D.N. JACKSON: The Law of Separation

Hello everyone! I’m very happy to be sharing with you a transcript of an old recording of a Baptist minister: D.N. Jackson. I have used Microsoft Office 365 to transcribe the old recording, and corrected it.  The software does not always pick up older words. The Law of Moses sometimes is rendered “the thermos” etc.

I hope this is a blessing to you. It was to me!

Hello out there.I speak to you on the Law of Separation based on Deuteronomy 22:9 -11. “Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled.Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together. Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together.”

The Law of Separation between right and wrong, good and evil goes back to the Garden of Eden when the Lord gave Adam permission to eat of all the trees in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam’s transgression of the will of God in this instance reflects the contrast between the two laws.  In later years, we read of the first murder in Biblical history. Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.God had placed the value upon the right kind of offering, which happened not to be the kind presented by Cain. Consequently, vengeance was meted out against the man in the right for the man in the wrong.This principle is seen today operative the world over. In cases too many to recount here, we see the struggle between good and evil going on in the lives of the antediluvians. So great was it on the side of evil, that God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.The breakdown of the principles of righteousness at this time resulted in the judgment of the Flood being sent to cleanse the earth of sin.

One manner of the breakdown is seen in the intermarriages of the sons of God with the daughters of men. The sons of God with the descendants of Seth, who stood as a representative of the Godly people, and the daughters of man with the wicked female characters of the line of Cain. It meant the destruction of the sanctity of the home.Years following the flood, we see the Lord in operation again. This time in the life of Abraham, who was called to separate himself from his land, his people and his gods. Paul testifies that  ^“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” Hebrews 11:8.

Some 400 years after the call of Abraham.the peculiar enactment of the Law of Separation was established by the Lord through Moses. This singular expression of it is found in the verses of our text.  But peculiar to the Mosaic law as it is not an infraction of the divine law now  to sow different kinds of seed in the same field, or plow with the ox and an ass together and wearing clothes of different kinds of threads.While the peculiar law itself is no longer in effect, the principles of it are as binding today as ever.And to these principles, we shall direct your attention.

First, there’s unmixed teaching. “Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with diverse seed.” That is two kinds of seed. The inexorable law of God is clearly seen in the prohibition against sowing the field with different kinds of seed. Like producing like, producing like was the law set up of the Lord in the dawn of creation. Here the theory of evolution is denied as we see that the Lord emphasizes this distinction of species.The New Testament echo to this is heard in the language of Paul. “All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. In the unmixed sowing, we see clearly the principle of unmixed teaching of our preaching. The power of the sower, Matthew 13:3-8 shows the sower sowing the seed, which is said to be the word of God.In this parable, the seed is the word, the soil is the hearts of people. The sower is the teacher and preacher. And the vineyard is the group of the hearts of the people. Primarily, Jesus is the teacher or sower, but all who preach his word in its purities sow good seed.

 Jesus never sowed mixed seed, as it was always the pure wheat. Neither did he ever command his followers to sow mixed seed. Speaking to his Father, Jesus says,“For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.” John 17:8 

Answering the Jews and the temple, Jesus said my doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me John 7:16. Preach the word is Paul’s command to Timothy, and it should be heeded by all who teach or preach today.  Contrary to the divine principle we see much mixed sewing has befouled the fields laid out in the centuries back to Christ.  Paul  declared that the mystery of iniquity was already at work in his day, and prophesied the coming of the day, when there should be a falling away from the faith as a system of teaching (I Tim. 4.1). 

