“Wouldn’t it be nice if the New Testament were laid out like a book of theology?\u00a0 In just a chapter or two God could have explained the work, worship, and organization of the church.\u00a0 He could have stated in clear, unambiguous language all of the doctrines we are to believe and teach.\u00a0 At the very least, when it comes to the plan of salvation, He could have placed in one passage all of the elements necessary for salvation: belief, repentance, confession, and baptism.”<\/p>\n
So reason some.\u00a0 Yet, what they fail to consider is the extent of man’s rebelliousness.\u00a0 Even if the New Testament were laid out in this way, men would find a way to set it aside.\u00a0 The Law of Moses was revealed in explicit detail, and Israel still seldom followed it.\u00a0 Rebellion is not because God’s word is unclear, but because most men’s hearts are corrupt.<\/p>\n
That God wants us to work at understanding His word is clear: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth<\/em>” (II Timothy 2:15).\u00a0 To “be diligent” means to “to exert one’s self, endeavor, give diligence ” (Thayer).\u00a0 Some are willing to put forth the effort, but most are not.\u00a0 Yet, if our heart is right and we are willing to give due diligence, God’s word is understandable.\u00a0 Paul wrote, “if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,\u00a0 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,\u00a0 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)<\/em>” (Ephesians 3:2-4).<\/p>\n We rightly explain that in order to understand any topic or context, we must consider all that the Bible has to say before we draw any conclusions.\u00a0 After all, “the entirety of Your word is truth<\/em>” (Psalms 119:160).\u00a0 A major obstacle in understanding truth is when one draws a conclusion without considering all of the evidence.\u00a0 When that kind of individual is presented with a passage that contradicts an ‘already-arrived-at’ conclusion, the passage is reinterpreted (twisted) in a way so that it no longer contradicts.\u00a0\u00a0 This is done by Christians and non-Christians alike.\u00a0 But an honest heart will consider all the evidence and will, if necessary, question his own presuppositions in order to arrive at the truth.<\/p>\n In teaching the alien sinner what he must do to be saved, we point out all of the passages throughout the New Testament that deal with salvation.\u00a0 Yet, one would think that there would be at least one passage that ties all of the requirements together.\u00a0 Consider the following: “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.\u00a0 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful<\/em>” (Hebrews 10:22-23).<\/p>\n “A true heart in full assurance of faith<\/em>” is an explicit reference to belief.\u00a0 Faith is from\u00a0pistis<\/em>, and means belief.\u00a0 Of course, the New Testament speaks of different levels of faith.\u00a0 Our faith can be, “dead” (James 2:17, 26), “weak” (Romans 14:1), “little” (Matthew 6:25-30), or “great” (Matthew 8:8-12).\u00a0 The “full assurance” in this passage is described in Hebrews 11:6, “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.<\/em>“<\/p>\n Though the word “repentance” is not used in Hebrews 10:22, it is implicit in the phrase, “having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.<\/em>”\u00a0 The sprinkling is done with the blood of Christ (Hebrews 9:13-14; 12:22-24; I Peter 1:2)\u00a0 The object of this sprinkling is “our hearts,” and the purpose is to purge us of an “evil conscience.”\u00a0 Thayer defines conscience (suneidesis<\/em>) as “the soul as distinguishing between what is morally good and bad, prompting to do the former and shun the latter, commending one, condemning the other.”\u00a0 An evil conscience is one that has become calloused (I Timothy 4:2;\u00a0 Titus 1:15) and will not repent even when sin is pointed out (Hebrews 6:4-6).\u00a0 \u00a0 The contrast to Hebrews 10:22-23 is found in vs. 26-31.\u00a0 Here the writer describes one who sins willfully after having received the knowledge of the truth.\u00a0 While at one time their consciences were pure, they have now become hardened.\u00a0 They recognize their sins, but they no longer repent of them.\u00a0 What remains is “a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.<\/em>”\u00a0 But a heart “sprinkled from an evil conscience<\/em>” strives to please God and will repent when sins are pointed out.<\/p>\n This is explicitly found in v. 23.\u00a0 This is the same word used in Romans 10:10, which Paul says will bring salvation, and in I Timothy 6:12-13, which Paul calls the “good confession.”\u00a0 Jesus describes this confession in Matthew 10:32-33, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.<\/em>”\u00a0 And the eunuch made the good confession in Acts 8:37 when he stated, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.<\/em>“<\/p>\n Again, the word “baptism” is not used in this passage but the concept is found in the phrase, “our bodies washed with pure water.<\/em>”\u00a0 Ananias told Paul, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord<\/em>” (Acts 22:16).