(Another letter received from another Christian confused about my belief and teachings has prompted me to add this post. Examination of my teachings can be found throughout this blog, as well as on our Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians site, especially in our salvation handout. If my teachings are not clear in this simple post, please refer to our main site for deeper learning.)
Absolutely not in the sense that you are probably speaking! Faith in the saving grace through Jesus Christ is all that is necessary for salvation.
I do believe, however, that the word "salvation" is often confused by Christians. Some believe that the word "salvation" means that they get to go to Heaven when they die.
Salvation means that a person is saved from the curse and judgment of sin, and given the opportunity to live on.
You can read my exact teachings with Scripture reference from our "Salvaton" handout download on our home page at http://www.guidedbiblestudies.com
In a very shortened explanation...
1. We can not be in the presence of our LORD God with sin.
2. There is only one way of getting rid of sin, and that is to die.
3. There are two ways to die as a Christian, through the baptism of Jesus Christ and through bodily death.
4. Both deaths are equally able to release the hold of sin that is within you.
5. There are two ways a Christian will resurrect, either through coming out of the baptismal waters in faith of Jesus Christ's resurrection, or on Judgment Day when Jesus Christ raises the dead to answer for their life on this earth.
6. Those Christians who have received baptism in their lifetime will not lie in their grave, but will be immediately taken to Heaven in their sinless state. There they will reside for a while, until the End of Days.
7. Those Christians who were not bapized will sleep in their graves until awakened by Him on that Day, at which time they will stand before Jesus and he will see their faith in Him.
8. Both groups will eventually come together once again to live upon the New Earth and Heavens.
9. Both groups are saved by faith and receive eternal life. However, only those baptized are taken to Heaven for that short time while the things of God unfold. (Remember, eventually, Heaven also comes to an end, and a New Heaven and Earth replace it; Heaven is not the final destination place that Christian folklore has made it to be.)
I hoped this has helped explain my belief and teaching.
I am confident that Scripture supports my teachings. However, there is a place of consideration that might be worthy of examination with regards to the baptism of a Christian. That would be the answer to this question...
"Can a Christian receive the baptism of Jesus Christ without the ceremony of water in which the believer rises from his baptismal grave?"
For serious Bible students, this is the question that really needs to be asked. The Word of God is very specific on the process of dying, salvation, resurrection, faith in Jesus Christ and eternal life. It is not, however, too revealing upon the process of the baptism of Jesus Christ, and that, my dear friends, is really the only focus we can consider and debate.
Any thoughts?
David "Bucker" Becker
Absolutely not in the sense that you are probably speaking! Faith in the saving grace through Jesus Christ is all that is necessary for salvation.
I do believe, however, that the word "salvation" is often confused by Christians. Some believe that the word "salvation" means that they get to go to Heaven when they die.
Salvation means that a person is saved from the curse and judgment of sin, and given the opportunity to live on.
You can read my exact teachings with Scripture reference from our "Salvaton" handout download on our home page at http://www.guidedbiblestudies.com
In a very shortened explanation...
1. We can not be in the presence of our LORD God with sin.
2. There is only one way of getting rid of sin, and that is to die.
3. There are two ways to die as a Christian, through the baptism of Jesus Christ and through bodily death.
4. Both deaths are equally able to release the hold of sin that is within you.
5. There are two ways a Christian will resurrect, either through coming out of the baptismal waters in faith of Jesus Christ's resurrection, or on Judgment Day when Jesus Christ raises the dead to answer for their life on this earth.
6. Those Christians who have received baptism in their lifetime will not lie in their grave, but will be immediately taken to Heaven in their sinless state. There they will reside for a while, until the End of Days.
7. Those Christians who were not bapized will sleep in their graves until awakened by Him on that Day, at which time they will stand before Jesus and he will see their faith in Him.
8. Both groups will eventually come together once again to live upon the New Earth and Heavens.
9. Both groups are saved by faith and receive eternal life. However, only those baptized are taken to Heaven for that short time while the things of God unfold. (Remember, eventually, Heaven also comes to an end, and a New Heaven and Earth replace it; Heaven is not the final destination place that Christian folklore has made it to be.)
I hoped this has helped explain my belief and teaching.
I am confident that Scripture supports my teachings. However, there is a place of consideration that might be worthy of examination with regards to the baptism of a Christian. That would be the answer to this question...
"Can a Christian receive the baptism of Jesus Christ without the ceremony of water in which the believer rises from his baptismal grave?"
For serious Bible students, this is the question that really needs to be asked. The Word of God is very specific on the process of dying, salvation, resurrection, faith in Jesus Christ and eternal life. It is not, however, too revealing upon the process of the baptism of Jesus Christ, and that, my dear friends, is really the only focus we can consider and debate.
Any thoughts?
David "Bucker" Becker
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3 comments:
Water baptism is a symbol of the old man dying and the new man rising as a clean creature as a symbol that his sins have been washed away and buried. Water baptism by itself is nothing, as the baptism of the Holy Spirit through faith is salvation. It is not the water that will save you, but the life of Jesus Christ emersed in our life that is salvation.
Jesus himself was baptized as an example, and He said to go out into all the world and preach the gospel and baptizing in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The water baptism is a symbol of the old man dying and the new creature in Christ arising. We should therefore, be baptized, as it is obedience to God's Word. However, it is not the water baptism that will save you, as that is only a symbol of the old creature dying & a new creature arising....it is the baptism of the Holy Spirit through faith that will save us. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is from the Lord and not from people.
Thanks for your Blog! I wonder why the rejection of the importance of water baptism by so many? The Bible never teaches to reject it. It seems strange to me that it was so important to Jesus and yet so many say it is not important today. Why the insistence on saying it is not important? Instead the bible says things like this:
Titus 3:5
"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 clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 3:19-21 RSV
Galatians 3:27, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:11-13
"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word," Ephesians 5:25-26 RSV
"let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." Hebrews 10:22 RSV
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