Dear Pastor,

My name is Patrick Taylor and I am a member of Christian Fellowship Church where L.R. Davis is the pastor. I came across your web page the other night and read with interest your article titled, "Believer's Baptism in the Bible."

It is with a prayerful and humble heart that I write you and it is my fervent prayer that you would consider the proceeding points regarding baptism. It is not my intention to be offensive or to negate your love for our Lord Jesus Christ. However, I feel I would be remiss as a Christian if I did not share what Jesus has so freely given to me.

I would like to tell you up front that I find the scriptures to plainly command baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. The Bible teaches us that:

* Baptism is a necessary part of salvation

* Baptism is performed in the specific name of Jesus Christ

* Baptism is performed by total immersion in water

BAPTISM NECESSARY FOR SALVATION:

Simply stated: If water baptism is not a necessary part of our salvation, then Jesus and all of the writers of the New Testament are liars. The term "believer's baptism," and the concept that water baptism is just a figure of something that has already taken place is not biblical.

Believing is NOT baptism. In the gospel of Mark, Jesus said, "He that believeth AND is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."

I am a database programmer by trade and I have found the word "and" to be a very important conjunction. In computer terms it means that unless BOTH conditions are met, the desired result will not be attained. Jesus did not say, "He that believeth and believeth shall be saved..." In addition, Jesus taught his disciples how to baptize. In John chapter 3 we read that Jesus and his disciples, along with the disciples of John baptized in an area called Aenon because "there was much water there."

We see Jesus' example to us to fulfill all righteousness in his own baptism. We also know that Jesus' disciples baptized in water. Peter commanded Cornelius and his household to be baptized in water: Acts 10:47 "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days." It wasn't a nice suggestion. It was a commandment! Baptism in water is a commandment.

In Luke 24:47 Jesus tells his disciples that repentence and remission of sins would be preached in all nations beginning at Jerusalem and he tells his disciples to remain there for the promise of the Father that he has foretold them of (the Holy Ghost).

In Acts chapter 2 we read about the purpose of baptism. In verse 38 we read that in response to the people's question of what they must do, Peter told them to "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Baptism is for the remission of sins. There is no other way to get one's sins remitted than to follow the commandments of Jesus. Foolish as baptism may seem, as inconsequental as it may appear, baptism is what ushers one over the threshold from being lost to one who has applied the blood of Jesus to his life.

Please know that I do not discount the grace of God, the blood of Calvary, and faith in Jesus Christ. I hold dearly to those scriptures, but I cannot hold to those scriptures and discount the scriptures regarding baptism. True, Paul's answer to the Philippian jailer did not include baptism, but every verse in the Bible does not address every aspect of salvation. Rather, we must consider who is being addressed in each situation and what the question is that the writer is answering. The fact of the matter is there are a number of things required for salvation. In Mark 13:13 Jesus said that he that endures to the end shall be saved. No mention of baptism OR belief there, but he is talking to believers who had already been baptized. There was no need to discuss these points here. On the other hand, to the unbeliever there is just one message, "Believe AND be baptized."

In Acts chapter 2, Peter did not tell the thousands of people who inquired of him to believe on Jesus. Is that because it was not necessary? Of course not! It was just apparent that they already believed on Jesus. Likewise, did Paul tell the Philippian jailer that he didn't need to be baptized? Absolutely not! In fact, if baptism was not an ESSENTIAL part of salvation then why did they venture out at the midnight hour, in peril of their lives, to accomplish a task that was unnecessary? Paul baptized the jailer and all of his house precisely because it WAS necessary.

Note also that Paul told the jailer to believe on Jesus and he would be saved. Let us consider just what belief is. Is it enough just to intellectually believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Can I just proclaim belief that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, live my life any way that I want, and claim that I am a Christian? If that is the case, the bars and brothels are filled with believers tonight. But you and I both know that is absurd. (James 2:14-26; Galatians 5:19-21) So what do we need to believe about Jesus. According to John 6:63 we need to believe more than just the fact that Jesus is, we need to believe his words: "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." Jesus said about his words, "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." (John 12:48) In Luke 6:49 Jesus warns us, "But he that heareth, and DOETH not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great."

Jesus clearly commanded and obeyed baptism himself. To rebel against his word is judgment against ourselves. Paul tells us that we receive "grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith..." (Romans 1:5)

Peter tells us that it is baptism that saves us! In I Peter 3:21 we read, "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:" Peter is telling us that baptism is the crossing over point! It is not just the act of getting wet that saves us, but our faith in operation (Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.) Baptism is not just a sign of something that has already taken place. It is the real McCoy. It is the point at which we rise together with Christ, not because of the water, but because of faith in the word of God which commands baptism.

