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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the You can reach us toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family.

Also, take your Bible and turn to the book of Titus in chapter 3. Book of Titus in chapter 3. This is important to understand this because if you don’t, you’ll automatically just jump to a conclusion. Here in Titus chapter 3, notice what he says in verse 5, not by works of righteousness which we have done. So we know that baptism is something that we can do. that’s something that either I do to you or you do to me, it’s an act of a man’s will and effort.

No salvation can depend upon man. My salvation cannot depend upon another person baptizing me. The thief on the cross, was he baptized? He wasn’t baptized. Did he go to heaven? Yes, he did. So you don’t have to be baptized in order to go to heaven. Notice this, he makes his statement, but according to is mercy, he saved us by the end. Here’s that word, washing. That word, washing means that you are cleansed by the Holy Spirit. Washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, a Holy Spirit.

So this is what the Bible is teaching. Take your Bible and turn to the book of Mark chapter 7. Mark in chapter 7. Now the Pharisees been a little on the hypocritical side, a little on the self-righteous side. Of course they believed in washing their hands before they ate. And long comes Jesus and lo and behold he was, well he would have in corn on the cob. And they didn’t wash their hands and so they got called on the carpet for this.

But Jesus, he knows how to handle every situation. So he made the statement there because of what they had said. See there in verse 3 of chapter 7 for the Pharisees and all the Jews except they washed their hands. Now you look it up there’s about three different word wash and washing and that are used in the Greek and each one of these has a different word. But the problem is that sometimes the word baptismal and baptismal they’re used but it simply means a cleansing for the purpose of washing utensils or pots and pans they washed them and they would submerge them.

It means to wim, to dip, to totally immerse in water. So but it was for the purpose of cleaning. And so you go down there and it says it in verse 4 and the washing of cups and so these words are used in here and also twice in verse 4, but there’s several different words that are mentioned here. But it was for the purpose of cleansing and it uses the word baptismal, which is the same word used for baptized.

Baptism doesn’t always refer to water baptism like trying to save you or wash your sins away, but the word can mean to be cleansed in a name. All of that just to tell you that when you believe on Jesus Christ, he said repent and be cleansed in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin. Now some say you can take the word because and the word for and it can be translated from the Greek chai meaning that you can be cause of the believe in on Jesus Christ you shall receive then the Holy Spirit.

But it’s all seen the same thing. But remember this, no verse can add any works to a clear verse like John 3 16 or Ephesians 2 8 9. Regardless of what any verse seems to say, no verse can contradict these clear verses of Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. If you had to be baptized and it simply says, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, that is either enough or it’s not enough. If it’s not enough, they should have added it.

I believe it’s enough. And so simply believe in on Jesus Christ. Now, while you’re right there in your notes, look down there now at number three, the spirit baptism. Remember, there is no passage in Scripture that says, water baptism is necessary for salvation. You cannot find one verse that says, water baptism is necessary for salvation. So this is on page two of your notes, but now look there in page three at the top of the page, but ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you.

Now, if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his. It did not say if any man have not the baptism of water, he’s not of his. See, there’s only one thing that says, if you don’t have this, then you’re not of his. It didn’t say if you were not baptized, you can’t be his. But if it’s true and you have to be baptized in water, there ought to at least be one verse in the Bible that says a man must be baptized in water to be saved.

Wouldn’t you think that if it’s that important, there would be one verse in the Bible that said it? All the places where people try to say it says it, they use the word baptize to mean always water and it doesn’t always mean water. And sometimes it just means to be cleansed. Sometimes it could be talking about the fire. And it talks about even in chapter 10 of Corinthians about all of them were under the cloud. bad ties under the cloud because the cloud was watered.

They were all under the water talking about with Moses when they were in the wilderness. But the cloud didn’t save anybody. But it’s using the same word and that word has used many times in many different places. So take your Bible and turn to the book of Ephesians, the book of Ephesians. In the book of Ephesians chapter 1, This is chapter 1. Notice what it says there in verse 12. Verse 12. It says that we should be to the praise of His glory who first trusted in Christ.

In whom, talking about Christ, ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. In home also after that ye believed and then you’ll notice that Schofil is saying having believed, but all it means is the moment you believed. They both say the same thing. They both mean the same thing. It’s just the moment you believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit, that Holy Spirit, that was what? Promised. Did God, Jesus Christ when he was there, did he promise that the Holy Spirit would come and the Holy Spirit did come on the day of Pentecost and he says that they that believe on him should receive and now he’s talking about the very moment you believe you were sealed with the Holy Spirit or if you were sealed that very moment by the Holy Spirit at what point did you get baptized before

you got sealed? Did you get to get baptized in water before he could seal you and can you find a scripture that says yes, you can’t because you see the moment you believe that moment you believe you were sealed. Now wouldn’t it be a shame for God say okay well you never really got baptized so I had to unseal you. Well when did he seal me? When I what? When I believed when I believed I was sealed that very moment.

