The dictionary defines truth as “that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality.”

The Bible places extreme importance on truth.

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)

Notice the word “must.” We must worship God in accordance with the correct attitude and manner.

God’s Word tells us why.

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (John 17:17)

The dictionary defines sanctify as “set apart as or declare holy; consecrate.”

God demands His worship to be based on truth, or fact. We read the necessity of truth in Exodus 25 and other passages in the Bible.

According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it. (Exodus 25:9)

“Therefore you shall be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. (Deuteronomy 5:32)

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

We are commanded to correctly divide the word of truth to see the Who? Where? Why? What? When? When? Why? and How?

There are thousands of religious “Christian” bodies teaching all sorts of things. Many teach different from what others teach, some even teach things that aren’t even found in the Bible, many teach the opposite of what the Bible teaches and many ignore plain Bible teachings all together.

9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. (II John 1:9)

The passage above tells us how we can easily determine whether or not a religious body meets the standard of Biblical truth.

Any religious body that goes against the doctrine, the teaching, of Christ Jesus does not have God.

We spend a lot of time discussing an extremely important Bible basic, the who, the what, the where, the when, and the how, of New Testament salvation, starting with the core passage Mark 16:15:16.

15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16)

These last words of Jesus on earth are supported in Matthew 28:18-20.

These last words of Jesus just before He ascended back to Heaven are a doctrine, or teaching of Christ.

He who believes the preached gospel AND is baptized shall be saved.

Every salvation example from Acts to Revelation follows Mark 16:15-16. No where is Mark 16:15-16 specifically changed or done away with.

No where.

What is the saving gospel that Jesus wanted preached?

Paul writes in I Corinthians 15:1-4...

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, (Corinthians 15:1-4)

Do you see the phrase, “by which also you are saved”?”

The preached gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, according to the scriptures saves.

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

Paul writes. the death, burial and resurrection is “the power of God to salvation...”

God saves through the preached gospel of Jesus.

And that gospel MUST be believed and obeyed with gospel obedient baptism to be saved. Mark 16:15-16.

7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (II Thessalonians 1:7-8)

How do you literally obey the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus according to the scriptures?

You can die on the cross and be buried, but you will not be raising from the dead on this earth.

3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. (Romans 6:3-7)

Do you see the “born again” of John 3:3, John 3:5, along with the gospel death, burial, and resurrection of Romans 6:3-7?

EVERY part of the gospel, the death, burial and resurrection, is found in gospel obedient baptism in keeping with Mark 16:15-16.

The very first gospel sermon in Acts 2 is filled with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and Peter’s exhortation to be baptized for the remission of sins, Acts 2:38, and the entire sermon is in keeping with Mark 16:15-16, Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 22:16, Romans 6:3-7.

38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:38-42)

The first century church under the oversight of the apostles, taught gospel obedient baptism by immersion in water for the remission of sins.

No single verse negates the Christian re-birth in the water of obedient baptism. Gospel obedient baptism puts one “in Christ” and removes condemnation, Romans 6:3-7, Romans 8:1.

No one in the New Testament was baptized as an outward expression of an inward faith, baptized to join any church, forcibly baptized as an infant, or for any other reason or manner.

If you have not been baptized by immersion in water in gospel obedience for the remission of sins according to Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, others, you are not saved.

Anyone who tells you otherwise falls under II John 9, is transgressing the doctrine of Christ, and does not have God or Christ.

If you have not been baptized for the remission of sins by immersion in water in gospel obedience, you are still in your sins and unsaved, Acts 2:38.

That is Bible truth.

Believe it!

If we can be of help in any way, please call on us any time.

Marv Walker
706 816-7190

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