Salvation without understanding…possible or not?

April 22nd, 2013

Peter Nolan

Numerous people live their lives very confused concerning the teachings of the Holy Bible and the requirement for the remission of their original sins. They will tell you that they don’t understand certain requirements yet they try and abide by what they feel is meant by the teachings of Jesus and the apostles.

Now admittedly there are conditions where some with a mental deficiency or other factors which prevent proper understanding of some or all of the Bible. Infants, and up to the age of accountability are not responsible for their lack of understanding, and Jesus, Himself stated that the kingdom of heaven is composed of them and those who humble themselves as little children. But for the human of normal intelligence, the requirements laid out in the New Testament by which man obtains salvation, can be understood. It is plain, simple and if one rejects it, he has preconceived ideas that are false and he is unwilling to consider what the Bible truly says.

Please read the following admonition Paul gave to the Christians in Rome. Now if there is something you cannot understand about this passage, what is it? It is clear and to the point. Some pre-set idea is causing you to be unwilling to accept what the apostle is saying.

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. (Romans 6:1-7 NASV)

One thing that most people never consider is that all the epistles in the New Testament, as well as the Revelation of John, are written specifically to Christians! Not to those outside the body of Christ. Any admonition, or even inference, that one may simply repent and pray for forgiveness, is to Christians in those epistles. Nowhere, in the entire Bible will you find where one who has never been a Christian, can secure his salvation simply by repentance and a prayer. There is a vast difference in one who is an alien sinner and that of an erring Christian.

When Paul admonished Timothy to “rightly divide the word or truth”, here is to what he no doubt was referring. The New Testament is for those who follow Jesus. The Old Testament was for those who followed Moses. The four writings, referred to as the “gospels”, written by Matthew,

Mark, Luke and John, are books covering the birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. But those four books cover the lives of the Jews who were still under the Law of Moses. Jesus was born, lived and died under the Law of Moses. His Law did not come into effect until after his ascension. So the thief on the cross, is totally irrelevant insofar as how one might have his sins forgiven.

The book of Acts (The Acts of the apostles), is the only book in the entire Bible which spells out what alien sinners are to do to be freed from their original sins and become a part of the body of Christ. Some of the epistles refer to those things which they had already done, but no alien sinner is addressed in any of these books. So Acts is the book for salvation for those who have not already obeyed the instructions given to those who were converted in this book.

Once a man has been converted and has obeyed the commands as given in the book of Acts and thereby has been added to the Lord’s church, by Jesus himself, he is a Christian. Not before. And he will always be a Christian. Sadly he may become an erring Christian and be lost as he was before. But he never has to start over with those original steps again. So, let us see what is given us in the book of Acts.

The first chapter of Acts, one finds the account of Jesus ascension after speaking to his apostles and telling them to wait in Jerusalem until they were to be endued with power by the Holy Spirit. They did this and while there they chose another apostle to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot who hung himself. (Read this chapter)

The second chapter is perhaps the most vital chapter in the entire Bible. It begins by telling of the Holy Spirit descending upon the apostles as a loud noise filled the surroundings. This moment fulfilled numerous prophesies, some in the Old Testament and also those of Jesus when he promised to send a comforter to the apostles who would remain with them. Read these promises made by Jesus.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever (John 14:16)

But the Comforter, [even] the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you. (John 14:26)

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me: (John 15:26)

Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send him unto you. (John 16:7)

This also fulfilled the promise Jesus made to the apostles as they traveled near Caesarea Philippi when he told of the establishment of his church based upon his being the Son of God.

When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:13-19)

Now, that the Holy Spirit had descended upon the twelve apostles, keep in mind that there were none, until this hour, who had been a Christian in that they were in the body of Christ. But the twelve preached their sermons in the languages of all who had gathered there for the Pentecostal celebration (only Peter’s is recorded for us and presented here in the 2nd chapter) Read the entire chapter.