Many consider Paul to be the Apostle of grace, and so he is. Yet in his own testimony Paul tells us that he was not saved without baptism. Remember that Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus where he was going to get certain Christian brothers and sisters bound unto Jerusalem to be punished. But Paul never accomplished his mission. He saw a light and heard a voice which revealed whom it was that he was persecuting. Jesus revealed himself to Paul, told him to go to Damascus to a street called strait, and to wait for instructions. There is no doubt that Paul believed on Jesus here! Yet Paul was still in his sins as he sat in that house on Strait Street. Or else Ananias was lying when he spoke to Paul: "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16)

PAUL BELIEVED ON JESUS, YET HE HAD TO BE BAPTIZED IN ORDER FOR HIS SINS TO BE REMITTED!

Baptism is for the remission of sins. There is no other way to have our sins remitted. Any other way is outside the commandments of Jesus Christ. It is not just a nice idea, an act you perform to show everyone that you have accepted Christ. Baptism is performed in direct obedience to the commandment of Jesus Christ who instituted it for the remission of sins and commands it today. There is no one going to heaven without having their sins remitted, and baptism is the means which Jesus Christ has ordained to accomplish this.

BAPTISM BY TOTAL IMMERSION

You obviously believe that baptism must be performed by total immersion. Yet what does it matter if baptism is not even a requirement? Why make it more difficult than it has to be? Of course the scriptures are plain that we are buried with him by baptism into death (Romans 6:3-6), that Jesus came straightway up out of the water (Matthew 3:16), and that Philip and the Eunuch went both down into the water (Acts 8:38). The definition of the word itself means to be wholly overwhelmed by a liquid.

BAPTISM IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST

Those who baptize in the titles Father, Son, and Holy Ghost rather than the specific name of Jesus Christ clearly show that they do not know God's name (Isaiah 52:6 "Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.") and have completely missed the meaning of Matthew 28:19.

In the Old Testament, we read that there was a name to be revealed to God's people that was not revealed at that time and that it was only one name. Zechariah 14:9 states, "And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one."

Acts 4:12 tells us that there is no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved. Ephesians 3:15 tells us that Jesus is the family name throughout heaven and earth, and Jesus tells us that the name of the Father is Jesus (John 17:6; John 17:26), and that the name of the Holy Ghost is Jesus (John 14:26). It is obvious from Paul's statement in I Corinthians 1:15 regarding the division in the church between members baptized by different apostles that a specific name was used in the performance of baptism. In Acts 2:38 Peter specifically tells people to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (and I believe that this man, to whom Jesus gave the keys of the kingdom of heaven knew what he was doing). In Acts 19:1-5 people were REBAPTIZED because they had not been baptized in that name, and people were baptized in Samaria in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 8:16).

Although it is not quote of a baptismal service, I believe Acts 3:6 sheds some light as to the name of the "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." This was how someone was healed in "the NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." They were healed in the NAME of Jesus. It is contradictory to contend that they baptized in the titles, "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," while healing in Jesus' name.

CONCLUSION

As I wrote earlier, it is not my intent to offend or ridicule. I am not trying to be argumentive, discordant, or divisive. I have a love for people and the word of God, and I believe that you have a love for Jesus, a love for your congregation, and a desire to do what is right. However, I believe that regarding this important doctrine of baptism you have received a doctrine that has been handed down to you which is erroneous. I am reminded of Apollos, a man who was mighty in the scriptures and preached the things of the Lord knowing only the baptism of John (Acts 18:26) whom Priscilla and Aquilla preached to concerning baptism into Jesus Christ. I also think of Cornelius who was a very devout Gentile who worshipped God with all of his house, yet needed to do something more. The angel told Cornelius that Peter would tell him what he oughtest to do. The only thing that Peter told Cornelius to do was to be baptized.

When Jesus rose again from the dead he gave his disciples the Great Commission. He told them to preach the gospel and to baptize those who believed. I do not want to disannul Jesus' words. This is not a popular message, but it is the truth. I hope that you will prayerfully consider this brief letter. I would invite you to visit my church's web site at www.cfcmi.org, e-mail me at ptaylor.cfcmi@juno.com, or write to me at the above address if you would like to discuss this further.

My prayers and best wishes are with you.

Sincerely,

Patrick A. Taylor