Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Good but not baptized?

The following is an article written by Hugo McCord, which expresses truth. We must never allow our feelings to re-write what God proclaims.

What Will Happen
To Good But Unbaptized People?[1]

A person of unquestioned sincerity, convinced she should be baptized, hesitated because she knew of many fine people who were not baptized. “What will happen to good unbaptized people?” she asked. Certainly it is easy to understand her reasoning.
That there are excellent moral people, fair to all men, merciful to the unfortunate, who have not been baptized into the Lord is a well-known fact. But if a good man touches a highly charged electric wire, God’s law about electricity is not changed.
That good people have not been immersed does not change God’s law about immersion (Rom. 6:3,4; Col. 2:12).
That many millions of people were baptized as infants does not change God’s law that baptism is for believers (Mark 16:15,16; Acts 8:36).
That millions of people have been baptized into various sects and denominations does not change God’s law that baptism is into one body, one church (1 Cor. 12:13; Col. 1:18).
That many sincere Jews and upright Mohammedans have not confessed Jesus does not change God’s law about the deity of His Son (John 3:18; Mark 16:6; Acts 4:12).
That some are moral and yet deny the existence of God does not change God’s law about faith in him (Heb. 11:6).
But the laws of God also reveal that some people are better off in God’s sight unbaptized than some who have been immersed (2 Pet. 2:20-22). God’s laws also reveal that some heathen people, not being as stubborn as some who have heard the message of Jesus are going to have it easier in the day of judgment (Matt. 11:20-24). God’s word also reveals that some without a Bible have lived better before God than some knowing the Bible (Rom. 2:14-24).
Certainly one should conclude that no matter what mercy some may have in the day of judgment, that mercy will not be extended to one who knows God’s law on baptism and who refuses to obey (James 4:17; 1 John 2:4).
[1] Hugo McCord, “What Will Happen to Good Unbaptized People,” in Fifty Years of Lectures, Vol. 2, pp. 252,253.

3 comments:

Bobby Cohoon said...

Good post brother Phil. And I look forward to seeing you on TV. Keep up the good work.

Bobby

Paula Harrington said...

Thanks for posting this from brother McCord. I never met him personally but Lance (Cordle) speaks very highly of him. I always appreciate your posts.
Sisterly,
Paula

Anonymous said...

Great Post. I appreciate Hugo's scholarship and your's too!

Thanks
Daniel