Conditions of Salavtion

In the beginning sin was created by the disobedience of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3.1-7; Romans 5.12-14). According to the Bible, sin is a violation of God's law (1 John 3.4). Sin brought death upon all men (Romans 5.12). Sin separates man from God (Isaiah 59.1, 2). Even though great consequences were suffered by the entire human race, the promise of a coming Redeemer filled the pages of the Old Testament. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and He is the one of whom the prophets spoke--"And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took Him down from the tree, and laid Him in a sepulchre. But God raised Him from the dead" (Acts 13.29, 30). The Gospel--that Jesus died, rose, and revived--reconciles man to God (Romans 14.9; 2 Corinthians 5.18-21). The New Testament confirms the Old Testament prophecies concerning Christ (John 5.39; Acts 3.22-26). His mission: to destroy him that had the power of death and deliver them who were all their lifetime subject to the bondage of death (Hebrews 2.14, 15). Redemption from the bondage of sin and death is both, universal and limited. Redemption is freely offered to all, however, it is only obtained with respect to those who meet the conditions of salvation announced in the Gospel! These conditions can also be described as ultimatums (either perform a certain action or suffer the consequences). Consider the following conditions of salvation/ultimatums:

All the conditions of salvation must be met in order to escape all the consequences warned of in the Scriptures. If an individual hears, believes, repents, and confesses then he has escaped destruction, sin, and denial. But he will still stand condemned if he has not been baptized for remission of sins, and if he does not endure to the end. Again, all the conditions of salvation must be met in order to recieve eternal life with God.

After having done all that God requires for salvation, two things happen when we are baptized. First, our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1.7). Water is symbolic of cleansing. Not that water washes away sins, but by faith in the operation of God in baptism, the blood is applied to our hearts (1 Peter 3.21; Colossians 2.12, 13; Hebrews 10.22). The blood is not applied before, or after, but during baptism! Thus, in baptism our sins are washed away. Second, God, Himself, adds us to His church (Acts 2.47; 1 Corinthians 12.13). No vote is taken, no hierarchy of men gives their approval, no application is filled, no strange scientific experiments are performed, no one's ring is kissed, no one but God adds those who have obeyed His Gospel to His church!

The conditions of the Bible are more simple than the hoops man-made creeds ask us to jump through. Why not be just a Christian? Why not be safe in following the conditions of the Bible? Contact us if you would like to be baptized and become a member of the church that Jesus built!