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Baptist Questions Answered -- Part 2 Editors Note: David Martin, a Baptist preacher, boldly proclaimed that he had thirteen questions no church of Christ preacher could answer. Last week we looked at the first 3 questions with answers provided by Gerald Durrett. We continue by looking at questions 4 and 5 this week. 4. If my past sins are forgiven when I am baptized in water, and it is possible for me to "lose my salvation" and go to hell after being baptized, then wouldn't my best chance of going to heaven be to drown in the baptistry?!! - before I had a chance to sin so as to be lost again? If I wanted to be absolutely sure of heaven, isn't that my best opportunity? I hope you aren’t really serious. I can’t find any scripture that mentions a danger of drowning while being baptized and the ones who were being baptized didn’t seem to consider it a real danger. Show me a scripture where the believer said “See here is water, what doth hinder me from being baptized? Oh yeah, but please don’t drown me in the process!” It is such an absurd idea that the scriptures are completely silent about it but I can find a lot of scriptures that command baptism and in every one, they both came up out of the water (or common sense says they did). Since it is understood that they didn’t drown and that it is a burial and resurrection, I would assume that the person being baptized would have to come back to the surface at some time. If you really considered this as a “safe” way to heaven your heart is not right. If you drowned yourself that would be suicide, so I don’t’ even want to consider that. If the baptizer drowned you, that would be murder, so that’s not too good either. If you slipped and no one bothered to rescue you, then I would recommend you find someone else to be around afterward, if you didn’t drown. The fact is God expects us to not only be buried in Christ but to come out of the watery grave of baptism to walk in newness of life, Romans 6.4, 7-8. We are expected to bear fruit and live according to God's word. What did Jesus say would happen if we did not bear fruit? See John 15.6. Maybe you are really talking about “once saved, always saved” so here are just a few of the many, many, many, many, many scriptures that warn about falling away after tasting salvation: Acts 8:13-24 (Simon the sorcerer – we are told he believed and yet later he was rebuked by Peter for his wickedness (sin) and told to pray for forgiveness); 1 Corinthians 5 (note this was “among” them (the saints in Corinth) and they were rebuked and told to get rid of it. Note the use of the word “brother” and yet they are told to put him away because of God’s judgment and how it might adversely affect the others (leaven example); Hebrews 3:12 (again, talking to brethren/christians); Hebrews 10:26-29 (note the use of the word “we” and “after having received the knowledge of the truth”) and what the final judgment will be. Ephesians 5 (Paul speaking to Christians who were looking back to the old law and fleshly desires says they are fallen from grace); 2 Peter 1:10; 2 Peter 2:20-22 (note the language here and who Peter is talking to) 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. Questions for you. How can you, (with an open and honest heart, forget all creeds, doctrines of men, etc.) contend that this isn’t talking about those who have believed and obeyed and then falling (fell) away? Please read the above again, along with the first 3 chapters of Revelations and explain how you can honestly say that this doesn’t mean what it says? There are so many other scriptures including in the Old Testament that show us that God requires obedience and if we refuse and reject him, then even if we are His people, he will reject us. 5. If as a Christian I can sin so as to "lose my salvation," just what sin or sins will place me in such danger? Is it possible to know at what point one has committed such a sin, and become lost again? Please be specific and give clear Bible references. Please re-read the above and then read all of 2 Peter. Note that the letter is addressed to those who have “escaped the pollutions of this world” and not to non-Christians/unbelievers. The false teachers were “among them” and “if God spared not the angels that sinned” how can we assert that we will be judged differently? Paul said that even he could fall in 1Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. Sin separates us from God and John says that all unrighteousness is sin. Based on these scriptures and many more, I can only conclude that if I disobey God, I am unrighteous and a sinner and that will separate me from God and cause me to be lost, unless I repent and ask for forgiveness like Simon. 1 John 1 tells me that if we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not tell the truth (all liars have their place in the lake of fire, so I guess that’s an example). If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us, but if we say we have no sin, then we make him a liar and the truth is not in us. I hope these few verses (I could go on and on) answer your question. Also, 3rd John speaks to a Christian named Diotrephes who was rebuked by John and was called evil and the others were told not to follow after him. Questions for you. If a Christian cannot be lost after belief, confession, and saying the sinner’s prayer as commanded by Baptist websites, radio, television broadcasts, etc. (scripture for that please), and even being baptized, then what do the verses above mean? Don’t cop out by saying that they were written to non-believers because that is not so. They were written to first century Christians, as were so many more of the warnings. Please explain Revelations 1, 2 and 3 where he is definitely writing to the 7 churches of Asia who were faithful at one time and yet are in danger of having their candlestick removed when Revelations is written. Note that Christ says there are still some in those congregations who have “not soiled their garments” and tells them to remain faithful. If this doesn’t mean it is possible to give up your salvation, please explain what it does mean. Will any of the sins listed in 1 Corinthians that the brethren were guilty of, cause someone to lose their soul? Is there any sin that will cause someone to lose their soul once they have believed, confessed and said the sinner’s prayer (still waiting for that scripture)? Oh yes, what does Jas 2:19 mean: Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. We know the devils confessed Christ so I guess the only difference in Baptist doctrine is that the devils don’t say the “sinner’s prayer”. Is that correct and if so, I’m still waiting for that scripture. God didn’t even spare the angels that sinned. Are you so bold as to say that you cannot fall away when even angels who looked on the face of God did? The doctrine of "once saved, always saved" makes the warnings written to Christians meaningless. Why warn the Christian if he cannot possibly sin so as to be lost? If I as a Christian decide that I no longer believe in God, heaven or hell, and do not want to go to heaven if it does exist, would I still go there? In other words, will God send me to heaven screaming and trying my best not to go there? Please don't say that I was never saved to start with for that is just a cop out.
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