If Baptism Doesn’t Save Us, What Does It Do?

If baptism doesn't save us. What does it do that's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will hi, I'm Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez. We pray that you had a wonderful weekend.

This is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call us right now with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. Now we have a YouTube channel. Go on YouTube right now and watch Indra live in the studio and sent him a question that way course you can always email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com. First up, let's go to voicemail that came in from one of our listeners last week in regards Israel, and that began in the Jordan River wondering what I know previously that one is not ceremonial.

I'm not sure where your thought yeah well once is enough for me. If you been baptized in the father, the son of the Holy Spirit in any church in a Christian church a solid Bible believing church. You can't do that again in baptism. In baptism, first and foremost is not something that we are doing to have any of the people think that baptism is is my act toward God. That's why they feel like you know maybe it didn't stick because I don't know.

I had enough faith. I don't know if I had enough this that or the other. The baptism is first and foremost something God does God baptizes us his people through the minister and it's based on God's word, and so if you been baptized you've been baptized there. You know you you have the promises of God in particular promise of the gospel extended to you and it's your job to lay hold of those promises by faith. But I will. I would say you know go enjoy Israel but but don't you know go through this. This ceremonial washing and in the Jordan River is and it wouldn't be a baptism you've Artie been baptized and baptism will be to say this is not a photo up when when we were baptized.

When children are baptized is not first and foremost that we could take pictures and and show others. A lid is what a cool thing know this is this is the holy sacrament that Jesus gave to the church, a sign and seal of his redeeming grace that he gives to us as a gift. And so the way to receive it rightly is is through faith and answer that that needs to be the focus. I hope that you enjoy your time there. I hope it's edifying as you get to do some of the sizing.

I've never been to Israel would love to go sometime but III hope it's a blessing for you and and I would just say, rest assured the fact that you've been baptized and embrace those promises were given to them. Baptism by faith and go and enjoy swimming in the Jordan River, but don't don't try and get baptized all over again just can't.

There's one baptism you just reverse really quick.

This would be apostle Paul said in Ephesians chapter 4 verse four there is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all who is overall and through all and in all and we say amen to that. Thank you for your for your question. Great answer.

Thanks for clarifying that to Andrew appreciate that, by the way, my, my wife went swimming in the sea of Galilee. Well it's cool and she's she's I was pretty cool.

One of the weird things was.

She said all my longer party boats didn't quite fit the what she expected. Well, so now Bill, have you been to Israel.

I have not it's always been a dream of mine.

So one day I hope to get over there someday guzzle make it to one of those party boats perhaps note that your business core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez would love to hear from you. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Give us a call right now our phone lines will be open for the next 20 minutes or so, here's the number 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. There's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Naomi I was wondering I was baptized as an and 10 I guess I don't really understand the repercussions of that. I was wondering if you could maybe give me a new light and handed me understand the repercussions of baptism at all. I know it's in Scripture, but it doesn't seem to state you. Thank you for taking my question and have a wonderful day and thank you so much for giving us a call with that question and faith in Jesus Christ is what saves me Jesus is the one who saved us and we might even say Christ saves, and he uses faith as the instrument of our justification but he oftentimes uses means in in the work of his redeeming grace in baptism is one of those means that he uses in our lives as his people and so so I think I think we can agree just a look. Faith is what saves us faith in Jesus Christ and and baptism is this sign and seal of of a benefit with the previous question of God's redeeming grace in the gospel, the washing away of all of our sins are being brought into the very death and burial, resurrection of Jesus Christ. Meatball ties together are baptisms with Christ's death and resurrection, and in Romans chapter 6 is when you're baptized even as a baby or your brought into the visible church, the community of faith. The covenant people of God he think of what Paul said in first Corinthians chapter 7 that even the children of one believing parent are considered holy men. It is me that there there just saved because there their mom or their dad is a believer, but that language holy or unholy clean, unclean, it's the language that Paul uses there and for strength in chapter 7 is the language of God's covenant people.

His covenant community under the Old Testament. I the unclean were those were on the outside not a part of the worshiping community and pulses.

