What must mankind do to be saved?
In our first four lessons on salvation, we’ve looked at hearing, believing, repenting and confessing Christ. Let’s now focus on baptism as the final step in obeying the gospel.
Baptism
Baptism is one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented topics in all of the New Testament. Our next lesson will focus on two questions:
- What is baptism?
- What does baptism do for us?
For this study, we only want to answer the question “What must mankind do to be saved?”
Shortly after Jesus rose from the dead and before he ascended back to heaven to be with God, he called his disciples together to teach them what to say relative to salvation. In what is often called “The Great Commission”, Jesus commanded those disciples saying: “all power (authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20) Mark has similar language in his account of the event (Mark 16:15, 16).
In part three (Repentance), we noted the first gospel sermon which was preached by Peter on Pentecost in Acts 2. When those Jews present were told they had crucified Christ, verse 37 says they asked “men and brethren, what shall we do?” Peter responded in verse 38: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
In John 3:5, Jesus told Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” So baptism is an integral part of obedience to God. Without baptism, one cannot be saved.
Even though Christ was sinless (1 Peter 2:22), we’re told that He was baptized to set an example for us. John 1:9 says, “And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.” (also see 1 Peter 2:21).
In review, our last five lessons have answered the question, “What must mankind do in order to be saved?” The answer: hear, believe, repent, confess Christ, be baptized.