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[Note<\/strong>:\u00a0 <\/strong>This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles<\/strong>\u00a03<\/strong> \u00a0page.<\/span><\/p>\n There is no more important question for anyone to ponder because it involves one\u2019s eternal destiny. One may be mistaken about his house, his job, his car, his health, mathematics, history, or any number of things, but one dare not be mistaken about this subject. We could ask this question in different terms:<\/span><\/p>\n If salvation itself is important, the point at which <\/strong>one is saved is crucial. Some believe that all people will be saved, regardless of what they believe\/do or fail to believe\/do. Bible believers know better. The New Testament speaks of salvation for some, but damnation for others (Mat. 7:13\u201314; 25:46; John 5:28\u201329; et al.). The saved are those who have obeyed God\u2019s conditions of salvation\/pardon (Mat. 7:21; Heb. 5:9). It is at this point that disagreement among Bible believers generally surfaces. Shall we let the Bible answer?<\/span><\/p>\n What does Jesus answer? \u201cHe that believeth and is baptized shall be saved\u201d (Mark 16:16). What did Peter say? \u201cRepent and be baptized…unto remission of your sins\u201d (Acts 2:38) and \u201cbaptism doth now also save us\u201d (1 Pet. 3:21). What did Ananias tell Saul? \u201cArise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins\u201d (Acts 22:16). These passages are not cited to establish or even imply a doctrine of \u201csalvation by baptism only,\u201d for the Bible sets forth necessary prior and succeeding acts to baptism. These passages specify, however, the exact point <\/strong>at which the Christ saves sinners from the guilt of their past sins. They all answer with one voice: In the act of baptism\u2014and not before<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n When does the Lord add a person to His church? The moment he is saved (Acts 2:47). When were the 3000 added on Pentecost? \u201cThey then that received his word [\u201crepent and be baptized,\u201d v. 38] were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about 3,000 souls\u201d (v. 41). So being saved and being added to the church occur simultaneously\u2014and in the same act<\/strong>. The New Testament knows nothing of \u201cbeing saved\u201d at one point, then being baptized later to \u201cjoin a church.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n We dare trust nothing but the Word of God for the answer to the questions with which we began. God and His Son alone <\/strong>determine the point at which one is saved; They have revealed it in Their Word, and men dare not tamper with it. \u201cBlessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it\u201d (Luke 11:28).<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0[Note: <\/strong>I wrote this article for and it was published in the Denton Record-Chronicle, <\/em>Denton, TX, September 11, 2015.]<\/span><\/p>\n Attribution:<\/strong> From www.thescripturecache.com<\/em>; Dub McClish, proprietor, curator, and administrator.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Views: 1[Note:\u00a0 This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles\u00a03 \u00a0page. There is no more important question for anyone to ponder because it involves one\u2019s eternal destiny. One may be mistaken about his house, his job, his car, his health, mathematics, history,…<\/p>\n\n