Believer, how did you receive your salvation? Was it of your flesh? Did you earn it? Is it because you said a prayer or performed a ritual?

No. It was simply through faith. You believed. We are told, “it is by grace [we] were saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). Of course, if this was the only instance where works were denied a part in our salvation, one might be led to think otherwise.

But we are also told, “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy” (Tit. 3:5).

Could it really be that easy? When the jailer asked Paul, “what must I do to be saved?”, Paul responded, “believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:30-31).

Not enough? What about Jesus own words? “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life” (Jn. 5:24).

Salvation is a gift. Even our faith is a gift. We cannot earn it, and if we did, it would no longer be a gift. As Paul teaches, “to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness” (Rom. 4:4-5). This is what Scripture tells us of Abraham as well, that “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Rom. 4:3).

Thus shall all be saved.

And those who are saved get baptized. Why? Because Christ exhorted us to make this outward confession of our entrance into covenant with God. Just as circumcision was an outward sign for the Israelites of entering into covenant with God, baptism is the Christian’s. Make no mistake, it is only an outward sign of an inward change. Because even circumcision was of no avail to the Israelites if their hearts were far from God. For, “he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter” (Rom. 2:29).

So then what benefit is there in baptism? Much. Again, it is our sign of the covenant, but it is also a sign of obedience. And how did Jesus regard such? “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me” (Jn. 14:21), He exclaimed. As well, this outward sign is a picture of our burial with Christ: “we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4).

Believer, if you have not yet been baptized, why not? What is preventing or delaying you? And if you have, then let us walk in newness of life, butting off the flesh and its evil deeds, and living by the Spirit who we received from God (1 Cor. 2:12).

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Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, October 5

"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Mark 16:16

Mr. MacDonald asked the inhabitants of the island of St. Kilda how a man must be saved. An old man replied, "We shall be saved if we repent, and forsake our sins, and turn to God." "Yes," said a middle-aged female, "and with a true heart too." "Ay," rejoined a third, "and with prayer"; and, added a fourth, "It must be the prayer of the heart." "And we must be diligent too," said a fifth, "in keeping the commandments." Thus, each having contributed his mite, feeling that a very decent creed had been made up, they all looked and listened for the preacher's approbation, but they had aroused his deepest pity. The carnal mind always maps out for itself a way in which self can work and become great, but the Lord's way is quite the reverse. Believing and being baptized are no matters of merit to be gloried in- they are so simple that boasting is excluded, and free grace bears the palm. It may be that the reader is unsaved- what is the reason? Do you think the way of salvation as laid down in the text to be dubious? How can that be when God has pledged His own word for its certainty? Do you think it too easy? Why, then, do you not attend to it? Its ease leaves those without excuse who neglect it. To believe is simply to trust, to depend, to rely upon Christ Jesus. To be baptized is to submit to the ordinance which our Lord fulfilled at Jordan, to which the converted ones submitted at Pentecost, to which the jailer yielded obedience the very night of his conversion. The outward sign saves not, but it sets forth to us our death, burial, and resurrection with Jesus, and, like the Lord's Supper, is not to be neglected. Reader, do you believe in Jesus? Then, dear friend, dismiss your fears, you shall be saved. Are you still an unbeliever, then remember there is but one door, and if you will not enter by it you will perish in your sins.