Q. If one accepts Christ as a personal Saviour, why is it necessary for him/her to be baptized?

A. In antediluvian times sin had reached such proportions that God issued an ultimatum to the world through Noah. An ark would be prepared in which all who wished to be saved from the coming flood waters might enter; those who rejected the offer would be destroyed in the flood. Eight persons accepted the divine plan and were saved. Peter made this penetrating observation: "'The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21).

Baptism does not cleanse the filth of sin; only the blood and power of Christ can do that. But baptism, like obedience in entering the ark, is "the answer of a good conscience toward God." When man by God's power gives "'the answer,"' salvation provided "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" becomes effective. In this Old Testament illustration we find three ideas that help us understand the significance of New Testament baptism: (1) committal to water in God's way, (2) acknowledging there is no way of salvation other than His, and (3) deliverance from the former life through faith in the power of God to save.

Vol.7 No.5

Q. I've met wonderful Christian people who haven't been baptized by immersion. Does it really matter if you've been sprinkled or immersed?

A. The Scriptures refer to the relationship between Christ and His church, or Christians, as being like that between husband and wife. As the bride and groom exchange vows, they publicly declare their love and solemnly promise to remain faithful to the other.

Baptism, in the spiritual sense, is a similar step. We renounce anything that separates us from our union with Christ and publicly pledge our consecration to His cause.

In today's permissible society, an unmarried couple happily living together is somewhat accepted. However, as Christian's we are admonished to seek guidance from the Bible for our rule of conduct.

Christ left for us a beautiful example in His own life. To John the Baptist, who protested His request for immersion at the Jordan, He said, "Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15). And His gospel commission to His disciples included, "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them..." (Matthew 28:19).

Baptism by immersion will not bring salvation to any It cannot not be used as the measure of Christian fidelity, just as marriage cannot. However, like any woman who truly loves a man would gladly vow to love and cherish, enlightened Christians should be willing to obey the injunctions of Scripture upon this point.

Vol.7 No.5

Q. I was recently baptized by immersion, but I really did not feel any different afterwards. I've been wondering if something might be wrong with my Christian experience.

A. Remember, baptism itself will not change us. It is merely a symbol of an inner experience that begins before baptism.

Going under the water represents a death to our old way of life before conversion. When we emerge from our watery "grave," we testify that by the grace of God, our past life of sin has lost its dominion over us and a recreation has taken place. "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27). "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Galatians 2:20). In essence, we live the life of Christ, or Christ lives our life.

Although feelings should not measure our Christian maturity, the spiritual battle is real and we would be wise to examine our experience from time to time. Conversion does not happen once in our lives. Says the apostle Paul, "I die daily." Every day, we must subdue the passions that seek to overcome us. In this way, we reveal the mystery of the gospel to the world, "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).

Vol.7 No.5

Q. My brother's church teaches that unchristened babies will burn in hell. What can I tell him from Scripture?

A. Your question involves two issues, infant baptism and hellfire. Interestingly, no supporting statements of Scripture exist regarding infant baptism. Instead, the baptism advocated by the Bible symbolizes an experience. In Acts 2:38, we find that baptism should be preceded by repentance for remission of sins. It is highly unlikely that any infant possesses such cognition.

Throughout the New Testament we see incidents of baptism by immersion. The eunuch that Phillip ministered to, the Philippian jailer and his family, the apostle Paul, and Jesus Christ Himself, all were baptized as adults. And it is doubtful that the Bible's admonitions to baptism were written to encourage parents of babes to christen their young.

The theory that hell is a place of everlasting fire is an age-old misconception. The unquenchable fire in Matthew 3:11, 12 depicts the type of fire that will consume the wicked until evil is utterly destroyed. Jude 7 clearly portrays this destruction. "Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner.. . are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." Sodom and Gomorrah have long turned to ashes. The everlasting fire of Matthew 25:41 refers to the permanence of the eradication, not the fire.

Sadly, these misconceptions onginate because of a false conception of God. God is neither arbitrary nor unreasonable. Although we are not told whether infant deaths will lead to heaven or hell, we can be assured that God will be merciful. He longs for all to obtain salvation. "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, 0 house of Israel?" (Ezekiel 33:11).

Vol.9 No.2

Q. The church I was raised in teaches that an infant must be sprinkled to remove the inherited guilt of Adam’s sin. How could I have been guilty for Adam’s sin? I wasn’t even at the “scene of the crime” and didn’t choose to be born. What if someone ends up in hell who didn’t get sprinkled, will they be punished for Adam’s sin? This seems very unfair!

A. In order to answer your question, we must compare this concept to what the Bible teaches we inherited from our first parents.

Inherited guilt is the logical deduction of a teaching known as original sin. Popularized by Augustine, an early Catholic scholar and bishop, it led to the following conclusions: All humans inherit the fallen nature of Adam. Because we inherit Adam’s nature, God judges us as sinners. Therefore, through inheriting Adam’s genetic material, we inherit his guilt.

There is no question that Adam and Eve’s sin caused something to happen to their genes. Sin was inscribed on every cell of their bodies. They became mortal, subject to death; and without the intervention of Christ, their deaths would have been eternal.

The Bible tells us that we inherited their fallen state, for “in Adam all die” (1 Corinthians 15:22). Their sin affected us physically, mentally, and spiritually. We have bodies subject to disease, death and decay. Our minds are weak and often unstable. We are naturally alienated from holiness and prefer sin. We inherited this condition; we did not choose it.

But does the Bible actually teach that along with inheriting the effects of Adam’s sin we inherit his guilt, too?

The Bible defines sin in personal terms: “Who-soever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4). Further, the Bible insists that an individual’s guilt results from his or her own sinful choices: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son” (Ezekiel 18:20).

What texts are used to support the concept of universal guilt? Here are a few: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6); “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10); and, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 5:23).

These texts do not confirm that we inherit Adam’s guilt, or that we sin because we have sinful natures. Carefully studied, they simply recognize the universal weakness of human flesh.

All of us are born with a nature attracted to sin. Our physical, mental, and spiritual natures are corrupt. But the nature does not actually sin. It merely influences us to commit sin. We choose to sin with our minds. Again, sin is a choice not a condition.

Even when we are born again, we still have sinful natures. The difference is that we now choose to place our minds under the control of the Holy Spirit, not under the control of sinful nature. (See Romans 8:1-14.) Paul calls this process “the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

Equating the possession of sinful nature with guilt and habitual sin leads us to blame sin on “faulty” genes. (Try that excuse when you are stopped for speeding!) It also leads to the unbiblical view that God cannot provide us with enough moral power to overcome sin until our natures are changed at His second coming.

No, God will not punish you for Adam’s sin. Neither can you blame Adam, or even your parents, for your wrong choices. Paul writes, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

By the way, the guilt that some believe is possessed at birth is supposedly washed away when “holy water” is applied to an infant. Nowhere in Scripture can we find support for this idea. Only when we ask Jesus to be our personal Savior and consent to allow God’s Spirit to transform us will we experience the new birth which Jesus described to Nicodemus in John chapter 3. Baptism is merely an outward sign of inward conversion.