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HOW TO BE SAVED ?
REPENT
Each one of us, at birth, holds the seed of sin. In the Book
of psalms, we can read :
" Behold, I was shaped in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me ".
This is
the consequence of Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the early days of human
kind (Genesis 2:15-17 and Genesis 3:6).
The
apostle Paul emphasizes "
by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, so death passed
onto all men, for all have sinned... " (Romans 5:12).
Therefore, we
know for sure
that there is no man on this earth who hasn’t known sin
(Ecclesiastes 7:20), except for the man Christ Jesus.
Indeed, Hebrews
4:15 certifies that " He [Jesus
Christ] was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin ".
What is sin ?
The Bible, our great reference, defines sin as follow :
" sin is the transgression of the law " (1 John 3:4).
To transgress
means not to follow or to disobey God’s commandments. In other words, not to
do God’s will.
Anyone who finds himself on the path of disobedience,
therefore sins, must die. It’s a spiritual law. Let us examine a portion of
the scriptures from the prophet Ezekiel’s book :
" 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: the righteousness of
the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be
upon him " (Ezekiel 18:20).
Antidote for sin
The Greek word for
antidote is
antidotos wich means to give against.
In order to
treat sin, God a gave against
[antidotos]
it His own blood (Acts
20:28).
As we should have been condemned forever because of sin, He made Himself
alike us through Jesus Christ, going as far as accepting the crucifixion in
our place. We had a debt because of sin. The devil had his claws on us ; but
Jesus erased this debt by His Own blood, making a show of Satan
openly (1 Peter 1:18-19 and Colossians 2:13-15).
Through the blood of Christ, forgiveness of sins was offered
to us " and without
shedding of blood there is no remission "
(Hebrew 9:22).
Repentance
The door of Salvation was opened to us through Christ’s
precious blood. Those who desire to receive forgiveness for his/her sins
must absolutely believe that only the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth saves (Acts
4:12 and John 3:16) and repent.
Repentance is not only an intellectual step but an adhesion
of the heart which consists of turning away from our wicked ways to answer
God’s calling. True repentance, if it comes from God, must produce fruit in
us, good fruit (Matthew 3:8).
True repentance
is godly sorrow that we feel because of sin, but the sorrow of the world
worketh death (2 Corinthians 7:10).
Implications of
repentance
True repentance must follow these steps :
1)
to acknowledge
one’s state as a sinner (Ecclesiastes
7:20 and Romans 3:23).
2)
to confess all
one’s sins - known or unknown - calling upon the blood of the Lamb
(Acts 19:18 ; 1 John 1:9 and Ephesians 1:7).
3)
to turn away
from all one’s sins and all anti-scriptural practices – fornication,
adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, zoophily, masturbation, Horoscope,
occult practices, Voodoo, gambling, yoga, martial arts, Freemasonry...
(1 Timothy 6:11 and Leviticus 20:27).
4)
to turn to God
and follow Him (Joshua 24:14 and 1 Thessalonians 1:9).
The person who decides to repent commits himself/herself
to lead a life of holiness and walk in obedience to the Word of God.
To lead a life
of holiness means to abstain from all " filthiness of the flesh and
spirit " (2 Corinthians 7:1).
The root of the word holiness is holy which has
been translated from the Hebrew word qadosh and the Greek word
hagios.
These two words
that we often find in the scriptures - the first one in the Old Testament
and the second one in the New Testament - mean to be set apart for God.
To walk in
obedience to the Word of God indicates that God’s new creature has agreed to
submit to the Master’s will : to keep and to practice the content of the
Holy Bible (1 Samuel 15:22). In some cases, it can even lead
someone to leave certain types of customs or habits tinged with paganism, as
from then on, he becomes citizen of the saints, people of the house of God.
BE BAPTIZED
The word
baptism takes its root from the Greek baptizo which means : to
immerse. Baptizo is derived from
the word bapto which translates as to deep. Baptizo and Bapto,
although
etymologically very close, have a different semantic even if both words
express the idea of immersion.
Bapto
portrays a temporary and brief immersion - like when a person is dipped in
water baptism to authenticate his/her .
Baptizo
rather
means a longer action, considered as permanent, which characterize the
commitment of those who took the engagement.
