Christian Baptism

"Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord's Supper" (Baptist Faith and Message, 2000, article VII).

Christian baptism is an act of obedience.  Jesus commanded His disciples, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20). To be baptized is to submit to God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is a command for all the disciples of Christ until the end of the age. True faith in Christ desires to obey Jesus as Lord. It is the "the obedience to the faith among all nations for His name" (Romans 1:5).

Christian baptism is a symbol of faith. As a wedding ring is a symbol that someone is married and committed to a spouse, so baptism is a symbol of our faith and commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). The believer's baptism is a public symbol of his love for Christ.

Christian baptism is burial to the old life. "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). Burial is pictured by baptism through immersion. We died with Christ (Romans 6:8; Galatians 2:20). We identify with the death of Christ in our place and for our sins. We are changed by the power of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 1:4), that we may live a new life.

Christian baptism is a testimony of faith in Christ. It is a way to make our public profession of faith in Christ. It is a time to confess, "Jesus is Lord" (1 Corinthians 12:3; Romans 10:9). In word and deed our testimony for Christ is made public. Salvation is committing our lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The act of baptism is our testimony of faith to His death for our sins, and His resurrection for our justification from all sin. It also testifies to our future resurrection from the dead. That is our blessed hope in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:51-54; Titus 2:13).

Errors Regarding Election

"While election involves both God and man, the initiative in election is with God, not with man (John 6:44). In creation the initiative was with God: 'In the beginning God created' (Genesis 1:1). Likewise, in redemption the moving force was God: 'in the beginning was the Word' (John 1:1), (Herschel Hobbs, Fundamentals of Our Faith, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1960) 90.

The doctrine of election is an important truth taught in Holy Scripture. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word bachir, referring to election, appears four times (Isaiah 42:1; 45:4; 65:9, 22). In the New Testament, the Greek word eklektos, referring to election, appears many times (Matthew 20:16; 22:14; 24:22, 24, 31; Mark 13:20, 22, 27; Luke 18:7, 22:35; Romans 8:33, 16:13; Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 2:4, 9: Revelation 17:14). Therefore, the doctrine of election cannot be ignored by a serious student of Scripture. It is important to understand election in relation to our salvation, while avoiding errors inconsistent with the total biblical revelation.

Election means that God chose us in Christ before we chose Him. In this doctrine we notice that the initiative for our salvation is with the eternal God. In eternity God purposed to justify sinners in and through Christ before the world began. Therefore, Christ should always be the focus in the doctrine of election. The love of God to save sinners from condemnation has its eternal purpose and fulfillment in Christ alone. To leave Christ out of the doctrine of election is to open the door of confusion and all manner of misunderstanding. Those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ are elect. Those who reject Christ are condemned (John 3:36).

Herschel Hobbs recognized the importance of the Scriptural doctrine of election, but he also warned of certain errors concerning this doctrine. He listed four particular errors on the subject of election. (1) It is an error to emphasize  God's will and power while ignoring the human choice and responsibility. (2) Another error teaches that God wants to save as few as possible rather than as many as possible (John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9). (3) Yet another error is teaching that God destines some people to salvation and others to condemnation. Hobbs warns, "Thus the atonement of Christ was not for the whole world but for the elect alone." (4) A final error identified is fatalism. Hobbs insisted, "Election never appears in the Scriptures as mechanical or blind destiny" (Ibid., 90-91).

E.Y. Mullins provided a definition with a balance upon the sovereignty of God as well as the responsibility of man: "Election is not to be thought of as a bare choice of so many human units by God's action independently of man's free choice and the human means employed. God elects men to respond freely. He elects men to preach persuasively and to witness convincingly. He elects to reach men through their native faculties and through the church, through evangelism and education and missionary endeavor. We must include all these elements in election. Otherwise we split the decree of God into parts and leave out an essential part" (E.Y. Mullins, The Christian Religion in Its Doctrinal Expression, Nashville: Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, 1917) 347.

