Get links to my best stuff in your inbox
 

Baptism And Works

By
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin Articles Tags:

In debating with denominational preachers concerning the necessity of baptism for the remission of sins, Ephesians 2:8-9 is always referred to. One argument that is made in an attempt to deny the essential nature of baptism for salvation is to say that baptism is a human work, and salvation is not of works. In addition to Ephesians 2:9, Romans 4:4-5 is frequently quoted.

This passage states:

“Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace [a favor], but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” (Romans 4:4-5 – NKJV).

Thus, according to their argument, since baptism is a work that humans do, it can not be essential to salvation.

Baptism Is A Work

Brethren and friends, baptism is a work, but it is not a work that man invented or devised. In truth, baptism is no more a human work than belief is a human work. In John 6:28-29 – NKJV, we find the following exchange between Jesus and a multitude near the city of Capernaum:

“They they said to Him, What shall we do, that we may work the works of God? Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.“

Belief Is A Work

Thus, according to Jesus, belief itself is called a work. However, who requires this “work” — man, or God? If we believe, do we earn our salvation? Does the responsibility for our believing rest upon our shoulders or upon God’s? If we place the responsibility upon God’s shoulders and I believe and you do not believe, did God fail with you? Did He arbitrarily decide that I would be a believer and you would not? Would that not make God a “respecter of persons”?

The truth is that belief is a work that God has told me I must do to be saved (Mark 16:16 – NKJV; Romans 10:9 – NKJV; cf. Acts 8:37 – NKJV). I am the one who must believe and when I do, I have not earned my salvation, I have simply obeyed God and His command to do so.

Repentance Is A Work

The same holds true with repentance. God requires it — He commands it (Luke 13:3 – NKJV; Luke 13:5 – NKJV). Thus, it is my responsibility to obey (Hebrews 5:8-9 – NKJV). In Acts 17:30 – NKJV, the Apostle Paul states:

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.“

Who must do the repenting, God? No, I must repent. It is something that I must do! Does that then make repenting a human work, something whereby I can boast of earning my salvation? Absolutely not! It is simply doing what God said to do.

Confession Is A Work

What about confession of my belief in Jesus as Lord? Does that constitute a human work whereby I merit remission of sins? In Romans 10:8-10 – NKJV, we read:

“But what does it say? The word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.“

Who must do the confessing? The answer to that question is me, I am the one who must confess. It is not something that God does for me, I must do it! Does that mean I have earned my salvation? No, I have simply done what God has commanded.

Baptism Is Something I Must Submit To

Through the above short study, all who really have a sincere desire to see these inspired truths can plainly see them. Believing, repenting and confessing are things that I must do. Baptism, on the other hand, is something that I submit to — it is the only one of these requirements that is done “to me.” Nevertheless, it is a work of God (Colossians 2:6-12 – NKJV — note specifically Colossians 2:12 – NKJV and the phrase, “operation of God”).

Baptism is a work that God would have me to do to have my sins remitted (Acts 2:38 – KJV) so that I might present before God “the answer of a good conscience” because I willingly complied with what God commands regarding baptism (Acts 10:47-48 – NKJV).

All Of The Above Works Are Required For Salvation

Dear reader, there is no legitimate reason or logic to try to distinguish between belief and baptism by saying belief is a work of God and baptism is a work of man. The same can be said of all those who try to make a similar distinction between repentance, confession, and baptism. All of these “works” are required of God for salvation. They originated from His mind, not man’s mind, and are essential to salvation. To try to make such a distinction is purely arbitrary and dishonest. To say that one of these “works” is an attempt to earn our salvation and the others are not, is not even worth discussing. All of them are necessary works of obedience to God and leave no room for boasting.

The Lord illustrated it best when in Luke 17:7-10 – NKJV, He plainly stated:

“And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank that servant because he did the things which you were *commanded* him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.‘”

If the greatest minds of all the people who have ever lived on the earth could be combined in an attempt to devise a plan whereby we could be saved, the result would only be failure, because it would be conceived in the uninspired mind of man.

Conclusion

Brethren and friends, our salvation cannot be merited or earned by works which we have devised nor by the works prescribed in the law of Moses (Ephesians 2:9 – NKJV; Romans 3:20-NKJV; cf. 2 Timothy 1:9-NKJV; Titus 3:5-NKJV) simply because we are no longer under that law (Hebrews 8:1-13-NKJV; Colossians 2:14-NKJV; Ephesians 2:15-NKJV). We cannot, through the works we devise, ever place God in our debt. However, when we do what He has commanded us, we still have no basis for boasting, because we have only done what it is our duty to do (1 John 3:18-24-NKJV).

Instead of establishing “our own righteousness” or human system of works, let’s be willing to submit ourselves to “the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3-NKJV; cf. Philippians 3:9-NKJV; Isaiah 64:6-NKJV), complying with the good works of God which He has “prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10-NKJV).

Related Articles:

Related posts: