CAN MEN, TODAY, BE SAVED LIKE ENOCH? BY STEVE FINNELL
Did you ever notice that the hydrophobic believers in Jesus want to be saved like the thief on the cross? Their argument is the thief was not baptized in water, and was still saved. Thief proponents fail to mention that the thief was also saved without being born of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit of promise had not been given at that time. So the logical conclusion would be that men, today, can be saved without being born of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.")
The question is why do men, today, not petition to be saved like Enoch?
Genesis 5:24 Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
1.Enoch did not believe Jesus was the Son of God. Was Enoch saved? YES.
2. Enoch did not confess that God raised Jesus from the dead. Was Enoch saved? YES.
3. Enoch was not baptized in water. He was not immersed for the forgiveness of sins. Was Enoch saved? YES.
4. Enoch did not believe that Jesus shed His blood on the cross so he could have his sins washed away. Was Enoch saved? YES.
5. Was Enoch born of the Spirit? No. The Holy Spirit of promise was not given until the Day of Pentecost. Was Enoch saved? YES.
WAS ENOCH SAVED? YES.
Can men, today, be saved like Enoch? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
Men, today, can only be saved by meeting the terms for pardon under the New Covenant; also known as the New Testament, the New Will, the New Agreement, the New Promise.
THE THIEF ON THE CROSS
Luke 23:39-43...And He said to him, :Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."
1. The thief believed Jesus was the Christ. Was the thief saved?YES.
2. The thief repented. (He turn from sin and turned toward God). Was the thief saved? YES.
3. The thief did not confess that God had raised Jesus from the dead. Was the thief saved? YES.
4. The thief was not immersed in water for the forgiveness of his sins. Was the thief saved? YES.
5. The thief was not born of the Spirit? The thief did not receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Was the thief saved? YES.
WAS THE THIEF SAVED? YES.
Can men, today, be saved like the thief on the cross?ABSOLUTELY NOT. Men, today, can only be saved by meeting the terms of pardon under the New Covenant.
The New Covenant came into effect after the death of Jesus, on the Day of Pentecost.
Hebrews 9:16-17 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. 17 For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives.
MEN,TODAY, CANNOT BE SAVED LIKE ENOCH NOR SAVED LIKE THE THIEF ON THE CROSS. ENOCH AND THE THIEF WERE NOT SAVED UNDER THE NEW COVENANT.
Note: The book of Acts contains several conversions that took place under the New Covenant. There is no record of anyone saying.
A. I do not have to believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
B. I do not have to be born of water and the Spirit.
C. I do not have to confess that Jesus was resurrected from the grave by God in order to be saved.
D. I do not have to be immersed in water in order to be saved.
E. I do not have to repent, (Turn from sin and turn to God), in order to be saved.
IN ORDER TO BE SAVED UNDER THE NEW COVENANT; WHICH STARTED ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST. YOU NEED TO MEET THE TERMS FOR PARDON.
FAITH: John 3:16
REPENTANCE: Acts 2:38
CONFESSION: Romans 10:9-10
BAPTISM: Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 3:21, Mark 16:16
YOU CANNOT BE SAVED LIKE ENOCH!
(All Scripture quotes from:NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE)
(All Scripture quotes from:NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE)
"Did you ever notice that the hydrophobic believers in Jesus want to be saved like the thief on the cross? Their argument is the thief was not baptized in water, and was still saved. Thief proponents fail to mention that the thief was also saved without being born of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit of promise had not been given at that time. So the logical conclusion would be that men, today, can be saved without being born of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.")"
ReplyDeleteBrother Steve, I love you, but in this respect you do "greatly err" my brother.
Here's why: our brethren in Christ that hold to the position that they do not have to be "water baptism" as part of "Salvation by Faith on Lord Jesus Christ" are not "hydrophobic", scared of water just because they acknowledge that water baptism is NOT a part of SALVATION!
Let alone, I'm curious as to how you think the impression people "want to be saved like Enoch" since many people (believers included even) do not even "know much of Enoch" or may not even be aware of him in the Bible to begin with.
lol There's not even much Scripture on the ancient great man of God "Enoch" for people to "make a big deal out of him" like the "want to be saved like him.
Man, brother, the FIRST TIME I'm hearing something like being "saved like Enoch" is from you. It's completely new to me to hear.
That said, the argument that the dying thief on the cross was saved by his FAITH on JESUS CHRIST is true and accurate.
Although Lord Jesus Christ did NOT yet send the Comforter, His Holy Ghost by His coming Death, the FAITH of the thief was acknowledge by Christ that He HIMSELF said "thou shalt be with me in paradise"; meaning that the thief was "saved" and would be in the bosom of Abraham in "paradise" which was the "waiting place" of believers throughout the Olden Times before the Messiah, Lord Jesus Christ would free men from the curse of sin and the law. When Christ actually died and "gave up the Ghost" all the men (i.e. "people") held in the "storage" of Paradise were freed into the Kingdom of Heaven from that point on. Thus, the thief was SAVED and SOLEY by his FAITH ONLY on JESUS CHRIST.
The apostle Paul makes clear in the Book of "The ACTS Of The Apostles" that FAITH ONLY on JESUS CHRIST SAVES MEN and NOT WATER BAPTISM as an "addition". Water baptism is only for the new converts to Faith in Christ who are ALREADY SAVED to begin with. Water baptism is NOT a "part of Salvation by Jesus Christ" for unsaved people.
Brother Steve, I recommend you read through KJV Acts 8:35-40 and KJV Acts 19:1-7 for correct understanding on the doctrine of "water baptism".
Please don't misunderstand me at all: I am NOT "impartial" or against "water baptism" because water baptism IS A TRUE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST in HIS WORD.
My only stance is that "water baptism" ITSELF ALONE has NO PART in the SALVATION of GRACE THROUGH FAITH on JESUS CHRIST ALONE. Amen.
I hope I'm clear on this to you brother.
You write good articles throughout and whenever I see them I checked them out to read. And when they are true and accurate in the Word of God, I freely share your articles on Google+ with the brethren and people. Amen.
~ Sincerely,
Bro. Jed