The gospel is both specific and non-specific. It is like a bull’s eye target board. At the broadest spectrum the gospel is the bible. At the smallest spectrum, when the meaning of the gospel cannot possibly be reduced any further, the gospel is the resurrection of Jesus Christ- and how that saves us. But before we get into how that saves us, let’s take a look at this spectrum…
In order for Christ to be resurrected He had to die. In order for Christ to die He had to be born. In order for Christ to be born He had to come from a seed-line of people who were born before He was- mother, grandfather, great grandfather, great-great-great-great grandfather, etc- all the way back to Adam. Adam and Eve bore Seth- who is a seedline to Christ. A lot of bible characters were from Christ’s seedline.
You can read about Christ’s seedline in Genesis chapters 5, 11, and Luke 3. There are also other places such as Matthew chapter one, but some of them seem inconsistent because some of them go backwards instead of forewords, some are incomplete, and some of them are Mary’s seedline whereas some of them are Joseph’s seedline, even though Joseph’s seed did not produce Christ. Mary and Joseph’s seedlines split with David’s sons Solomon and Nathan.
In order for Adam and Eve to multiply they first had to be created. In order for that to happen a world for them to physically live in had to be created. And in order for the world and people to be created, God’s Word (Jesus Christ) had to speak it all into existence (God said ‘Let there be…’ ..and there was). John 1:3 says that without Christ nothing was made that had been made. And Colossians 1:16 says that all things were created by Christ and for Christ. So physically we cannot live without Christ’s words, and spiritually we cannot live without Christ’s words. The bible- there is no other book which brings forth life.
So, let’s see now how Christ’s resurrection saves us if we obey it. First I want to give an example. There was this plane crash with some survivors. Everything was dark, but one man had on a glow-in-the-dark vest. The survivors heard his voice say, “Come this way, for I know the way out. And those who seen his light and heard his voice and followed him out were at a safe distance when the plane exploded, but every one else who tried to find their own way out died. Then seeing that there were many more planes that crashed in the dark, the hero wearing the vest gave vests to the other survivors and told them to hurry and go to the other planes and show the survivors the way out before it‘s too late. Paul says follow me because I follow Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1).
We need to follow our Leader (Christ) to safety, because this life is only a test- it is short, our real life after the physical will last for all eternity- no matter where we spend it. So Christ showed us what to do. He did not get baptized because He had sin to wash away, He got baptized to lead us by showing us what we must do to be saved.
You see, baptism is a burial- you must die to yourself, and bury your old sinful self in the watery grave of baptism to be raised a new creature alive with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Romans 6:3,4 explains that baptism is how we get into Christ, and that just as Christ was raised from the dead, we will also be raised to life. This is why the gospel at its most reduced basic meaning is the resurrection of Christ- because if He wasn’t raised, we would not be raised. This is why some people feel Easter is more important than Christmas. But these are just worldly holidays- to Christians every day is Christmas, and every Sunday is Easter.
So yes it is important that He was born in the first place- but His birth did not save us, His death did not save us, His creation did not save us- His resurrection is what saves us. But those who do not join Him in His death will not join Him in His life. Baptism is how we get into Christ, and those who are in Christ at the point of physical death will be saved on the judgment day- IF (little word but big meaning) we remain faithful till the end.
So baptism is obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:8 says that God will punish those who 1- Do not know God, and 2- Do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. To know God means to walk in the light as He is in the light, and have fellowship with Him (1 John 1:7) -we speak to Him through prayer, and He speaks to us through the bible- so if you are not doing these things, are not praying to Him and reading His Word, and are not obeying Him, you do not know God, and if you do not love you do not know God- for God IS love- 1 John 4:8.
So baptism is when you get saved/obey the gospel (1 Peter 3:21, Acts 2:38, Romans 6:4, Acts 22:16). There is nothing powerful or magical about the water, God does the work when you obey Him. So it can be any body of water that is enough to fully bury your old sinful self to be raised a new creature alive with the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:17)- Who marks us for salvation (Ephesians 4:30). And who buries a dead body by only sprinkling a little dirt on it? Baptism must be full immersion- because it symbolizes fully dying to your old sinful self- you don‘t say to Christ, “OK, I‘ll follow You but I plan to keep just this sin and that one.” Proper burial does not keep any part of what is dead exposed. So, baptism is how we get into Christ, and those who are in Christ will be saved.
