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QUESTION 15:
The Bible is very explicit regarding the fact that baptism is a necessary part of obedience to the gospel. It is also explicit that the gospel must be obeyed (Romans 2:8; Romans 10:16; Galatians 3:1; Galatians 5:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; Hebrews 5:9; Hebrews 11:8; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 Peter 4:17)

ANSWER:
Your emphasis on baptism as being the fulfillment of obeying the Gospel, tells me you believe that baptism is the essential obedience necessary to be saved. In the verses you have given, the word "baptism" is not mentioned, hence you could put any commandment in there. In fact, your quote of Romans 10:16 is taken from Isaiah 53:1, and this could not include baptism, since it was not practiced in Isaiah's day. This verse puts "obedience to the gospel" in a different category than baptism.

What is the gospel? "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand. By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. The only two things to do in these gospel verses are to, "receive it and to believe it." This is what is meant by obeying the gospel. There is no mention of baptism here either. This answers well to the Greek word for "obey," where it is used in association with the gospel.

Here is Strong's definition: AV - obey, be obedient to and hearken.
1).   to listen, to harken. (a) of one who on the knock at the door comes to listen who it is, (the duty of a porter).

You don't obey the gospel by baptism, but by believing and receiving it. Dear Reader, have you received and believed the gospel yet?

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith

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Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen