Even the extremely ecumenical Catholic theologian Hans Kung has recognized that:

“There is so much that is called Christian. But is it all Christian just because it is called Christian?... No, with the best will in the world I cannot call it Christian”(1)

Even Kung recognizes that something is not Christian just because it is called Christian. This raises the question “how does one identify what is truly Christian?” Identifying what is truly Christian will involve drawing a line somewhere. But for one to draw the line of Christian fellowship based upon “where I think the line ought to go” tells more about the biases, experiences and cultural trappings of the one doing the drawing than it does in helping one to identify those whom God recognizes as being truly Christian.

Because time and change continually alter the characteristics of something, the ability to identify anything resides in whether one is able to know the essential nature of an object. What is needed in order to identify God's people and to know whether I am a member of that saved body is to discover that essential characteristic God uses to identify those who are truly His people. In part 1, we saw that God knows someone as belonging to Him based upon adopting them as His children through covenant. The solution then to identifying God's people is to know who is in covenant with God.

Through Jesus, God has not only established a new covenant by which people could be adopted as His children, but Christ’s blood makes possible the very benefits of this new covenant: forgiveness, righteousness, salvation, purchasing one for God, redemption, etc. Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 9:15; 13:20; 1 John 2:2; Revelation 5:9; Ephesians. 1:7; Romans 5:9; 1 Peter 1:18-19 Therefore, in order to be able to identify God’s people today, one must know how a person enters into this new covenant.

One should note that since the New Testament authors were writing to Christians(2) there was no need to teach a Christian how to enter into the covenant community! Hence, as we read the New Testament we should not expect the New Testament authors to have as their express purpose to teach us how to enter the covenant. Nevertheless, while seeking to make other points, the New Testament authors do make a number of statements that indicate how one enters covenant and receives the benefits of this new relationship with God made possible by Jesus’ blood. Matthew 26:28 For example, although Acts was not written to tell us how to become a Christian by entering the new covenant, it does provide examples of people becoming Christians. Such statements in the New Testament regarding entering the new covenant converge, providing us with a clear picture of how one becomes a member of the new covenant community and therefore a child of God.

1) Paul repeatedly affirmed the general principle that one enjoys righteousness and salvation, namely the blessings associated with the new covenant, by depending on Christ as opposed to depending on self or one’s ability to fulfill the Mosaical Law. He calls this reliance upon Christ trust or faith. In Galatians 3:26 Paul wrote that one is a child of God through trusting (Greek "pistis") in Christ. Acts also illustrates this general principle that the promises of the new covenant (e.g. forgiveness) are made available through trusting in Jesus, not through the means of the Mosaical covenant. Acts 13:38-39

This is helpful, but this does not tell us how to depend on Jesus so that we can enter the covenant relationship.(3) So one is led to ask the question, “how has God determined that we can depend upon Christ’s sacrificial death in order to become children of God?” Although many theoretical possibilities exist, the important answer is what scripture actually says. In the same Greek sentence referred to above (Galatians 3:26), Paul continued by explaining how one becomes a child of God by faith in Jesus - “for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.” Galatians 3:27

The preaching of the Gospel and the response of faith from those who heard it, is well attested in Acts 8. Acts 8:12 states: “when they believed Philip as he preached the good news about God's kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.” Similarly in Acts 8:35-36: “Then Philip opened his mouth and beginning with that very passage of scripture telling him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to a certain water and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?'” The preaching of the Gospel included teaching about baptism. Because the eunuch believed the Gospel he desired to respond to that message by trusting in Jesus to save him.

2) In Hebrews, we find another line which converges with what we have already seen. Having demonstrated the necessity of sprinkled blood upon the people for entering into the old covenant and for receiving forgiveness (Hebrews 9:13, 16-22), the author then exalted Jesus’ covenantal blood above the sacrifices of bulls and goats. Hebrews 10:19-21 cf. 10:29 Building upon the metaphor of sprinkled blood to cleanse, the author then taught that those whose hearts have been sprinkled with Jesus' blood and whose bodies have been washed with water are enable to enter into God’s dwelling place with a true heart of faith. Hebrews 10:19-22 The Hebrews’ author makes a close association between the application of Jesus’ blood to one’s heart which cleanses one's conscience with the physical act of being washed in baptism.

3) Jeremiah 31:33-34 mentions two of the blessings resulting from being in the new covenant: a person would belong to God and his sins would be forgiven. When one is baptized, one is said to receive these promises of the new covenant thereby indicating that one has just entered the covenant community. Acts 2:38, 41, 47; 22:16

4) In Colossians, we find another covenantal line converging. To those who were tempted to highly regard the ways of the Mosaical covenant (Colossians 2:16-17) and therefore they also probably valued that covenant’s initiation rite of circumcision, Paul described a different circumcision, a spiritual circumcision or surgery which Christ performs. This circumcision is one in which Christ is responsible for transforming a person from being “dead in sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh” to becoming “alive with Christ.” Colossians 2:11-13 This circumcision performed by Christ occurs at the time when one is buried in water believing that God's power can raise one up to a new life.

