By Perry Sexton       

The evidence is overwhelming: the Bible is God’s word (II Tim. 3:16, 17).  We can believe it, but do we?  The true prophets of old delivered God’s word to the people, but multitudes did not believe it.  Even many of the Israelites did not believe: "...: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it" (Heb. 4:2).  Multitudes of them were led astray by evil men.  The world today is filled with false teachers perverting the word of God (I John 4:1; II Pet. 2:1-3, etc.).  As Paul told Timothy so must we: "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (II Tim. 2:15).  We are to: "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (I Thess. 5:21).  We all have a choice, believe God or believe the errors of man: obey God or man!!!

Let us do a self examination (II Cor. 13:5) to see whether we believe God or the perversions of men.  If you believe and obey God’s word it will profit you greatly, but if your hearing of God’s word is not mixed with faith it will profit you nothing!  You will be lost!  Let us pretend we are back in high school (some of you may still be) and the teacher is giving us an open book test on the following verses and context.  Please answer each question based upon the verses and as if you want to make a perfect grade.

(I Pet. 3:20-21) "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.  The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:"

      1.      Were eight souls saved by water?

      2.      What is the “like figure” of the eight being saved by water?

(Rom. 6:3) "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?"

      1.   Are we baptized into Christ?

      2.   Where is salvation? (II Tim. 2:10)

      3.   Where are all spiritual blessings? (Eph. 1:3)

      4.   Are we also “baptized into his death”?

      5.   When did Jesus shed His blood? (John 19:33, 34)

      6.   Why did Jesus shed His blood? (Mat 26:28)

      7.   What is the purpose of baptism? (Acts 2:38)

      8.   Do we contact (figuratively) the blood of Christ in baptism?

      9.   Was Paul baptized to wash away his sins? (Acts 22:16)

      10. Considering the above verses and Revelation 1:5, at what point does Jesus wash us from our sins in His own blood?

      11. Are our sins forgiven in our obedience to God in baptism?

(Rom. 6:4) "Therefore we 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."

      1.  Is baptism a burial?

(Col. 2:12) "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."

      1.    Considering all prior verses, are our sins forgiven by God in scriptural baptism?

(I Pet. 1:22-23) "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: {23} Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

      1.   Is purified equivalent to having our sins forgiven?

      2.   Must we obey the truth in order to be purified or forgiven?

      3.   Must we obey the Savior in order to be saved? (Heb. 5:9)

      4.   Is baptism for the remission of sins from God? (Mark 16:16)

      5.   Was Peter speaking of the new birth? (Cp. John 3:1-8)

(John 3:5) "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

      1.   Again considering prior verses, was Jesus speaking of water baptism here?

      2.   How does one enter into Christ, i.e., His church or kingdom? (Rom. 6:3)

      3.   Does the Bible, given by the Spirit, teach us to be baptized?

Please read of the conversion of Saul in Acts 9:1-18 and 22:16 and answer the following.

      1.   Was Saul saved in baptism?

      2.   Was Saul baptized to wash away his sins?

      3.   Is it possible to be saved from sin while yet in sin? (Mat. 1:21)

      4.   Is it possible for dirty dishes to be clean before they are washed?  Do you wash clean dishes or dirty dishes?

      5.   Did Saul believe he was saved before baptism?

      6.   Did Jesus know Saul was saved before baptism?

      7.   Did the eunuch rejoice before or after baptism? (Acts 8:35-39)

(Mark 16:16) "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."

      1.   Did Jesus say or mean “He that believeth is saved and should be baptized”?

      2.   What did Jesus say?

      3.   Did Jesus say what He meant?

      4.   Do YOU believe Jesus?

      5.   Is Jesus a deceiver?

      6.   Are many following deceivers? (Mat. 15:9, 14)

      7.   What part of speech is “and”?  See a good dictionary.

Please go back to the inspired verses from God and recheck your answers.  It is of the utmost importance that we get it right!  How did you do?  My friends, for now it is a self grading test but some day God will grade us all (Rev. 20:12-15).  What will your answer be then?  More importantly, what will God’s sentence for us be???

Concerning our faith in God, how do we answer the above?  It should be the same as the “school test,” if it is not, why not?