[Sidenote: The counsel of God.]
One of the most remarkable fallacies of modern times is the wide-spread
doctrine that we can be saved without complying with the ordinances and
other requirements which our Savior instituted for the salvation of men.
[Sidenote: Luke 7: 29, 30.]
John the Baptist, a servant of the Most High, taught and administered
baptism; the Lord said that those who received this baptism justified
God, but that there were others who "rejected the counsel of God
against themselves, being not baptized of him." Now, men cannot be
saved by rejecting the counsel of God against themselves. Then, as it
is the counsel of God for men to be baptized, they cannot be saved
without baptism, which is therefore essential to salvation.
[Sidenote: The command of God.]
[Sidenote: Acts 11: 14.]
[Sidenote: Acts 10: 48.]
The Lord sent His angel to Cornelius, and told him to send for Peter,
who would tell him words whereby he and all his house should be saved.
Cornelius did so, and when the Apostle came, "he commanded them to be
baptized in the name of the Lord." If Cornelius had rejected baptism as
non-essential, could he have been saved? No; for the angel informed him
that Peter would tell him how to be saved, and the Apostle "commanded
them to be baptized." The _righteous_ man had to be baptized.
[Sidenote: Baptism essential.]
[Sidenote: Gal. 3: 26, 27.]
The Apostle Paul says: "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." If it is necessary "to put on Christ" to obtain
salvation, then it is essential to be baptized, for we put on Christ by
baptism.
[Sidenote: Mark 16: 15.]
The Lord Jesus, in sending out His Apostles, 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," (and
consequently is not baptized) "shall be damned." Here the Lord
positively declares that it is only the baptized believer who shall be
saved.
[Sidenote: The new birth.]
[Sidenote: John 3: 5.]
Jesus said to Nicodemus: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except
a man be born of water" (that is, baptized in water) "and of the
Spirit," (that is, baptized in the Spirit) "he cannot {150} enter into
the kingdom of God." If entering the kingdom of God is essential to
salvation, then being "born of water," or being baptized, is essential
also, for by doing the latter we make the former possible.