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41 then they that gladly received his word were baptized and the same day they were added unto them about three thousand souls. I just want to bring to your attention just want to take out of that straight away is that those that gladly received the word were baptized. Okay baptism is a something that we ought to be glad about something that we ought to rejoice about these people that heard the gospel were glad to be saved were rejoicing and then what did they do they were baptized one of the things you're going to notice immediately from the scriptures is that as soon as someone is saved they are baptized right and and it should be a time of glad rejoicing a time you know that this is why I wanted to get out here today to celebrate the baptisms that are going to be done we want to rejoice we want to be glad with the people getting baptized and it ought to be a time of rejoicing the rain is not going to let us down the rain is not going to put a damper on the day we're going to be glad as we see the baptisms take place okay but some of the things I just want to point out is the question is where did baptisms begin right what was the origin of baptism because we don't see baptisms in the Old Testament okay obviously in the New Testament John chapter 1 verse 6 to 7 it says there was a man sent from God okay we're talking about John the Baptist here a man sent from God why was he known as John the Baptist because he was the first to start the baptism you know he started to baptize people he was known as the Baptist and the reason why we're a Baptist Church by the way is because we continue that same practice that we saw from John the Baptist we're a Baptist Church we baptize people okay but he was sent by God this isn't something he just decided to do this was something that God had for his ministry sent by God and then in John chapter 1 verse 32 to 33 it says this is after John the Baptist baptized Jesus it says here that John bear record saying I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon him speaking about Jesus and I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water okay so not only was John sent for a ministry but he was sent by the father to baptize with water that was his task that was his job the same said unto me upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost so in the baptism of Jesus we see the Trinity take place there we see Jesus going into the water we see the Holy Spirit descending like a dove and we see even the Father having spoken to John the Baptist says hey the one that you see that you know that the Spirit descend upon that's the one that I've sent that's that that's the Messiah and it was John the Baptist's job not just to baptize believers but surprising to him he was to baptize Jesus Christ and so obviously you know those that teach that baptism is required for salvation it's it's or to wash away your sins immediately just the fact that Jesus was baptized shows you that baptism does not wash away sins because Jesus had no sins to be washed off right but Jesus Christ came remember he came as a man he came to set an example for us okay and so we ought to follow in his steps we ought to follow in his steps and so Jesus came showing us the example of baptism in obedience to the Father okay and also to to to just justify is probably the wrong word but I'll just say that to justify the the ministry of John Baptist because that was the occasion that John was waiting for was where he was baptized in all these thousands of people at the river but he was waiting for the Messiah to come to be baptized to that to be baptized so what does baptism represent okay obviously we're here at the lake because because we're not just going to sprinkle someone we're getting sprinkled right now in the rain that's not why we've come here okay but what does baptism represent obviously we dunk someone into the water we immerse them into the water what does that represent Romans 6 chapter 1 to 6 says what shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound you know just because we're saved and it's not by cleaning up our life just because we're saved and it's not by repenting of our sins does that mean we should continue sinning the Bible says you know God forbid how shall we that are there to sin live any longer therein no you're not that's that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death okay so baptism is an is a representation or is an image of being baptized into his death okay therefore we are buried by him with baptized baptism into his death the like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so even so we also should walk in units of life and so baptism just does represent his death but it represents his resurrection okay and his resurrection that's that likeness is also as we ought to walk in units of life okay so not only are we identifying with the death and resurrection of Christ but when we are baptized and that's the first step of obedience okay in the scriptures we'll see that people got baptized immediately after they were saved because it's that first step of obedience it's that first step of what walking in units of life okay so yes it represents a definitely on resurrection but he represents hey I'm going to walk in the newness of life I'm going to walk in the spirit I'm going to do what I can to follow the Lord and obey his commandments then it says in verse 5 4 if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall also be in the likeness of his resurrection knowing this that our man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin okay so the moment you're saved is the moment that your body of sin was destroyed okay as far as God is concerned that body has been destroyed the moment we're sinned because we have the new man we've been regenerated we've been born of the Spirit we're a new creature okay but when we do the baptism we are