We read concerning the death of Christ, “And He died for
all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves” (2 Corinthians
5:15). Since Jesus died for all
people, does this mean that all people will be saved and go to heaven?
No. Jesus says only few will
be saved and many will be lost in hell (Matthew 7:13-14).
What
did Jesus accomplish in His death? Revelation
1:5 says, “To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own
blood.” It is the blood of Jesus
that cleanses people from their sins. Jesus
shed His blood when He died on the cross (John 19:34).
In order to be cleansed of sins, how does one contact the cleansing blood
of Christ which He shed in His death? Romans
6:3 says, “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ
Jesus were baptized into His death? When
one is baptized into the death of Christ it is then that one contacts the
cleansing blood of Christ when was shed in His death.
And as Saul of Tarsus was told in Acts 22:16, “And now why are you
waiting? Arise and be baptized, and
wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord?”
So the Bible says when one is baptized that his sins are washed away.
Why? It is then that he
contacts the blood of Christ.
Also
as we saw in Romans 6:3, one is to be “baptized into Christ Jesus”.
According to the Bible, the only way one can get into Christ is to be
“baptized into Christ” (Romans 6:3, Galatians 3:27).
There is no other way to get into Christ.
What is the advantage of being “baptized into Christ”?
Why should one be “in Christ”? We
read in Ephesians 1:7 concerning Christ, “In Him we have redemption through
His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”.
It is only those who are “in Christ”, by being “baptized into
Christ” (Romans 6:3) who “have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness
of sins” (Ephesians 1:7). All
others have not been redeemed by His blood, have not been forgiven of their
sins, and are still lost.
Satan knows that Jesus said, "He that believes and is baptized shall be
saved" (Mark 16:16). A person needs help to misunderstand this. Satan wants
people to be lost so he tells people, "He that believes is saved and can be
baptized later". Who are people going to believe, Jesus or Satan? The
choice is theirs. Their choice will determine where they will be spending
eternity.