I had a conversation with a good and longtime friend this morning. I will refer to him as John. As we talked, I felt like the Lord presented another occasion to address baptism in Jesus’ name with him.
In our conversation, John had casually referred to the sins of his youth. He expressed how embarrassed he is by the recollection of them now. Of course, he wished, as we all do regarding past sin, that such sins had never happened. While undoing the past is not possible, the blood of Christ offers the next best thing. Jesus died on the cross so that our sins can be forever removed from our record. Recall that John the Baptist introduced Christ to the world by proclaiming, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. Hardly is there a better or more needed pronouncement. Anyone with even a superficial understanding of his eternal predicament due to his sin is delighted by the good news of them being taken away. It’s a prospect almost too good to be true. But, indeed, it is a reality afforded us in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
John is a very religious person. I place him in the category of a sincere God-fearer who believes in Christ. I know he has confidence— non scripturally founded, I believe— that he will never face those sins in judgment because he believes in Jesus. Admittedly, that expression of faith has a ring of orthodoxy about it. But the subject of remission of sins is a specific and purely theological one, based solely and precisely on the express Word of God, which clearly addresses it. And, to this point, there is simply no biblical promise of remission of sins apart from what the Scriptures specifically prescribe. That is a theological fact, like it or not. Subjectivity (how one feels or believes about his sins being forgiven), no matter how certain one’s mindset or well-reasoned in human logic, plays no part in the removal of our sins. The Word of God alone determines the means for remission.
Salvation is singular and universal (Ephesians 4:5).
That means there is only one means of salvation, including only one means to obtain remission of sins, which is the most important part of salvation. It also means that salvation for one is salvation for all. In other words, what the Bible reveals as the means to obtain remission of sins in the period of Christian evangelism is the means for every person thereafter to receive remission of sins. Thankfully, this vital subject is adequately specified in God’s Word. I doubt that it could be presented in a manner clearer than what it is. The Bible emphatically declares that baptism in Jesus’ name is for the remission of sins. It was announced by Peter at the very outset of Christianity on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38) and it was told to the Apostle Paul on the day of his own conversion (Acts 22:16). And, because salvation is singular and universal, everyone must receive remission of sins in the same way. That’s exactly what Peter stressed on the Day of Pentecost (every one of you— Acts 2:38).
Back to John
So, concerned about my friend’s soul and eternal good, I raised the subject once again about baptism in Jesus’ name, knowing it is the sole means by which his sins will be forever washed away, according to the Scriptures. I kindly asked a pertinent question, one that can only be answered with theological specificity: John, how do you know your past sins are under the blood? He hesitated for a rather long time. His inability to answer immediately made me feel a bit sorry for him. I sincerely didn’t want to embarrass him. But his answer revealed that his mind was recalling former conversations we had about baptism and he was preparing his answer to rebut the necessity of baptism in Jesus’ name.
Finally, he answered: It’s by God’s grace, not by any works that we do. Jesus went to the cross to die for our sins so when I ask for His forgiveness, He forgives me.
The general concept of grace is often used to answer a specific theological question about salvation, as though salvation does not have tenets or a means to procure it. This shows that the grace of God can be quite misunderstood.
The grace and love of God are more than mere concepts.
Maybe we can appreciate the grace of God by comparing it to the love of God. Who would deny that salvation is based on the love of God? This fact is stated in one of the most popular New Testament verses, John 3:16. We’re also told that salvation is based on the grace of God (Titus 2:11). But neither the concept of the love of God or the grace of God was adequate to save apart from the physical coming of Jesus Christ. This is implied in both verses we cited.
We sometimes sing the old hymn, Love Lifted Me. But certainly everyone understands it wasn’t just the unenlisted love of God that saves us. Love had a practical aspect— one played out on an earthly plane in time (Galatians 4:4-5). In other words, Jesus had to come, live a perfect life, and die for us. Love that produced salvation was three dimensional.
The grace of God is similar. Grace is not some magic that can just be claimed apart from the provision grace offers to obtain salvation. That very provision is the grace of God. God’s grace, which comes through His Word (Acts 20:32), prescribes baptism in Jesus’ name for the remission of sins. The Bible unequivocally says that (Acts 2:38; 22:16). In both Scripture references provided here, remission of sins through baptism was presented to seekers of salvation. That prompts two questions:
1/ What could be more gracious?
2/ Do you think the offer of remission of sins would have been different if we had been the ones addressed?
If we are seekers of the same Christian salvation and wish to be recipients of the same grace, we should be willing to receive remission of sins in the same way. If it is how those on the Day of Pentecost and, later, Paul himself received remission, can we reasonably imagine it would be any different for us? Actually, baptism in Jesus’ name is singularly how we know with theological certainty that we have remission of sins. There is no example in the Christian era of remission being obtained any other way. And, if it is the means by which these in the historical record of Acts obtained remission, it is certainly what God requires of us today (Acts 2:38-39). Christian salvation has not— and cannot— change (Ephesians 4:5; Galatians 1:8-9; 1Peter 1:23-25; Jude 3).
Efficacy of baptism explained by Paul
The Bible not only states the fact of the efficacy of baptism remitting our sins but Paul also explained how baptism is efficacious to remove them. Baptism is a mystical burial into the death of Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3-5). It is in that grave with Christ that we come into contact with His blood. That is why baptism and the blood of Christ are both said to wash away sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16; Revelation 1:5).
Application of the blood
The blood of Jesus must be applied to our lives. Baptism in Jesus’ name is the only means of doing so. Application does not happen at the point of faith in Christ, as many think. We see that clearly in the example of Paul. He became a believer in Christ when confronted by Him on the Damascus Road (Acts 9). But his sins were not washed away until three days later when he was baptized (Acts 22:16). The Bible couldn’t make this point more emphatically. Paul’s example provides absolute biblical proof that baptism is the salvation tenet by which sins are remitted, not mere faith in Christ.
The only alternative to remission of sins is exposure at the judgment.
There is no more serious subject in the world than remission of sins. My friend, John, along with everyone else who has ever lived, would not want his sins to be advertised before all humanity at the White Throne Judgment amidst the stark purity of heaven. There is only one solution to the dilemma of sin— the blood of Jesus Christ applied through the biblical tenet of baptism in Jesus’ name.
The devil opposes baptism in Jesus’ name— and for good reason.
One would think that everyone would be inclined to be baptized in the precious name of the One Who died for us. The fact that there is so much resistance to baptism in Jesus’ name is evidence of the devil’s activity. He has biased people against this salvific tenet in order to keep them from the blood of Christ. By their refusal to submit to baptism, they miss the invaluable remission of sins. And their religious exercises help to camouflage their great lack. It is among the saddest of situations.
Conclusion
Merely citing the grace of God does not remit sin. Obeying the tenet of salvation that grace specifically provides for remission does. This is why you see baptism universally applied in the book of Acts. I hope this post prompts someone to focus on Acts 2:38 and Acts 22:16. Anyone who is baptized in Jesus’ name can biblically claim that the blood of Jesus Christ has washed away his sins. Nothing is more theologically sound.