Jerry C. Brewer
Rarely, if ever, will one hear a denominational preacher say, “You don’t have to believe to be saved,” or, “Repentance isn’t necessary to be saved,” or, “No confession is required for salvation.” But baptism is a different story. Almost to a man, denominational preachers oppose baptism for the remission of sins, even in light of clear statements in Acts 2:38 and Mark 16:16.
Have you ever wondered why that is? The answer is simple. You see, denominational preachers are the servants of Satan as Paul noted: “…for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Cor. 11:14-15).
As ministers of the devil, it is the job of denominational preachers to make sure Satan loses no subjects from his kingdom. Therefore, they draw the battle line at the very thing that transforms one from a servant of Satan to a servant of Christ. There are only two spiritual kingdoms in this world—Satan’s and Christ’s, and that old liar Satan knows if he can dupe folks into believing they are saved without baptism, he still has them in his kingdom. He does that through the “salvation by faith only” doctrine that has worked so well for him for centuries. Satan knows that when we are baptized into Christ, God delivers us “from the power of darkness, (Satan’s kingdom, JB) and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Col. 1:13). Thus, baptism is the dividing line between those two kingdoms, as the flood was the dividing line between the old world and the new; as Jordan stood as a dividing line between Israel’s wandering in the wilderness and the promised land, and as the waters of that same river stood between Naaman’s leprosy and his cleansing from it. That’s why Satan and his ministers adamantly oppose baptism and con sincere folks with their doctrine of “salvation by faith alone.”
Satan and his denominational henchmen know that even if one wants to believe there is a God, and that Jesus Christ is God’s only Begotten Son, he still has him in his kingdom. Baptism is the culminating act of gospel obedience that puts one into Christ and His kingdom (Rom. 6:3-4). Satan doesn’t even mind if one wants to repent and live a clean life. He knows that one’s works will not save and those who quit sinning are still in his kingdom. They have not contacted the blood of Christ through baptism to have the guilt of past sins removed and they are still his servants. One does not believe into Christ and Satan knows that. Satan believes in God. James wrote, “Thou believest there is one God; thou does well; the devils also believe and tremble” (Jas. 2:19). If “belief only” saves, Satan and his devils would all be saved. But that is not what the Bible teaches. Satan doesn’t care if you want to believe, as long as that belief is not perfected (completed) in obedience to the gospel (Jas. 2:21-22).
Nor does Satan mind if one confesses Christ as God’s Son. Denominational folks are big on saying, “Jesus is Lord” and putting that phrase on their signs. But He is not their Lord if they are still in Satan’s kingdom. You see, that confession does not put them into Christ. The legion of demons who possessed the Gadarene actually confessed Jesus as God’s Son. “What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God?” If confession will put one into Christ, then those demons were saved. Who will affirm that?
Faith, repentance and confession are all necessary in order to be saved (John 8:24; Heb. 10:6; Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; Matt. 10:32; Rom. 10:14), but without baptism those are incomplete. Baptism alone does not save either. One must believe “unto righteousness” and confess “unto salvation,” (Rom. 10:14), but, having done those things, one is still in Satan’s kingdom until he is baptized “into Jesus Christ” [emph. JB] (Rom. 6:3). One does not believe, repent or confess into Christ. Baptism is the dividing line between Satan’s kingdom and Christ’s and so long as one who has believed, repented, and confessed refuses to be baptized, he is still a child of the devil. Do not let Satan’s ministers lead you to believe you are saved without baptism. He is a liar and the father of liars (John 8:44).