Scarcely had the bones of the Apostles become set to their graves, until the way of salvation had become confused in the minds of some by the introduction of baptism of regeneration.  Of all perversions of the truth that is the worst that has to do with the misguiding of people concerning their eternal welfare. Baptismal salvation became prevalent about the commencement of the 3rd century, and from it was developed infant baptism. There was a lot of mixed seeds sowed then hundreds of years after the time.  In the 19th century, one Mr. Alexander Campbell worked a theory of baptismal salvation.  And with little dignity set baptism as a condition of salvation. Even then it is mixed seed, or rather a corruption of the plan of salvation.The pure seed with regard to the way of salvation is found in Ephesians 2:8 and 10,  and we have used this passage repeatedly over this program. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

The evil effect of mixed sowing we can easily see. “Lest the fruit of thy seed which thou sow and the fruit of thy vineyard be defiled”.  . . . And a mixture of good with evil renders the good helpless and does not cleanse the bad. Defilement or confiscation is the result.  As to the way of salvation, grace and works cannot be mixed to procure it, as salvation is obtained by one with the other left out. This we read in Romans 11 and six. “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

As works or grace must be omitted, one of them must be omitted. Which one is it? Titus 3:5 says works play no part in one salvation. Therefore, we must conclude that salvation is wholly by grace through faith.That is the pure and unmixed seed, which will never be confiscated.

In the second place there is unmixed service. Thou shall not plough with an ox and an ass together. Service is here indicated as the working of the animals is mentioned. The reason for them not being worked together is seen in the fact the ox is a clean animal under the law and the donkey, an unclean animal.  The Mosaic Law forbade the Jews eating the flesh of the donkey while the ox was not only employed for table use, but also for sacrifice.The working of the donkey  the ox together under the same yoke suggested to the Jew under the law  a mixture of the forces of evil and good.The Lord designed that the furrow be plowed with oxen, not yolked with a donkey and sowed with unmixed seed.

This pure service we shall let picture three phases of Christian service today. The 1st is the service rendered by individual Christian.” No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24. 

God does not accept the service of one who undertakes to please both the Lord and Satan.  That is known in the Old Testament as Balaamism. Originated from the Prophet Balaam, who undertook to please God, and at the same time do acceptable service to the enemy of God’s people. Such service is a stench to the Lord!

 In the second place there is the service rendered by ministers of the Gospel.“For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?” (I Cor. 9:9). That this is applied to ministerial service is shown by the context. “If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?” asks Paul in the same connection.The reference is to Deuteronomy 25 and 4. “Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.” Into the Greece, Egypt and Italy, farmers made use of oxen to tread out the corn or wheat.The oxen being tied to a pole and driven around the treading floor, thus trapping the seat out of the stock heads. In some instances the oxen were muzzled to prevent them from eating as they work. “Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.” Ministers should be supported by the congregation so that they might give themselves wholly to the ministry of the word. 

The Apostle Peter sounded this note clearly, when in Acts 6, they called the church together and said, “It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.”

The lesson not only stresses ministerial support, but also the cleanliness of ministerial living. Ministers of the Gospel, Profess Spokesman for God, should live blameless before the world setting an exemplary pattern as Paul admonished Timothy to be an example of the believers in word and conversation in charity, in Spirit, in faith and in purity. This means cleanliness to be sure.  The ox was a clean animal and the Mosaic law. Again we see the lesson of ministerial sacrifice taught. The ox was used as a sacrifice under the law.

One qualification of a minister as set up by the apostle Paul is that he is not to be greedy of filthy lucre, nor covetous (I Tim. 3.3). While any minister has a scriptural right to expect a decent living both in his active days and when he has laid on the shelf, he cannot be very effective as a soul winner if he’s given or giving more attention to making money than he does to the study and preaching of the Word.

Service rendered by church is the third point here. A clean Church living itself to God, giving itself wholly to God in unmixed service, is the world’s greatest and brightest lighthouse. It is truly a city set on a hill which cannot be hit.  Unmixed church service does not mean that sinners cannot attend the worship and be benefited thereby. But it does mean that a church should be composed of, and the affairs thereof run by children of God. No! Unmixed church service does not mean that sinners cannot attend. But it means that they must not control the church. 