Our children are not are not like that as believers, another treated as a part of the church and so that the proper recipients of these of these signs and so when you were baptized as a child were brought into the visible church. You are made a part of that in the promises of God were extended to you and as I said beta with the previous question were called to lay hold of those promises by faith. Think of it like this is good for all of us when you were baptized.

This is a gift given to you by God that this sure promise of the gospel, that is, we believe in Jesus Christ, our sins are washed away each and every one of them and we are united to Jesus Christ we belong to him so that this this sign this this visible sign of the gospel that God gives to us a visible word. We sink our teeth into it. We lay hold of it by faith we embrace it and so I would just say you embrace God's gift to you and let me give you one resource that II recommend oftentimes to difference in her having this discussion, it was an article, a brief article written by by a professor that I had in seminary named Dennis Johnson if you just Google Dennis Johnson how my mind has changed its actual letter that he wrote to his daughter who had questions about the doctrine of infant baptism. These are explaining united as you asked that the the repercussions and what was taking place. There is a very pastoral it's it's not at long reads he can sit down and read it in one sitting. I think you find that to be really helpful resource again of how my mind is changed by Dennis Johnson just access it online for free and I pray that the Lord blesses you and continues to draw you near to himself. As you cling to his gospel promises.

Thanks for your help Naomi. Thanks Naomi appreciate you being a regular listener to core Christianity great question. By the way, if you got a question for a drill about the Bible, the Christian life doctrine theology, you name it we would love to hear from you. Our phone lines will be open for the next 15 minutes or so you can call us right now it 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 today were offering an excellent resource. It's actually something that was written centuries ago by one of the very early church fathers. Yes, it's an oldie but goodie. This is St. Augustine's confessions and that it was written a long time ago but it's still relevant today and it's edifying to relax. Want to read a quick passage here amended and just to give you some information right, this is St. Augustine talking about how he came to the faith and throughout this this work he praises God for the redeeming grace that he experienced and he says I am determined to bring back in memory. The revolting things I did in the way my soul was contaminated by my flesh doing this not out of love for those deeds. But as a step toward loving you speaking to God. There I moved toward you this way because I would love to love you, I bring back up to expression the bitterness of my vile wanderings, so you may sweeten them you my sweetness, never diluting sure sweetness ever delighting in that beautiful get a hold of this resource.

This book that were offering today. St. Augustine's confessions just an amazing personal story and a great devotional book, so we strongly encourage you to get that you can find that by going to core Christianity.com/offers again core Christianity.com/offers much for St. Augustine's confessions go back to the phones. Tammy's on the line from Nashville, Tennessee Tammy, what's your question for pastor. Israel, yeah, wondering, saved, and they get baptized, and they grow in the Lord. Something happens in their life, and I fall away from God and they never really maybe have the desire to go back to him and stay understand what I lose their salvation hi Tammy, thank you for that question will there's a couple of different ways of thinking about this week we all know individual individuals or baptizer in the church for a while. You may be really even involved in the church may be input in positions of leadership. And then who turn away and abandon the church even abandon the faith all altogether in the question that's often asked is what were they were, they truly saved or did they lose their salvation. Think John speaks to this a little bit in his letters that he wrote, especially in first John chapter 2 is a children. This is verse 18 is the last hour and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour they went out from us, that was a used to be a part of the community of faith, but they went out from us.

