By: Robert Serreyn
Question? I thought salvation was by Faith Only, but Luke 3:3 seems to say something different, I am confused, help?
Luke 3:3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
Answer:
Do not feel bad EVEN some preachers get hung up on this verse and teach a WRONG conclusion such as “From John the Baptist to Pentecost” Water Baptism was required as part of salvation.
One thing to remember when dealing with a difficult to understand verse ESPECIALLY with one that deals with salvation is to intrepret the difficult verse IN LIGHT of a clear salvation verse WITH such the likes of….. John 3:16, Acts 16:31, or Ephesians 2:8,9.
A person is ONLY SAVED by “Placing their trust alone” In the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ FOR the payment of their sins NOT BY Faith PLUS this, PLUS that, or the other thing
Luke 3:3 is confusing IF NOT looked at through the “Lens of the Gospel”. In short John the Baptist was saying, Present yourselves as a public testimony SHOWING that you are NOT ASHAME to be identified WITH Christ as your Messiah.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Luke 3:3 contains a TRANSLATIONAL ERROR that is ALSO FOUND in Acts 2:38 that adds to the confusion and its MIS – APPLICATION (teaching, or intrepretation).
The likes of Church of Christ, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Episcopal and other like denominations ALL BASE their false teaching and doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration (salvation BY water baptism) on this TRANSLATIONAL ERROR.
The word FOR is the Greek word EIS and it SHOULD HAVE been translated as BECAUSE OF putting Luke 3:3 and Acts 2:38 in agreement with other Salvation Verses.
In Conclusion:
Luke 3:3 SHOULD READ as follows… And he(John the Baptist) came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance BECAUSE OF the remission of sins.
With this CORRECTION Luke 3:3 went from a “False Doctrine” – Baptism NECESSARY or part of salvation to a “Right Doctrine” – Baptism AS ONLY a “Outward” public testimony.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.
The moment that you do YOU HAVE (at that second and forever) Everlasting Life which WILL NEVER be taken away no matter what.
-Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8
-Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24
-BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9
“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell); but the GIFT(salvation) of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23
IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH