Does It Make Any Difference

By Dan C. Bailey       In some ways, this is a strange question to one who studies the Bible carefully. The scriptures clearly teach that it makes a difference what we believe. Jesus said of the scribes and Pharisees, "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men "(Matthew 15:9). Those who believed the teachings of the Pharisees were just as wrong as those who taught errors. The Lord said, "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch"(Matthew 15:14).     Many seem to forget that Jesus warned us about false teachers. The Lord said, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves"(Matthew 7:15). It is very commonly taught that the plan of salvation is simply to believe repent, and call upon the name of the Lord by praying, "the sinner's prayer." The problem with this is that it isn't God's plan of salvation. Must one have faith? Absolutely! Must one repent? Absolutely! Does the Bible teach us that we are saved from our past sins by saying a prayer? The answer is absolutely NOT! It is true that after one becomes a Christian, he is to pray to God for forgiveness. This is found in Acts 8:22: "Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee." However, there are no examples of alien sinners being saved by saying "the sinner's prayer" in the Christian dispensation under the great commission.     When Jesus gave the great commission to His apostles, he said: "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.  "(Matthew 28:18-20).     In Mark 16:15-16, He said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. "     And in Luke 24:46-47, Jesus said, "... Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. "     Jesus died for us on the cross and shed His previous and innocent blood for the remission of our sins. "For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:28). Just as the blood is required for the remission of sins, so repentance and baptism are required for the remission of sins. "Then Peter said unto them, 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"(Acts 2:38). "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"(1 Peter 3:21). "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord"(Acts 22:16).     My Friend, will you not confess the dear name of Jesus (Romans 10:9-10), and upon that confession be baptized into Jesus Christ? "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ"(Galatians 3:26-27). It does make a difference what we believe!

- Dan C. Bailey serves as a minister with the State Street Church of Christ in Bristol, VA. He may be contacted through the congregation's website at https://www.thelordsway.com/statestreetchurchofchrist/framedindex.asp?Group=Home