1. A writer in "The Jewish Hope" says, "It is always important to know under what commission a writer of the New Testament is operating. According to scripture, Peter is an apostle of the circumcision, even as Paul is the apostle of the Uncircumcision. Each had a different message. See Gal. 2:7-9." Were Peter and Paul under two different commissions to preach two different gospels, "different messages," as the above writer says? W. E. R.

Answer. No. There was but one message, "the gospel" of Christ, Rom. 1:16; Mark 16:15. And this is what all were commanded to preach, and Paul did preach it, as you see; and he put the curse of God on any man who preaches "any other gospel," Gal. 1 :8 And this message is called "the faith," Phil. 3:9; Jude 3; Gal. 23, 25; Acts 6:7; Gal. 2:16. And of Paul it is said he "now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed." Hence, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph. 4:5), not "each had a different message."

2. This same writer asks: The Lord therefore commanded in Matt. 28:19 that we shall first teach the people that Jesus is the Savior of the world and that when the Holy Spirit has enlightened them, to baptize them. The disciples followed this command as we read in Acts 2:41. But baptism is not essential to salvation. The thief on the cross was not baptized after believing on Christ and was nevertheless called to be with Christ that day in Paradise. Baptism is an act of obedience by which we express the reality of our faith and love for Christ. He has commanded it and we wish to obey. Obedience to the command of our lord Jesus Christ will be always a strength to our faith. To obey God is better than sacrifice as we read in I Samuel 16:22.

I did not want to be baptized because I knew the opinion of the Jewish people about Christian baptism. They believe the baptism makes a Gentile out of a Jew and is the last step which cuts him off from his people forever and ever. But the Lord did not give me any rest until I obeyed. I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit showed me the truth and that I followed my Lord in baptism. It was a glorious day which I can never forget. I did not cease to be a Jew, but nevertheless I became a better Jew. My beloved brethren, this day will be unforgettable for you also and I know that you will never regret that you obeyed Christ.

Is this Bible teaching?

Answer. No. The "thief on the cross," behind whom this man dodges to escape baptism as being essential to salvation, died before the command to baptize as in Mt. 28:19 was given, and of course this command had nothing to do with his salvation. This command went into effect on the day of Pentecost "as we read in Acts 2:41," as he says; and Peter there "said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins," Acts 2:38. And as to the force of the original here translated "for the remission of sins," namely, eis aphesin hamartion, Thayer, in his lexicon of the New Testament Greek, says it denotes "to obtain the forgiveness of sins." (p. 94.) Now see: Remission of sins is essential to salvation. But baptism is essential to the remission of sins. Therefore, baptism is essential to salvation. And this is the teaching of Jesus in the commission. He says, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," putting salvation after faith and baptism, Mark 16:16. And he said, "baptizing them (the taught) into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," Mt. 28:19. There is no other way into this "name" revealed in the Bible. And to contend that one can be saved outside of this name is not Bible teaching. Therefore baptism is essential to salvation.

Again: One to be saved must be "in Christ," Rom. 8:1. How can one get "into" Christ? Answer: "For as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ," Gal. 3:27. Therefore, baptism is essential to salvation

Again: "Eight souls were saved through water, the antitype (antitupon) to which, baptism, now saves us," I Pet. 3 :21. Therefore, baptism is essential to salvation.

Again: One is not saved until his sins are "washed away." But "be baptized, and wash away thy sins," Acts 22:16. Therefore, baptism is essential to salvation.

God is the one that forgives the sins through the blood of Christ, shed on the cross (Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:14; Acts 20:28). And Jesus. is the living mediator (John 16:7; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 8:6; 9:15; 12:24; 2:16-18), advocate (First John 2:1), propitiation (I John 2:1). Hence he says, "No man cometh unto the Father but by me," John 14:6.

What is the immediate prerequisite of baptism? A confession that "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God," Acts 8:37; Mt. 16:16; Rom. 10:8, 9, 10. And why? Because Jesus said, "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father who is in heaven," Mt. 10:32. And we come to God through him as mediator for forgiveness of sins.

And what else is required? He must be a peni‘tent believer before baptism, for Jesus said that "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all nations, beginning at Jerusalem," Luke 24:47. Hence, .Peter there commanded them to "repent" ("A change of mind with a view to a reformation of life") as a prerequisite of baptism, Acts 2:38. Why repent?

"Because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised him from the dead," Acts 17:31.

They "taught" (Mt. 28:19; Acts 4:2; Acts 5:42), "preached" (Mk. 16:15; Acts 5:42; Mk. 16:20; Lk. 24:47), and wrote, "that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ; and that believing, ye might have life through his name," John 20:31.

Then we have it in the Bible thus: Teaching, preaching, and as a result, abiding faith, which comes by "hearing the word of God" (Rom. 10: 17), on the part of those who, "having heard the word, keep it," it being "the seed" (Lk. 8:11-15) of the kingdom, and believe in Jesus the Savior (Mt. 1:21), "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Mt. 16:16), and repent, and confess that faith openly, and are baptized "into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," as required of the baptizer, and as required of them "in the name of Jesus Christ," "i. e. reposing one’s hope on him, Acts 2 :38"—Thayer, p. 94; and "for the remission of sins," that is, "to obtain the forgiveness of sins"—Thayer, p. 94. And since we are thus "baptized into his death" (Rom. 6:3), there is no salvation before baptism. So we read: "Ye were the servants of sin, but God be thanked that ye obeyed from the heart that form (tupon) of doctrine. Being then made free from sin, ye become the servants of righteousness," Rom. 6:17, 18. For that "form" we have:"Buried with him by baptism into death," Rom. 6:4.

Water did not cleanse Naaman’s leprosy (God did that), but had it not been that he "dipped" himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God (2 Kings 5:14), his leprosy would not have been removed. God commands baptism. Water does not cleanse from sin (God does that), and he does it when one obeys in baptism; hence they then went on their way rejoicing (Acts 8:39; 16:34; 9:9, 18, 19).