The Gift of Faith

"First, faith is indeed a gift from God, but this does not entail that the gift is irresistible. The Calvinist view that the components of conversion - repentance and faith - are grace gifts is undoubtedly correct. The problem lies in the claim that this logically requires irresistible grace" (Kenneth Keathley, Salvation and Sovereignty, Nashville: B&H Group, 2010)

Everything we have in Christ is received by faith. Salvation by the grace of God is received by faith. Christ comes into our lives, and dwells in our hearts, by faith. Answers to our prayers are received by faith.  In no way can we please God unless it is by faith. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

Faith is an abiding gift of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul writes of manifesting gifts, as well as abiding gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12-14). Those abiding grace gifts are faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). Saving faith is this abiding gift, in contrast to those who believe for a while (Luke 8:13). Temporary faith always ends in apostasy. Abiding faith endures to the end, because its source is the Spirit of the living God. It is the work of God within us, and "He who has begun a good work in you will complete until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

Faith and repentance are inseparable in conversion. They are the two sides of the conversion experience. Repentance is turning away from sin, in particular the sin of unbelief, and turning toward God by faith in Jesus Christ. It is "repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21). Repentance and faith are like the two sides of the same coin. Sometime the New Testament documents describe conversion as repentance (Acts 2:38; 3:19), at other times the same experience is described as faith or believing (Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9).

Faith must be exercised by man before salvation takes place. Paul was asked, "What must I do to be saved?" He answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). While faith is a grace gift from God, it must be received and exercised by man. The Holy Spirit convinces us of the sin of unbelief (John 16:7-11). If we resist the Holy Spirit, it is impossible to receive the abiding gift of faith (Acts 7:51). As we yield to the work of the Holy Spirit, we receive the gift of faith to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Faith is focused upon the Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit of Christ is the source of our faith, as the person of Christ is the focus of our faith. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). It is a grievous error to think that we must be the source of our faith. We may attempt to believe for a while, but looking unto Jesus, we find the abiding gift mediated to us through the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9). Our union with Christ is a faith relationship. Through the abiding gift of faith, it is an abiding relationship. He enables us to abide in Him. Jesus said, "He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

Spiritual Gifts

"The Holy Spirit cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church" (Baptist Faith and Message, 2000, II.C).

Every Christian is given one or more spiritual gifts to serve God in and through the church. As members of the body of Christ, we all have a ministry. One of the great joys of the Christian life is discovering our gifts and using them through the church to the glory of God. "Each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Peter 4:10).

What is a spiritual gift? James H. Smith wrote, "A grace gift is not to be confused with talent or natural ability, though it is compatible with many of the characteristics the person already possesses. A grace gift is the motivation for a Christian's action or reaction. It explains a Christian's personal response to a given situation. . . . One's grace gift is to find expression through ministering to the needs of others. It is a serving gift" (James H. Smith, You Have a Grace Gift, Memphis: Brotherhood Commission, SBC, 1987) 26-27.

How do we receive ministry gifts? Millard Erickson says, "The Holy Spirit dispenses his gifts to the church wisely and sovereignly. Possession or lack of a particular gift is no cause for pride or regret. His gifts are not rewards to those who seek or qualify for them. . . . He bestows them sovereignly; he alone determines the recipients" (Millard Erickson, Introducing Christian Doctrine, Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001) 284-85. The Scripture clearly supports this position. "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills" (1 Corinthians 12:11).

What is your ministry gift? As a believer in Jesus Christ, you can be sure that the Holy Spirit has a ministry for you in the church. It is important for each of us to identify what the Holy Spirit has gifted us to do. There are several practical things that we can do. (1) Study the ministry gifts in the Bible. Special attention should be given to Romans 12:3-8. (2) How has God used you effectively in the church in the past? (3) What ministry is on your heart more often than others? (4) What opportunities for ministry have opened for you? (5) What ministry has brought joy to you? Understand that joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). (6) Pray and ask God to show you how He wants to use you to serve others. (7) Receive your ministry gift by faith. God will enable you to serve Him with confidence, through your gift for ministry. "God has dealt to each one a measure of faith" (Romans 12:3).