And as a result of those sermons, over three thousand were baptized into Christ (V 41) and the church was now founded. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (V.47)

Now these were the first. Did Peter tell them to fall on their knees and say the sinners prayer? No. There was no sinners prayer involved. What they did was, after hearing the sermon, they believed that Jesus was really the Son of God. They repented of their sins. These are obvious in that those were the things Peter had told them. And when they understood that, they asked, “men and brethren, what shall we do?” Now if the solution had been a recitation of the sinners prayer, would Peter not have immediately told them so? It would have been a lot easier and quicker than baptizing over 3,000. But Peter said, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

There is nothing specified more clearly in the entire Bible. Yet, millions of people who profess to be Christians will rebuke Peter and say that, no, baptism is not necessary. And those people were not baptized into some man made denomination. They were baptized simply for the remission of their sins and the Lord added them to His church, his spiritual kingdom.

This beginning of the church and what they did to become added to it should be sufficient for everyone to know what is necessary for having their sins removed. However, this incident is not nearly all. As was said earlier in this article, every instance of anyone being converted and becoming a Christian in the entire New Testament, is recorded right here in the book of Acts.

The next instance of people becoming converted to Christ is recorded in Acts 8:4-13, read it.

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city. But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. (Acts 8:4-13)

This incident gives us the opportunity to show where the prayer for forgiveness is profitable. Notice what happens with Simon the sorcerer. and the following verses also show without question, how those first Christians were given a spiritual gift. Read this carefully.

Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. (Acts 8:14-22)

Several points are resolved here. First, Philip preached the same doctrine the apostles had done on the day of Pentecost. The same things were done to them. When they had believed, they were baptized, both men and women and even Simon. But now watch what happens when Peter and John arrive. They laid their hands on those who had been baptized and they received a spiritual gift as was promised by Peter in his sermon. No one could impart those spiritual gifts to the new Christians except the apostles who were baptized of the Holy Spirit. This is specifically why there are no miracles performed today. They are no longer necessary since the word is complete.

Secondly, Simon, who had been a sorcerer for years and was somewhat naturally greedy perhaps, wanted the apostles to sell him the power to pass the gifts on to others. Now, notice what Peter said to Simon who was now a Christian who had sinned. “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God”. A second baptism is unnecessary since a baptized person added to the body of Christ has the privilege and the authority granted by Jesus, to pray directly to God for forgiveness.

After Philip’s work was finished in Samaria, the angel of the Lord spoke to him and told him to go to Gaza, where he was to intercept an Ethiopian eunuch who had been to Jerusalem to worship. (This man was still worshipping under the Old Law) It is a lengthy story and I ask the reader to read it rather than paste it here in this article. (Acts 8:26-39).

You will find that this man was reading the Old Testament book of Isaiah, and when Philip had preached to him, he was converted and when they came to a certain water, he asked what would hinder him to be baptized. Now Philip said if thou believest, thou mayest. Notice then, they both went down into the water and Philip baptized him. Then they came up out of the water and the eunuch went on his way rejoicing.

Then there is the incident of Jesus appearing to Paul on the road to Damascus and ultimately Paul’s conversion, read Acts chapter 9.

The story of the conversion of the household of Cornelius, the first Gentile converts: Acts chapter 10.

Acts chapter 16 is a very interesting chapter and gives the conversion of Lydia’s household and also the conversion of the Philippian jailer.

Crispus, the high priest of the synagogue and his household and many others at Corinth. Chapter 18.

The disciples at Ephesus who had only been baptized by John’s baptism. Chapter 19

Chapter 22, Paul re-tells the experience of his conversion:

Alright, there they are. Every recorded conversion of alien sinners to Christ’s church. Study them all carefully and you will see that prayer did not enter the picture for the forgiveness of sin. In every case, those being converted were required to be baptized. No exceptions. In some cases, there as are some steps which are not recorded but are obvious. But, in each and every case, they were baptized. The steps necessary before baptism, are (1) We must hear the word (This can include reading-learning the word), (2) believing it which does include believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, (3) Repentance of ones sins, change of lifestyle, (3) Confessing that one believes that Jesus is the Son of God (see Acts 8:37), and (5) Baptism for the remission of sins. Once these steps are taken and one is added to the Lord’s kingdom by Jesus himself, he must live a faithful life until death.

“…be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10)

Friends, this promise not only means to remain faithful until you die, it means that you must remain faithful when the choice has to be made between life and death. Many of the early Christians died under these exact circumstances. Most of us, at present, do not have to face that decision, yet our loyalty must be to that degree. That we would not recant our beliefs even if it meant our death. A difficult thought, but the reward is well worthy of our determination.

Dear readers, the above is not written to be critical, but rather to cause one to think and study the Holy Scriptures.

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