By Bill Brandstatter
I was talking with an individual and we talked about the idea of death bed confessions. He stated that he believed that ifa person confessed Christ on his death bed that person could go to heaven. The man made this statement to indicate a person doesn’t’ have to be baptized to be saved.
As I thought about this, I began to wonder about the following points:
1. If faith without works is dead (James 2:26), what kind of faith would that man have?
2. If all he did was confess, did he repent of anything?-Acts 17:31. Repentance is proven by actions-Mt. 3:8.
3. What kind of Christian life does a person have who is on his death bed? I have baptized individuals days before death, but I have always wondered how they could truly get the benefits out of the Christian life by waiting till the death bed.
4. There are certain items that must be believed in order to be saved. If a man does not understand what he is doing or saying while moments from death, is he saved? I have personally baptized at least two individuals that were on their death beds. Both individuals only lived a few days before they died. With one man we had to make special preparations for so that he could be baptized. Their salvation is in the hands of a mighty and merciful God. Being saved has a great urgency to it. Paul wrote; “Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:2). The Bible teaches that confession is not all a person must do to be saved. A person must believe (John 3:16), repent (Acts 17:30), and be baptized (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21). Wouldn’t it be better to be saved now and enjoy the Christian life than to wait until just before death? God has given us the provision now so we can have hope of a life beyond the grave. Won’t it be wonderful if we are prepared now!!!
– Bill Brandstatter preaches for the Marion church of Christ in Marion, IL. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://marionchurchofchrist.com/
I was talking with an individual and we talked about the idea of death bed confessions. He stated that he believed that ifa person confessed Christ on his death bed that person could go to heaven. The man made this statement to indicate a person doesn’t’ have to be baptized to be saved.
As I thought about this, I began to wonder about the following points:
1. If faith without works is dead (James 2:26), what kind of faith would that man have?
2. If all he did was confess, did he repent of anything?-Acts 17:31. Repentance is proven by actions-Mt. 3:8.
3. What kind of Christian life does a person have who is on his death bed? I have baptized individuals days before death, but I have always wondered how they could truly get the benefits out of the Christian life by waiting till the death bed.
4. There are certain items that must be believed in order to be saved. If a man does not understand what he is doing or saying while moments from death, is he saved? I have personally baptized at least two individuals that were on their death beds. Both individuals only lived a few days before they died. With one man we had to make special preparations for so that he could be baptized. Their salvation is in the hands of a mighty and merciful God. Being saved has a great urgency to it. Paul wrote; “Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:2). The Bible teaches that confession is not all a person must do to be saved. A person must believe (John 3:16), repent (Acts 17:30), and be baptized (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21). Wouldn’t it be better to be saved now and enjoy the Christian life than to wait until just before death? God has given us the provision now so we can have hope of a life beyond the grave. Won’t it be wonderful if we are prepared now!!!
– Bill Brandstatter preaches for the Marion church of Christ in Marion, IL. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://marionchurchofchrist.com/
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