You stated categorically that if you are not baptized, you will not be saved. Let me asked you, what about the thief on the cross? He was sent to Paradise by Jesus Christ without baptism. Not only the thief on the cross, but Jesus Christ had also forgiven some people their sins during His ministry on earth, were they also baptized? I asked you because you said baptism is a requirement for salvation.
These were the questions of slightly angered prospect, seeking to know the truth though.
The passages are identified below:
(Luke 5:20) And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
(Luke 7:48) And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
(Luke 23:43) And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
I would like to humbly reply to this prospect. This question could be answered if the word of God is rightly divided. On this note, the following should be considered: the dispensation in which Jesus Christ had His ministry, understanding of what a covenant or will is and also who have the power to forgive sins.
The ministry of Jesus Christ was under the Old Testament
Jesus Christ was born under the law. His earthly caretakers took him through all the traditions of the Jewish culture; when He was grown, He personally submitted to the law. He was circumcised on the eighth day according to the Law of Moses, He was sanctified to the Lord because Jesus Christ opens the womb of his mother, sacrifices of either of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons were made (Luke 2:21-24). Jesus Christ, in the night before He was betrayed, observed the Passover feast (Matt. 26: 17-21). Jesus paid a tribute which was for the welfare of religion in the temple. Jesus observed the feast of the booths (John 7:14), He worshipped, read the scriptures and preached in the synagogues.
(Matt4:17)From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
The ministry of Jesus Christ was under the Old Testament.
The meaning of testament, covenant or will
Vines Expository Dictionary defines covenant as “a mutual undertaking between two or more parties, each binding himself to fulfill obligations, it does not in itself contain the idea of joint obligation, and it mostly signifies an obligation undertaken by a single person”. The Greek equivalent of a covenant is diatheke.A Will is also an instrument in writing, where a person indicates how his properties would be disposed of after his death.
The characteristic of such will is that while the testator lives, the will or testament is not valid. The testament would be effective only when the testator is dead. This is the kind of arrangement God has entered with mankind. God's covenant is unique because it is not an arrangement between man and man but between God Himself and man.
The Old Testament was ratified with blood; it came into effect after a sacrifice has been made.
(Heb 9:19-20) For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
It was, therefore, very necessary for the new covenant or dispensation too, to be confirmed by blood. This was exactly what Jesus Christ has done; as the high priest, He has offered himself.
(Heb 9:15) And for this cause, he is the mediator of the New Testament that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
So, not till the death of Christ, whose blood ratifies the new arrangement, the new dispensation or the new covenant is not valid or not in effect.
Miracles, Signs, and Wonders confirms the authority of the one performing it
Miracles are an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing or accomplishment, manifesting divine intervention in human affairs. Therefore, not only do miracles establish the authority of the person performing it, but they also confirm that they are sent by a divine being. By so doing, the people to whom they are sent would receive or believe whatever message they come to deliver or the works they come to do.Moses was sent by God to deliver the children of Israel in Egypt, he told God that how would the children of Israel, his own people believe that he was sent by Him (God) let alone Pharaoh himself. Moses would later perform miracles to his people and the King Pharaoh, which God has empowered him with.
Ahab, the King of Israel had led the children of Israel astray by following Baalim, God wanted the Israelites to turn to him again. The prophet, Elijah confronted the Baal worshippers and invited them to a contest at the Mount Carmel. God is a jealous God as He has said Himself. The Israelites at that time would like to combine the worship of Yahweh with Baal together.
The prophet Elijah pointed out to them that it must not be so; they must worship one, either Yahweh or Baal. In this case, the side and the deity who would win the contest organized should be the one everyone must worship; that was the agreement. The efforts of the prophets of Baal proved futile when they call upon their gods to answer them; to let fire to consume the sacrifice on the altar which was not put to fire.
Fire came down from heaven miraculously and consumed the burnt offering Elijah prepared on the wet altar. All these happened to for the Israelites to know that Yahweh is the only God they must worship and that the prophet Elijah is his servant, his source of authority and power.