In this case one thing will always prevail. And at least two things will be excluded. The one thing is the will and worship of Christ our Savior. The other things excluded are notice: worldly entertainment. I know some of you gasped at this statement as you may think it takes entertainment to have a church going. It does . . . if it is going in the way of the world!  Then it will take wordly entertainment to keep it going. But if it is going along with Christ, the entertainment should be spiritual, wholesome and vigorously upbuilding to the moral life. When the tools of Satan are used, you need not expect much moral uplift from a church. Some of the tools thus employed are card parties, dancing, and the like. Can you imagine the Apostle Peter advertising cards and dancing on the day of Pentecost to draw the thousands he and his followers led to Christ?   While we have heard of boxing and being staged in churches, and some churches have turned over their basements to all sorts of worldly attractions. In such instances a church loses its power for God as did Lot, when he pitched his tent in Sodom.  Or as Samson lost his physical strength when he rested his head in Delilah’s lap. There must be a clear line of demarcation between the church and the world. If the church is to live as a saving instrument in the hands of God. 

A church in a race with the world loses the respect of the world in the end. For a time, great crowds may may flock to it, but there they hear no real gospel, they’re not taught. they must be born of God to get to heaven. They’re not warned of their awful doom that awaits the impenitent. And when they awake to the crisis awaiting them, they stand ready to scorn the very  forces that have kept them in spiritual darkness. A man in the Armed Services coming ashore off his ship being hungry for the divine food for his soul attended a certain church, but found nothing for his soul. Yet there was plenty of entertainment. He went away disappointed and sad. He came ashore to another place, but remembering his former experience, he hesitatingly went to a church with the same name. There, however, he found the atmosphere quite different. Instead of a certain brand of entertainment, he found a spiritually minded church and a minister who preached the gospel. He was gloriously  saved and went away praising God for having found the kind of food his hungry soul craved. 

But don’t misunderstand me. We must be social beings. And as we are social beings there can be clean entertainment by the people of God. I am speaking of the entertainment that emanates from the world and is patterned after the world. Then we find worldly ambitions. The church should be a place where aspiration should be raised to the skies. Not a place where tricksters take over.  A church like the temple should be cleansed of all those who use it as an organized racket. 

When one unites with the.Church, for the sake of his business, he seeks to use the church as a means to wealth.  “ . . . If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”(Matt. 16.24). Then there’s corrupt living termites boring from within usually cause greater property damage  than storms that come from without.

 A church overbalanced by the internal corruption is like a ship with bomb holes in it. In his first letter to the Corinthian church, Paul says, “  . . . if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.” (I Cor. 5.11). In his second letter to the same church, the apostle says “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” (II Cor. 6.14-17). People who handle holy things should have clean hands.

 And then in the last part there’s unmixed conduct. “ Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together.” We have just spoken of corrupt living inside of a church and have noticed what the divine call to a church is respecting such matters.  Now let’s take a view of the divine will concerning our individual conduct. Under the law of Moses garments of different kinds as a woollen and linen could not be worn together. The picture we get is: As the clothes which outline the body must conform to a certain regulation, our conduct which outlines the inward motives must likewise be unmixed. The priests under the Mosaic law were strictly forbidden to wear any mixture of clothes when they minister in the gates of the inner court (Ezek. 44.17).They were to wear only linen garments. As they say, people are their own unbeliever priests and have access themselves to the great high Priest Jesus Christ. As we read in Hebrews 4:14, 16.They must administer in the sanctuary of God with an even conduct before the world. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness as we read in Psalm 132.9. As our own righteousness is as filthy rags reading  in Isaiah 64:6,  we must be clothed in the righteousness of Christ if we are to stand, acceptably before God. The apostle Paul said he desired to be found in Christ, “ . . . not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” (Phil 3.9.).   When we possess this righteousness, we’re saved and stand ready to manifest in our conduct a righteous life. Without the righteousness of Christ in us, we cannot manifest the righteous conduct in a true sense of the word.

