In the last couple of weeks, I became aware of a young woman who made a video on a social media platform venting about a potential employee mocking her for asking for accommodations for her “time blindness.” Time blindness is defined by the Cleveland Clinic as, the inability to recognize when time has passed or to estimate how long something will take. In plain language, a person who is perpetually late to events with scheduled times (i.e. work). As you can imagine, many in the safe confines of the comments section had a field day with this preposterous notion. I realize this might be offensive to those who contend that being late is a medical issue. However, it is noted in the very same article, “Everybody has time blindness at times,” Dr. Manos says. “We all can get caught up in something and get ‘in the zone.’
There are many in this world that suffer from a condition I will call Bible blindness. On occasion, I engage religious people of the “faith-only” system. These individuals will claim that baptism is a work and that many are saved by grace through faith. I agree one hundred percent with the text of (Eph 2:8-9) which reads, “for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man should glory.” However, this is not a trump card to deny the necessity of baptism. Some will contend that baptism does not save and only Jesus saves. We agree that Jesus saves. “My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:1-2).
If we are going to be good Bible students, we must keep reading, 1 John 2:3 reads, And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.” Which poses the question: what commandments? Did Jesus give any instructions regarding baptism for his church? The Bible says He did in what is commonly called the Great Commission.
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned. “
Mark 16:15-16 (see also Matt. 28:19-20)
In light of these verses, which are clear commands of Christ, why do so many people have issues with baptism? Bible blindness.
Have you ever heard someone compare a person’s understanding to a horse with blinders on? What are some symptoms of Bible blindness? It is thinking that one or two verses will trump an abundance of evidence. Those that have Bible blinders on would look at the account of the thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43), and assume that the thief on the cross was not baptized, but went to paradise that anyone cannot be baptized and be saved. This passage is used by those who teach faith only, but they miss some key details.
First, there is simply no evidence to suggest that the thief on the cross was baptized or not. It is certainly possilble that he could have received John’s baptism, or he could have been baptized by the disciples of Christ, we simply do not know (cf. Matt. 3:5-1; John 4:1). We just do not know and to say definitively that he was not immersed is pure conjecture.
Second, we can know for sure that the thief on the cross died under the old covenant. Why is this significant? The Hebrew writer informs, “For where a testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him that made it. For a testament is of force where there hath been death: for it doth never avail while he that made it liveth” (Heb. 9:16-17) Imagine you have a will that is complete, notarized, and ready to be executed…upon your death. A testament or will is not in force while someone is still living. The thief on the cross was not under the Law of Christ because the Law of Chirst was not in force, he was still living. Christ also forgave sins by speaking such elsewhere before he died (Matt. 9:1-8).
Finally, we must consider what the inspired Apostle Peter responded when questioned regarding salvation.
“Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified.Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:36-38
When Peter and the other Apostles preached the Gospel on Pentecost, they had the revealed Word of God. Read the book of Acts and you will see baptism in its proper place, for the remission of sins (cf. Acts 2:41.47, 8:12-13,35-38; 9:17-18; 10:47-48; 16:30-34; 22:6). That is but one book, a book that some have called the book of conversions. What more could we say about passages such as Romans 6:1-6; Galatians 3:26-27; and 1 Pet. 3:21? To deny baptism for the remission of sins, to wash aways sins, to be clothed with Christ, to be saved is to have Bible blindness to which there will be no accommodations given on the last day (cf. John 12:48; Matt. 7:21-23). Do not be blind to the Bible, but seek the answer given in it alone on how one must be saved.
Grace and peace,
R.D. Beavers
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