Well I haven’t got baptized yet. Evidently, it’s not part of your salvation. It never has been and never will be. Now, this baptism is without water that we talk about in Ephesians chapter 1. We are baptized by the Holy Spirit. The very moment that you accepted Christ as your Savior, sealed by the Holy Spirit. Now, these verses are important to try to remember because there’s a lot of people that will try to convince you that you must be baptized in water in order to be saved.

There is a group called the Church of Christ. Anybody ever heard of them? But they will hammer that to no end. Well, the thing is, I have to tell them, I said, well, I’ve already been baptized anyway, so I’m saved according to your belief. But I am saved and I have been baptized, but not to be saved. Now take your Bible and turn there to the book of 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians. And notice a wonderful little verse here that many people kind of look over.

Chapter 3, 1 Corinthians chapter 3. Now notice what he says here in chapter 3, look in verse 5. Who then is Paul and who is Apollos but ministers by whom he believed? Now is believe in enough or do you have to do something to? Well, should a man have communion? Yes. Should a man read his Bible? Yes. Should you pray? Well, yes. Should you tell others about the Lord? Well, yes. But is it part of being saved? The only thing you have to do to be saved is believe in the Lord.

You trust Him. You believe that what He did was sufficient for you. So you don’t try to save yourself. Should a Christian know? Follow Lord in baptism as a step of obedience? believe it’s a good thing. And the Bible talks about it as a good thing for your conscience sake. You know you did it because God says to. It doesn’t save you. Doesn’t wash the dirt off your neck. Doesn’t do anything for you. But it’s a picture of what’s in.

Look what he says you’re in 1 Corinthians in chapter 3 and verse 6. I have planted, polished water, but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planet anything, neither he that water but God that give up the increase. Now he that planet and he that water there one and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. Now this is what God says, you and I should yes work for the Lord, serve the Lord and later on he tells you in chapter 4, he refers to himself as an illustration.

And that illustration is so very important. So now look there in chapter 2. Chapter 2, he’s referring to himself again and to Apollos and others. And so he says here, there’s contention among you. So there’s argument, there’s backbiting and there’s differences and there’s divisions and he says, brother, this ought not be. So he says there in verse 12. Now this I say that every one of you sayeth, I am a Paul. I am of Apollos. I am of safest.

I am of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Christmas and Gaius. Now some people take that and see, well, if Paul was kind of winding this thing down and he wasn’t going to do any more baptized. And so, and this was just a couple of people. And because he says, Christ sent me to preach the gospel, not to baptize, so therefore that’s what I’m doing.

And so I don’t have to baptize anymore and all that. Well, he didn’t say how far into this ministry he’s gotten here in. But he did baptize. He baptized one person. Must have been important. Why do it at all? But he says, lest, and most people always seem to miss that word. As he says here in verse 15, less any should say, I had baptized in my own name. It wasn’t that he was against baptism. It was that he didn’t want people to say he did it in his own name.

Let somebody would say something and not listen to the gospel or somebody use it again. He wouldn’t even take up offerings for himself when he had the right to do it. But the reason why he said because I don’t want to abuse my power in the gospel. Unless somebody say, I’m just doing it for money, I won’t take any money and it pays his own way. He says that I do wrong. He said I robbed other churches in order that I wouldn’t have to take anything from y’all.

And just because he did it here with this church doesn’t mean that he didn’t baptize others in other churches. He just says here. Didn’t mean he didn’t baptize, he just here because of what they were like and what they were doing. Paul was a very wise Christian. And he may have done some things I wouldn’t have done, but I can’t think of any of them right now. He just seemed to be the most proficient soul winner that I’ve ever met.

But now notice what he does say. In verse 16, I baptized also the house, solar, staphana. Besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. Now he’s talking to this church. Listen, he’s not talking about all the church, he’s talking about this church, but look at it. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel. Now, if baptism was necessary in order to be saved, then baptism has to be part of the gospel. Thank you through.

So he’s separating the two. You can preach the gospel and never preach baptism because the gospel is how you’re saved because you’re trusting Christ. Baptism means that’s something you have to do. and you may do it, you may not. But if you have to be baptized, then being baptized should be part of the gospel itself. And you really can’t lead a man to Christ unless he’s baptized in water. But he separates it because it needs to be separated. You see, you win people to Christ.