Christ found people in his day on Earth who had only their own righteousness, and he tells us that our righteousness must exceed or excel theirs (Matt. 5.20). Excel it in what sense? In quantity? No! But in quality or kind. The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was ritualistic; not based upon the spirit of Christ. In other words, it was not the righteousness of Christ imputed to them. Their righteousness was the  kind of Paul said he did not want to be found clothed in, as it was not by faith in Christ. When a man comes to God by faith in Christ, he is then clothed with Christ’s righteousness.  The Bride of Christ is seen by John in his  Patmos vision to be “ . . . arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” (Rev. 19.8). Here the view is twofold. First, the Saints, who compose the Bride, possess the righteousness of Christ and therefore are saved. Second through this righteousness they have on fine linen,  clean and white because they are not found clothed in their own righteousness, and have conformed their life to the deep flowing impulses from the Spirit of God. Day by day every Christians conduct should bespeak to others, a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God. By what is known as travel photograph, the slightest variation of tone can be detected. By the Lord’s instrument, the Bible, our conduct is measured. What we do, willl have far more weight for the world than what we say. Someone has said, What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say.” To the unsaved person, although he may not mean to do so, but by his conduct, he is saying to the loved ones and associates, “Let’s go to the place of torment.” This is true because he is actually going in that direction,  “[B]e not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” as Paul says in Romans 12:2 . 

Well, my time is up and thank you so very much. And may God bless you. Tune in again at this same time next week.

Salvation Before Water Baptism

Hello everyone. Today I would like to share (again) with you something by D.N. Jackson. D.N. Jackson was an old Baptist pastor born in the 1800’s and living up to 1968. Even though living so far apart in time, I really enjoy his plain teachings from the Bible and find them easy to understand. I also find them very helpful. This is a transcript on a series he did on the topic of why we are saved before water baptism.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

D.N. JACKSON: Salvation Before Water Baptism II (Day 3)

Hello Everyone. Today I am continuing sharing with you the transcript of part two of D.N. Jackson’s series on salvation before water baptism. As I stated before I plan to share a little each day as the whole transcript is quite long and Brother Jackson already divided it up into sections. I hope you receive a blessing from this.
Continue Transcript:

In the third place, the fact that we are created or made anew in Christ Jesus unto good works proves we’re saved before baptism, and baptism is a good work.

Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Positively now, we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works.

Negatively the new creation is not made by the works we do.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” Titus 3:5

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” II Timothy 1:9

Neither can one combine his works with grace, and obtain salvation. For we read in Romans 11:6, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

Romans 4:16, “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace . . .” It does not say that salvation is “of works” that it might be of grace.

D. N. JACKSON: Salvation Before Water Baptism II (Day 1)

Hello Everyone. Today I would like to begin sharing with you the transcript of part two of D.N. Jackson’s series on salvation before water baptism. I plan to share a little each day as the whole transcript is quite long and Brother Jackson already divided it up into sections. I hope you receive a blessing from this.
As I stated before D.N. Jackson was an old Baptist pastor born in the 1800’s and living up to 1968. I really enjoy his plain teachings from the Bible.  I also find them very helpful. I have access to some of his old radio shows and I have been working on transcribing them into text.

Begin Transcript:

On the proposition that a sinner is saved by grace through faith before water baptism. The Scriptures sustain this proposition without a question of doubt. And here are some reasons why we say this.

And now pick up your pencil and paper quickly and take notes as we speak, and then during the week or as you have time, check on your notes, read the Bible, and I have no fear of your conclusion if you will follow the plain teachings of the Word of God.

Now here is the proposition that we propose to prove by the Scriptures giving you several reasons for them. The Scriptures teach that the sinner is saved by grace through faith before water baptism.

Reason 1: The fact that the Holy Spirit is received by believers before water baptism proves one is saved before baptism.

This is true in the case of Cornelius and his household. “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?” (Acts 10.47). Now note that Cornelius and his household demonstrated the presence of the Holy Spirit before Baptism. For we read in verse 46, “For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. . .” Sinners cannot receive the Spirit in this way. “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” (John 14.17).

Sonship is proved by the indwelling of the Spirit. Galatians four and six says, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” Read also Romans 8:14, “ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

We are shown to be children of God by the indwelling spirit.