In acts
2:38, for example, when Peter answers the Jews’ questioning, they were
pricked in their heart after his sermon, and he told them :
" Repent and be baptized [baptizo],
every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ... ".
When Peter
uses the word baptizo,
it goes
beyond the action of a person being dipped in water baptism to authenticate
his or her commitment ; he implies that those who heard the voice of God
must take a definite stand for Him.
Baptism of repentance : a step under the Law
For
consecration and purification, Jews used to immerse themselves in water.
This water baptism had a powerful symbolic meaning.
Later on
and still under the Law, a man whose name was John the Baptist, Jesus
Christ’s cousin, was preaching repentance in the wilderness of Judea, as it
was foretold by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 40:3-4). John the Baptist was
encouraging people to change their lives for the forgiveness of sins.
" And there went out unto him [John the
Baptist] all the land of Judea and those of Jerusalem ; and they were all
baptized by him [John the Baptist] in the River Jordan, confessing their
sins " (Mark 1:5).
Next he was
telling them : " I indeed have baptized you with water, but He [Jesus
Christ] shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit " (Mark 1:8).
Baptism of
repentance was not a final step. It was solemnizing the vow to whom would
submit to it, to truly change his/her heart condition awaiting the Messiah’s
coming. (Acts 19:4).
At the age
of thirty, Jesus Christ begins then his public ministry. For three years and
a half - length of his ministry - He will not cease preaching repentance
" for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand " (Matthew 4:17).
By that time, the disciples will do John the Baptist’s
baptism for a good while during Jesus’ ministry. (read
carefully John 4:1-2).
Baptism in the Name of
Jesus Christ
The gospels are telling us of Jesus’ life on earth. He
chose for Himself some disciples, whom He taught, ate
with, slept with, and shared everything with. He never
hid from them the fact that He would have to go through
much suffering from the hands of the elders, the major
priests and scribes, that He would be put to death, and
would resurrect on the third day (Matthew 16:21).
After His
passion, " He showed Himself
alive... being seen by them forty days, and speaking of the things
pertaining to the Kingdom of God " (Acts 1:3).
Then He
added, on the last day He spent with them - therefore the fortieth day of
His resurrection - He commanded them
that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait to be baptized with the
Holy Spirit, before to teach all nations (Acts 1:4-8).
Speaking to
them in such manner, Jesus knew that this group of 120 believers would not
make any mistakes as they would teach the nations to keep all that He had
prescribed them. Why
?
Because in a few days they would be baptized in the Holy
Ghost, the Spirit of truth, that would guide them into all truth
(John 16:13 and Acts 1:5).
What happened
then ?
The day of Pentecost - fifty days after Passover - the 120
were all filled with the Holy Ghost, as it was promised.
By that time,
Peter, the disciple who received the keys of the Kingdom of heaven, preached
repentance, water baptism in the Name of the Lord Jesus-Christ with the
promise of the gift of the Holy Ghost, which they themselves had just
experimented (Acts 2:1-4 and Acts 2:38).
Could
Peter truly make a mistake ? Certainly not !
Peter’s sermon, highlighted by verses 38 and 39, answered to
Christ’s commandments according to which His disciples were to teach nations
to observe all He had prescribed.
Henceforth, it’s on the day of Pentecost that the Master’s
words took all their meaning.
- "
repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His
name [wich name ? the Name of Jesus]among all nations, beginning
at Jerusalem " (Luke
24:47) ;
- " ...ye shall be
witnesses
[whose
witness and what to witness ? The Name of Jesus]
in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part
of the earth "
(Acts 1:8) ;
- " Go ye into all
the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and
is baptized shall be saved [believe
in whom ? in the Name of Jesus ; baptized in whom ? In the Name of Jesus]
; but he that believeth not shall be damned [don’t
believe in whom ? in the Name of Jesus] "
(Mark 16:15-16).
These are the reasons why Peter, disciple of Jesus Christ,
man without instruction (Acts 4:13),
but led by
the Spirit of truth,
preached
repentance, water baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ, with the promise of
the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts
2:38-39).
And there, 3 000 Jews accepted this message and were baptized
IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST (Acts 2:41).
