Both the thief on the cross (LUKE 23:42) and Saul (9:17-18) were saved before being baptized. 1JOHN 1:9 states the only required condition is to confess our sins, and ROMANS 10:9 states confess with our mouth Jesus Christ, believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, and we will be saved.
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Thank you for sharing your concerns. We will examine as many of these scriptures as we can in this limited space, and offer you other resources to help.
One of the first principles of understanding the Bible is that doctrine should be based on the whole Word of God and not just a few passages taken in isolation. The Bible itself tells us that "man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord " (Deuteronomy 8:3, emphasis added throughout). Jesus Christ clearly endorsed this overriding truth by quoting these very words in rejecting Satan's distortion of Scripture (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4).
The apostle Paul told Timothy that he should be "handling accurately the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15, New American Standard Bible). Singling out a few passages here and there is not a sound method of determining doctrinal truths. We must put together all the relevant scriptures on a particular subject to gain full understanding. Baptism is a case in point.
You stated that "baptism is not mandatory for salvation." Yet the early chapters of all four Gospel accounts refer to John the Baptist baptizing many people, including Jesus Christ Himself. John initially protested that he was not worthy to baptize Jesus, but Christ insisted. He wanted to set us an example that we all should follow.
And in fact, "Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples)" (John 4:1-2)—just as His followers do today. Jesus Himself said, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16).
In his inspired sermon on the Day of Pentecost, when the Church was founded, the apostle Peter set out the proper order of events when he said, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).Note that we should first repent, then be baptized, and then God responds to our obedience by giving us His Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32).
Even when God chose to reverse the normal order to miraculously demonstrate that He was calling gentiles to be part of His Church, Peter immediately said: "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" Then Peter "commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord" (Acts 10:47-48). We have no authority from God to omit water baptism from the salvation process. The apostles of Christ mandated it.
It is certainly true, as you have stated, that "the blood of Jesus washes away our sins." Yet we must also remember what Ananias (a man chosen by God to instruct Saul) said: "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). Water baptism symbolically washes away our sins, defined in the Bible as the transgressions of God's
Concerning the necessity of the laying on of hands, the apostle Paul told Timothy to "stir up the gift of God [the Holy Spirit] which is in you through the laying on of my hands" (2 Timothy 1:6-7). This is how one receives God's Spirit (Acts 8:17-19; 9:17; 19:6).
As to the passage on the thief on the cross, it has been badly misinterpreted. You stated that "we can safely say that the thief went to heaven." But like all who have died except Christ, this man is not conscious in heaven but is awaiting the resurrection. Let's take another look at this passage.
One key to understanding its true meaning is the thief's request that Christ remember him "when You come into Your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). Jesus comes into His Kingdom at the time of the resurrection, when the saints of God join Him on earth to rule with Him (see Revelation 5:10; 20:1-4). These events are yet future.
We should also ask ourselves, where exactly did Jesus go after He died? Did He go to heaven that same day? No, the Scriptures are quite clear that He went to the grave until His resurrection three days and three nights later, just as He said would happen (Matthew 12:40; Acts 2:31-33; 13:29-30, 34-35). So the thief could not have gone to heaven with Him that day. Jesus Himself didn't go to heaven that day!
Odd as it may sound to most people, heaven is not the reward of the saved. Scripture tells us that "no one has ascended into heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man . . ." (John 3:13; see also Matthew 5:5).
Importantly, the thief, though not yet baptized and converted, is not condemned without hope for salvation. He will be resurrected at the time of Christ's Kingdom and given the opportunity to be saved. For a much more detailed understanding of the incident with the thief on the cross, see pages 38 and 39 of our free booklet Heaven and Hell: What Does the Bible Really Teach? This publication explains why we neither go to heaven nor descend to hell when we die. The Bible consistently pictures death as a sleep from which we awake at the resurrection.
As for your reference to 1 John 1:9, we must first realize that this verse, like the entire epistle of 1 John, is addressed to true Christians who have already repented, been baptized and received God's Spirit. When the New Testament uses the pronoun "we," it nearly always refers to Christians. Even righteous men and women of God slip and fall occasionally, and the apostle John is telling them—and us—what to do when this occurs.
Certainly our human minds are all too prone to come up with reasons why we might think it isn't necessary to obey God on a particular point (see Romans 8:7; Jeremiah 17:9). But humble submission to God's Word and will is required of all who want to remain in His grace and to be saved in the end.
The free booklets The Road to Eternal Life and Transforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion explain water baptism in greater detail and why it is an essential step in the salvation process. You can request or download these free publications at www.gnmagazine.org/booklets . It requires a good deal of prayer, time and patient Bible study to correctly understand the biblical teachings of God.
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