|
|
 |
|
|
"What Doth Hinder Me to be Baptized?" Acts 8:36
We come now to consider another great question of the gospel age: "What doth hinder me to be
baptized?" Let us consider briefly the circumstances under which this question was asked.
Philip, who was called the evangelist, was preaching in the city of Samaria when the angel of the
Lord commanded him to go to a deserted junction of the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. He was
obedient and went, although he did not yet know why he was sent. He saw a man riding along in a
chariot, reading the Bible, and the Spirit told him to join himself to the chariot, this being in the days
'of special miracles. The result was that Philip began at the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, where the man
was reading, and preached unto him Jesus. As they went along, they came up on a body of water
and the man asked: "What doth hinder me to be baptized?"
Philip had told him, no doubt, of the facts of the gospel, that is that Jesus died for our sins, was
buried, and arose the third day. No doubt he told the man how the risen Jesus commanded all men
to believe on him, repenting of their sins, and to be baptized for the remission or washing away of
sins. In response to the preaching, the man wanted to be baptized--he wanted to answer the call of
the gospel. He asked: "What doth hinder me to be baptized?" What were some of the things which
might have hindered him from being baptized?"
Things Which Would Have Hindered
If he had not heard the gospel, that would have hindered him from being baptized. All men are
invited to call on God's name for pardon from their sins. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of
the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13). But unless one can hear the gospel taught, how does he
know to call on God's name? "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and
how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a
preacher? (Rom. 10:14). "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom.
10:17). If you have not heard the facts, commands, and promises of the gospel, you need to hear a
faithful gospel preacher proclaim them to you.
A lack of faith would nave hindered his being baptized. The Bible says "But without faith it is
impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb. 11:6). A person could be dipped in the water
numerous times but unless he did it believing, it would avail him nothing. Jesus commanded, "Go ye
into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall
be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mk. 16:16).
What must one believe in order to be scripturally baptized? The claims of Christ, or the gospel.
Jesus said "If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins" (Jn. 8:24). As we have seen, one
who cannot be taught the gospel, and does not believe the gospel, cannot be scripturally baptized.
A lack of a confession with the eunuch's own mouth as to his faith would have hindered his being
baptized. The apostle Paul said,
That if them shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God
hath raised him from the dead, thou shall be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Rom. 10:9-10).
Faith is something which is locked up in a man's mind unless il is expressed. Therefore, a
confession of that faith is said lo be "unto" or toward salvation.