A GENERAL RULE OF SALVATION APPLIED

The New Testament teaches that alien sinners must do something in order to be saved. The Jewish audience on the first Pentecost following the resurrection of Christ cried out, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” They were asking what shall we do for the remission of sins. Such is the force of their query. Peter said to devout Jews, “Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” (Acts 2:40.) This shows that there is something that one must do to save himself. This statement implies conditions to be met by alien sinners, i.e., those outside of Christ.

Conditions cannot produce or merit or procure that which depends on them. It is always gratuity or favor. The fact that the New Testament teaches that baptism is essential to salvation, and we state it so, does not mean we are teaching that one earns his salvation by being baptized. Salvation is always a favor, regardless of the conditions involved. Naaman did not produce or merit or procure his cleansing by dipping seven times in the river Jordan. He had to meet the conditions; but the cleansing was gratuitous, or a favor.

There are multitudes of people who will argue that all that one needs to do is believe in Jesus in order to be saved. They will use John 3:16, as well as other verses which give faith as a condition of salvation, as their proof text, which reads, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This is a failure to take all of what the New Testaments says concerning the conditions of salvation. The Psalmist exclaimed, “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!” (Psa. 139:17.)

A general rule that is to be applied concerning conditions of salvation is: Where salvation is promised to a person or is affirmed of him, on certain named conditions, though it may depend on more conditions than those named, it can never depend on fewer.

A passage often misused to show that one is saved at the point of faith reads, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:11-13.) However, notice that verse 12, in particular, says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God….” The word “power” means the right, or privilege to become the sons of God. If I give you the right, or privilege, to enter into my house that does not mean that you are in my house. Faith in Jesus’ name gives one the right, or privilege, to become a son of God. It alone does not make one a child of God.

A man who states that all that one has to do in order to be saved is to believe in Jesus does not really believe that statement for if he were pinned down, he would admit that one must also repent of his sins. Jesus said, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3, 5.) Jesus said to the apostles, “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:46-47.) Surely no one would say that all that one has to do in order to be saved is repent. Remember the general rule: Where salvation is promised to a person or is affirmed of him, on certain named conditions, though it may depend on more conditions than those named, it can never depend on fewer.

Suppose a person were to say that a confession of faith in Christ is all that is necessary in order to be saved? He might even quote, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10.) It has been argued , “See, there is nothing in the passage about baptism’s necessity.” Well, that’s right, but neither is there anything in the passage about repentance. Do we exclude repentance and baptism because they are not mentioned in the passage? Again, we state the rule: Where salvation is promised to a person or is affirmed of him, on certain named conditions, though it may depend on more conditions than those named, it can never depend on fewer.

The Bible teaches that baptism is essential to salvation. Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:16.) Luke records, “Then Peter said unto them, 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.” (Acts 2:38.) Annaias commanded Saul, “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. (Acts 22:16.) In every place where baptism and salvation are found in the same verse, baptism always precedes salvation. There are NO exceptions. How then, can mere man make an exception when God has not?

When these verses are quoted to unbelievers, it argued that we believe in water salvation. Such is a false charge. Though baptism always follows faith and repentance, the conditions are equal grammatically because belief and baptism are tied together by the copulative conjunction “and,” as well as repentance and baptism are tied together by the same conjunction (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). No gospel preacher has or will argue that baptism alone saves. Remember the rule: Where salvation is promised to a person or is affirmed of him, on certain named conditions, though it may depend on more conditions than those named, it can never depend on fewer.

We do not earn our salvation when we comply with the conditions the Lord has laid down in his last will and testament. Salvation has been offered to all men, not on the basis of anything they have done. God’s grace and love brought salvation down for all to enjoy, but men must be obedient. Paul stated, “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7.)

To preach that men must be obedient to the conditions of salvation is to preach the grace and love of God, for it is by his gracious love that salvation is offered along with the conditions given. Paul speaks of the gospel of grace of God (Acts 20:24) and “the word of his grace” (Acts 20:32.)

Let us appreciate the grace of God, but let us appropriate his grace by being obedient to all of the gospel and preach it as it is written.