Does everyone who was baptized have eternal life?

Question: Hi, From the topic of “The Thousand-Year Reign”, you stated that baptism is the first resurrection. John also states that second death will not have an effect on those who take part in the first resurrection. Then does that mean all who were baptized will have eternal life? But what about those who are…

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Was baptism only for the Jews?(2)

Question: Good morning brother, I recently had a discussion with a brother in Christ who said that the book of Acts was addressed to the Jews because they killed Christ. He mentioned that the question asked after their hearts were pricked, “what shall we do” applied to those Jews that were assembled. He said that…

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Is baptism necessary for salvation?

Question: Hello! I am from Brazil, and I am seeking salvation. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died for my sins on the cross and rose on the third day for my justification. I am sorry for all my sins. I would like to ask you: Is baptism by immersion necessary…

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Notes on Does God Think Baptism Is Necessary?

Despite having received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Peter commanded Cornelius and his household to be baptized – Acts 10:48 All, including Paul, were baptized into Jesus and into Jesus’ death – Romans 6:3 They were baptized in order to be able to walk in newness of life – Romans 6:4 They were baptized…

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Baptism: Necessary for Salvation

by Allen Dvorak It is virtually undisputed truth that man is saved by divine grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). However, some have concluded from this fact that there is nothing that man can or must do for his salvation. It is frequently argued that “water baptism can’t possibly be necessary for salvation because it is…

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Why Baptize Infants?

by Whit Sasser “Baptizing” infants is practiced in the Roman Catholic church and some of the Protestant denominations as well. But why would one need to subject a baby to such? They are not sinners. Sin cannot be inherited (Ezekiel 18:20). Sin is not passively received but a violation of God’s will (I John 3:4).…

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How can someone with aquagenic urticaria be saved?

Question: How can people with aquagenic urticaria be saved? If these people that suffer from this disease were immersed in water would most likely die. This disease can be traced back before 500 B.C. Although a very low percentage of the population has this disease, one would think that the total number of people who have…

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Calling on the Name of the Lord (Hamilton)

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Calling-on-the-Name-of-the-Lord.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Acts 2:14-21   I.         Most linguist will tell you that one difficulty in translating between two languages is dealing with idioms             A.        An idiom is a phrase that doesn’t mean what is literally said, but native speakers understand them without much thought             B.        Examples from English are”                         1.          “It’s raining cats and…

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Can a man who lived for many years with a woman be baptized?

Question: This happened over 20 years ago. A husband and his wife, who were idol worshipers and uneducated day laborers, who lived in a slum with their little children. Suddenly the husband left his wife and married another girl. Seeing the state of the woman, a young man who was not married and who also…

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Can a person be baptized who is living with someone but not having sex?

Question: Can a person be denied baptism if he is living with his fiancée but isn’t committing fornication because they saw the error of their ways Answer: Paul declared “that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance” (Acts 26:20). If a person realizes that fornication is sinful, then why is…

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What about a person who doesn’t repent until after his baptism?

Question: Dear brother, Thank God for your good work. Please, if an unrepented person who concealed his sin then gets baptized and he later comes to his senses, what must he do? Or when the church finds out, what must the church do? What I understand, based on the steps to salvation, Acts 2:47 and…

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Jesus’ Baptism

by Terry Wane Benton Jesus had no sins, and John was baptizing people who needed their sins washed away. When Jesus requested that John baptize Him, John “tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” Baptism is for sinners who want their sins remitted,…

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You Must Be Born Again

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2003/08/You-Must-Be-Born-Again2.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 3:1-22   I.         I had a fellow ask me if I had been born again.             A.        In particular, he wanted to know how I came to believe such a thing.             B.        When I replied with I John 2:3-6; 4:6; 5:2-3, he became quite upset             C.        He wanted to know how I was…

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Baptism Is Not My Work

by Edwin Crozier Today’s reading is John 9. by James Tissot Just like Jesus commands those who would be spiritually healed to be baptized, washed in water (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; John 3:3-5; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:1-4; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; I Peter 3:21), Jesus commanded the blind man to go wash in the…

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Were any saved without baptism in the Christian age?

Question: Was there anyone saved after the dispensation of Christ in the New Testament that was not baptized? Answer: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me'” (John 14:6). Children are born without sin (Ecclesiastes 7:29) and are not held…

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I became a Christian but sinned before I was baptized

Question: Hello, I recently became a Christian. I think it was at the end of January or the first part of February that I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I wasn’t able to be baptized until April. But before then, I had a few bumps in the road. I committed three acts of…

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Christ Did Not Send Me to Baptize

by Terry Wane Benton What did Paul mean by this statement in I Corinthians 1:17? Preaching the gospel is what leads to people being baptized (Mark 16:15-16). You could read the whole Old Testament, including the Law of Moses, and it will not command you to be baptized. Only the gospel will lead people to…

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Clapping in Worship

by Gardner Hall Is it wrong? If so, why? The last few years have seen the introduction of handclapping in congregations of the Lord, including a few that have opposed institutionalism. Though motives are often praiseworthy, serious questions are raised by the practice. Is it presumptuous? Is it practiced because God wants it? Or rather,…

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Is It Possible to Preach Christ and Not Preach Baptism or the Church?

by Donald Townsley via Guardian of Truth, December 15, 1988 From time to time men set forth the doctrine that we should “preach Christ” and leave the controversial subjects of the plan of salvation and the church alone. Some say, “just preach the man and not the plan”; others say, “preach Christ and not the…

