1
Common- Sense Questions a Church of Christ
Preacher Cannot Answer
Simple Answers
Lesson 4

• Four Major Issues
• Condemns the Church of Christ as a cult
• Condemns baptism as essential for salvation
• Condemns the doctrine of conditional security
• Has no perception of Biblical authority

David Martin
2
Philippians 17

• Just as it is right for me to think this of you
  all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as
  both in my chains and in the defense and
  confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers
  with me of grace.

3
Martins Unanswerable Questions
Question 10
. If the "Church of Christ" claims to worship
God only as "authorized" by scripture because
they sing only (and do not use instrumental
music), then where do they get the "authority" to
use hymnals, pitchpipes, pews, and indoor
baptisteries in their worship services? If the
answer is that they are "aids to worship," where
does the Bible allow for that? Where is your
required authorization? If a pitchpipe can be an
"aid to worship" for the song service in the
"Church of Christ," then why can't a piano be an
"aid to worship" for Baptists who may need more
help in singing?
4
Sing or Play
Walk or Ride
Saying this is an AID to SINGING
Is like saying this is an AID to WALKING!
5
If no Command, then no Authority
Aids dont change the action being done!
6
There is no Command, therefore no Authority
7
Martins Unanswerable Questions
Question 11a

• The "Church of Christ" teaches that a sinner is
  forgiven of sin when he is baptized in water by a
  Campbellite elder. Where does the Bible teach
  that water baptism is required in order to have
  one's sins forgiven? Every time the phrase "for
  the remission of sins" occurs it is speaking of
  the fact that sins have been forgiven previously!
  The Bible plainly teaches that the forgiveness of
  sins is conditioned upon repentance of sin and
  faith in Christ - never upon water baptism!
  (Matthew 311 Luke 2447 Acts 319 Acts 531
  Acts 1043 Acts 2021 Romans 116 Romans 45
  etal.) Where does the Bible teach that
  forgiveness of sin is linked with water baptism?

8
Misrepresentation!

• We have never taught that a person cannot be
  saved unless he is baptized by a Campbellite
  preacher or elder. . . However, we do teach
• He who believes and is baptized will be saved
  but he who does not believe will be condemned
  (Mark 1616)

9
Water Baptism for the Remission of Sins

• Baptism in the name of the Lord is for the
  remission of sins
• Then Peter said to them, 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 238)
• Baptism in the name of the Lord is in water
• Can anyone forbid water, that these should not
  be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit
  just as we have? And he commanded them to be
  baptized in the name of the Lord. . . . (Acts
  1047,48)

10
Asserting The Bible plainly teaches that the
forgiveness of sins is conditioned upon
repentance of sin and faith in Christ - never
upon water baptism! (Matthew 311 Luke 2447
Acts 319 Acts 531 Acts 1043 Acts 2021
Romans 116 Romans 45 etal.)

1. Ignores other passages that teach baptism for
   salvation (viz., John 35 Mark1616 Acts 238
   2216 Romans 63, 4 Galatians 327 etc.)
2. Cites references that only prove faith (all of
   which we fully affirm)
3. Cites not one passage that disproves baptism for
   salvation!

11
Martins Unanswerable Questions
Question--11b

• When Christ made the statement in Matthew 2628,
  "for the remission of sins," it had to be because
  they had been forgiven all through the Old
  Testament! Christ shed His blood because God
  forgave repentant and believing sinners for
  thousands of years before the Son of God came to
  "take away" sins and to redeem us and pay the
  sin-debt with His own precious blood.

12
Martin Is Struggling With This Baptist Bombshell

• Matthew 2628

• Acts 238

• Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every
  one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus
  Christ for the remission of sins. . .

• For this is My blood of the new covenant, which
  is shed for many for the remission of sins

13
Matthew 2628 and Acts 238

• Whatever the Blood is for is what Repentance and
  Baptism are for!

14
Trying to Deal With His Argument Only Creates
More Problems!

• While it is true that God forgave people for
  thousands of years before Christ died, it is NOT
  true that they were forgiven in the ABSOLUTE
  sense!
• If so, Jesus would not have had to bother with
  dying at all!
• Rather, Jesus died for the remission of sins .
  . .and without shedding of blood there is no
  remission. (Hebrews 922)
• Remission did not occur until He shed HIS BLOOD!

More problems
15
Trying to Deal With His Argument Only Creates
More Problems!

• While it is true that God forgave people for
  thousands of years before Christ died
• Such has no effect on baptism in the gospel age!
• God saved people for thousands of years before
  they were able to believe that He raised his Son
  from the dead. But to be saved today, we must
  absolutely believe that (Romans 109).