just publicly demonstrating that that has already taken place in our life okay so just those two things what does baptism represent number one it represents a public identification identifying with the death bearing of resurrection of Christ but number two it represents that first step of obedience walking in units of life publicly showing the church hey I'm going to strive to walk in the Lord I'm going to strive to grow in the Lord I'm going to strive to learn more to have the wisdom of God that's found in the Bible I'm going to walk in the spirit so it's those two things that baptism represents now what about the method of baptism method of how should we baptize okay what is the correct way well we spoke we already mentioned that baptism is a picture of the burial right so that should immediately tell you how baptism should take place okay but just for further clarification in Colossians chapter 2 verse 12 the Bible says buried with him in baptism so the baptism is a burial okay buried with him in baptism wherein also you were risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who have raised him from the dead okay so always pay attention to those being buried being raised that's what baptism represents and so immediately should come to mind that those that pour or those that sprinkle usually little children and that's what that's what they call baptism you immediately just know that's incorrect right because how do we bury people when someone passes away we put them in the grave what are we doing where we're burying them in the dirt we're burying them in the earth are we not their whole body is going to the into that earth Jesus Christ in his grave the stone was covered okay his whole body was covered when he was buried when Jesus Christ was buried okay so baptism ought to represent a burial okay so in what way does pouring or sprinkling represent burial it doesn't right when you've got a body and it gets buried do we just sprinkle dirt on it and done that's it we're done you know do we just pour a little bit of dirt on top of that body and we're done no that body is completely immersed six feet under normally if you have the traditional burial in the cemetery and that's what baptism ought to represent but water represents the dirt or the earth and so your whole body should be covered completely and brought back up out of that dirt so that's the that's the method of baptism another one here in Matthew 3 13 the Bible says then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him but John forbade him saying I have need to be baptized of thee and cometh down to me and Jesus answering said unto him suffer it be so now for that's become of us to fulfill all righteousness and he suffered him and Jesus when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water pay attention to those words and went up straightway out of the water so where was Jesus Christ when he was baptized if he came out of the water that would mean he was in the water right he was in the water they didn't just come to the lake to the shore and just sprinkle a little bit of water on Jesus Christ he was in the water which meant he had to come out of the water okay and lo the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lightning upon him and lo a voice from heaven saying this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased so again the fact that he came out of the water represents means that he was in the water and you don't need to go into the water to be sprinkled okay you don't need to go into the water just to be a little bit poured you can do that anywhere any little bit of water will satisfy those things so the facts that they went into the water will only make logical sense if they were completely immersed into the water okay John 3 23 and John also was baptized in Enon near to Salem because there was much water there and they came and were baptized so the Bible tells us there's a reason why John went to this letter to this river because there was much water there okay get that into your mind there was much water there and that's why we've come here because there's much water here okay if you're going to sprinkle someone you're going to pour water upon them you don't need much water okay you just need a cup of water you need a little bit of water so it only makes sense again if you're going to immerse someone in baptism you need a place of much water to do it okay and so it should be so obvious and I said this in my very first sermon on our first day of our first Sunday is that even in the Greek you know that word baptism means immersion okay the Greeks who read the New Testament in the original language they knew what it meant okay and that's why the Roman Catholic Church had that split with the Greek Orthodox Church one of the issues being over the topic of baptism because they knew what they were doing were wrong sprinkling children but again they still got it wrong because they're immersing children and and by the way another thing they do wrong is when they immerse children I don't know if you know this but they do it like three times they do it like they do once twice and three times and the way they think about it is well you know I'm baptized in the name of the the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit right but what does baptism represents it represents the burial death burial and resurrection of Christ how many times did Jesus die three times no just once right so you just do the baptism once and you're done with okay so while the Greek Orthodox kind of got it right that it's immersion late they still messed it up they're doing it three times and they still messed it up it's not for children but we're going to that shortly well it's not for babies I should say we're going to that shortly so the next question is well when should we be baptized when is the best time to be baptized and the answer is immediately or as soon as possible as soon as possible