5) The historical record of Acts also agrees with the theological ideas already presented. In Acts, God adds those people to those of His community who are baptized. Acts 2:41, 47; 5:14 In Acts, these conversions are described as “believing in Jesus,” “becoming obedient to the faith,” and being “baptized.” Acts 2:38, 41, 5:14; 6:7; 13:38-39, 22:16 The difference in language between these statements reflects the difference between a general affirmation that someone came to depend upon Christ verses a more specific account of how that one relied on Jesus.

6) The opening verses of 1 Corinthians 10 stands as a clear and towering testimony to Paul's understanding of conversion as well as to how those whom he had taught in Corinth looked upon their conversion. Both Paul and the Corinthian Christians looked back to their baptism in Christ as well as their subsequent nourishment from Christ as being evidence of their salvation. Paul did not correct this understanding. Paul's point in 1 Corinthians 10 is that merely being baptized and being nourished by Christ does not prove you will be saved. It is still possible to be cast out if one gives one's heart to idolatry. For more details on this, see the article "Something in Common."

7) When Jesus commissioned his disciples to go and make more disciples of all nations, his instructions were: "make disciples from all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you." Matthew 28:19 Although the word covenant does not appear here, the general context of the New Testament's message indicates that those in covenant will be disciples of Jesus.

8) In view of everything already presented, Jesus' statements in John 3:3,5 (unless one is born again, that is, of the water and of the spirit, he will not enter the kingdom of God) make perfect sense. Jesus is pointing to the necessity of one becoming a child of God in order to receive the salvation he brings. See John 1:12-13, 3:13; 14:6 Once again the word covenant is not used in this text but the idea of that covenant by which one becomes a child of God lies behind these thoughts.

Where do the lines converge regarding how to enter the new covenant and enjoy those blessings God pours out on His children? When covenantal language is used or references are made to the results of entering the new covenant such as receiving the “forgiveness of sins” or becoming “children of God,” we find a convergence of ideas. What one discovers is that at the time of one's baptism, one enters the new covenant community and becomes a child of God by trusting in Jesus. To trust in Jesus involves being baptized into Jesus and thus being clothed with Christ. Romans 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:27

With baptism one depends, not upon water, but upon Jesus. Because of what Jesus’ blood has accomplished, when one in faith depends upon Jesus by being baptized, one enters the new covenant, contacts the blood of Christ and receives all of the promises associated with Christ’s blood. Hence, with this understanding it is no wonder that Peter affirmed that “baptism now saves you.” No, it has nothing to do with taking a bath and becoming physically clean. Nor does Peter call this baptismal water merely symbolic. However, the flood of Noah's time and the salvation that came to those in the ark through the water is symbolic of the salvation that comes to those who pass through the waters of baptism. This salvation which comes to those whose bodies are washed in water is a result of obtaining a clean conscience knowing/ believing that the cleansing power of his blood has been applied to one's heart and that there is saving power in Jesus' resurrection. 1 Peter 3:21; Hebrews 10:22 With baptism, one's faith is in God's power. Colossians 2:12

We do not believe in baptismal regeneration. Baptismal regeneration treats baptism as though it were magic. Essentially, that viewpoint looks at the act of baptism as being the only thing that is needed. Baptismal regeneration suggests that if you baptize a baby, the baby would receive the benefits of baptism even though he or she does not believe in Jesus. Likewise, it would suggest that as long as a person "gets wet," that person is saved regardless of their belief. The New Testament does not treat baptism as a magic ritual, instead it is the response of the obedience of faith from a sincere heart. Romans 6:16-17 In regard to the "form" mentioned in Romans 6:16-17 see Romans 6:3-4.

For a more thorough explanation of New Testament baptism see: Biblical Faith (Part 2): Why Baptism is Necessary For Faith in Jesus. "Sez Who?"

Endnotes

1 Hans Kung, Why I Am Still A Christian (Abingdon, Nashville: 1987), p. 30.

2 The possible exceptions to this would be some of the Gospels and perhaps Acts.

3 For one to tell another to "have faith" tells us that one is being asked to trust. How that trust is to be manifested has not yet been discovered until one hears the whole story. For example, when one says "have faith in this rope," or "have faith in my promise" or have "faith in Jesus," then each of those individual contexts will determines what it means to have faith. For a fuller discussion of this see either "The Many Faces of Faith" or "Biblical Faith Part 1: Faith Does Not Mean 'Just Believe'"

Barry Newton, Copyright © 1998 - 1999

Other articles which may be of interest:

When God Says, "You Belong to Me"

Baptism in the New Testament