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”- Romans 8:16. And then Romans 8:17 the, “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ . . .” So then the believer has the presence of the spirit of God as in the case of Cornelius he had the spirit before he was baptized, therefore the spirit said he was a child of God. And having the spirit, and being a child of God he has liberty. II Corinthians 3:17, “ Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

Salvation Before Water Baptism by D.N. Jackson

Hello everyone. Today I would like to share with you something by D.N. Jackson. D.N. Jackson was an old Baptist pastor born in the 1800’s and living up to 1968. Even though living so far apart in time, I really enjoy his plain teachings from the Bible and find them easy to understand. I also find them very helpful. A few years ago my Dad digitized many of Bro. Jackson’s radio shows from the Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary in Texas’ library archive.

This transcript is part one of a series D.N. Jackson did on Baptism.

Salvation Before Water Baptism Pt 1. Transcript.

You are tuned again to the Baptist Broadcast. Tonight we begin with a brief series of messages on Acts 2:38, or “salvation before water baptism”.

We ask you to follow us with an open Bible and an open mind.

Spoken by the Apostle Peter on the first day of Pentecost after the resurrection of our Lord, Acts 2:38 says, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” This verse lifted out of its proper setting, especially by controversialists, have been twisted and tortured to keep that water baptism is essential to the penitent believer’s salvation. Nothing could be further from the truth as we shall show as we present this message.

In the first place our conclusion is based upon some general facts with regard to the theory of baptismal regeneration. Before analyzing the verse in light of the scriptures themselves, let us consider it from the standpoint of historical and logical facts. Then we will follow this with an explanation of passages of the scripture that may have to do with the statement of salvation and baptism. And we will show you by the Scriptures that baptism is not a condition of salvation, that we’re saved by grace through faith and that is before water baptism.

But there are some historical facts that we want to consider. First of all we have the testimony of Josephus. And here is a quotation from Josephus : “Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod’s Army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called a Baptist; for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteous towards one another, and piety towards God, and so come to baptism; for that the washing [with water] would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away of [or the remission] of some sins [only], but for the purification of the body; supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness.” This quotation is taken from the Antiquities of the Jews, book 18, chapter 5, section 2, of the works of Josephus.

Josephus, born AD 37, only four years after the crucifixion of Christ, and died near the close of the first century was a Jewish historian of note. Living in the days of the Apostles, being a contemporary of the Apostle Peter, who preached at Pentecost, Josephus’ testimony should be respected!

Now what did Josephus say with regard to the plan of salvation as preached by John the Baptist whose ministry gave way to that of Christ Himself? He says plainly that water baptism as administered by John was not for the purpose of obtaining the remission of sins, supposing and I quote: “that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness”. This is the Scriptural way: Remission of sins and purification of the soul before water baptism! A testimony of Josephus who lived during the days of Peter and other Apostles.

In the second place we have the testimony of Tertullian, born about AD 160. And I quote, “We are not washed that we may cease to sin, but because we have ceased since we have already been bathed in heart.” Tertullian who had been converted from Paganism to the Christian faith, spoke out against the encroaching doctrinal corruptions of his day living as he did within some sixty years after the death of John the last Apostle of our Lord. The death of Tertullian came about 250 which was only a few years after the heresy of baptismal regeneration had become prevalent. But by the middle of the end of that century, the third, this heresy had become quite generally accepted and taught so it was embraced by some of the writers of this period. But note that Tertullian who lived before the theory of baptismal regeneration had become quite prevalent, testified that men were not washed or baptized that they might cease from sin, but because they had already ceased.

Third, Waddington, well known Episcopal historian, whose testimony shows that about the commencement of the third century baptismal regeneration began to be generally taught. And I quote him now, “The original simplicity of the office of baptism had already undergone some corruption. The symbol had been gradually exalted at the expense of the thing signified, and the spirit of the ceremony was beginning to be lost in its form. Hence a belief was gaining ground among the converts and was inculcated among the heathen, that the act of baptism gave remission of all sins committed previously to it. It was not fit then that so important a rite should be hastily preformed or inconsiderately received.“ From his church history page 53.