Baptism of all those who believed in the Bible, under the New
Covenant
About two thousands years ago, Jesus Christ left His
disciples with some very clear orders, telling them "
that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among
all nations, ... " (Luke 24:47).
Besides, he
stated : "
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not
shall be damned " (Mark 16:16).
The King’s statements are of utter importance. They show :
-
repentance and
remission of sins can only find their accomplishment in the Name of
Jesus-Christ ;
-
to believe and
to be baptized in the Name of Jesus are essential elements for salvation.
Please note ! It’s not the actual action of baptism that
saves, if it was so, it would mean that the crucifixion and the resurrection
of Jesus are insufficient. Thus, our justification has become possible by
grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, if we believe in Him.
What saves, is the faith in Jesus-Christ
(John 3:16).
But this faith
must go with the works otherwise it’s useless and dead. James rightfully
wrote : " For as the body
without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also "
(James 2:26).
To believe in Jesus Christ [faith]
followed
with obedience to the Most High’s commandments [works],
is what saves
(Isaiah 56:1).
Consequently, let us examine all of the baptisms that were done in the Bible
each time men and women believed, in the New Covenant :
a) Acts 2:37-41, 3 000
Jews baptized
Peter’s
sermon, the day of Pentecost, touches the Jewish men’s heart as well as
those who were staying in Jerusalem. After they’ve accepted his word,
therefore, after they’ve believed and repented, 3000 were baptized in the
Name of Jesus Christ by Peter and the apostles.
b) Acts 8:12-13 and 16b,
Samaritan men and women baptized
Philip goes
to Samaria and preaches Christ (Acts 8:5). The message in the Name of Jesus
Christ attracts crowds of people which generate great joy and men women are
getting baptized, after they’ve believed. Even Simon, the sorcerer, after
he’s believed gets baptized.
They were
all baptized by Philip in the Name of the Lord Jesus, as it is mentioned in
the second part of verse 16.
c) Acts 8:35-38,
Important Ethiopian dignitary baptized
As Philip
was evangelizing, he receives the order to do to Gaza. On the way, he meets
an Ethiopian eunuch, in charge of keeping the Queen of Ethiopia’s treasures,
reading a scroll of Isaiah. The eunuch does not understand what he’s reading
but Philip explains it to him. He shares with him the good news of Jesus and
the Ethiopian convinced of the message, asks to be baptized. They both go
down to the water and Philip baptizes him. These verses do not mention that
this Ethiopian Jew got baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. However, the
Word speaks for itself. Philip is the one who baptized this man after he had
believed in Jesus Christ with all his heart (verses 36 to 38). Now, this
same Philip baptized the Samaritans in the Name of the Lord Jesus, in some
previous verses (verse 16b). It is therefore obvious that the Ethiopian
dignitary could only be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. All other
kind of baptism from Philip would have been illogical and contradictory.
d) Acts 9:17-18,
Saul of Tarsus (Paul) baptized
The Lord
reveals Himself to the one who persecuted the first Christians. He
momentarily becomes blind. In a vision, Saul sees a man named Ananias who
will lay hands on him to recover his sight. It will be done and Saul will
be baptized by Ananias after having been filled with the Holy Ghost.
Once more, this passage does not mention in what name
Saul was baptized. However, it is very easy to know if
Ananias called on the Name of Jesus-Christ when Saul was
baptized. Indeed, in this same book of Acts, we are told
in a detailed narration about Saul’s conversion that he
was baptized and washed from his sins as he was calling
on the Name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). In the same
manner, Saul who became Paul, baptized 12 disciples of
John the Baptist at Ephesus in the Name of the Lord
Jesus (Acts 19:5). Finally, as he was speaking to
Christians in Rome and in Galatia, he reminds them that
they have been baptized in Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3 and
Galatians 3:26-27).
It is
therefore unthinkable that Paul could have baptised in a different name
other than the Name of Jesus, as he personally baptised others in this same
Name.
e) Acts 10:44-48,
Baptism of Cornelius’ family and friends
As Peter
was divinely told, he goes to Caesarea to see someone named Cornelius. He
and his entire house are very religious people, fearing God, giving alms to
the people, though not saved. It’s the reason why the angel of God appears
to him and tells him : "
... Send Simon, whose surname is Peter, who shall tell thee words whereby
thou and all of thy house shall be saved " (Acts 11:14).
