1. “Common- Sense Questions a Church of Christ Preacher Cannot Answer”
Simple Answers
Lesson #4
“Common- Sense Questions a Church of Christ Preacher Cannot Answer”
Four Major Issues
Condemns the Church of Christ as a cult
Condemns baptism as essential for salvation
Condemns the doctrine of conditional security
Has no perception of Biblical authority
Cannot Answer—Lesson #4—Discuss briefly the four major issues…
David Martin

2. Philippians 1:7
“Just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.”
Paul had such a great relationship with the church in Philippi. He held them dear to him in his heart, as they truly were of one faith. They supported Paul as he stood a prisoner (in chains) and when he defended and confirmed the gospel. As a result, they were all fellow partakers of grace; that is, God’s favor shined upon them as a people, as Christians, as a church. But note carefully, that we are called to be imitators of Paul’s work.
“The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:9). A part of our work must be in defending the gospel as an active defender or supporter of the truth.
This is yet, one more reason/passage as to why we present lessons like these.

3. Martin’s Unanswerable Questions
. If the "Church of Christ" claims to worship God only as "authorized" by scripture because they sing only (and do not use instrumental music), then where do they get the "authority" to use hymnals, pitchpipes, pews, and indoor baptisteries in their worship services? If the answer is that they are "aids to worship," where does the Bible allow for that? Where is your required authorization? If a pitchpipe can be an "aid to worship" for the song service in the "Church of Christ," then why can't a piano be an "aid to worship" for Baptists who may need more help in singing?
Martin would realize that his denomination would not need so much help in singing if they would simply do what God asked of them. Their innovations actually prevent the church from singing better, let alone in truth and spirit.

4. Sing or Play Walk or Ride
Saying this is an AID to SINGING
I suppose that, in a sick sense, a car can be an aid to walking. When we own vehicles that break down more than they run, I suppose they may be trying to get us to do more walking! Driving and walking are TWO DIFFERENT actions. So are PLAYING and SINGING…
Is like saying this is an AID to WALKING!

5. If no “Command,” then no “Authority”
Baptistery
River
Building
Pews
Digital
Chalk boards
Projector
Pitch pipe
Books
Sing
(Eph. 5:19)
Teach
(Mt. 28:20)
Baptize
(Mt. 28:19)
Assemble
(Heb. 10:25)
True aids don’t change the action being done—therefore, they are lawful! (1 Cor.6:12)
Aids don’t change the action being done!

6. There is no “Command,” therefore no “Authority”
Church Gym
Church Court
Church Retreats
Church Kitchen
Piano
Church Band
Play (???)
Meals (???)
Exercise
(???)
Recreate
When so-called aids change the actions, they cease to be lawful and are unauthorized!

7. Martin’s Unanswerable Questions
Question 11a
The "Church of Christ" teaches that a sinner is forgiven of sin when he is baptized in water by a Campbellite elder. Where does the Bible teach that water baptism is required in order to have one's sins forgiven? Every time the phrase "for the remission of sins" occurs it is speaking of the fact that sins have been forgiven previously! The Bible plainly teaches that the forgiveness of sins is conditioned upon repentance of sin and faith in Christ - never upon water baptism! (Matthew 3:11; Luke 24:47; Acts 3:19; Acts 5:31; Acts 10:43; Acts 20:21; Romans 1:16; Romans 4:5; etal.) Where does the Bible teach that forgiveness of sin is linked with water baptism?
Because question 11 is so lengthy, I broke it down into sections.

8. Misrepresentation!
We have never taught that a person cannot be saved unless he is baptized by a Campbellite preacher or elder. . . However, we do teach:
“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16)
Misrepresentation! No one in the Lord’s church (that I have heard of or read about) taught that a person cannot be saved unless he is baptized by a Campbellite preacher or elder…We do teach what the Lord said regarding the subject! (Mk.16:16) There is not a shred of evidence to support this accusation! It is prejudicial statement.

