Jesus, His Blood, Faith, or Baptism — Which Is It?
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Intro:
Intro:
Good morning.
You may remember last year (I think it was) that I preached a sermon with most convoluted-sounding title I think I have ever come up with — “Mutual Exclusivity, False Dichotomies, and Why They Matter.”
I want to revisit that thought process a little bit this morning.
The sermon title this morning is in the form of a question:
“Jesus Christ, His Blood, Faith, or Baptism — Which is It?”
So where are we going with that question?
Well, there’s faulty logic in the question itself, but we will get to that in a moment.
I’ve picked 4 things that are crucial to our salvation — Jesus Christ (of course!), Jesus’ blood, our faith, and our baptism.
And we’re about to show verses for every one of those.
But the truth is that we could list many more things that are all crucial to our salvation — God’s grace, God’s mercy, God’s love, OUR love (for God and others), our obedience, our trust, Jesus’ church, the Bible itself, etc. etc. etc.!
And we could list verses for every last one of those!
But I want to show us (primarily) this morning that human beings seem to have this tendency to want to pick and choose.
“Give me this, but not that,” we tend to say!
But the problem in that line of thinking is that there are MANY things that God’s Word says play into our salvation!
You would have to deny plain Scriptural teaching to say otherwise.
And yet, many of the errors that we find today religiously are based on FALSE DICHOTOMIES.
By way of review — What is a false dichotomy?
In simple terms, it’s making something out to be an “either/or,” when really it’s “both/and.”
For example, is it God’s grace that is important, or our obedience? (It’s not an either/or! — The question itself is setting up a false dichotomy! It’s both/and! Without God’s grace, we would be hopeless! But there is obedience involved on our part, too! Just see Heb. ch. 11; See Gen. ch. 6; etc.)
A false dichotomy is presenting two or more things as MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE (saying that if one is true, then the other is not true), when in actuality both things are true at the same time!
Now this is incredibly important when it comes to our salvation, because there are many things mentioned in the Bible that are absolutely essential to our salvation!
First and foremost this morning, we’ve got to talk about …
JESUS CHRIST:
JESUS CHRIST:
Jesus Christ is IT when it comes to our salvation (if we can say it that way to prove a point)!
When it comes down to it, our salvation totally rests upon Him!
Acts 4:12 says
Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
That settles it! “In Christ Alone” as we sing!
Jesus Himself said it this way in John 14:6 -
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
And Paul said it this way in 1 Cor. 1:23-24
but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
We must look to CHRIST, be drawn unto HIM, and DEPEND on Him for our salvation!
Jesus said in John 12:32
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
And of course who could forget John 3:16 ?
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Salvation is IN Jesus Christ (See Eph. 1:3)
Now, right off the bat, we lay that out because if we can’t understand THAT, we’re in trouble!
However … Everything else that we’re going to talk about today falls underneath that “umbrella,” if you will, of Jesus Christ!
Even in the verses that we’ve already looked at, you will find other things necessary for our salvation (things that fall underneath Jesus’ Christ’s purview!)
For example, in Acts 4:12, it says “for there is no other NAME under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
The name is referring to of course? The Person of Jesus Christ!
But not just the Person of Jesus Christ, but also the AUTHORITY by which He spoke — “in the name of” means “by the authority of!
Someone says, “well that’s just splitting hairs.”
But is it?
Because if a person has no AUTHORITY behind his words, then do his words really mean much?
For example, I could say all day long if I wanted to that it oughtta be against the law to drive past my house with the windows rolled down listening to pop music, but that doesn’t mean it will be so!
I have no AUTHORITY behind my name in that regard!
There is salvation in Jesus Christ because (for one thing) God the Father gave Him AUTHORITY to grant salvation through His name! Technically, two subtly separate aspects in the PERSON of Jesus Christ and in the NAME/Authority of Jesus Christ, but we would never separate their IMPORTANCE!
In John 14:6, as well as John 3:16, we find salvation in Jesus Christ, but Who also is mentioned? (God the Father! We can’t leave Him out! Or the Holy Spirit for that matter!)
And then in 1 Cor. 1:23-24 as well as John 12:32, we find Jesus Christ, but we also find what? (His cross!)
“For the preaching of the CROSS is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are saved it is … the power of God!” (1 Cor. 1:18)
“Christ CRUCIFIED” (1 Cor. 1:23)
Now could have God allowed Jesus to die in a different manner for us? (Sure I suppose, but that’s beside the point!)
The point is that JESUS CHRIST is essential for our salvation, and God the FATHER ordained it as so, by the AUTHORITY of Jesus Christ we may be saved, and in God’s plan a CROSS was involved!
That’s 4 different things/concepts, but all essential!
Let’s not false dichotomize the Word of God!
Let’s talk about …
The Blood of Christ:
The Blood of Christ:
The Blood of Jesus Christ is the specific atoning agent that washes away our sins.