\u00a0 It is through baptism that our sins are washed away.\u00a0 The Hebrew writer points out that it is “our bodies<\/em>” (soma<\/em>) that are washed, which rules out any symbolic or metaphorical baptism (such as “Holy Spirit baptism”).\u00a0 This is the immersion of the physical body in water (Acts 8:36-39; I Peter 3:21) which brings the forgiveness of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38).<\/p>\n This one passage lays out what man must do to have his sins forgiven, just as some would like it.\u00a0 But only an honest heart will give heed.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Dan Gatlin “Wouldn’t it be nice if the New Testament were laid out like a book of theology?\u00a0 In just a chapter or two God could have explained the work, worship, and organization of the church.\u00a0 He could have stated in clear, unambiguous language all of the doctrines we are to believe and teach.\u00a0…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[47],"class_list":["post-58713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-salvation"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":56269,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-flood-and-baptism\/","url_meta":{"origin":58713,"position":0},"title":"The Flood and Baptism","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 26, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"by Frank J. Jamerson via Gospel Power, Vol. 15, No. 13, March 30, 2008. Many of the teachings of the New Testament were prefigured in the Old Testament. The Old Testament story is the type and the New Testament lesson is the antitype, or that which is prefigured. One of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":84538,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/gods-plan-for-our-salvation\/","url_meta":{"origin":58713,"position":1},"title":"God\u2019s Plan for Our Salvation","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 14, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Stephen Harper God, \"according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began\" (II Timothy 1:9), had a plan for our salvation, and Jesus Christ \"was foreordained before the foundation of the world\" (I Peter 1:20) as the sacrifice for our\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":48215,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-knowing-that-baptism-is-essential-to-salvation-essential-to-salvation\/","url_meta":{"origin":58713,"position":2},"title":"Is Knowing that Baptism Is Essential to Salvation Essential to Salvation?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 10, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"by Gary Eubanks This question may seem a bit obscure and requires a moment's reflection to digest, but it actually addresses a very common and familiar situation.\u00a0 Anyone who knows much about Evangelicalism knows that at its heart lies the concept of salvation by faith alone.\u00a0 For Evangelicals, salvation comes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31840,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-gospel\/","url_meta":{"origin":58713,"position":3},"title":"The Gospel","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 4, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 2:1-11 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The word \u201cgospel\u201d translates a Greek word that means \u201cgood news\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The gospel is a message that is to be heralded to all the world - Mark 16:15 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is a message that brings hope to those who hear it - Colossians\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":43274,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/commandment-keeping-and-boasting\/","url_meta":{"origin":58713,"position":4},"title":"Commandment Keeping and Boasting","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 18, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"by Edward Bragwell, Sr. via\u00a0Biblical Insights, June 2014 Jesus declares that hypothetically if we were to keep all his commands, we would still have no right to boast. \"So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":39338,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-good-works-the-result-of-salvation\/","url_meta":{"origin":58713,"position":5},"title":"Are good works the result of salvation?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Are good works the result of salvation? I was in a discussion earlier with someone of the Baptist faith who used Ephesians 2:10 to say that good works are the result of salvation and not required for salvation since Paul is referring to us being saved in Ephesians 2:8-9,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58713"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58713\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Hebrews 10:22-23<\/h2>\n
1. Belief.<\/h3>\n
2. Repentance.<\/h3>\n
3. Confession.<\/h3>\n
4. Baptism.<\/h3>\n