STUDIES FROM BRETHREN IN CHRIST

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12/28/2008 ~ When Christ was Crucified


† † †
→ On Golgotha (the skull) Christ was put to death with two criminals.
~ Roman guards along with the chief priests and some of the Sanhedrin,
His mother, along with the disciple He loved, and others were there.
-
The chief priests and most people reviled Jesus, as did the two criminals.
        - However, one of the thieves had a change of heart. <─┘
● Some people use the thief on the cross to disavow baptism.
Claim is made he got to heaven without being baptized. <─┘       
~ God does not welcome a rebellious heart but looks to the submissive.

1. We really don’t know whether the thief was baptized or not.

... all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized
by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. ~ Matthew 3:5-6

... the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than
John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples)... ~ John 4:1-2

And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God,
having been baptized with the baptism of John. ... ~ Luke 7:29-30

A lot of people were baptized in to John’s baptism of repentance.
Where they would be ready for Christ. <─┘       

The Pharisees and the lawyers rejected John’s message about
~ the One that would come after him and this call to repentance.

2. The thief is not an example of salvation by faith only.

           One must believe that God raised Jesus from the dead to be saved. <─┐
 ... if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart
that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ~ Romans 10:9

The thief on the cross could not have believed this since
Jesus had not died yet, let alone still to be raised from the dead.
The thief could not have been saved by “faith only”
believing that Jesus had been raised from the dead.

3. Baptism is essential to receive forgiveness under the Gospel.

JESUS ~
"He who believes and is baptized will be saved;
but he who does not believe will be condemned." ~ Mark 16:16

PETER ~
... "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; ..." ~ Acts 2:38

SAUL TO PAUL ~
'... be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'
~ Acts 22:16

... 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 6:3-4
                                                                                           ┌─> Newness of life.
... For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
~ Galatians 3:26-27

"... I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit,
he cannot enter the kingdom of God." ~ John 3:3-5

It is straightforward that one obeys Christ and is baptized in to His death.
→ This is the One Living God's plan for human salvation.

... which now saves us - baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh,
but the answer of a good conscience toward God), ... ~ 1st Peter 3:21

How can one argue baptism is not part of salvation?
- If you disagree with baptism you disagree with Jesus.  
God looks for committed souls.
○
~ There is also no such thing as infant baptism.
It is a conscious effort from the soul and not an oblivious act.

... those who gladly received his word were baptized; ... ~ Acts 2:41

... and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them ...
~ Acts 16:40

Infants can not be encouraged in the word.

And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching
a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, ... ~ Luke 3:3

Four types of baptism in the New Testament:
1. BAPTISM OF JOHN ~ call to repentance

... I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming
after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ... ~ Matthew 3:11-12

Four types of baptism in the New Testament:
1. BAPTISM OF JOHN ~ call to repentance
2. FIRE BAPTISM ~ for those that refuse Christ
3. HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM ~ poured out upon people

The Holy Spirit coming had been foretold in the Old Testament.

Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, ... ~ Isaiah 32:15

... come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; ...
~ Joel 2:28

"And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem
the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom
they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him ..." ~ Zechariah 12:10

The Bible is clear when the Holy Spirit came upon us.

... having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit,
He poured out this which you now see and hear. ~ Acts 2:33

"I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes,
and you will keep My judgments and do them." ~ Ezekiel 36:27

The message is plain:
The Holy Spirit would be passed on to those that followed the disciples.

Pentecost to Judgment, One Has To:
1) HEAR PREACHING CONCERNING CHRIST
2) BELIEVE IT
3) CONFESS, WILLINGNESS TO REPENT
4) ENTER THE WATERS OF BAPTISM
       ~ AND RISE A NEW PERSON IN CHRIST
These are the integral steps called for from GOD
~ to become a Christian - they can not be circumvented.