acts 836 and as they went on their way they came unto a certain water and the eunuch said see here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized so this eunuch if you know the story met with Philip and he had questions about the Bible he didn't understand what he was reading Philip explained the gospel to him he and he must have explained baptism otherwise this eunuch would be asking what's that you know wouldn't be asking about baptism right because it's not in the book it's not in the Old Testament he was reading the Old Testament what does hinder me to be baptized and Philip said if they'll believe us with all thine heart thou mayest so first of all what's the gospel if they'll believe us it's faith on Christ and if you do that thou mayest okay you're allowed to be baptized once you believe on Christ once you've put your faith on Christ that's the only criteria of baptism someone that's saved someone that's believed on Christ is eligible for biblical baptism okay they don't need to go through a 12-week course on the fundamentals of the faith all they need to know is salvation by grace through faith and not it works that's all they need to know they don't need to go through you know be at their life ought to be analyzed okay because remember what does baptism represent it represents the newness of life and what I find sometimes some pastors will say well I'm not going to baptize this person until I see a pattern of good works in their life but hold on baptism is the first step all right of the newness of life so why are you asking something from them when they haven't done step number one right it's ridiculous and then the other criteria is that some people say well if children get baptized you'll see some pastors say well I won't baptize them till they're a certain age you know if they're 10 or 12 or 15 or whatever age they have but that's in disobedience to the screen I'll get into that later on but what we see in scriptures is that as soon as someone believes they are baptized if they'll believe us with all thine heart thou mayest and he answered and said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God he didn't say I believe Jesus Christ is the Father it's like Jesus Christ is the Spirit I said Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he commanded the chariot to stand still and they went both into the water both Philip and the eunuch and he baptized him again if it's sprinkling why would you need to go into the water okay we go into the water because it represents the death burial and resurrection of Christ and when they would come out of the water the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip that the eunuch saw him no more and he went on his way rejoicing and he had one thing I forgot to mention is that my preferred method of baptism not just the immersion but is going backwards because when you bury someone you bury them on their back right so it's backwards so you know first of all when you stand up that's the crucifixion Christ was crucified on the cross that's when you're standing in the water then when you're buried you're going back buried right and then raised in his resurrection back up again okay now if you've been baptized and you know I think Alice it was telling me he knew someone that was got that got baptized like head first like that way I mean look as long as you know he was immersed I'm not saying that's an invalid baptism it's it's it's unusual it's strange but I wouldn't go head first I mean what if you give him concussion head first like that some people might have been baptized just by like kneeling into the water you know and having their head completely covered and they brought up again I don't think any of that's invalid as long as you're being baptized by immersion and you're a believer that's fine some people do that like some people kind of do that kneeling and down if they don't have a lot of water they might like have a bathtub or something so they don't have the room to put a whole body backward and back so you know it's fine as long as you're being immersed the same way that a burial immerses that dead body but yeah we're talking about being baptized as soon as possible or immediately act 16 verse 14 and a certain woman named Lydia a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira which worshiped God heard us whose heart the Lord opened and she attended unto the things which was spoken of Paul and when she was baptized and her household she was sought us saying if we have judged me to the faithful if you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord come into my house and abide there and she constrained us so we see this example of Lydia in Thyatira when she heard the preaching of Paul when she you know she was already someone that worshiped God I believe she was really saved as far as the Old Testament she probably didn't know yet of Jesus Christ but she came Paul came preaching Jesus Christ and of course those were that was saved in the Old Testament would have automatically received Christ the Savior right because they were already saved under the Old Testament a way which was still looking at Christ but when she heard that heard about baptism she was baptized immediately we see that okay acts 18 verse 7 and he departed thence and entered into a certain man's house named justice one that worshiped God again this is another person that worshiped God like Lydia did I believe this person was already saved but he worshiped God whose house joined hard to the synagogue and Christmas the chief ruler of the synagogue I'm sorry this now talking about Christmas we're talking about different person and Christmas the chief ruler of the synagogue believed on the Lord with all his house and many of the Corinthians here in believed and were baptized okay so they believe they hear the Word of God they trust Jesus as a Savior and they're baptized okay now also this takes place another