9. Water Baptism for the Remission of Sins
Baptism in the name of the Lord is for the remission of sins
“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38)
Baptism in the name of the Lord is in water
“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord ” (Acts 10:47,48)
Mr. Martin asked where the Bible taught that water baptism is required in order for one’s sins to be forgiven.

10. Cites references that only prove faith (all of which we fully affirm)
Asserting: “The Bible plainly teaches that the forgiveness of sins is conditioned upon repentance of sin and faith in Christ - never upon water baptism! (Matthew 3:11; Luke 24:47; Acts 3:19; Acts 5:31; Acts 10:43; Acts 20:21; Romans 1:16; Romans 4:5; etal.)”
Ignores other passages that teach baptism for salvation (viz., John 3:5; Mark16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:3, 4; Galatians 3:27; etc.)
Cites references that only prove faith (all of which we fully affirm)
Cites not one passage that disproves baptism for salvation!
He picks and chooses the passages he likes.

11. Martin’s Unanswerable Questions
Question--11b
When Christ made the statement in Matthew 26:28, "for the remission of sins," it had to be because they had been forgiven all through the Old Testament! Christ shed His blood because God forgave repentant and believing sinners for thousands of years before the Son of God came to "take away" sins and to redeem us and pay the sin-debt with His own precious blood.
Question 11b…

12. Martin Is Struggling With This Baptist Bombshell
Matthew 26:28
Acts 2:38
“For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins”
“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. . .’”
The word FOR (eis in the Greek) in these two passages is the EXACT same Greek word. What is the meaning? Every Baptist scholar whose works I examined said the same thing about BOTH of these verses—FOR means ”in order to obtain.” None said it means “because of.”

13. “for the remission of sins”
Matthew 26:28 and Acts 2:38
Blood
Repent & Baptism
“for the remission of sins”
Whatever the Blood is for is what Repentance and Baptism are for!
Explaining Matt.26:28 and Acts 2:38…

14. Trying to Deal With His Argument Only Creates More Problems!
While it is true that God forgave people for thousands of years before Christ died, it is NOT true that they were forgiven in the ABSOLUTE sense!
If so, Jesus would not have had to bother with dying at all!
Rather, Jesus died “for the remission of sins” “. . .and without shedding of blood there is no remission.” (Hebrews 9:22)
“Remission” did not occur until He shed HIS BLOOD!
More problems
Was forgiveness in an “absolute sense” before Christ? If so, why did Christ die on the cross? (Heb.10:1-4)

15. Trying to Deal With His Argument Only Creates More Problems!
While it is true that God forgave people for thousands of years before Christ died…
Such has no effect on baptism in the gospel age!
God saved people for thousands of years before they were able to believe that He raised his Son from the dead. But to be saved today, we must absolutely believe that (Romans 10:9).
More problems
Real forgiveness and redemption was made possible by Christ, Eph.1:7; Rev.1:5.

16. Trying to Deal With His Argument Only Creates More Problems!
If it is true that the blood was shed because men were forgiven, and people are baptized because they are forgiven, then…
Men repent because they are forgiven (Acts 2:38)!
Yet, Baptists assert that you believe after you repent Martin’s logic has men being saved before they believe!!!
Martin only creates for himself more problems with which to deal!
More problems
Sadly, Mr. Martin cannot have it both ways. He must defend his Baptist doctrine, or he must try to reconcile his understanding of Scriptures without contradiction. He’s unable to do either!

