Believe
“We pass by much that would be deeply interesting in the life, the teachings, the death, the resurrection and the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we may consider the duties required of us by the gospel. The question of most thrilling interest to the sinner, is, What must I do to be saved? When Paul and Silas were asked this question, they replied, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved. Acts xvi, 31. This was in accordance with their Lord's instructions, when he commissioned his disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Said he. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark xvi, 16.
What! is that all that is necessary to gain admittance into the everlasting kingdom? By no means; this is but the very commencement of the Christian race. The apostles could exhort those who had done all this, and more too, to run with patience the race set before them. Heb. 8:1. No one obtains the prize till he gets to the end of the race.
It was said of Jesus, He shall save his people from their sins. Matt. 1: 21. The first promise to the obedient believer is forgiveness; that is salvation from his sins. But if he adds nothing to his faith, he is blind, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 2 Peter 1:5-9.
Faith is the spring of action; it lies at the foundation of all obedience. Without it no religious duty would be done. Therefore faith is the first requirement of the gospel. Requirement do you say? Yes, we are commanded to believe.
But, does not faith rest upon the amount of evidence presented to the mind, and not upon our will?
Without evidence there can be no faith; but there may be an abundance of testimony given, and yet fail to produce faith, because it is not examined; and even if the evidence is pressed upon us, so that we cannot fail to see it, without shutting our eyes, the stubborn will of man can still say, We would see a sign.
Matt. 12:22, 38.
Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Rom.10:17. That word contains sufficient evidence of the great truth, in the plan of salvation; viz., that Jesus is the Son of God and the Saviour of men. If thoroughly examined with a willing mind, it cannot fail to produce faith. Men may willfully reject the testimony, or carelessly neglect to examine it; yet the word of God will ever stand justified. He that believeth not shall be condemned.”
Repentance
“The next duties after faith are repentance and baptism. The person who believes the truth, and desires to know how to begin the Christian life, can learn his duty in this respect by reading the Acts of the Apostles, and observing how the first Christians preached and practiced in converting men to Christianity. They acted under the direction of the Holy Spirit, therefore it is perfectly safe to follow their example. There was a perfect uniformity in their course; one did not become a Christian in one way, and another in another; but when they obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered them, they were then made free from sin, and became the servants of righteousness. Rom. xi, 17, 18. 90.2}
The first discourse that was preached, after the apostles were qualified for their work by the out pouring of the Holy Spirit, convinced a great multitude of the truth, and they said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said to 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. Acts ii, 38.
The first duty here enjoined upon the believer is repentance. This is defined, by some, to be sorrow for sins. Others say that it means reformation, which is something more than mere sorrow for sins. That it is reforming the life-turning away from sin to righteousness. Perhaps there is not so much difference between these two definitions as some imagine. One states the moving cause, the other the effect. Genuine sorrow for sins, leads to a reformation of life. Godly sorrow worketh reformation to salvation not to be regretted. Such doubtless is the meaning of 2 Cor. vii, 10.
Reformation consists in ceasing to do evil, and learning to do well; it is turning from sin to righteousness-from breaking God's law to keeping it. This is not done in a moment, nor in a day. The purpose of mind-the heart-felt resolve-can be formed at once; but time is necessary in order to carry out that purpose in practice. We resolve to day to mend our life; we carry out that resolution to-morrow, and next day, and so on.
A change of purpose is the repentance required before baptism. This is evident from what is said in verse 41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there was added unto them about three thousand souls.
See Acts xvi, 33.
So, my friends, if you believe the truth, and are fully resolved to give yourselves unreservedly to God, to do all his holy will, you need not wait to see if you will hold out, but submit, at once, to that act of obedience which the Lord has placed before you, believing without a doubt that he will verify to you his promise: Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Baptism
“We have already seen that baptism is a duty, and that its place is at the commencement of the Christian race. It is the first outward act of obedience to the faith. By it we profess, by works, our faith in Christ, and take upon ourselves the Christian name. Says Paul, As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.
Gal. iii, 27.
The present generation talk much in favor of spirituality, and heart obedience, while outward acts are either despised, or lightly esteemed as non-essentials. One says that if a man is said to be baptized, it is no matter how it is done. Another, that it is no matter whether it is done at all, if a person only has faith. In short, works are esteemed of so little consequence, that we might justly infer, from their arguments on some points of obedience, that they think that they may break the commandments of God, and neglect every institution of the gospel, and yet have their hearts right in the sight of God. This comes from Babylon.
Abraham showed his faith by the offering of his son; and the Christian says, Show me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Jas. ii, 14, 26.
Baptism is the obedience of faith; it is the form or model of the Christian doctrine, [Rom. vi, 11,] which is, salvation from sin by the death of Jesus Christ. The faith, the doctrine or the teaching is, That Christ died for our sins, that he was buried, and that he rose again. See 1 Cor. xv, 3, 4. The form is like the doctrine; the obedience is emblematic of the faith. 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.
Rom. vi, 4.
Here commences the new life. By this act we not only show our faith in what Christ has done for us, but we acknowledge ourselves worthy of death for our past transgressions of God's law, and promise future obedience. We also declare that we are dead to sin and risen to live a life opposed to sin. Says Paul, How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Verse 2. Thus the faith does not make void the law, but establishes it.
And as the resurrection of Christ is the pledge of the resurrection of the saints, [1 Cor. xv, 12-18,] so when we, by baptism, confess our faith in the one, as a consequence we confess our faith in the other. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 1 Thess. iv, 14. They will be raised from the dead at his coming.”
1855 RFC, BIC 88-94