Born of water - Chapter 2

10250 North Freeway @ West Road
Houston, Texas 77037
Tel: (281) 447-8484

BORN OF WATER
Written by H. Frank Fort

This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of the Berean Baptist Church.

To order a copy of Born of Water,
please visit our Publications section.

" BORN OF WATER "

Campbellism teaches as I have proved, that one may be begotten of God today but is not "born of the mother" (water) until baptized. It teaches that a believer in Christ is condemned until he exercises the power to become a Son of God, which with this system is baptism. So let us quote Mr. Borden again, p. 330:

"Every change that takes place in a man himself must take place before baptism--every one."

But, ladies and gentlemen, what change does one expect in the unborn? John O'Dowd says in "Sound Words," p. 7,

"This passage John 1:12 does not say all who believed became sons of God". Let me say that this passage does not have to say it; I John 5:1 says that a believer is born of God, and unless someone has a rotten doctrine to defend, he has sense enough to know that he is the son or child of whatever he is born of. "By believing, but states plainly that they had (Yes, but not would have) the power by believing. Belief in Christ brought him in reach of the gospel of Christ Romans 1:16; obedience to the gospel of Christ does make a son of God" I Cor. 4:16, Rom. 6:17-18, Acts 6:7.

Not one of the three passages last named even mentions "a son of God" or “sons of God" but "disciples," "servants," and those "begotten." Perhaps O'Dowd hoped his readers would accept his references without investigation; it would help his doctrine.

Now let us examine John 1:11-13 and Romans 1:16 and see what the "power" is and see who observes the "due order." Here is the scripture: "He (Christ) came unto his own and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born...of God," John 1:11-13. To whom does the phrase "which were born" refer to if not to "as many as received him"? But those that "received him" were those who "believed on his name," but both of these phrases are concerning those "which were born of God." Now all this is agreeable to Campbellites, but they say that the "power" had to be used by those "born of God" in order to become sons. Imagine "born of God" but still not a son. A false religion is the only thing in reason that could get suckers to believe such an absurdity. Let us now see what this "power" is. Paul says, "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." Why? "For therein (the gospel) is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith," Romans 1:16-17. Is the gospel the power of God unto salvation to the believer, according to Campbellism? Certainly not, baptism is. The difference in the truth and Campbellism: One says the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one (not some) that believeth; the other says baptism is the power of God to the same purpose in believers. They can't both be right. Now let the word of God tell us what the “power” of

Romans 1:16 is. "For Christ sent me not to baptize (the Campbellites' power) but to preach the gospel (God's power)...for the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God," I Cor. 1:17-18.

1. The preaching of the cross is

2. The power of God unto

3. Us which are saved.

If the "gospel" is just the power of God unto salvation to the believer of Rom. 1:16, what is the preaching of the cross the power unto to the "saved" of I Cor. 1:18. Anybody ought to see that Rom. 1:16 is teaching exactly the same thing as I Cor. 1:18, since the "righteousness of God" is revealed in the gospel and is "upon all them that believe," Rom. 3:22. Now, if the "gospel" is the power of God because it reveals the righteousness of God to every one that believeth, and this righteousness is upon all them that believe, Romans 1:16-17 and Romans 3:22, I affirm that there "IS NO DIFFERENCE," Romans 3:22. But this "righteousness" revealed, Rom. 1:17, and "manifested," Rom. 3:21, was "witnessed by the law and the prophets," Rom. 3:21, but baptism was not; therefore, baptism is not, was not and never has been the power of God unto salvation to the believer. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to, is on record. Hear Christ: "O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken, ought not Christ to have suffered these things (his crucifixion, V. 20-21) and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself," Luke 24:25-27. What? "And (after explaining the scriptures, V. 36-45) he said unto them. Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day," Luke 24:46. "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins," Acts 10:43. "Whom they slew and hanged on a tree; him God raised up, " Acts 10:39-40. Again, "When they had fulfilled all that was written of HIM they took him down from the tree and laid him in a sepulcher. But God RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD," Acts 13:29-30. "And we declare unto you the glad tidings (gospel) how that the promise (Old Testament) which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children," (How?) "In that he hath raised up Jesus again AS IT IS ALSO WRITTEN.... Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him ALL THAT BELIEVE are justified from all things," Acts 13:32-33 and 13:38-39. Hear it again: "For I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of those things which thou hast seen and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee, delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee" Acts 26:16. Why? "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified." HOW? "By faith that is in me," Acts 26:16-18. Now, my dear reader, will you see what Paul preached in order to accomplish this mission, “I Continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come." WHAT? "That Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead," Acts26:22-23. Now notice that Paul was witness to

1. Things which thou HAST SEEN (First things-past tense).

2. Things in which I WILL APPEAR (Future things-future tense).

Now, since he witnessed to "none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come" and since this is declared to be "that he should suffer (die) and rise again". I propose to show that baptism was not in the "things which thou hast seen," and consequently had no part in the "forgiveness of sins" by proving that he declared for that purpose the "things which he had seen." I make this observation and shall prove it, "That all the Pauline epistles were written to those previously visited and converted by personal ministry, either of Paul or of some other gospel minister. That their conversion was effected by the preaching of the gospel which was the death, burial and resurrection of Christ" and constituted those things which thou hast seen. Acts 26:16, at the time the Lord appeared unto him, and the "things in the which I will appear unto thee" constitute his ministry unto the saints. If I prove this, I shall demolish once and for all every false system of religion on the face of the earth in the mind of every thinking man and woman.

