The Bible clearly shows that baptism is the place and the time and the point at which a person becomes a Christian. Study Guide Chapter Ten 1. In 1 Cor 1:14-17 was Paul saying that he was sorry that he had baptized some people? 2. Did Paul ever emphasize the importance of baptism? 3. How many times in the Bible is baptism mentioned? 4. What did Paul mean when he said he was not sent to baptize? 5. Why was Paul thankful that he had not baptized more people in Corinth? 6. In Jn 3:16 does the words “should not” mean will not? 7. How do you harmonize Jn 3:16 with Jn 3:3, 5? 8. Can a person go the heaven if he has not been born of water? 9. Does Cornelius speaking in tongues prove that he became a Christian before he was baptized? 10. Does Baalam’s donkey speaking in tongues prove that it was a Christian? 11. The angel told Cornelius that Peter would tell him what he must do to be saved. What did Peter tell Cornelius to do? 12. Was Cornelius told to be baptized in water? Now please click on "The Thief on the Cross."
|
Twenty Four Parts To Salvation
|
|
|
|
