A QUESTION ABOUT SALVATION

Mr. Waddey:
Will those who accept Christ at a Billy Graham crusade and are later baptized be
saved? Chuck
 

Dear Chuck: 
 If by "accept Christ" at a crusade you mean their hearts are pricked and they make up their minds to follow Christ; and in their following instruction they learn the necessity of being immersed in the name of Jesus for remission of their sins (Acts 2:38) and do so; yes, they will be saved.

If by "accept Christ" at a crusade you mean that they confess that they believe in Jesus and conclude that they are therefore saved on the basis of faith alone, and then are baptized to join a particular church or to declare to the world that they have been saved by their faith; the answer would be no. God makes it abundantly clear that no man is saved by faith alone (Jas. 2:24). He also makes it clear that sins are washed away when we are baptized in the name of Jesus, i.e., by his authority and as he instructed (Acts 22:16). Nowhere does Scripture indicate that we are baptized to join a denomination or to tell others that we are already saved.

This last scenario, which is common in Protestantism and is the teaching regarding salvation and baptism held by and promoted by Mr. Graham, is without biblical foundation. Just as the twelve disciples of Ephesus who had been baptized with improper teaching and understanding were told to be baptized yet again...on the basis of correct knowledge and faith (Acts 19:1-7), so should those described herein be properly baptized according to the teaching of Christ.