Our Belief System

Some time  ago I  visited  with a  denominational  friend who is a  serious, diligent, and thorough student of the Word. He has insights into Scripture that are incredible and  has deep understanding of various  biblical  themes. Yet when he comes to a passage like Acts 2:38 his exegetical abilities seem to fall apart. He can see  how repentance is  absolutely essential to enjoy the "forgiveness of sins" in Acts 2. He can see how, when Jesus said his blood was shed "for the forgiveness of sins," he was saying that his blood was totally necessary to the "forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28). However, when Peter said, "Repent and be baptized . . . for the forgiveness of sins," he is unable to see the necessity of baptism to salvation.

Why is this? I'm not sure. It may be background, family tradition, theological training, or bias. The fact is, I read several authors who have great insights into biblical themes, but who seem to lose their equilibrium when it comes to the place of baptism in God's plan.

We are not exempt to this problem in the church. We have brethren who argue for women deacons on the basis of Pheobe in Romans 16:1. Yet they know that the word "deacon" is servant and is used in the New Testament in reference to anyone who serves, including Jesus. They know there are qualifications for "deacons" in I Tiomthy 3, but that the New Testament gives no qualifications for "deaconesses."

To reply that the "women" or "wives" of I Timothy 3:11 refers to "deaconesses" is to over look the fact that Paul could have used the word for "deacon" in this verse, but he did not. Others in the church argue for the practice of things not authorized in Scripture—"The Bible doesn't say not to."

Could it be that the problem really is this: one makes up his mind as to what he wants to believe and then sets out to justify his beliefs by Scripture? Shouldn't one come to the Scripture to form his beliefs rather than to justify what he already believes? The Bible stills says, "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Peter 4:11).

  —Jay Lockhart