one in acts 812 in Samaria it says and when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ they were baptized both men and women okay both men and women so baptism is for everybody male and female man and woman and by the way one of the reasons why some of the Protestant churches and maybe the you know Catholics and all that one of the reasons they baptized children or baptized babies I should say is because they liken it to circumcision and if you remember in the Old Testament on the eighth day if you were a male Hebrew child you'd be circumcised and so they have this idea that baptism represents circumcision whereas in the Bible baptism actually represents the death be a resurrection of Christ right so that's why they they baptized babies but who were circumcised was it the was it just the was it the boys and the girls no circumcision was just for the boys right so if it pictures circumcision in that sense then only men would be baptized do you say that but the thing that you know that I want to take out of here is that baptism is for men and women because it pictures the death bear and resurrection of Christ which is for all Jesus Christ did that for the whole world and so baptism is for everybody as long as you have believed on Christ and of course is act 16 one of our favorites verse 30 to 33 and brought them out and said sirs what must I do to be saved and they said be baptized no baptism is not required for salvation and they said believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved in thy house and they spake unto him the word of the Lord and and to all that were in the house okay and he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized he and all his straight way so here's an example of being baptized the same hour the same hour they believed the same hour they heard the gospel preached not just the Philippian jailer but his whole house believed on Christ and were baptized that same hour now this was at night so I don't know where you know same hour of the night I don't know if they were they just they found a light I mean Dorothy if you concerned about being cold it'd be much colder feels like nighttime but we see that taking place even even in the New Testament they were baptized in the same hour of the night so you know I I was saved I think I told you guys I was saved when I was four but I got baptized when I was I think I was 21 okay I was in really early 20s I can't remember exact how old I was I was 20 or 21 so that's like 16 or 17 years after being saved and the reason the reason I just wasn't a baptism was not explained well to me I didn't really understand what he meant I I was saved and I was at a Baptist Union Church and as you know a lot of these churches don't teach like the meat of the word it's very vague very shallow you don't really learn anything you know but I was afraid that if I got baptized I was afraid if I got baptized that God was going to send me as a missionary in the middle of Africa and that's why I didn't get baptized you know my parents would say would be asking oh you know you ready to get baptized like nah I don't want to go to Africa I don't I don't want to go there I want to go you know you know who knows die of hunger get eaten by a lion get get killed by the tribal people that's what I was thinking right I was thinking God's gonna send me to Africa when all this time he was sending me to the Sunshine Coast you know there was no need to delay it but yeah you know that's wrong we should be baptized immediately and to be honest with you because it represents that newness of life I really didn't start growing I didn't mature much as a believer until I got baptized it wasn't till I got baptized where I really started to learn and grow in the Lord not that I didn't grow before but it was just a very slow process it was until I got baptized and got serious where my growth started to you know take off as a Christian yeah and I mentioned about how children can be delayed sometimes because people want to say well so there's some concern well you know I don't want to baptize children because what if they're not really saved you know what it what if what if because you know it should follow salvation but again how hard is salvation it's it's believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved so there's some concern by pastors out there that I don't want to baptize children I'll wait till they're old enough like the twelve where they can really understand where I can have assurance that they really understood the gospel you know I've had an opportunity to see them grow in the Lord then I'll baptize them and they've got this fear of someone being baptized by accident but we see in the scriptures there's nothing to worry about there's nothing to be fearful of you know in the book of Acts 19 Acts 19 verse 2 to 5 we have Paul journey in and he's he comes across these disciples and he asked the question it says here in verse number 2 he said unto them have you received the Holy Ghost since he believed and they said unto him we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost so these guys weren't even saved they're like you know Paul's asking that you know have you received the Holy Ghost since you've been saved since you've been lived they're like we haven't even heard I wouldn't know we don't know what you're talking about what's this Holy Ghost and he said unto them unto then were you unto then what unto what then were you baptized and they said unto him unto John's baptism so these disciples were baptized by John the Baptist okay now John the Baptist was baptized in thousands thousands of people were coming to him and he was baptized in thousands so it's no surprise that amongst those thousands there are some of those that did it out of you know out of a just oh everyone everyone else is getting baptized let's get baptized as well you know maybe they thought it had some special spiritual power upon