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How to Become a Christian

by W. Frank Walton “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (II Corinthians 5:17). The Bible says salvation from sin is only in Christ (Acts 4:12). The most important commitment you’ll ever make is deciding to become a true Christian. What “steps”…

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Notes on Examples of Conversion

Where Hear Believe Repent Confess Be Baptized Result At Pentecost Acts 2:14-41 Acts 2:38 Acts 2:38, 41 Forgiveness of sins Acts 2:38 Added Acts 2:41 Acts 3:12-26; 4:2,4 Acts 4:4 Increase in number Acts 5:14 Added to number Acts 5:42 Increasing in number Samaria Acts 8:4-8, 12 Acts 8:12-13 Acts 8:12-13 Ethiopian Eunuch Acts 8:30-35…

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Notes on Things that Accompany Salvation

Hear Believe Repent Confess Be Baptized Obey Commanded Acts 16:31; Hebrews 11:6 Commanded Acts 2:38; 17:30; 26:20 Commanded Acts 10:48 Commanded Philippians 2:12 To come to God John 6:45 To please God Hebrews 11:6 To gain times of refreshing Acts 3:19 Brings joy in heaven Luke 15:7 To be confessed before God Matthew 10:32-33 To…

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Does it matter if you are baptized facing forward?

Question: I just started going to a church of Christ and love it. They’re a real loving congregation. I was just baptized. I’m new to all this but have OCD and am particular. I find it odd that they baptized me forward while I was on my knees. I’m new to all this and felt…

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I want to be baptized, but how can I find a true believer to do it?

Question: I recently came across the fact that baptism is a necessary step for the forgiveness of sins. If this interpretation is true, it means that I’ve never met a Christian in my whole life. Most people I know who are or claim to be a Christian were baptized because they knew God commanded it.…

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Baptized but Not Converted

by Fred Shewmaker Years ago in a home Bible study, the couple with whom we were studying complained that the words I was using were too big. Being somewhat inexperienced in home Bible studies, I was surprised by their complaint. The words about which they were complaining were all words found in the Bible. I…

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Isn’t a baptized person a member of the local congregation?

Question: I am a bit confused. My understanding has always been that if an individual were visiting us, and they obeyed the gospel while here, I would direct them to a sound church in their area. They would not be a member of the local church here, although they obeyed the gospel here. If I…

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Can you explain whether people are saved in these four scenarios?

Question: The gospel was preached to four people who accepted the Word and wanted to be baptized. The first person confessed his drinking habit and asked to be baptized but will gradually stop the drinking later. Can he be baptized to become a Christian? Why or why not? The second person hides his sin with…

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An Inquiry into Baptism

Sprinkling, Pouring, or Immersion, Which Shall It Be? by Jefferson David Tant Introduction Since the Bible teaches that baptism is an essential part of my relationship with Christ (Mark 16:16; Galatians 3:27; Romans 6:3-5, etc.), then it behooves me to make sure that my baptism is pleasing to the one who has given the ordinance. …

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When Is a Baptism Valid?

by Matthew Bassford Seven or eight years ago, I got a call from a brother in St. Louis who asked me to study with his mother.  I set up the study and began, as I usually do, by asking her questions about her religious background.  She explained that she had been brought up in a…

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Views of Mark 16:16

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/ViewsOfMark16.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Mark 16:14-20   I.         Jesus had just one meaning in mind when he spoke Mark 16:16.             A.        It isn’t for men to put their own spin on Jesus’ words – II Peter 1:20-21             B.        Not that this has ever stopped people from trying             C.        God doesn’t author confusion – I Corinthians 14:33             D.        But…

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If I get baptized, does that mean I wasn’t saved before?

Question: Hello, I am a teenager, and I have a few questions I’d like to ask. I was raised in a Southern Baptist Church. I said the sinner’s prayer (or something like it) when I was 6 or 7 years old. I wanted to follow God (I think), but I never got around to being…

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Baptism and the Faithfulness of God

by Matthew W. Bassford Whether most Christians think about it or not, their entire belief system is based on the premise that God is faithful. God’s faithfulness is what makes it reasonable for us to trust in Him and devote our lives to doing His will. We know that if we keep our covenant with…

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Is baptism for the remission of future sins?

Question: When one is baptized into Christ by water baptism, is it for the remission of past sins only? Or is baptism for all sins (past, present, and future sins)? Answer: “Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and…

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How could Jesus’ baptism save before his death?

Question: I am a member of the Church of Christ. My son-in-law has decided to follow the Baptist teachings. I have done much study on baptism since his decision. I have studied many questions on your site. I am perplexed by your responses on one set of verses: John 4:1-2. You seem to say in…

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Does a confession need to be taken before baptism?

Question: We are having a problem with words in our congregation. When you baptize someone should you say the words “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit for the remission of your sins?” Or should you just immerse them and say nothing? Also, our preacher does not…

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The Passing of Billy Graham

by Dan Gatlin Billy Graham passed away today. Some may not be familiar with what he taught. He said, “I believe baptism is important, and I have been baptized. But I think we violate the Scriptures when we make baptism the prime requirement for salvation … Paul’s central theme was Christ and His saving power.…

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Why is the religious world so against baptism?

Question: I stumbled upon this Christian site, which I believe is owned by people who are Restored Church of God. I saw an article where they tell people how to be saved. A lot was actually good material. It talked about the necessity of repentance and believing, along with Scriptures, but when it came to…

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