Fruit of the Spirit

For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth...Eph 5:9

Winter 2002                                                            Volume 3, Issue 1

I was in prison, and ye came unto me... Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matt. 25:36,40 Prison Report

By Larry West

Almost without fail, wherever and whenever the absolute essentiality of baptism is preached or taught, someone will try to use the example of the thief on the cross to contradict baptism's necessity. This has happened to me countless times on the streets and it also happens in the prisons.

Recently, I have spent two Sunday morning sermons on the subject of baptism. As a result, several inmates have asked for further information and additional teaching. We have provided the eight-page information packet titled: "What Must I Do To Be Saved?" to numerous ones who have indicated their desire to be baptized. This packet deals with essential mental attitudes of those who desire to become children of God, the condition of salvation, and a chart on becoming a christian, based upon Acts 8:26-40. It answers the questions, "what saves a person from their sins?" and, "Is a person saved before baptism?" Then it provides scripture definitions of what baptism is and what it does. It references 157 scripture references on the subject of salvation and is accompanied by my standing invitation to meet with anyone who wants to discuss the subject further.

But, back to the thief on the cross. From reading Luke 23:39-43, there can be no doubt that the thief was saved in view of Jesus' statement that he would be with him in paradise that very day. And, he certainly couldn't have been baptized because he was nailed to a cross! First and foremost, he couldn't have been baptized in the likeness of the death, budal and resurrection of Christ because Jesus was still alive, hanging beside him on a cross also. Please stop here and read Romans 6:1-14. The thief lived and died under the Old Law, the Old Covenant, the Old Testament, not the New.

Secondly, when Jesus was upon the face of the earth, He could save anybody anyway He wanted! As one example of this, please read Luke 5:17-26. Jesus specifically uses this occasion to teach that "the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins."

Since we live on this side of the cross, one of the most dangerous things a person can do, as far as his soul's eternal destiny is concerned, is to attempt to remove one of the steps from God's plan of salvation. Baptism's importance in this plan cannot be over-emphasized. Consider it's importance to about 3000 on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2); the Samaritans (Acts 8); the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8); Saul (Acts 9, 22, 26); Cornelius and his friends and household (Acts 10); Lydia and her household (Acts 16); the Philippian jailer and his household (Acts 16); the Corinthians (Acts 18); and the Ephesians (Acts 19). According to word structure and the principles of interpretation, baptism is equally as important as belief (Mark 16:16) and repentance (Acts 2:38). It is so vital that it is commanded (Acts 10:47-48); and Peter, by inspiration, says that it also now saves us (I Peter 3:21). Those who had been baptized according to John's baptism had to be re-baptized when the baptism of Christ came into effect (Acts 19:1-7).

However, we must be certain that even those are

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I was in prison, and ye came unto me... Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matt. 25:36,40

Inside...
Page 1 - The Fruits Of The Spirit | Page 2 - Gossip
Page 3 - Prison Report | Page 4 - Old Testament Studies | Page 5 - Winning A Friend To Christ
Page 6 - Mission News | Page 7 - Christian Evidences | Page 8 - Hearing Of Their Faith
Page 9 - The Christian Home | Page 10 - Continuations | Page 11 - The Children's Page
Page 12 - Announcements

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