Later on, we are going to see AT WHAT POINT that takes place …
But for now, let’s just focus on the blood of Christ which is CRITICALLY important!
Blood is pretty important, isn’t it?!
Lev. 17:11 says “the life of the flesh is in the blood!” (That’s a scientific fact!)
For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’
Not only is it a fact that blood is critical for the human body …
But it is also critical for the soul as well!
Moses wrote God’s words: “I have given it to you upon the altar to make ATONEMENT for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul!”
Extremely important!
And we could spend a LOT of time going through every O.T. passage showing COUNTLESS lambs, and bulls, and goats whose blood were shed in those O.T. animal sacrifices, providing atonement in PROSPECT of the ULTIMATE atonement provided through the blood of the (capital L) Lamb of God, Jesus Christ!
But let’s turn our attention to the N.T. and let’s see that …
John 1:29 says
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Specifically, it is the BLOOD of the Lamb that would serve as the cleansing agent!
Rev. 1:5 says
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
Now surely none of us would try to false-dichotomize the BLOOD of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ Himself?!
Matt. 26:28 - In establishing the Lord’s Supper, Jesus says of the fruit of the vine …
For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
When they pierced Jesus’ side after He had already passed away on His cross, do you remember what flowed forth?
“BLOOD and water!” (John 19:34)
Hmmm — More on that later!
But again, the point being — It took the blood of the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, to atone for our sins!
Heb. 10:4
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
Heb. 10:19-22
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Rom. 5:8-9
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
It was by blood that Jesus purchased His church - Acts 20:28
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
Faith:
Faith:
But without faith, it is impossible to please Him (God) - Heb. 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Heb. 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
“The just shall live by his faith” (Hab. 2:4)
“Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith.
Also reiterated in the N.T. by Paul in Rom. 1:17
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Acts 15:9 talks about our hearts being purified BY FAITH.
and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Acts 26:17-18 Jesus says to Paul …
I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
And there are a host of other passages that show the importance of faith!
But the question becomes, FAITH ALONE?
And the answer is an emphatic NO!!!
So much of the world is SO confused on this one point because they can’t wrap their minds around the concept of FAITH, with it being an umbrella essentially under which a lot of other things fall! (Namely, our obedience!)
What kind of faith leads to the saving of the soul? (Heb. 10:39)
But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
An OBEDIENT faith, as characterized over and over again in the following chapter — “faith’s hall of fame” — which says that “By FAITH, Abel did this,” and “By FAITH, Noah did that,” and Abraham, and Isaac, and on and on you can read about faithful individuals who put their faith IN ACTION!
It is of UTMOST IMPORTANCE that we do not false dichotomize faith and works of obedience — See James chapter 2:14 to the end of the chapter!
But finally, we want to talk about this morning at what point one comes into contact with the blood of Jesus Christ, as we mentioned its importance earlier, and that is in …
Baptism:
Baptism:
Why do we emphasize baptism as much as we do?
Because Jesus emphasized it, and so does much of the rest of the New Testament!
Mark 16:15-16 -
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Matt. 28:18-20 -
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Jesus’ marching orders included … … … baptism! Why?
Because 1 Pet. 3:21 says:
There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Baptism itself?
No! Baptism because that’s when we come into contact with the blood of Christ!
That’s when we receive REMISSION OF SINS (Acts 2:38)
And we remember earlier Jesus said during the Lord’s supper - “This is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins!” (Matt. 26:28)
And the only way that is possible is “through the RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ” (at the end of 1 Pet. 3:21)
All of these things are CRITICAL!
They’re not mutually exclusive!
Again, don’t false-dichotomize the things involved in our salvation! (The denominations are guilty of doing it all the time!)
Where would you go in your Bible if someone wanted to false-dichotomize faith (belief) and baptism?
Can you think of where?
I would go to two places - Mark 16:16 which we already looked at …
And …
Gal. 3:26-27 -
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
* “For” - a coordinating conjunction (just like the word “and”) — (connects two thoughts of EQUAL IMPORTANCE!)
Finally, take a look at Acts 22:16 -
This is an importance verse, because we find in Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21, and Rom. 10:13 “whoever calls on the name of the Lord (on His authority like we looked at earlier) will be saved!”
The question is, when do I do that?
And the answer is when I’m baptized into Christ! 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.’
When does the BLOOD (the cleansing agent/the agent of atonement) take effect on your soul, through the name and Person of Jesus Christ?
When your sins are washed away in baptism!
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
It really is that simple!
But people have made it difficult!
And the reason people make it difficult is often because they have either been misled, or sadly they just don’t WANT to believe what the Bible actually says about the salvation of our souls.
And it is COSTING souls!
And a big part of the reason is because there have been false teachers who have false-dichotomized the Word of God!
(Give invitation).