I would like to know: if you never got baptized and you passed away, would you go to heaven?

Sincerely,
Admit One

Dear Admit One,

We can only tell you what the Bible says about the topic of salvation.  Our opinion doesn't matter.  God will be the final judge of every soul, but He tells us that His Word has the power to save us if we will follow it (Rom 1:16).  According to the Bible, baptism is a requirement of salvation.  Peter said so in Acts 2:38 when he preached the first sermon after Christ’s ascension.  In 1 Pet 3:21, it specifically says that baptism saves us.  Mk 16:16 says that baptism is as integral a part of salvation as belief, and Paul tells us in Rom 6:4-5 that baptism buries us with Christ, so we might be born again without our sins.  The Bible clearly teaches baptism as a prerequisite for salvation.

Lately, I have been feeling like I have not been the best christian that I ought to be.  I try to be excited that I'm going to heaven and how blessed I am to know God and living how Christ would have me to, but sometimes I get so upset thinking about all those (including family) that won’t be there with me.  I try to always be positive, hoping that others may come to repentance, but for some, I know there is no chance they will follow Christ.  Why do I keep lingering on these thoughts?

Sincerely,
Disheartened

Dear Disheartened,

You are facing a normal and healthy part of the christian growth process.  It is a sign of compassion when that you look at those who are lost in this world, and it wrenches your heart.  It is okay to be hurt by the vastness of those who have chosen the wide path to destruction (Matt 7:13).  Jesus wept over His kinsman in Jerusalem that turned their back on the truth and rejected the gift of salvation (Lk 19:41-42).  When Paul thought about his lost fellow countryman, it grieved him deeply… so much so that he wished he could trade places with their souls, so they might be saved (Rom 9:1-3).  Paul’s heart’s desire was that his beloved kinsman would be saved (Rom 10:1-2), but he also knew that it was their choice, not his.  You are having the same emotions that Paul and Jesus dealt with – take it as a sign of spiritual maturity and growth.

The important thing to remember is that the greatest help you can be to the lost is to be that shining light and preserving salt that Christ exhorted us to become (Matt 5:13-15).  You can’t save everyone from their own choices, but, as Paul said, we try and live so that we can save some (Rom 11:13-14).

How can I be a Christian?

Sincerely,
Looking For Hope

Dear Looking For Hope,

The Bible outlines five things you must do to become a christian. The question, “What must I do to be saved?” is the most important question any human can ever ask. Plenty of groups will pick and choose what they want to focus on. Many groups say that all you must do is “believe in your heart” and you will be saved – unfortunately, this is cherry-picking out one requirement and leaving the rest behind. We must always remember that the sum of God’s Word provides the truth (Ps 119:160). Belief is obviously an important element to salvation, but it is not the only condition. The Bible outlines five separate requirements for salvation, and all of them are necessary.

1. Hear the Word. Faith comes through hearing, and hearing comes through the Word of God (Rom 10:17). Until someone hears God’s Word, they are incapable of obeying it.
2. Believe the Word. It is impossible for someone to become a christian unless they believe that Jesus is the Savior and Son of God (Jhn 20:31, Acts 16:31, Jhn 3:16).
3. Repent of your sins. ‘Repent’ means to ‘change your mind’. That change of mind always involves a change of action as well. Repentance is when we change our mind about what is important and submit ourselves to Jesus and His Word. Repentance is a necessity of salvation (Mk 6:12, Lk 13:5, Lk 15:7).
4. Confess Jesus to others. If we have sworn our allegiance to Jesus, we must be prepared to publicly confess Him as our Lord. If we won’t confess Jesus before men, He won’t confess us before God (Matt 10:32-33, Lk 12:8-9).
5. Be baptized in the name of Jesus for salvation. Many groups baptize people, but very few baptize people for the right reasons. Baptism isn’t merely an “outward showing of an inward faith” or “for membership”. Baptism is what saves us (1 Pet 3:21). Baptism is the point where someone goes from being lost to saved because they are buried and resurrected with Christ (Rom 6:4-5). Baptism is the final requirement to become a christian (Acts 2:37-38, Mk 16:16, Acts 2:41). There is not a single example of someone becoming a christian without baptism. Baptism is just as necessary as the other four requirements.

After that, there remains nothing else but to find a faithful congregation to assemble with (Heb 10:24) that teaches God’s Word and God’s Word only (see “Finding a Church” for more details) and to continue to grow in knowledge and practice of God’s Word (1 Pet 2:2).  If you would like help finding a faithful church in your area – simply e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org and we would be happy to help you locate one.

What are some Scriptures that show the depravity of man and our need for God’s salvation?

Sincerely,
Give Me Book, Chapter, Verse

Dear Give Me Book, Chapter, Verse,

The term “depravity of man” is normally used by those who teach that people are born sinful – there are no Scriptures to show this teaching because it is false (read “Calvin And Sobs” for more details on this teaching, also known as Calvinism).  However, there are lots of verses that show that mankind has chosen to sin and that we need God’s salvation.  Many of them are found in Romans because the book of Romans spends a lot of time dealing with that particular subject.  Here are a few:

• “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23)
• “Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned.” (Rom 5:12)
• “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 6:23)
• “What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin; as it is written, ‘There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God; they have all turned aside; they have all together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not, so much as one.’” (Rom. 3:9-12)
• “For God appointed us not into wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess 5:9)
• “And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation.’” (Acts 2:40)

(This question is in reference to “Think Again”)

You answered a question on baptism and twisted some verses all around then never actually got to the saved by grace issue.  The question you answered was whether baptism was necessary for salvation.  The correct answer is: no, it's not.  My question is how do you explain all of Ephesians 2 if we need to be dunked in a tub to go to heaven?  It plainly says we are "saved by grace through faith so no man may boast".

Sincerely,
Unsatisfied

Dear Unsatisfied,

First of all, let’s address the subject of “twisting” verses.  It is much easier to simply say that someone is twisting verses when you don’t like their conclusions than it is to give examples of how they are twisting a verse.  If we are twisting the verses for our own gain, we absolutely want to change.  It is a sin to pervert the Word of God (Gal 1:7-8).  Since you say we twisted multiple verses around, could you please correct us on one of the verses we used?  When Jesus says, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mk 16:16)… how is baptism not necessary then?

Now, let’s dive into the issue of being saved by grace.  Eph 2:8 says, “For by grace, you have been saved through faith.”  There is no doubt that salvation is a gift from God (‘grace’ means ‘gift’ or ‘unmerited favor’), but do you notice how God puts a condition upon that gift?  The only way to receive grace is through faith.  Faith is a condition of salvation.  God does place conditions upon receiving His grace.  We must have faith to get grace.  Rom 10:17 says faith comes through hearing God’s Word, and Jas 1:22 says that we must hear and do what the Bible says.  So, in order to receive God’s grace, we must live faithfully by His Word.  What does His Word say about baptism?  It says baptism washes away your sins (Acts 22:16) and saves you (1 Pet 3:21).  If we are in error, we look forward to your reply with specific verses clarifying our error.