Jerry C. Brewer
…She was saved at Falls Creek in about 1942 and rededicated her life and was baptized in 1993 at Calvary Chapel Inland, Jurupa Valley, California. Her faith was very important to her in her latter years. She passed as a proud member of Martha Road Baptist Church.
The above quote is from a recent obituary of a lady who passed away in our area. Baptist doctrine reverses itself by 180 degrees from the teaching of Jesus Christ. According to Baptist doctrine, this woman’s salvation was separated from her baptism by 51 years. Their teaching of “salvation by faith only”—without and before baptism—is the devil’s doctrine that has sent—and will continue to send—millions to eternal punishment.
Baptist theologians are masters at doublespeak. Our son grew up, graduated from high school, and played sports with a fine young man who became a Baptist preacher and a graduate of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas. In a discussion of the subject of baptism, that young man once told our son that, “Baptism is necessary, but not essential.” He had well learned Baptist doublespeak.
Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). Baptist doctrine reverses the Lord’s teaching, saying, “He that believeth is saved and should be baptized.”
Peter wrote, “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 Pet. 3:21). Baptist doctrine denies these words of the inspired apostle by saying, “Baptism doth not also save us.” One Baptist theologian wrote,
Baptists believe that no one is a scriptural subject for baptism till he is already saved. All well-informed people know that we teach this: then upon what ground can they say we believe baptism is essential to salvation? (J. G. Bow, What Baptists Believe and Why They Believe It, nd, Issued by The Sunday School Board, of The Southern Baptist Convention, Nashville, Tenn.)
One is led to wonder why any Baptist bothers with baptism—the very thing from which the Baptist Church derives its name. Peter told his hearers on Pentecost to, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). In plain, unmistakable, language that verse says baptism is for the remission of sins, but Baptist doctrine says they were “already saved” and had no sins to remit.
Then, there is the Baptist quibble that wrests the word for in Acts 2:38. Baptists say Peter told his hearers to, “Repent and be baptized…for (because of) the remission of sins. Baptists say the word for means “because of.” It does in some Bible passages, but not in Acts 2:38.
Paul prayed that he might go to Rome (Rom. 1:10), then added,”For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift…” (1:11). The word for in Rom. 1:11 is translated from gar, which means “because of.” Gar always looks backward, never forward. In Acts 2:38 the word for is translated from a different Greek word, eis, which looks forward, never backward. Thayer says eis means, “into, unto, to, towards, for, among” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon Of The New Testament, 2002, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody Mass., 183).
When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He used the identical wording that Peter used—in both Greek and English—in Acts 2:38. Of the cup, He said, “…this is my blood which is shed for many for (eis) the remission of sins. According to Baptist doctrine, Jesus shed His blood because sins had already been remitted. If their doctrine is right (which it is not) then Jesus shed His blood for no reason.
J. G. Bow obviously spoke for all Baptists when he said “Baptists believe no one is a fit subject for baptism till he is already saved.” That may be good Baptist doctrine, but it is not what inspired men taught in the New Testament. Who will you believe? Jesus in Mark 16:16, or Baptist theologians who twist, wrest, pervert, and reverse plain Bible teaching? I believe the Lord.