I have proved that Paul's commission was to the Gentiles, "to turn them from darkness to light"-- "that they might receive the forgiveness of sins...by faith that is in me (Christ). And that Paul in pursuit of that responsibility said: "I have continued unto this day...declaring none other thing than that which the prophets and Moses did say should come…that Christ should suffer and be the first that should rise from the dead."

I shall prove that Paul preached some things that the prophets and Moses knew nothing about and said nothing about, consequently could not be included in the message to the lost Gentiles, for in that message he preached what had been prophesied and nothing else, Acts 26:22-23.

Concerning Paul's ministry to the saints, we refer you to Eph. 3:4-9, "Whereby when ye saints. Eph. 1:1 read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery if Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power unto me, who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God," Eph. 3:1-9.

Paul here affirms that the truth concerning the church was hid in God and was not made known to the sons of men in ages- past, but is now revealed to the apostles and prophets. What is the conclusion? That while Paul preached this truth, it was-not preached to turn the Gentiles from darkness unto light that they might receive the forgiveness of sins-by faith in Christ, for that was revealed to the prophets in other ages, Rom. 3:21, Acts 10:43, Acts 26:22-23, Acts 13:32-39, Luke 24:25-27, Acts 8:28-35.

1. "He sent me not to baptize," I Cor. 1:17. For the prophets and Moses didn't say that should come.

2. "But to preach the gospel," I Cor. 1:17. For this they did say should come.Acts26:22-23.

Now turn to I Cor. 15:1-4, "I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you (past tense), which also ye have received (past tense) and wherein ye stand (present tense); by which also ye are saved if you hold fast the word that I preached unto you unless ye have believed in vain. (Impossible unless Christ had not risen, I Cor. 15:14.) For I delivered unto you FIRST OF ALL (that is, of all things delivered) THAT WHICH I ALSO RECEIVED (first) HOW THAT CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES AND THAT HE AROSE AGAIN THE THIRD DAY". This, ladies and gentlemen, is what Paul "delivered first". This is for the forgiveness of sin. Acts 26:18.This is "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, " Rom. 1:l 6. This is "the righteousness of God upon every one that believeth," Rom. 3:22. Now notice, I certify you brethren that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it (by man) but by REVELATION of Jesus Christ," Gal. 1:11-12. The gospel Paul "received" not from man but from God, neither was he taught of man (Ananias?) declared "first of all that which he had received," I Cor. 15:3, by "revelation," Gal. 1:12, which was the "gospel," I Cor. 15:1 which was the "death...resurrection of Christ,” I Cor. 15:3-4, which was witnessed by the law and the prophets," Rom. 3:21-25, Acts 26:22-23, called the "righteousness of God," Rom. 3:25, "revealed in the gospel," Rom.1:17, "the power of God unto salvation". Rom. 1:16, the "preaching of the cross," I Cor. 1:18, concerning which Christ said three days before Paul was baptized "the things which thou HAST SEEN". Acts 26:16, concerning which Paul "preached first," I Cor. 15:3, and said "for Christ sent me not to baptize," I Cor. 1:17, but to "preach the gospel," I Cor, 1:17.

1. I have proven "that Paul preached" first what he first received.

2. That this was the gospel.

3. That he received it before he-was baptized.

4. That the Gentiles were saved by what he delivered first.

5. That he was sent to deliver them.

6. That he was not sent to baptize.

7. That he preached none other thing than that prophesied, to accomplish his mission.

8. That baptism was not prophesied.

9. That he was not taught what he delivered first, by man.

10. That man did baptize him.

11. That "the things thou hast seen "were the "first things" revealed.

12. That his statement was made three days before he was baptized.

13. That the only thing man taught him was "baptism,"

14. That he was "Born as one out of due season, "I Cor. 15:8, before he was baptized.

15. That he was "called" on the road to Damascus three days before he was baptized, II Tim. 1:9, Acts 26:16-17.

16. That he was "saved" before he was called, II Tim. 1:9, to go to the Gentiles.

17. That he declared the message for salvation he, himself, received first.

I have proved that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes, not contains the power, as Campbellites affirm. Just read the following scriptures. No comment is necessary: Rom. 1:16-17, Rom. 3:22, I Cor. 1:18, I Cor. 15:1-4, I Cor. 4:15. Paul says "In Christ Jesus have I begotten you through the gospel." But Campbellites say, "In Christ Jesus have we begotten you in the water ".

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"