baptism

Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt (Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland
Pastor: Colin Maxwell. Email: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org

Practically every reader of these words wants to go to Heaven when they die. They might not think much about God and Heaven while they are alive, but they still anticipate going to the realms of eternal bliss when they pass from this scene of time. They hope that the good folk who attend their funeral along with the officiating clergy man will have no doubts about where the deceased has gone. Their desire is to go to Heaven.

Many of the readers of these words have but one hope for their entry into Heaven. They point to the fact that as a little infant they were baptised and they have come to accept the teaching that baptism makes us Christians and starts us for Heaven. I don’t think that any can disagree with my analysis at this point…but the question is - Have they scriptural grounds for such a hope. My answer is No! Read on…

Obviously a tract this size cannot address every thought on Christian baptism, but please consider the following proof that baptism cannot make us Christians or provide us with a home in Heaven:

1) VERY LITTLE, RELATIVELY SPEAKING, IS SAID ABOUT BAPTISM IN NEW TESTAMENT.
It is mentioned only twice in Paul’s letter to the Romans and even then, the references are not to water baptism but to a spiritual operation. It is mentioned seven times in 1st Corinthians (a point to which we must return) and only once in five other epistles, leaving a whole fourteen epistles without any reference at all. These include the pastoral epistles which deal with the running of God’s house…a strange omission indeed if baptism could save us.

2) PAUL CLAIMED THAT HE WAS NOT SENT TO BAPTISE AND REJOICED THAT HE HAD BAPTISED BUT FEW OF THE CORINTHIANS:
So strange must these words be, I am compelled to quote them below so that you can read them for yourself. Paul said: "I thank God that I baptised none of you, but Crispus and Gaius…for Christ sent me not to baptise, but to preach the gospel …"(1 Corinthians 1:14/17) Paul was a man greatly burdened for the salvation of the lost. He often wept over those who had rejected the gospel way of salvation: Romans 9:1-3 and yet he actually rejoices that he had not baptised many of the Corinthians. This could not be if baptism was a ticket to heaven. This was no oversight on the part of Paul. This was the will of Christ and instead of being an embarrassment to him proved to be a cause of joy.

SALVATION IS BY REPENTANCE TOWARDS GOD AND SIMPLE FAITH IN THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS CHRIST UPON THE CROSS:
"Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13)
Repentance means to confess, abhor and abandon sin. Faith means to trust explicitly - those who do so are saved for all eternity. This is how the Dying Thief was saved. This is how the three thousand converted under Peter’s preaching at Pentecost (Acts 2) were saved. Salvation is not by works or religious ordinances. "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9) Baptism has its place in the Bible, but never as a ticket for heaven. It is seen primarily as a badge of profession for those who are already Christians. Those who are trusting in it will know eternal disappointment at the last for it was never intended to be the way of salvation.