On the last page of this bulletin there is a section listing what a person must do to become a Christian. Last Sunday night I was informed that I had left out one step, baptism. I checked and sure enough that line was deleted by mistake. While trying to put the map to the church building in the next block I did something to this block and caused that line to not show up.

First, I am glad those that spoke to me realized it was a mistake and not an attempt to change God’s law. In some places the brethren would be ready to tare and feather the offending party. I appreciate everyone’s love and giving me the benefit of the doubt.

Secondly, what part of God’s law can we change and still be right? Can I leave out faith and still become a Christian? Jesus says no, "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins" (John 8.24). Man must believe Jesus is the Son of God in order to be saved, Acts 8.37). Without faith it is impossible to obey God, Hebrews 1.6.

Can we leave our confessing Christ as the Son of God and still become a Christian? The Ethiopian eunuch said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8.37b). Romans 10 plainly links confessing Christ with salvation, "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." By the way this does not exclude baptism but it does link together what we believe and confess to our salvation.

Can we exclude repentance and still be saved? Jesus says we will perish unless we repent, Luke 13.3. On Mars Hill Paul told the people that God demands all men everywhere to repent, Acts 17.30. Peter, speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit, on the Day of Pentecost said to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, Acts 2.38.

Can we do all of the above, omit baptism, and be saved? A lot of people say yes but what does the Bible say? Going back to Peter in Acts 2 he says to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. The word "and" is a conjunction, meaning it links together both repentance and baptism. One can no more leave our baptism than they can repentance. Romans 6.3 teaches we are baptized into Christ. In order to be in Christ we must be baptized into Him, it is in baptism we put on Christ, Galatians 3.27. One can no more be saved from their sins without baptism that one can be saved without being in Christ. We can not leave out one part.