Salvation
By Michael W. Gardner
According to Matthew 26:28 it is the blood of Jesus that saves from our sins. We remember the blood when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. The purpose of the shed blood is for the remission of sins. It is the Blood that make the difference.
Romans 10:9-17 says that those who call on the Lord’s name will be saved (vs.13). Verses 9 and 10 state that it is confession that leads to salvation. So is calling on the name of the Lord as simple as saying his name? No, it is not that simple. Matthew 7:21 says just going through the motions is not enough. So how do we call on the name of the Lord and get our salvation? Verse 14 explains the process in reverse. You can’t call on the name of the Lord unless you believe and you can’t believe unless you hear and you can’t hear unless you have a preacher. This may not explain how to “call on the name of the Lord” but it does make it clear the saving faith comes as a direct result of hearing God’s word. This concept is repeated more clearly in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
The problem remains as to how we “call” on the name of the Lord like it says in Romans 10 since we know that is what saves us and it is more than just saying the word. Verse 13 says that it is the calling on the name of the Lord that saves and then the next verses talks about a process moving from preaching to the “Call”. So it is not just the “Call” that saves us since there is a process that gets us to the “Call”. However, Romans 10 does not explain the “Call” that saves us so let’s search the Bible for examples of people going through this process and see if we can tell by what they do to be saved what the “Call” is.
Consider Acts chapter 2. We have the preachers and the preaching. We have those that are hearing and we have evidence that they believed what they heard. The interesting thing about the sermon preached in Acts chapter 2 is that Peter quotes the Prophet Joel who predicted that “and whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved”. Good, so now we will see what they do here to be saved and we will know that what they do is the “Call”. It is important to observe that those hearing the words of Peter were heartsick and knew they “had killed the risen, promised savior.” They heard, they believed the word of God and knew they were lost. They asked, “what shall we do?” and we know the answer is to “Call” on the name of the Lord. The “Call” alone or by itself is not what Romans 10 said and not what is happening in Acts chapter 2. It is a process that is completed by the “Call”. The answer given to the question of what to do to “Call” on the name of the Lord was and is “Repent and be Baptized” and 3,000 did just that.
Consider Acts 8. Phillip preached Christ. It is interesting that he does not say they preached baptism but he did preach the Kingdom of God and Jesus Christ. After he preached and the people heard it can only be logical that they would want to “Call” on the name of the Lord so what did they do? Verse 12 says that those that believe were baptized.
Also in Acts 8 is the Ethiopian Eunuch. Phillip preached to him Jesus and his response was to note the presence of water and request baptism. Phillip response was not “sure, that is all we have to do” but he said, “If you believe you may.” He wasn’t being baptized to join the Church, as there was none where he was or where he was going. He was doing what he did to be saved. He was making the “Call”.
Consider Acts 9 about Saul of Tarsus. He saw the light (verse 1-8). He saw Jesus and had the belief but was told to go into the city to find out what he had to do to be saved. He was not talking about the doing being some kind of work to earn salvation, because we can’t do that. Saul had done everything he needed to do to be saved except “Call” on the name of the Lord. In fact, when Paul recounts the episode in chapter 22 and verse 16 he says he was told to “be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
Then there is Lydia in Acts chapter 16. She believed and then she was baptized. Or, there is the Philippian Jailer in the same chapter. The crisis in verse 30 was what must be done to be saved? The response was to Believe. Why not to be baptized? Because there must be preaching, belief and then the “Call”. The problem was the jailer did not know enough to believe. The solution was that they “spoke unto him the word of the Lord.” The results of that were revealed in verse 33 when the Jailer and his family were baptized.
Matthew 28:19-20 where Jesus gave his final instruction to his disciples. Teach them so they can believe and be disciples and since we know more than belief is required he said to baptize them. And finally we are to teach them, after they are saved, what they need to know to live the Christian life.
Mark 16:15,16 says belief and baptism equals salvation, no belief equals damnation. After all the above can you honestly say that since it did not say if you are not baptized you are condemned then baptism is not important. Mark says it is not just Baptism but Belief and Baptism, both, that equals salvation.
Romans 6:3-4 explains why baptism. Baptism is our way of sharing in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Christ was raised so are we by the Father. Baptism remembers the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. It allows us to share in his death and by doing so share in a new life with him.
Galatians 3:26-27 says Baptism allows us to put on Christ but not with out believing faith. Colossians 2:12 says we are buried with him in baptism but also raised by faith in the God that raised Jesus from the dead.
And finally, there is 1 Peter 3:19-21. Just like Noah, who believed but had to enter the Ark to be saved by water so we must believe first and then be baptized. (This does not diminish the need to repent and confess.) Notice in verse 21 it says that baptism saves. Romans 10 says to call on the name of the Lord to be saved and then makes it clear that you must believe to make that call. Baptism only does not save anymore than faith only will save you (James 2). How does Baptism (the “Call”) save us? It save us by bringing us into contact with the saving Blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ through sharing in his death.