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WHAT ABOUT THOSE AFTER JESUS' DEATH
WHO HAD NOT BEEN BAPTIZED?



"If the way of salvation changed when Jesus died on the cross (ie.) man must then be baptized to be a member of the church of Christ and be faithful to the end, what happened to those people right after Jesus was crucified?
The Dead Sea scrolls tell us that the book of Luke wasn't written until about 55-65 A.D. Jesus was crucified in A.D. 33. They had only the O. T. at that time. Old Testament saints didn't need water baptism to go to heaven (Gal. 3:15-18)
Why when the (almost) entire church of Christ doctrine hinges on Acts 2:38 and I Peter 3:20-21 did the authors not write these books immediately after Jesus' death?
All O. T. saints were saved without water including John and all in Luke. (Luke 1:15, 41, 46)"
(NOTE: Above quotes from a denominational critic of baptism.)

MY NOTES IN RESPONSE

Some Minor Corrections to Notice

  1. Dead Sea scrolls were from a period about 250 years before Christ. They do not contain information about Luke. However, Luke did write his books in about the time frame mentioned (55 - 65).
  2. The entire church of Christ doctrine does not rest on any one or two verses of the Bible. We believe the ENTIRE Bible is inspired of God.

Three Major Matters to Discuss

A. The period after Jesus' death and before N.T. written. This entire matter is not our problem. It is up to God. He will judge them fairly based upon their opportunity to hear and obey. God will decide how to judge these matters.

        THREE OBSERVATIONS:
  1. Spiritual gifts (miracles) were given to assist in the spreading of the message. (Mark 16:19-20; Hebrews 2:3-4)
  2. The word did reach all men. (Col. 1:23) See also (Rom. 1:8; I Thess. 1:8; Acts 5:28)
  3. This matter does not involve us, in the 20th century. We have the written, confirmed and inspired will of God. Our concern should be: are we doing what God has commanded?

B. Old Testament saints did not need water baptism.

  1. True. They were under the law of Moses. They did not: partake of the Lord's Supper, confess faith in Christ, worship on Sunday, etc.
  2. They did many things that we do not do. For example: Atonement, Unleavened bread, priesthood, animal sacrifices, Sabbath day, Passover, Pentecost.

C. All O. T. saints were saved without baptism, including John and all in Luke.
  1. False. John's baptism was "for the remission of sins." (Luke 3:3; Mark 1:4) It was in water. (John 3:23) It was based upon faith and repentance. (Acts 19:4; Mark 1:3-4)
  2. Study Matthew 21:23-27. John's baptism was commanded of God. God was the "authority" for John to baptize in water for the remission of sins.
  3. Luke 7:29-30. To refuse John's baptism was to refuse the counsel of God. The same is true today.

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