According to Waddington the office of baptism had undergone corruption, the symbol of baptism had become emphasized above the spirit of the thing symbolized by it. This is exactly what happens when one preaches that baptism is in order to obtain salvation which is a corruption of the design of baptism as instituted by divine authority. Therefore we learn from authentic history that the theory of baptismal regeneration, that is a person is regenerated or saved in the act of water baptism, was not preached in apostolic days, but it arose about a hundred years after the death of the last apostle. For this reason we know that it is a doctrine of man, and certainly not of God.

In the fourth place we have a quotation from Mr. Alexander Campbell, who had connection with the origin of the disciples’ church. And Mr. Campbell said in his debate with Mr. Rice in 1843, “Some twenty years ago when preparing for a debate with Mr. McCullough, I put myself under the special instruction of four evangelists and one pull of distinguished apostolic rank and dignity. I had for some time before that discussion been often impressed with such passages as Acts 2 and 38. And that providential call to discuss the subject with Mr. McCullough, compelled me to decide the matter to my entire satisfaction. Believe me sir, then I’d forgotten my earlier readings upon the subject and upon the simple testimony of the book itself. I came to the conclusion alleged in that debate, and proved only by the Bible which now appears from a thousand sources to outbend the Catholic and truly ancient in primitive faith of the whole Church. It was in this common wealth that this doctrine was first promulled in modern times, and sir, it is now spread over this continent, and with singular success it is now returning to Europe, and the land of our fathers.” Quoted from Campbell-Rice Debate page 472.

Mr. Campbell boldly affirms that it was in the state of Kentucky in the year of 1828 that the plan of salvation requiring baptism in order to be saved was first preached in modern times. It was preached by Mr. Campbell, not the Lord or His apostles. It was preached in Kentucky, in the United States of America, not in Palestine. This theory originating in course about the beginning of third century was adopted by the Roman’s Church which put millions of people to death for not believing it during the Dark Ages. And in 1823 it was picked up by Mr. Campbell in America who made a strenuous effort to inject it into the Baptist Churches of his day, and for which untruth, for which heresy, he was expelled from the Baptist fold. 931

So we are pointing out to you the historical background. Not with rancor of course, but with respect to everybody. And the historical background shows us when this theory began. It was began by man after the apostolic days had closed. And in modern times it was picked up by others. And it has been preached the world over. What has been preached: that you must be baptized in order to be saved. But that’s not in the word of God. People who are saved should be baptized. Not in order to save their soul let me emphasize, but because your soul has been saved. Then symbolize your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by going down into the water as we read in Romans six and four, “[W]e are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” We are buried with him.

Having shown conclusively that baptismal regeneration originated by human authority this side of apostolic days, we now give due consideration to an analysis of Acts 2:38. The passage in the Scriptures perhaps more frequently quoted to prove the theory of baptismal regeneration than any other verse. But logically speaking it does not prove this doctrine, for the reason that this theory was not believed much less preached in Peter’s day as we have shown by historical testimony. Let us now read Acts 2:38: “ Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

I wish that you would take your Bibles and turn to this passage in Acts 2:38, and then study it, and remember, as our time has come to a close tonight. We will pick up this passage in later messages, and we shall analyze it. But I want you to remember this: That the grace of God saves the man. In Ephesians two eight and ten “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works . . .” Notice the statement “unto good works”. It doesn’t say “by good works”, but “unto good works”. We are saved because we have trusted the Lord, and it is based upon the worthiness of Christ, and not upon the basis of the worthiness of any man that may feel that he has done certain works and therefore he deserves to be saved. Nobody deserves to be saved, but in the tender mercies of our Lord Jesus Christ, He looks down upon us and begs us to come to Him that we might be saved.

So then tune in again and we’ll take up Acts 2:38 and analyze and explain it. Not in the light of opinions of men, but in the light of the Scriptures themselves. Goodnight.