Then, Peter
preaches the remission of sins in the Name of Jesus and as he was talking to
these unbelievers, they are filled with the Holy Ghost. Immediately, Peter
gives the order to baptise them in the Name of the Lord.
f) Actes 16:14-15,
Lydia and her family baptized
After
having a vision, Paul goes to Macedonia. He approaches a group of women
gathered together and preaches to them the good news of Jesus-Christ. One of
them, whose name is Lydia, pays much attention to what Paul is saying. The
Lord opened her heart. That’s the reason why her and her family accept to be
baptised by Paul.
After he
had believed, he and his entire family got baptized by Paul and Silas. These
baptisms had most likely been done in the Name of Jesus-Christ (see
explanation § d).
g) Acts 16:29-34,
The jail keeper and his family baptised
Paul and
Silas are put in jail for proclaiming customs - the gospel of Christ - which
trouble the Romans (Acts 16:20-21).
In the
middle of the night, they pray and sing God’s hymns, to the point where the
foundations of the jail collapse. In a panic, the jail keeper wants to kill
himself but Paul stops him. Then he asks them : " ...
what must I do to be saved ? ".
Paul and
Silas replied in one accord : "
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house " (Acts
16:30-31).
After he
had believed, he and his entire family got baptized by Paul and Silas. These
baptisms had most likely been done in the Name of Jesus Christ (see
explanation § d).
h) Acts 18:7-8,
Crispus and several Corinthians baptized
Paul is in
Corinth. Tirelessly, he preaches Christ. However, Jews show some opposition
to his message. Paul proclaims to someone called Crispus, chief of the
Synagogue, the ways of the Lord. He and his entire family receive this
message as well as several Corinthians who were there. Paul baptises them
after they had believed.
For the
same reasons as mentioned above, surely these baptisms had to be done in the
Name of Jesus Christ (see explanations § d).
i) Acts 19:1-5,
John the Baptist’s twelve disciples baptized
Paul is at
Ephesus where he meets some disciples whom he asks : "
Have ye received the Holy Spirit, having believed ? ".
Their
answer is surprising : " We have
not so much as heard whether there is any Holy Spirit ".
Who could
these men be disciples of ? Paul will soon find out as he enquires about
their baptism. They declared in one accord: from the repentance baptism. At
this point, Paul teaches them, instructs them, showing them that if they had
received John’s baptism, they had to go further in believing in the One who
would come after John the Baptist : Jesus Christ. On the basis of this
teaching, Paul baptises all of them in the Name of the Lord Jesus.
This is the
list of baptisms for those who believed, as we find them in the Bible. None
of them have been done in any other Name than Jesus Christ. Let’s see them
in this chart.
Synoptic chart of baptism of those who believed under
the New Covenant
|
Scriptural references |
BeLIEVERS |
Baptized
By whom ? |
WHEN ? |
THe PLACE |
|
Acts 2 : 37-41 |
3000 Jews |
Peter and the Apostles |
When they repented |
Jerusalem |
|
Acts 8 : 12-13 & 16b |
The Samaritans |
Philip |
After believing |
Samaria |
|
Acts 8 : 35-38 |
The Ethiopian Eunuch |
Philip |
After instruction and
believing |
Gaza’s desert |
|
Acts 9 : 17-18 |
Saul of Tarsus |
Ananias |
After repentance And filled
with Holy Ghost |
Damas at Judas' |
|
Acts 10 : 44-48 |
Cornelius and his family |
Peter |
After being filled with the Holy Ghost |
Caesarea |
|
Acts 16 : 14-15 |
Lydia and her family |
Paul |
After believing |
Thyatira |
|
Acts 16 : 29-34 |
The Jail keeper and his family
|
Paul and Silas |
After believing and repenting |
Philippe |
|
Acts 18 : 7-8 |
Crispus and the Corinthians |
Paul |
After believing |
Corinth |
|
Acts 19 : 1-5 |
John the
Baptit's disciples |
Paul |
After being instructed |
Ephesus |
© Copyright 2003
Jacky TIMIR pour Actes 2:42
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