... make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them ... ~ Matthew 28:18-20

Four types of baptism in the New Testament:
1. BAPTISM OF JOHN ~ call to repentance
2. FIRE BAPTISM ~ for those that refuse Christ
3. HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM ~ poured out on people
4. THE GREAT COMMISION ~ preach, teach, baptize

The Catholic Church teaches
additional baptisms not found in the Bible:
S
I
D
E
S
T
E
P
S
a) Baptism of blood (martyred for Christ)
b) Baptism of desire (death bed confession)
c) Baptism of infants (oblivious to a good conscience)
F
A
K
E


I
T
Following man’s way does not exempt one from God’s plan

● It is understood that John’s baptism does not save anyone today.
The Apostles of long ago left John’s baptism of repentance
~ correcting to the baptism of the Great Commission: To confess
Christ died and rose from the dead for our salvation,
~ and to be immersed in water.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him,
and he in God.~ 1st John 4:15

Which would be safer: To follow GOD or man?

4. Thief was saved while the Old Law was still in effect.

While Jesus Christ walked on the earth,
He lived and died as a Jew under the Old Law.
→ Baptism was not a requirement for salvation under the Old Covenant.
The Christian baptism and the church had not yet been instituted
~ when the thief died.

So, when was the church instituted?
○ When Holy Spirit descended upon them.  
                                         └─> 50 days after Christ’s crucifixion.
                                                      ... and Peter gave the first sermon.
↑                                       
This is when the requirement for
the Great Commission baptism went in to effect.

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, ... ~ Acts 2:1-4

So, the thief on the cross was already dead in the ground
before the New Testament Covenant requirement or
commandment to be baptized went in to effect.

5. The testator (Christ), while alive, could save whom He would.

Until the will of Christ or New Covenant was probated,
~ men could not be held accountable for its' conditions.  

... where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be
the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead,
since it has no power at all while the testator lives. ~ Hebrews 9:15-17

A death has to occur for a testament to go in to effect.

"... know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"
~ Matthew 9:6

Jesus had the power to forgive sins while on this earth.

When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic,
"Son, your sins are forgiven you." ~ Mark 2:5

... Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." ... ~ Luke 7:36-50

The Old Law was taken to the cross with the death of Christ
~ then passing over to the New Covenant.

Faith in Christ and His Promises to Come →     ← Faith He Came  
  OLD COVENANT  
  CRUCIFIXTION  
OF CHRIST

 		P
E
N
T
  50 DAYS LATER  E
C
O
S
T
 		  NEW COVENANT  
⭨ Sliver of separation ⭧
... AGES OF MAN ... TIME OF GOD →

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and
has broken down the middle wall of separation, ... ~ Ephesians 2:14-16

The scriptures easily explain themselves.
The thief on the cross had a change of heart.

... But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying,
"Do you not even fear God, ..." ~ Luke 23:39-43

~ Jesus had mercy on him & it was not by or through faith only.

1.   We really don’t know whether the thief was baptized or not
2.   The thief is not an example of salvation by faith only.
3.   Baptism is essential to receive forgiveness under the Gospel.
4.   Thief was saved while the Old Law was still in effect.
5.   The testator (Christ), while alive, could save whom He would.

CURRENT UNIVERSE OF GOD:

  ⭨          JUDGMENT          ⭩  

  ↕  

  PARADISE: in the bosom of Abraham  
↑
DEATH OF
↑
LIFE ON
EARTH
↓
THE FLESH
↑
  GREAT     GULF  
↓ ↓

  TARTARUS: torments of a soul
  ↕  

  ⭧         OF CHRIST          ⭦  


Within the plethora of various doctrines of man,
~ there is only one thing that counts: The WORD of GOD.

The Great Commission.

... make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ... ~ Matthew 28:18-20

... "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. ..."
~ Mark 16:15-16

Jesus instructs us to take charge of a most personal work.

"... that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name
to all nations, ..." ~ Luke 24:44-49

"... "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." ..."
~ John 20:21-23

Today, only those who follow Christ's will can be redeemed.
→ It is the Bible that counts above the words of man.

"Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked,
but now commands all men everywhere to repent, ..." ~ Acts 17:30

Follow the commandments of GOD.



 

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