More problems
16
Trying to Deal With His Argument Only Creates
More Problems!

• If it is true that the blood was shed because men
  were forgiven, and people are baptized because
  they are forgiven, then
• Men repent because they are forgiven (Acts 238)!
• Yet, Baptists assert that you believe after you
  repent. . . Martins logic has men being saved
  before they believe!!!
• Martin only creates for himself more problems
  with which to deal!

More problems
17
Martins Unanswerable Questions
Question 11c

• How can one say that "for the remission of sins"
  means 'in order to obtain in light of the fact
  that God never uses the phrase in that sense? In
  the Old Testament God forgave sin on the basis of
  a blood sacrifice (Heb. 922) - the Old Testament
  saints had their sins remitted (i.e., forgiven)
  but they were not redeemed until Christ came and
  shed His blood at Calvary. Their sins were
  covered (Romans 47 Psalm 321), but the sinner
  was not cleared of his guilt (Exodus 347) until
  the Cross (Heb.104). Before Calvary, the sins of
  believers were pardoned, but they were not paid
  for (i.e., redeemed) until the crucifixion (see
  Romans 325 and Heb. 912-15). When Jesus said,
  "It is finished," (John 1930), all sin - past,
  present and future - was paid for, and the plan
  of salvation was completed, so that 'whosoever
  believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins'
  (Acts 1043).

18
Trying to Deal With His Argument Only Creates
More Problems!

• Martin now contradicts Baptists!
• If the phrase for the remission of sins never
  means in order to obtain the remission of sins
  then people are forgiven before they believe!
• To Him all the prophets witness that, through
  His name, whoever believes in Him will receive
  remission of sins. (Acts 1043)
• Martin must also deny the best scholarship of the
  world as to what for the remission of sins
  means (Thayer, Bauer, etc).

More problems
19
Other Voices on for the Remission of Sins

• In order that sins may be remitted, or forgiven.
  That is, this is the appointed way by which God
  will pardon transgressions. That blood is
  efficacious for the pardon of sin.
  (Albert Barnes,
  Barnes Notes on the New Testament)
• This clause is in Matthew alone but it is not to
  be restricted for that reason. It is the truth.
  This passage answers all the modern
  sentimentalism that finds in the teaching of
  Jesus only pious ethical remarks or
  eschatological dreamings. He had the definite
  conception of his death on the cross as the basis
  of forgiveness of sin. The purpose of the
  shedding of his blood of the New Covenant was
  precisely to remove (forgive) sins.
  (Robertsons NT Word Pictures on Matthew 2628)

20
Other Voices on for the Remission of Sins

• The phrase, afesiv twn amartiwn, remission of
  sins, (frequently used by the Septuagint,) being
  thus explained by our Lord, is often used by the
  evangelists and the apostles and does not mean
  merely the pardon of sins, as it is generally
  understood, but the removal or taking away of
  sins not only the guilt, but also the very
  nature of sin, and the pollution of the soul
  through it and comprehends all that is generally
  understood by the terms justification and
  sanctification. For the use and meaning of the
  phrase afesiv amartown, See Mk.14 Lk.177
  33 2447 Acts 238 5311043 1338 2618
  Col.114 Heb.1018. (Adam
  Clarke on Matthew 2628)

21
Baptist Translations of Acts 238

• "You must repent, and every one of you be
  baptized-in order to have your sins forgiven."
  (Goodspeed)
• "Repent (that is undergo a change of mind and
  feeling) and be baptized each of you with a view
  to the remission of your sins." (Baylor
  University, a Baptist school)
• "Repent and be baptized every one of you for (in
  order that you may receive) the forgiveness of
  your sins." (Short Baptist College, 1921)

22
Martins Unanswerable Questions
Question 11d

• In Acts 238, the people were baptized because
  their sins were forgiven (at Calvary when Jesus
  said, "Father, forgive them,") and they received
  the blessing of forgiveness when they repented of
  their sin of rejecting Christ and accepted Him as
  their Savior and Lord. Friend, heaven or hell
  depends on what you believe about this.

23
Repent, AND let every one of you be baptized.

• Baptized

• Repented

• For the remission of sins
• To receive the gift of the Holy Spirit

• For the remission of sins
• To receive the gift of the Holy Spirit

1. If they were baptized because they were saved,
   then they repented because they were saved!
2. If they repented to receive the blessings of
   forgiveness, then they were baptized to receive
   the blessings of forgiveness!

24
One True Statement By David Martin

• Friend, heaven or hell depends on what you
  believe about this.

25
Do You Believe Mark 1616?

• He that believeth and is baptized shall be
  saved but he that believeth not shall be
  damned.

Heaven or hell depends on what you believe about
this