(1Ki 18:36-37&39) And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that these people may know that you, O LORD, are God and that you have turned their hearts back.” And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God.”
The prophet Elijah performed many other miracles. Many other prophets of God performed miracles to confirm that their authority is from above.
The Jews knew Jesus to be the son of Joseph and Mary and His siblings were with them. Now how can they believe the claim by Jesus Christ that He is the son of the living God and for that matter the Messiah?
The undertakings of the Messiah have long been foretold by the Prophet Isaiah.
(Isa 61:1-2) The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn.
In the book of Luke chapter 4 the verse 18, Jesus Christ after reading these scriptures to the hearing of the people, told them that what He read is fulfilled to their hearing.
Jesus Christ needed to do all those miracles recorded in the Holy Bible, including the miraculous healing of people of their ailment, some of which were caused by sins committed by the victims. These confirmed that Jesus is the son of God, the Messiah and also a member of the Godhead.
Jesus Christ, whiles on earth, was given the authority to forgive sins. The world was created through Him and for Him and without Him there was nothing made that has been made hence He has authority over nature.
(Mat 9:6) But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
Forgiveness of sins and salvation is the business of God
(Psalm 130:4) But with you, there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.(Daniel 9:9) To the Lord, our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him
(Luke 5:21) And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
The forgiveness of sins and salvation for that matter has always been the business of God. Under no circumstances has sin been forgiven or salvation given based on the merit of men.
The then world was destroyed by God through the flood, but Noah was saved because God has favored him; he was saved together with his family by an Ark. The type of wood he was to use, the number of rooms in the Ark, the measurements (the length, breadth and the height), and everything pertaining to the Ark was indicated by God to Noah; all that Noah needed to do was obedience. God designed and planned the salvation pattern at that time like that, and so it was, there is nothing man could do.
Before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, God through His angels instructed Lot and his family to flee to the hills, the Bible tells us that he was favoured to run to a small city lest the disaster overtook them. Again this is the plan of salvation to them-God designed it so and it came to pass.
So if God chose to forgive the sins of some people through miraculous works and also save one of the thieves on the cross, that is His business; it is His doing.
The forgiveness of sins has always been based on the death of Christ on the cross
The forgiveness of sins has always been based on the bloodshed of Jesus Christ on the cross in all dispensations. The old dispensation or the New Testament animal sacrifices were shadows of the yet to shed blood of Jesus Christ. The sins Jesus forgave some people were also based on His yet to shed blood on the cross; it was through faith that they received forgiveness of sins. In this last dispensation or covenant, we are to look back on the cross of Christ where He sacrificed Himself for the forgiveness of sins.Conclusion
The death of Jesus Christ has made His will effective, remember, a will is only valid upon the death of the testator. Therefore, in the will of Jesus Christ, the following is a requirement for sins to be forgiven and salvation for that matter:One must hear the good news of Christ
Rom 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
One must believe the gospel
Joh 8:24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
One must repent of his sins
(Act 17:30-31) The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this, he has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead.”
One must confess to the fact that Jesus Christ is the son of the living God
(Act 8:37) And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
One must be baptized
(Act 22:16) And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
One must remain faithful until death or the second coming of Christ
(Rev 2:10) Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Now, anyone who wishes for his sins to be forgiven must obey whatever entails in this will of Christ. Let us not forget based on His death, Jesus Christ now had the authority and power to commission His apostles to go into the entire world to preach His good news to all people, those who believe should be baptized, and they shall be saved, but those who believe not, shall be condemned.
(Mar 16:15-16) And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
The waters which destroyed the then world, during Noah’s days were the same waters that saved him and his family; the like figure, baptism now saves us.
(1Pe 3:20-21) Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 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.
Faith alone cannot save you, and God determines the pattern of salvation in every dispensation. To reject baptism is to reject the will of God for this last dispensation.
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