They went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us that they went out that it might become plain that they all are not of us. As I think there are some people who are who are in the church even have have prominent positions teaching positions who end up believing turning away from the faith and apostatized doing it and John would say of those people who abandon the faith altogether and maybe they had the external trappings of religion but did they really embrace the gospel that they really believe in Jesus will will I think there John would say I know they went on up above us or from us so that it might be shown that they were not of us. And I would say that those who believe in Jesus were truly united to him by faith. While we have seasons and we can have seasons were struggling with sin where it feels like we know the spirit of God is just been quenched from our lives and we experience that the temp oral discipline of the Lord and things can get really bad at the seed of faith in other that the ember of God's spirit is still always burning there within and God is going to continue to work in that individual in us, drawing us closer and closer to himself disciplining us sanctifying us. I think of Jesus's words in John chapter 10 verse 27 my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My father was given it given them to me, is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my father's hand in the father are one. Jesus keeps his sheep. Now again and and I want I want to speak to you if you're struggling. That doesn't mean that if you're struggling and and boy you view backslidden that well that Jesus is done with you on that you've lost your salvation. The very fact that you're concerned about those things raises a sign of the spirit of God at work in your life and were just called to fix our eyes upon the Lord to confess our sins, and to receive his grace in new and fresh like were being re-saved all over again but know what were walking in the light as John says in first John were were confessing our sins and and walking in that freedom that's given to us in Jesus. And we don't when were when were walking in sin when were turning away from the Lord. We experience that discipline of God because he loves us and so Tammy I don't think that you can lose your salvation. If you truly say, but I do think that is a believer, you can lose that sense of the sweet fellowship that we have with the Lord, and with his people and we confess our sins and repent, we regain that sense by the grace of God, so may the Lord be with you and thanks for giving us a call. A man thanks Tammy appreciate you.

This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to Harvey calling in from Illinois with a lot of questions about baptism today and hardly understand your question about baptism as well. I was baptized as a Catholic, because my mother was Catholic as a baby and I never did like praying to statute and as I grew up night got out of the Catholic religion. Then I went to a first about the church in Denver, Colorado and I got baptized there again, but you said I really need to get baptized what so what what do you think this is because I just felt like praying to statues. I think that idolizing what I went to a first Baptist Church. I believe in one and one only got now I am with you in terms of talking statues or pranks. That is nothing we should do.

We should pray to the Father through the son by the grace of the Holy Spirit, and so I am grateful that you see that you may be understood that from Scripture that it led you to that that church that you were at really were talking here about you know what makes a baptism of baptism limit is that you and I have some things in common because I also was brought up servant in nominal Roman Catholic home. I was baptized in the Catholic Church as an infant and then really begin walking with the Lord when I was in high school do just you know could of nondenominational churches in and ended up getting baptized in my nondenominational church. While I was in high school as well. Really just sort of working through these things and try to understand these things better is as a newer believer and I was around that where I'm at now is again if you've been baptizes not it's not you. That makes the baptism. It's God and his word. So if you been baptized and and it was done in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit on the basis of God's word and then that that stick is God's word and promise to his people and we lay hold of that promise every single day by faith and and so might be. I don't know that I would've done that now into believing the things that I do, but I don't think that your condemned Harvey think the union sounds to me like you're striving to follow Jesus and honor him according to his word, and so first I just wanted want to commend you for that and encourage you and and and agree with you that right. We should be and in churches that are praying to statues and then that kind of thing get into a good church a solid church and so I hope that the church that you're in right now loves the Scriptures, and in teaches the Bible and is faithful to the word of God and continue to grow their in-your-face and rest assured again that those promises that are given to us through the word and through the ordinances of grace, baptism and the Lord supper are sure these are concrete promises that we can lay hold of.

By faith that we can sink our teeth into. And that's whether given to us by God as as as a nourishment to our faith and as an encouragement to us and so I hope you embrace them as such and that you continue to grow in your faith in your walk with Jesus. God bless some great words of encouragement. Thanks for that intro. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez after our live program ends today will be recording a second program so if you weren't able to get through in the last 20 minutes or so with your question. Were going to keep our phone lines open effect will keep them open until about 230 central time for the next 40 minutes or so, so feel free to give us a call if you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life would love to hear from you.

833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673.

Here's an email from one of our callers name to Derek and he says since the instilling of fear is a mainstay for politics and news broadcasts these days. Why don't the preachers do as Jesus did and teach the fear of God as a rightful replacement for all worldly fears does this relate to a general neglect of Judgment Day. I like this question a lot I can.

I can't speak for all the preachers who are out there. I I will say this there are pastors who are out there preachers who are out there who, instead of bringing the comfort of God's word add fuel to the fire and are just stoking people's fears.