17. Martin’s Unanswerable Questions
Question 11c
How can one say that "for the remission of sins" means 'in order to obtain” in light of the fact that God never uses the phrase in that sense? In the Old Testament God forgave sin on the basis of a blood sacrifice (Heb. 9:22) - the Old Testament saints had their sins remitted (i.e., forgiven) but they were not redeemed until Christ came and shed His blood at Calvary. Their sins were covered (Romans 4:7; Psalm 32:1), but the sinner was not cleared of his guilt (Exodus 34:7) until the Cross (Heb.10:4). Before Calvary, the sins of believers were pardoned, but they were not paid for (i.e., redeemed) until the crucifixion (see Romans 3:25 and Heb. 9:12-15). When Jesus said, "It is finished," (John 19:30), all sin - past, present and future - was paid for, and the plan of salvation was completed, so that 'whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins' (Acts 10:43).
Question 11c…

18. Trying to Deal With His Argument Only Creates More Problems!
Martin now contradicts Baptists!
If the phrase “for the remission of sins” never means “in order to obtain the remission of sins” then people are forgiven before they believe!
“To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” (Acts 10:43)
Martin must also deny the best scholarship of the world as to what “for the remission of sins” means (Thayer, Bauer, etc).
More problems
Mr. Martin ends up debating his own doctrine and the Greek scholars who define the original words! Talk about an expert!

19. Other Voices on “for the Remission of Sins”
“In order that sins may be remitted, or forgiven. That is, this is the appointed way by which God will pardon transgressions. That blood is efficacious for the pardon of sin.” (Albert Barnes, Barnes Notes on the New Testament)
“This clause is in Matthew alone but it is not to be restricted for that reason. It is the truth. This passage answers all the modern sentimentalism that finds in the teaching of Jesus only pious ethical remarks or eschatological dreamings. He had the definite conception of his death on the cross as the basis of forgiveness of sin. The purpose of the shedding of his blood of the New Covenant was precisely to remove (forgive) sins.” (Robertson’s NT Word Pictures on Matthew 26:28)
Other voices on the subjects…

20. Other Voices on “for the Remission of Sins”
“The phrase, afesiv twn amartiwn, remission of sins, (frequently used by the Septuagint,) being thus explained by our Lord, is often used by the evangelists and the apostles; and does not mean merely the pardon of sins, as it is generally understood, but the removal or taking away of sins; not only the guilt, but also the very nature of sin, and the pollution of the soul through it; and comprehends all that is generally understood by the terms justification and sanctification. For the use and meaning of the phrase afesiv amartown, See: Mk.1:4; Lk.1:77; 3:3; 24:47; Acts 2:38; 5:31;10:43; 13:38; 26:18; Col.1:14; Heb.10:18.” (Adam Clarke on Matthew 26:28)
Comments on Matt.26:28 by Adam Clarke…

21. Baptist Translations of Acts 2:38
"You must repent, and every one of you be baptized-in order to have your sins forgiven." (Goodspeed)
"Repent (that is undergo a change of mind and feeling) and be baptized each of you with a view to the remission of your sins." (Baylor University, a Baptist school)
"Repent and be baptized every one of you for (in order that you may receive) the forgiveness of your sins." (Short Baptist College, 1921)
Let Mr. Martin debate with those of his own theology!

22. Martin’s Unanswerable Questions
Question 11d…
In Acts 2:38, the people were baptized because their sins were forgiven (at Calvary when Jesus said, "Father, forgive them,") and they received the blessing of forgiveness when they repented of their sin of rejecting Christ and accepted Him as their Savior and Lord. Friend, heaven or hell depends on what you believe about this.
Question 11d….

23. “Repent, AND let every one of you be baptized.”
Repented
Baptized
For the remission of sins
To receive the gift of the Holy Spirit
For the remission of sins
To receive the gift of the Holy Spirit
If they were baptized because they were saved, then they repented because they were saved!
If they repented to receive the blessings of forgiveness, then they were baptized to receive the blessings of forgiveness!
Mr. Martin and Baptist preachers would do well to recognize the “AND” in Acts 2:38.

24. One True Statement By David Martin:
“Friend, heaven or hell depends on what you believe about this.”
Summary…

25. Do You Believe Mark 16:16?
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
Invitation…
Heaven or hell depends on
what you believe about this