It is considered an emergency. If you drop to the ground having a heart attack, do you wait until another time to call an ambulance? Do you wait for an invitation? No, why? Because your life is on the line! If you realized you needed to be baptized in order to be saved, right then a christian should have a quick talk with you to make sure you understand what you are doing, that you no longer have the mind of a child, and that you understand that it is a lifetime commitment. Then you should be baptized immediately- even if it is in the middle of the night, even if it is in the middle of a sermon- someone should take you aside and begin the process. Do not let anything hinder you if you are serious, because your spiritual state at the point of death is sealed for all eternity.
I saw on the news once that an airplane crashed into a house, and those inside died instantly, and whatever their spiritual state was is now sealed for all eternity with no other chance of changing it. My brother in Christ also told me of a time that he was at church and the roof fell- killing many people instantly, he himself came close because the people in the pew behind him died. You never know, your days, hours, minutes, and even seconds are not in your control.
Once you come in contact with the life-saving blood through baptism, you keep in contact with it by taking the Lord's Supper in the assembly of the saints every first day of the week. It is unleavened bread (like a cracker) without yeast to make it a fluffy bread- because it symbolizes Christ's body without sin. And the fruit of the vine (grape juice) is pure to symbolize how Christ's blood was pure. Now when water flows through the grape seed it produces grape juice within the grape- therefore it is ok to use considerate and add water. But you cannot add anything else, and it cannot contain alcohol.
I know this juice was called wine in the bible, and that we call juice with alcohol wine today, but no matter what you call it, Christ's blood was pure and the symbol of His blood must also be pure. When Jesus performed His first recorded miracle of turning water into wine, He did not make it to have alcohol that people could get drunk on it. He knew how much they were drinking- which is why they ran out. Jesus did not support the sin of drunkenness. The drink He made was pure grape juice.
Jesus says, "I AM the Bread of Life." And He says, "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:54 But you first have to be baptized into Christ before you start taking the Lord's Supper. And you have to examine yourself before you take it, to agree that you are walking in the light to the best of your ability and not still living in sin (There is a difference between visiting somewhere and living there). Because whoever takes of the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of Christ (woe!).
Now the church is the bride of Christ, and He only has one bride (body/church). So if you were baptized into a false religion, and realize this, and get into His true church, do you need to be re-baptized? Let me answer that question with a question. In Romans 7:1-4 it tells how we were married so-to-speak to Moses (spiritually speaking of course). And that he died and we are now married to Christ (so-to-speak). Now if you were getting married to someone new, would you say to them, "We don't have to get married cause I have already gone through the process of getting married"? They might say, "Yeh, but not to me!" Yes, Christ has only one body (church) and you have to be baptized into it- no matter how many times you have been baptized into false religions. I personally have studied many religions and have found only one to match the one true church of the bible- the Church of Christ, but you need to study on your own and see the true church for yourself.
Just because I am in one religion that I believe to be the truth, does not mean that I have a closed mind. I study up on other religions to make sure that I am following the truth, and I invite you to also read and consider my findings with an open mind- no matter what religion you are in. For it is God who has my allegiance- not a title or name of a religion- I simply aim to obey only His doctrine- not mankind’s doctrines. For He says, “They worship Me in vain (to no effect, not resulting in salvation) following doctrines that are merely human rules.” Matthew 15:9.
And Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to Me ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who DOES the Will of My Father Who is in Heaven.” Matthew 7:21. How can you know you are doing His Will instead of man’s will if you don’t see for yourself that it matches what the bible says?
I only mention these things to you, I only take the time to write these things for you, because I care. You are worth it to me. You are worth it to God. And I hope to see you in heaven.
“Narrow is the way that leads to life, and few find it.” Matthew 7:14.
During a study once, I asked the person, “How will someone know how to be saved if they don’t have access to a bible, or know how to read the bible?” They said, “God would send one of His genuine children to that person to show them how.” Well, here I am! Many of God’s children go out of their way to take you straight to the very scriptures that show you how to be saved- it can’t be made any easier than that for you. That’s like a teacher asking the student, “What is 3+4=?” and then saying, “I’ll give you a hint- the answer is 7, and here is the proof of that…” It can not be any easier- the answers are presented right to you, delivered on a silver platter- all you have to do is obey Him, as I have, and as many others have. We all are hoping and praying that you will.