Why because it's in a really easy way to build a church if you can. If you can stoke people's fears and say hate.

Many keep you safe. I'm here. I got all the answers and and you need to come to me for those answers will yeah this is this is a part of you know how people build platforms how people build churches even. But the reality is we should be applying the word of God to the people of God, to comfort them and helping people fear not, the culture, not the things that are happening around us, but God who is holy, we really need to recover that man actually you know this is just a good time to plug the book written by my friend Dr. Michael Horton recovering our sanity is all about, that the fear of God as opposed to these other fears which seem to be driving so many in our society today and even many within the church as of yet. When you turn on the news regardless of the you know what brand of news you listen to their you try to stoke your fears because they know that that gets clicks that gets airtime they they they they are going paint that picture for you so that they can keep you captivating art. There are things I think that should be concerning to us in society but we don't to be despairing as Christians we have the hope of the gospel and Jesus is the one who was in continue to build his church through the faithful proclamation of the gospel and to Christians who work I seeking to honor him and live for him. So even though there are there are things that are causes for concern. We have the reassurance that Jesus is building his church. I was just talking to our church about this yesterday when I was preaching.

It's amazing. But when you think about how the church, the Christian church is grown in China since the late 1940s there there some there are some who say that by the year 2030.

There are going to be more Protestant Christians in China than in any other country of the world and all that with with some of the restrictions any serious restrictions that the state has try to put on Christians there in that place will how was that the church is continuing to grow. It's because Jesus opens doors that no earthly power can shut and when Jesus opens doors for his gospel. There's nothing anybody can do but were called to be faithful to that gospel and as we are. You know the Lord is the Lord is building his church and we are receiving this great kingdom that he gives to us as his people and so and that's the message that but I think folks in our church need to be hearing they need to be made confident in the gospel and in the power of the spirit, regardless of what's happening around us.

We have the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ that keeps us secure and is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek and so were not ashamed of that gospel we live in light of the and we proclaim it and that's good news that gospel is good news and we get to share it.

So praise God, I meant this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez we have time for one more email this one from Catherine and she says my mother-in-law passed away a few weeks ago from lung cancer.

We had a turbulent relationship and while I for gave her a long time ago. She took every step to blackball me and my children from her life now that she's gone.

My father-in-law has uninvited me and my kids to the spreading of her ashes. It hurts to feel rejected even after someone's passing and that a person could carry such hatred until their death. While I know the Lord welcomes me to his table and doesn't reject me. This really hurts. I think it does because my mother-in-law never forgave me as a Christian, how should I respond to those who refuse to forgive us. I'm so sorry Catherine. There's no there's no easy answer here Mia sounds to me like you have sought forgiveness you have forgiven where where you've needed to forgive you know that the Lord receive you and I can say he does when we go to him by faith broken over our sin in the Lord Jesus receives you, and yet it still hurts. It's still difficult when other people are unwilling to extend to us that same forgiveness and this is why Jesus says forgiveness in part why Jesus said, forgiveness is such an important thing, especially for those who profess faith in Jesus Christ. How can we claim to have been forgiven so much by God. All of our sins washed away through the blood of Jesus. How can we withhold forgiveness from those who sin against us.

And so when others withhold forgiveness from us. We go to go to them and say please forgive me.

They they seek to continue to punish by withholding themselves or bar or seeking to do harm to us it. It's very painful as I want to pray that the Lord grants the healing that only he can grant to your heart and that he comforts you as you know, that he does welcome you to his table and grant you his peace. Father be with Catherine be with her family. Lord sounds like there's there's been some difficulty there some division. I pray that you would bring healing Lord God where where no one else can bring healing that you would do the work Jesus that only you can do in granting peace to her heart and giving her that that renewed sense, day by day of the fact that you do receive her.

You have forgiven her and that that's the most important thing.

Lord you forgiven her sins and that you welcome her to your table be with her and bless her and bless her family. I pray gracious God in Jesus name, amen, amen. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer.

Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers and the menu or call us at 1-833-843-2673.

That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together