them they didn't realize that they had to believe on Christ and be baptized and then in verse 4 then said Paul John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance saying unto the people that they should believe on him we should come after him that is on Christ Jesus when they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus so it sounds to me they weren't even that familiar with Jesus Christ maybe they've heard of him but they didn't recognize that the baptism represented the death bearing resurrection of Christ they didn't have a full understanding of what that baptism represented and so John said how you got to believe on him they do and then they're baptized again okay so what we learned from this and I believe God gives us these little stories they're just to answer some of these you know heresies that get taught you know just the things people believe falsely it's like God always has a little story there you know to to to clarify the misunderstanding but let's say hypothetically a child you know we believe they're saved they get baptized and then later on we find out they really weren't saved well nothing to be worried about you know they just get baptized again when they are saved that's all the first time they just got a little wet they got wet that they got they had a little swim in the river a little swim in the lake that's it and they get saved they get baptized again what's the big deal hey at least do things you know scripturally we see people get baptized immediately we should encourage people to get baptized as soon as possible don't delay that that's unbiblical because you're trying to fit something in your mind you're trying to justify something but just do it by faith if that person says I've believed on Christ then baptize them if you later on you find out they weren't saved well baptize them after they get saved big deal you know I'm not concerned about them getting baptized you know a second time I'm more concerned as why they believe they were saved before you know when they got baptized I'd be more concerned about that you know why you know do they hear a false gospel being taught why do they believe incorrectly I'd be more concerned about that because that's what their salvation is based on you know salvation is not based on whether you get dunked in the water or not okay so there's no fear in baptizing children okay there shouldn't be any reason to delay baptism more than required the next point I want to bring up is that baptism is not a requirement I already mentioned this a couple times but it's not a requirement for salvation now the first reason for that just very easily we've got over a hundred Bible verses that it's by faith alone you know we've got so many scriptures John 3 16 for God to love the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life you know Titus 1 2 in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began so eternal life is received through faith okay we have over a hundred verses in the Bible you know if baptism was a requirement for salvation then all these verses would be a lie you know God is a God that cannot lie okay we have a book full of Bible verses by faith alone on Christ's death and resurrection if anything else was required for salvation then all those verses would be a lie okay but we know those verses aren't a lie because God cannot lie okay in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began Ephesians 2 8 you know for by grace are you saved through faith you know it's not for by grace are you saved through baptism and faith you know it's by faith and when I John you know John 6 47 Jesus says verily verily what does that mean truly truly you know I'm not lying to you says Jesus I'm telling you the truth this is the truth I say unto you he that believeth on me hath everlasting life now if baptism was required for salvation can Jesus say verily verily can you say truly truly no that would make Jesus a liar okay and Jesus is not just telling us the truth but he is the truth I am the way the truth in the life no man cometh unto the Father but by me says Jesus Christ okay so just immediately just all the verses that it's by faith alone all of that reinforces the fact that baptism is not a requirement for salvation but some of the verses that people use to teach baptismal baptismal regeneration or salvation through baptism one of them is is acts chapter 2 and we had that we had Calum read that for us before in verse 37 to 38 it says now when they heard this remember the preaching that was being had to the to the Jews and when they heard this when the Jews heard this they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles men and brethren what shall we do that's a really good question what shall we do okay then Peter said unto them repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost okay it's a good question what shall we do I'm glad they asked that question they were pricked in the hearts they realized they crucified their Messiah and now they're like what do we do we've you know we've killed the one that God sent to save us what do we do what shall we do is the question now before I answer that one Matthew you might remember this will out soul winning and I brought up acts 16 verse 30 to 31 of course and brought them out and said sirs what must I do to be saved and they said believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved in thy house so the question in acts 16 I was preaching this door to door with Matthew to this Pentecostal guy and I got to act 16 what must I do to be saved believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and he goes yeah but that's not enough what about the other question just like it you know in acts 2 what shall we do that's what we're talking about what shall we do and I had to point out to him but hold on acts 16 is what must I do to be saved whereas in acts 2 it's just what shall we do right there are two very