Then you try to challenge a person, know why they should be water baptized. But that’s mainly because you recognize that his death, my death, his burial, my burial. His resurrection, my resurrection. And now I should walk in newness of life. So it’s not just a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. It’s your picture of your death and your burial in your resurrection. Because remember he did that for you. So that’s why it is a picture, yes, of what Christ did, but it’s a picture of what happened to you.

I died. I was buried. I came back from the dead. Now I should live in newness of life, like the Lord wants me to live. So if people don’t understand it, no, then they just, when they’re little kids, they baptize babies and things like that. If the baby can’t believe on Christ, all you did is sprinkle water on, but you give them false hope. Oh, I was baptized when I was a baby. And they put confidence in that. Somebody sprinkled you with water and holy water.

Instead of few words over you, and that’s supposed to do something for you, what did that do? What did man do? Man can’t save you. No man can save anybody else by what he does or what he doesn’t do. He can’t save anybody. There’s no power there. All we’re supposed to do, preach the gospel and you’d be surprised how easy it would be for people to trust Christ with their Savior. So take your Bible now and look in Mark chapter 16.

Mark chapter 16. This is an interesting verse because it kind of gives you the idea that you got to be baptized in water. It kind of looks like it, but that’s what people say. But remember we’re here in the book of Mark. At the beginning of the book of Mark, he’s already explained there is a difference between the water baptism and the Holy Spirit baptism. John brings that out and makes it clear. Chapter 7, we just looked at talking about baptism and there’s three different words used right there talking about a cleansing, a baptizing.

And then when you get to chapter 16, lo and behold, Christ has already been crucified, buried, come back from the dead, and now He’s giving them the great commission. and he says there in verse 15, go you into all the world, go you into all the world and preach the gossip to every preacher. No, it should be preached the gospel to every preacher, it would be great if all of them knew it. But go you into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

He that believeth and his baptized shall be saved. But he that believe if not, shall be damned.” See that verse? There. There shows you that you’ve got to be baptized in water. But see, it didn’t say water. It’s an assumption. But the word baptized here means to be cleansed. It’s the same as when you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and your cleanse from all of your sins. Because when you study it in connection with the book of Luke in chapter 24, it says, to go into all the world and preach the forgiveness of sins.

Forgiveness of sins is God’s way of cleansing you. You’re no longer responsible for all those things you’ve done. You’ve been forgiven as though you never did them anymore. It’s a total cleansing. It’s called a total wash. And one of the words that’s used is means a total baptism, a total wash, total cleansing. So believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. He that believeth and his cleanse shall be saved. He that believeth not, well he’s not going to be clean and he’s going to be damned if he doesn’t believe.

He that believeth not shall be. You notice it doesn’t say that in the last half of the verse. That didn’t mean water baptized, I’d say just put it in there. He that believed it and is baptized in water shall be saved. But he that believed it not and is not water baptized shall be damned if that’s the truth. Let’s see it doesn’t say that. So people want to try to twist and change the scripture. Now, when we’re over there talking about in the book of 1 Corinthians in chapter 2, when he makes the statement about Christ sent me to preach the gospel not to baptize.

And if baptism was necessary for salvation, then Paul was not preaching how to be saved. Because if If he could preach the gospel and not baptism, because baptism is supposed to be necessary for salvation, then Paul was not preaching a total gospel, a full gospel, full gospel. And I’m sure I like the word. But remember, if a man, because of what the Lord is saying there in those verses, you’re talking about if a man has to be baptized, Paul was making this statement, I thank God that I saved none of you.

When he says, I baptized none of you, I thank God that I baptized none of you. If you had to be baptized in water, then he’s saying, I’m thankful that I didn’t save anybody that I didn’t save anybody but just a couple people. I believe the apostle Paul was hungry for souls and preached the gospel everywhere he went and did all that he possibly could. Now we’ve looked at this and if you’ll look on page four, bottom of page four you’ll notice down at the bottom only a believer should be water baptized.

A lost man should only be baptized after he saved. And Paul said to the Corinthian believers, I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Christmas and Gaius. And in top of the next page, number two, if water baptism was necessary for salvation, Paul was thankful to God that he didn’t help save many people. Do you believe that’s what he meant? I don’t. The thief on the cross, number three, the thief on the cross realized he was a sinner and believed on Jesus as Savior.

He didn’t come down from the cross and and get water baptized. But Christ said to Him, verily I say unto thee, today shall thou be with me in paradise. Remember this, water baptism is a work. It’s something you have to do. It depends on human effort. It cannot save salvation is free. Now I want to read this last section to you. Let her A and let her B because this is so important. If any verse in the Bible did teach any of the above works or any work for salvation, it would contradict Ephesians 2, 8, and 9, or John 3, 16, or Romans 4, 5.

