Who are the heirs of the Christian hope? Part 1 - Belief and Baptism

We started and finished the last post with a quote from Galatians 3. We're going to start with it again because there are some issues with which we still need to deal.   

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3 v 26-29)  

So, who exactly can count themselves as part of the number of Abraham's seed? Does everyone who calls themselves a Christian get to do so? Does it matter what you believe or what you do as a professing Christian? Does doctrine matter? Does what you do in your life matter? Will you receive salvation purely on the basis of your works? Or do works not count at all and is it all based on grace?  

Take a poll of your friends who read the Bible or attend church. I expect you'll get a wide divergence of views on the answers to these questions. I also expect a lot would say that perhaps it doesn't matter as it's not really a topic on which they want/ need to split hairs.   

The days are long past when the minutiae of Bible doctrine were vigorously discussed and debated. Even the age old divide of Catholic vs Protestant seems to have broken down quite significantly. There's certainly more of a "vibe" based approach to doctrine now than there has been in the past.  Salvation - Dependent on more than just the vibe 

This blog post may seem somewhat old fashioned viewed from today's standpoint but I assure you that it's very much relevant. You see, salvation as laid out in the Bible is very much not universal and the inheritance of the promises made to Abraham are not guaranteed to all. Even in the quote from Galatians above, Abraham's seed, followers of Christ have two things associated with them.  

• They have faith in Christ 
• They have been baptised into Christ 

So, at a minimum, without these two qualifying criteria, you are not part of Abraham's seed which means you are outside of the conditions of salvation. This may seem harsh or unnecessarily exclusive but it only seems this way from a human standpoint.   The correct way to think about this is that it is God that has defined the rules of salvation and laid them out for us all. 

Our job as believing Christians is not to quibble or to try and find ways around them but to follow them with all our hearts and minds.  

Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 

This was the question that the Philippian jailer asked to Paul and Silas after the great earthquake that loosed their shackles, as outlined in Acts 16 v 30-34 "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ" was the instant rejoinder. 

The jailer took up that offer and was baptised with his household. Straightaway is the timeframe given. He believed on Jesus and was straightaway baptised with his household.   

Note here the same two principles as outlined in Galatians 3. Belief, followed by baptism. 

This sequence is found all throughout the Gospel records and the Acts.   Philip preached Christ to the Ethiopian Eunuch as he rode in his chariot. Once the Ethiopian Eunuch understood the message of Christ, he asked whether there was anything that hindered him from being baptised right then and there. Philip used the exact same language as did Paul and Silas in setting out the basis for baptism and the Eunuch was baptised then and there. (Acts 8 v 26-40)   

Similarly, Peter made sure that Cornelius and his household were baptised after he had preached to them and they had believed. (Acts 10 in its entirety but particularly 47 & 48)   The formulation handed down by Christ Peter, Philip and Paul were following a very specific formulation that had been given to them by Jesus after his resurrection and before his ascension to heaven. Let us quote from Mark 16 v 15,16.   

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.   

Again, there is this twofold requirement to be part of the class eligible for salvation. Belief, followed by baptism. If you believe, you understand the reason for baptism and you will naturally be baptised. If you believe not, you do not understand the reason for baptism so naturally you won't do it and you are (in Christ's words) damned or condemned.   

So, we have our first qualifier for salvation. Belief and baptism in that order.   What of those who are not baptised? This raises a very uncomfortable (in human terms) truth with which we have to grapple. What of those who claim to be Christians but are not baptised by total immersion in water after their belief?  

There are plenty who do not believe that it's even necessary to do. Based on the gospel record, they are in ignorance and/or clear defiance of Christ's commandments. Are they part of Abraham's seed? Are they heirs of the promises? Do they form part of the class which can even hope to obtain salvation?  The short answer is 'No'.   

Baptism 

When we here talk about Baptism, we do not mean the sprinkling or Christening that happens in many established Churches. This is not a valid baptism for two very obvious reasons.  

1. It is not a full immersion in water (the word baptiso in the NT was used in the dyeing trade where garments were fully submerged in order to take on a different colour)  
2. It is not accompanied by a statement of belief such as that given of old by Cornelius, the Philippian jailer or the Ethiopian Eunuch. Indeed it's impossible that such a statement of belief could be given by a few day / week/ month old infant.  

Baptism is not infant sprinkling

The custom of infant sprinkling has its roots in the emergence of the idea of the inherent immortality of the soul and a desire to try and ensure that newborns who died not long after childbirth would still be able to enter heaven. It's a practice totally unknown to the first century ecclesia and is completely at odds with the practice outlined in the NT. 

It's false and those who perform it proclaim false hope to the recipient and their families. It is not valid. It is not effective. It is a complete and utter waste of time.   What about those who have not even heard of Christ? There's billions of people on this earth today. There have been billions more alive since the days when Jesus first walked this earth. Not all of them heard the Gospel message. Indeed there were certain areas of the Roman empire where Paul was forbidden to go to preach. In Acts 16 v 6,7 for example, Paul was not allowed to go into Asia Minor or into Bithynia.   

Paul also recognised that the gospel message, the message of salvation was not universal. 2 Corinthians 4 v 1-4 bears this out.   

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them  

Belief and salvation are not universal

I did an earlier post on the parable of the sower which is very much on the same theme and can be summarised thus. 

• Not all hear the word of God. God in his infinite wisdom decides who should hear the gospel message and who should not.  
• Of those that hear the word of God, response and belief is not universal (the path or wayside).
• Even amongst those that do believe, there will be those who do not stay the course for a variety of reasons (the stony ground and the ground full of weeds). 

My attitude in writing this I do not write this with any air of superiority but rather with a trembling reverence for the mercy and righteousness of God. 

The Pharisees of Jesus' day suffered from hubris. They thought that they were the custodians of the oracles of God and that salvation was almost their right to demand based on their lineage and performative lifestyle.   

We should not fall into the same trap. Those of us who have been shown the Gospel message are privileged to be in this position. Our response must be to believe in Christ and to be baptised into his name by full immersion in water. This is only the first step to salvation but it is necessary to put us on the right pathway.   

Summary and concluding comments 

We have seen above that the Christian hope and salvation more broadly is tied to the promises to Abraham. We are heirs of those promises along with Abraham only if we fulfil certain conditions.  Those conditions are: 

1. Belief in the Lord Jesus Christ (with us bearing witness to this effect via a positive statement of faith) 
2. Baptism into his name 

Without these two conditions, we cannot be heirs to the promises of God. We cannot even hope to be part of those that are saved at the return of Christ to the earth. It's just not possible. I hope that after reading this, you see this as clearly as I do.