different questions though they might cover some of the similar topics like you know think about it like this if my kids woke up in the morning and said dad dad what must I do because they're homeschooled what must I do for school and I'll be like well not me but Christina will be like well you know you got your math you got your English you got your history you must do those today right before you can go out and play okay that's what you must do to this school but what if the kids woke up in the morning said you know mom dad what shall we do okay is that a specific question no it's very broad it's a very open question what shall we do I'll be like kids read your Bible do your you know we're getting to do summarize every chapter of the Bible they read you know have your breakfast brush your teeth do your homeschooling do your chores I'm glad you're asking that question kids and I'll give you everything that you should do obey your parents okay but you can see how that's a very broad question it's a very good question but it's a very broad question it's not a specific question whereas in acts 16 very specifically what must I do to be saved okay so what is salvation believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and I shall be saved now if someone came to me and said you know as a Christian or as a new believer or someone that you know wants to be saved and ask the question what shall we do I'd answer all these things as well hey you know believe repent turn from your unbelief believe on Christ yeah be baptized read your Bibles go to church pray confess your sins to the Lord you know what more you know what shall we do is a broad question lots of things but all those things required for salvation no right the only one is the repent turn from your unbelief and believe on Christ so these people that use this verse to teach baptism as a requirement for salvation are taking a very broad question and applying it to a very specific question whereas that answer is in acts 16 verse 30 and 31 okay that's number one number two the other thing I'll say well hold on it says here in acts 2 verse 38 then Peter said unto them repent so that's turning from your unbelief and be baptized every one of you in the name of Christ of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins so they say well see to have your sins remitted of to have your sins removed from you you have to be baptized for the remission of sins see but here's the thing in English the word for can be used in two different ways the first way is a pre position okay a pre position for for the purpose of that's a pre position for the purpose of so if you read the four here in that pre position a way of understanding this word for then yes that would be saying that to have your sins remitted of you need to get baptized you know you need to get baptized to have your sins taken a taken away with for taken away from because that's the purpose of it the purpose of having baptism is to get rid of your sins but for can also be used as a conjunction okay for God so love the world that's a conjunction it's joining something that was there before that's because of because of and so if we use for in the conjunction way of reading it it will say be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ because of the remission of sins because you've repented because you've believed on Christ because you're saved because your sins have been remitted of then get baptized okay so it's the way you read the four and you say well how do we know which one it is Kevin do we just take your word for it that it's the conjunction for and not the pre position for well no because we just compare scriptures scriptures right acts 1043 says to him to him give all the prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins so how do we receive remission of sins whosoever believeth in him not whosoever is baptized so we know when we go back to Acts chapters 2 to have the remission of sins is a conjunction because of they believed they've had the sins remitted of and because of that they can be baptized okay so they take that passage they take those words out of context and out of the the right grammar that it should be read in but the other one they turn to is mark chapter 16 mark 16 verse 15 to 16 and he said unto them go into all the world this is another part this is another passage about the Great Commission go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned and they say see verse 16 it says he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and they think we have a problem with that I don't have a problem with that I believe and I've been baptized I'm saved right many of you have believed and have been baptized and are saved we're not saying that baptism takes away your salvation of course not of course not he pictures what you've believed the death be a resurrection of Christ but the second part is what clarifies it for us but he that believeth not shall be damned so what damns you to hell believing not okay so what's going to give you eternal life believing okay and if you get baptized guess what you're still saved it's true you know you could say he that believeth and goes to church shall be saved he that believeth and reads his Bible shall be saved he that believeth and sits down on cardboard boxes shall be saved of course it's the belief that saves you okay but if you believe not then that'll be what damns you okay so please don't get tricked into these people trying to take these passages and making it seem like they've got one up you you know but it's easily explained and we believe that if you're baptized of course you're saved why wouldn't we think you lose your salvation after baptism you know but just to reinforce that baptism is not a requirement thank God for the Sun thank God for the Sun but just to reinforce and the best one to turn to is first Corinthians I'll get you to turn there if you've got your Bibles first