Conversation 6

Mr. Truman—I am getting very eager to get saved, Mr. Wright, so I prevailed on Mr. Waters to come over this morning that I might hear the remainder of this discussion and know the way of salvation more perfectly.

Mr. Wright—I am pleased to have you both come, and may the Lord give us a friendly and profitable talk.

Mr. Waters—I am not feeling well this morning, therefore do not care to stay long, so we shall come to the point at once. I have a few Scriptures that I think will convince you, if truth can convince you, that salvation is by baptism. What do you think about the Ethiopian that Philip baptized?

Mr. Wright—I think that is one of the best texts to prove the truthfulness of what I have been saying. Let us consider the text.

Mr. Waters—It is in the eighth chapter of Galatians, is it not?

Mr. Wright—No, sir; it is in Acts 8.

Mr. Waters—Oh, yes, so it is; I knew it was the eighth chapter of something.

Mr. Truman—You know, Mr. Waters, on our way over here this morning, you said that you were not going to let Mr. Wright nor anyone else change your views, that you had gone this way too long already to think of changing now, and that you were willing to take the responsibility on yourself. You remember you said the Scripture said that every tub would have to stand on its own bottom, but you could not tell me just where in the Bible to find it. I think you will find it in the eighth chapter of Galatians. Look it up when you get home.

Mr. Wright—I do not know what all Paul said to the Galatian church in his eighth chapter, but let us now read of the Ethiopian’s baptism: Philip preached Christ to the man who was going down from Jerusalem reading the Scriptures. Let me say, by the way, that we may never know what good we do when we give someone a tract, a book or a Bible. Perhaps someone had given that man a copy of the Scriptures. Philip began at the place where the Ethiopian was reading and preached Christ unto him. As they journeyed on, they came to a certain water, whereupon the Ethiopian said, “See here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?”* (Acts 8:36) Now listen to what Philip said: “And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he [the Ethiopian] answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”* (Acts 8:37)

You see he did not believe intellectually only, but also with all his heart. The Scriptures say: “with the heart man believeth unto righteousness”* (Romans 10:10) and “believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.”* (1 John 5:1) This Ethiopian believed with all his heart that Jesus was the Son of God, and through that belief, he was born of God—made God’s child—was made righteous; he then had his sins washed away by the blood of the Lamb, and wanted to perform the outward figurative, or representative, act so that he could testify, “I am saved both in the real and in the figurative sense of salvation.”

Mr. Waters—Well.

Mr. Wright—Do you not think that is reasonable and that the Scriptures harmonize beautifully?

Mr. Waters—Oh, that appears good enough, but I heard our preacher say that that verse which speaks of believing with all the heart is not in the original Bible.

Mr. Wright—Well, it is true that the thirty-seventh verse in omitted from some of the ancient manuscripts of the Bible, but some of them also contain it. It is quoted by the early church fathers, for instances, Irenaeus, who lived in the second century, and Cyprian, third century, which shows that it was a part of the Bible in their day. However, the same truth—that we must believe in Jesus in order to be saved—is set forth in many other texts.

Mr. Waters—The Bible says somewhere that “he that is baptized shall be saved and he that is baptized not shall be damned.” I hardly think you will be able to harmonize that text with your teaching.

Mr. Truman—I was trying to mix some chemicals the other day, but I found after persistent effort, that they would not mix. By this, I learned that there are some things that will not harmonize.

Mr. Wright—I am obliged to confess, Friend Waters, that I am unable to harmonize your quotation with the Bible. Let me see, just where do you find that text?

Mr. Waters—I do not just know; but if you will let me take your Bible, I believe I can find it in a moment.

Mr. Truman (aside to Mr. Wright)—He will likely find it in the eighth chapter of Galatians.

Mr. Waters—I do not find it at once, but I know it is in the Bible, or something very nearly like it is there.

Mr. Wright—The text nearest like it that I call to mind, and evidently the one you are trying to quote, is Mark 16:16. Let me read it: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

Mr. Waters—I knew that I had it nearly right.

Mr. Wright—But there is a vast difference between your text and this Bible text.

Mr. Truman—I do not think they would harmonize any more readily than my chemicals.

Mr. Wright—You see this text says, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” You were leaving the “believing” out. The believing effects the saving of the soul from sin, while the baptizing is the figurative salvation. The Ethiopian did just what this text commands, and he could then say that he was saved, really by believing, and figuratively by baptism. You quoted, “He that is baptized not,” but the Bible says, “He that believeth not shall be damned.” You must believe or you will be damned, but you can be saved and get to heaven without being baptized, consequently the word baptize is omitted in the last clause.

Mr. Waters—Do you mean to say that a man can be saved and get to heaven without being baptized?

Mr. Wright—Such a thing is possible. The penitent thief on the cross went to paradise with Jesus without being baptized. In John 4:1-2, we learn that the disciples baptized many people while Jesus was with them. The woman to whom Jesus said, “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace”* (Luke 7:50) no doubt was baptized by the disciples; but had she died after Jesus said these words to her and before she had an opportunity to be baptized, she would have gone to heaven.

I would not advise anyone to put off repentance until their deathbed. It is indeed most dangerous. Many souls find it impossible to repent and believe in their dying hour. Yet in some cases it is possible. After we are saved from sin by grace, through faith, we are commanded to be baptized, and we should be baptized at our first opportunity. To positively refuse to be baptized would mean the loss of salvation the same as refusing to do anything else Christ has commanded us to do.

Mr. Waters—I have now stayed longer than I intended to stay. There are, however, some other texts I was going to give in proof of my position, one of which is in the second chapter of Acts, but I suppose it is not worth the while to consider it, as you no doubt have a nice little plausible interpretation for it already. So I will say good day to you.

Mr. Wright—Well, I have two chances to your one. I am saved by grace and have been baptized also, while you have just been baptized. If your theory should be right, I am safe anyhow. If I should be right, my dear sir, you are lost. But come again.

Mr. Waters—Thank you, Mr. Wright.

Mr. Wright—Good day.

(Mr. Waters leaves.)

Mr. Truman—I have another neighbor, a dear good man, who says he wants to come and have a talk with you. He says he does not believe in a present salvation. We can be saved in eternity, he says. I desire to know the real truth respecting this matter. If there is salvation for me now, I want it. I am convinced, however, that it is not by water.

Mr. Wright—Bring your friend over. I shall be pleased to talk with him. Have I ever met him? What is his name?

Mr. Truman—His name is Mr. Sumday.

Mr. Wright—I have heard of a Mr. Sumday who lives over in your neighborhood, but I never met him. Come again, both of you at any time.