And other clear salvation by faith alone versus because doesn’t say that in Ephesians 2, 8, 9, 4, by grace, are you saved through faith that not of yourself? is the gift of God not of your cells. It’s not something that you do. Well, it isn’t baptism, something that you have to do. I have baptized many people. And I tell you, there’s things that you have to do. It doesn’t happen automatically. You have to do something. I have to do something.

And therefore, this is not what God is talking about. Then the Bible would be contradictory and would not be true. Stay with the person on a verse like Ephesians 2 8 9. Don’t let him turn to other verses and follow him on a rabbit trail. Through the Bible, while you never return to Ephesians 2 8 9, this little section, kindly demand an explanation of Ephesians 2 8 9. They always want to go to another verse. Well, if we went to another verse, will this verse still be here?

If we went to another verse, will this verse still say the same thing? If we went to another verse, is that verse going to contradict this verse? Oh, no, no, no, no. Then we don’t need to go to that other verse, then do we? And you hold him right there. If that is true, then John 3.16 is a lie. Christ told Nicodemus in John 3.16 that if he believed he would have everlasting life. Now if a person must believe and turn from sin and be water baptized to have everlasting life, then Christ lied to Nicodemus.

Christ promised him everlasting life if he would just believe. And that promise is true. God does not and cannot lie. Titus chapter 1 and verse 2. God can not lie. When the Philippian jailer was ready to commit suicide and he says, what must I do to be saved? And they told him, you have to go to The cavalry come into church, pay 50%, be what about the times, turn from all of this in, commit your life to Christ and let Jesus in the heart and you might make it.

What did he say? He says, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, thou shalt be saved. That one’s in. Later on, yes, he was baptized. But that wasn’t the thing that he had to do to be saved. To be saved, all we have to do, all that we need to do, the only thing that we can do is to trust Christ. Look down at the bottom of the page here. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

Paul told the Philippian jailer in Acts 1631 that is the thing that he did. The true message that will save man is saved by grace and grace alone. Look up here. Letting this hand represent you and me and this wallet represents sin. We all have sin upon us. God says that he loves us. Now he hates our sin, but he loves us. And for us to pay for sin is eternal separation from God and a literal fire burning hell.

Now if you reject Christ, then you get the baptism of fire. But if you accept Christ, you get the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Now which one would you like the best? Think about it. To go to heaven, we’ve got to be as perfect as righteous as God. And none of us are perfect. None of us are righteous. And God says because of sin, we have to pay for it and we cannot earn our weight to heaven. There’s nothing we can do.

It is not of man. So man doesn’t have to be water baptized. He doesn’t have to join a church. He doesn’t have to give any money. He doesn’t have to stop his sins. He don’t have to promise to live better. He is a sinner. Admit it. I am a sinner. I do not deserve to be saved. I do not deserve to go to heaven. I have earned the right to go to hell. But God loves me. How much? Well, this hand represents Jesus Christ.

God sent his son. He came to this world. He had no sin. Didn’t have to die. But because he loved us, he took all the sin of all the world. Paid for it on the cross and came back from the dead. And God said that if we would believe that he did it for us, he would put this payment to our account and we get to go to heaven on what Jesus Christ did for us. That’s the best news in all the world.

And once you trust Christ as your Savior, you are baptized by the Holy Spirit, that very moment of belief, sealed to the day of redemption and you get to go to heaven when you die. Should a Christian be water baptized? I think it’s a step of obedient. I believe it could, should. But it won’t add to a salvation. It won’t take it away if he doesn’t. But I just like doing everything that God wants me to do. Should I read my Bible?

Well, yes. Should I pray? Well, yes. I do all those things too. What about the Lord’s Supper? I do that too. Why not just do whatever he asked me to do? I learned a long time ago. It’s better if I don’t fight and argue with God. Let’s pray, show him. Father, we thank you so much for this time together. Blessed is one for being here. We thank you for all you’ve done for us in Christ’s name. Amen. Are you a new listener to Bible Eye?

Do you enjoy the teachings of Dr. Arnold? Well, if you’ve never contacted us before, we want to give you Dr. Arnold’s book, The Gospel Driven Man. Every day we receive many emails from folks who have questions about repentance and salvation, about faith in works, and about how to share the gospel with friends and loved ones. This book, The Gospel Driven Man, covers all those topics. And we want all new listeners of Bibleline to receive a free copy. There’s no obligation, no donation necessary, simply call us at 1-800-576-3771 or write to us and request your free copy of The Gospel Driven Man.

Mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Again, don’t forget to include your mailing address And God bless you and thank you for listening to Bibleline. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. And now, a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound, and we will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

So live today and every day, leaving that the Lord is coming soon. Just keep looking up.