Corinthians chapter 1 verse 11 first Corinthians chapter 1 verse 11 it's a little bit hard with the wind first Corinthians chapter 1 verse 11 it reads for it had been declared unto me of you my brethren so Paul is right in here to the brethren to the church in Corinthians okay now this is this is such a bad church you know if some of these church in some of these IFB churches had the attitude they have back then they'll say these people are definitely not saved but I just want you to realize that Paul calls them my brethren okay because he knows they believe the gospel we have been declared unto you my brethren by them which are the house of Chloe that there are contentions among you okay so this church has contentions don't be surprised when there's contention don't be surprised where's arguments in fact it's probably a good thing sometimes because people that are zealous and passionate guess what they're gonna get into arguments from time to time it's okay okay contention happens okay but we shouldn't stay arguing and fighting we should always bring trying to bring peace among brethren anyway that's not my point but there are contentions among you now this I say that every one of you that say if I'm of Paul and I've Apollos and I have Cephas and I have Christ so we have some in the church saying hey I belong I I align myself with the teachings of Paul I'm of Paul I'm of Christ you know I'm of Apollos I'm of Cephas and by the way all these people Paul Apollos Cephas I believe that's referring to Peter all these guys are great men of God you know it's not like they're following some false prophet they're actually following and listening to great men of God and then some say I'm of Christ so are you following a man I'm following Christ you know like I'm more holy than you are kind of this idea but all these men are there to set an example in the church anyway you know verse 13 is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you or were you baptized in the name of Paul you know who am I did I die for you you know were you baptized in my name no in the name of the fathering of the Son of the Holy Spirit okay and then he says in verse 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you you know they're like oh thank God I have nothing to do with you I didn't baptize you you know yeah it's like Paul's as tired as contention is fighting you know he realizes it's just a man why why do you put me up so high in a pedestal I'm so glad I didn't do any of that you know but Christmas and Gaius so he but he baptized none of them except Christmas and Gaius lest any should say that I have baptized in my no name and I baptized also the household of Stephanos besides I know not whether I baptized any other so he goes like I baptized Christmas Gaius the household of Stephanos who knows I mean that are maybe less than 10 people in his whole ministry maybe Paul's baptized less than 10 people okay he had other people doing the baptizing for him and then in verse 17 for Christ sent me not to baptize okay is baptism a requirement of salvation is baptism part of the gospel for Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel how can he breathe if baptism is part of the gospel and remember Matthew that same guy we're talking about when he asked me well that's that is that all the gospel is the death and resurrection of Christ doesn't know you got more as baptism no yeah I should have turned here for I should have turned there I didn't think about it but for Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel so baptism is not preaching the gospel baptism is something that comes after you've preached the gospel after someone's believed the gospel it's not part of the gospel message it's not part of your salvation not with wisdom of words lest the cross of Christ be made of none effect okay so what I take out of that I'm not sure if this is the correct interpretation but what I take out of that is if you have baptism as part of the gospel as part of salvation then the cross of Christ should be made of none effect then it hasn't had you know you haven't been saved if you're putting baptism because that's it that's just a work you know that you ought to do so you again you're adding kind of works or you're adding a a practice to salvation rather than just faith alone okay now if someone says well hold on you know the gospel that's not salvation you know you need more than the gospel to be saved but what does Romans 1 16 say for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ why for it is the power of God and to salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek so salvation the power of salvation is through the gospel to everyone that is baptized no not baptized everyone that believeth right very clearly taught in the scriptures and the best example the one I love the most and this one this is the one I always use for those that teaching works or those that are teaching baptism for salvation is obviously the feet from the cross I've already read this one in a previous sermon but Luke 23 42 and he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom and Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee truly I say unto thee today shall thou be with me in paradise right now this thief on the cross all he did was put his faith on Christ Lord remember me and Jesus is verily truly today shall thou be with me in paradise beautiful words you know what a way to go into your death you know hearing those words amazing like he would have been just moments away from dying and going to hell and his eternal destiny changed like that you know he couldn't do works he couldn't get baptized just faith on Christ promised to be in paradise with Jesus Christ what an amazing promise I did have a couple of other things but I think I'll leave it there thank you for being patient and thank you for you know putting up with the weather I think you know God's come through for us so we're