Tag die on the way

What if I Die on the way to BAPTISM?

The Preacher 1 Comment

An objection to BAPTISM is often posed something like this…

“What if a person hears and believes the truth and desires to be baptized, but they get into a car accident and dies on the way to be baptized, will God still save them?”

This is a very emotional appeal to a not very likely scenario. But, since you asked, let us go to scripture and ask some more questions. Can one be saved without Confession, Repentance, or even belief?

Can we be saved without…

BURIAL in Him? Col 2:11-12

Can we be saved without…

ADDED to the church? Acts 2:38-47

APPEAL to God. 1Pet 3:21; Acts 23:16

Can we be saved without…

PUTTING on Christ? Gal 3:27

Can we be saved by…

TRANSGRESSING the command of Christ, (& Apostles)? Luke 6:46; Mark 16:16; 1Cor 14:37; 2Thess 1:7-9

Can we be saved without…

IMMERSION INTO the likeness of His death? Rom 6:3-4

Can we be saved without…

SINS washed away? Acts 22:16; Is not SAVED. 1Pet 3:21

Can we be saved without the urgency to obey at…

MIDNIGHT, MIDDAY, or in the MIDDLE of an INCONVENIENT time? Acts 16:33; 26:28

LET’S TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE BIBLE.

What if Cornelius had Died before Peter came to him to “tell thee what thou oughtest to do.” (Acts 10:1-6). Would he have been saved? If not, why not? Some will have him be saved based solely on the intent of the heart.

What if the Eunuch died before he heard Jesus Preached to him by Philip (Acts 8:35)? Would he have been saved because of the intent of his heart? He was reading about Jesus in Isaiah.

We must be careful to teach the whole counsel of God. Baptism is essential to salvation, but not the ONLY thing that saves. This is why we read of the urgency of those who hear Jesus being preached. “And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?” (Acts 8:36; cf 16:33)

WHEN IS IT TOO LATE TO OBEY THE GOSPEL?

When life EXPIRES. Luke 12:19

When TIME is no more. Jas 4:14

Take TOO long. Acts 26:28

When you suffer brain damage through ACCIDENT, or Disease. Belief is essential to scriptural baptism. Mark 16:16.

When the LORD returns. 1Thess 4:13-18

6 More Simple Objections pt3; What if I die on the way to baptism?

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Apologetics Press - Do We Die to Sin Before Baptism or In Baptism?

 

SIMPLE OBJECTION #3; What if someone dies on the way to be baptized?

The Objection goes like this: “What if a person believes in Jesus and is saved, but on the way to be baptized they are killed before they can be baptized? I think God will save them because they were actively seeking to do the will of God.”

How to Answer: The first thing to note is that a usual part of this objection is the line, ‘they are saved after believing.’ There is no salvation by faith alone. It’s a subtle twist in the objection, so be sure you note it and correct it. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” [Mark 16:16]

Once that is addressed, you can move on to answer the main objection. What if I die GOING to the water?

First, remind them of GOD’S PLAN. We don’t get our authority through ‘I think, my opinion’ etc. The Bible states that we must first believe the Gospel, that Jesus is the Son of God, repent from our sins and to be baptized for the remission of our sins:

  • “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).
  • “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” (Acts 2:38).
  • “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts 2:47).

Repent means to turn away from your sins. Remission means forgiveness.

Next, the objection stands if you can find just ONE PERSON who doesn’t need to be baptized. If so, then nobody needs be baptized. They want the made-up exception to be the rule. We have no authority to make exceptions to God’s commands.

IMMEDIACY is seen in the text. “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16; cr. Acts 16:33).

NOBODY is saved until they obey the Gospel. [2Thess 1:8; Rom 10:16-17]. Believers Baptized in water is the dividing line.

GOD KNOWS the end from the beginning. If questions will lead to every kind of disobedience. Here’s one, what if a person is on the way & will hear the Gospel and would have believed, but dies before hearing? I’ve had folks tell me the person would be saved! That means they’re saved before BELIEF! This is an egregious error based on ‘what if’ scenarios. ‘What If’ questions have no part in determining authority. The Word from God written in His scripture is our source for information. [Col 3:16]

Now, what does baptism represent? It represents Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 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. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 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.” (Rom 6:3-6). [cr. Col 2:12; Acts 8:35-37; Acts 22:16; Gal 3:27]

 

–Spencer