The Real McCoy and Salvation
April 7th, 2008I read that the real McCoy wasn’t really a McCoy. His real name was Norman Selby. Raised on a farm in Indiana he left home around 1890, and after year in training, emerged as a boxer with the name “Kid McCoy.”
In a day of bare fisted boxing, the Kid was something. He said he’d fight anyone, anywhere, and he did. For years he averaged a fight a month, and won most by knockouts. But the popularity of his reputation created an atmosphere where a host of imitation Kid McCoys soon cropped up - perhaps hoping to cash in on his reputation and the potential purses he would be offered.
That created a certain amount of confusion until “The Kid” agreed to a title fight with the legendary Joe Choynski on March 24, 1899. With that fight. In a titanic slug-fest that cost him three broken ribs, Kid McCoy finished off the legendary Joe in the 20th round. After the fight, the San Francisco Examiner’s boxing writer declared, “Now You’ve Seen The Real McCoy!”
There is a lot of discussion over salvation issues today. One man tells us that we need to believe the “Four Spiritual Laws.” Another says that we need to say the “Sinner’s Prayer” (it is absent from scripture). Another says, “Bow your head, close your eyes, and raise your hand.” Yet others bring in baptism as a part of the process. So how do we know what we need to do?
The key is to go back to the Bible. It is the “Real McCoy” as far as religious teaching is concerned. When we follow the Bible, we cannot be disappointed in the outcome.
The Bible contains certain commands and examples for our guidance and instruction. In Christian circles we have little difficulty in agreeing on the fact that Jesus is the world’s savior/Messiah (Luke 19:10). There is little disagreement that as savior, we need to believe in him (John 3:16). There is agreement on the fact that we are to confess our relationship with him to other people (Matthew 10:32). We also find the need to change our ways as we follow him (Acts 17:30). The real kicker comes when we start talking about the how and when of baptism.
The Bible teaches us that the salvation process is not a mere checklist of things to do; that once we complete those things we are finished. It does teach that what God tells us to do become the means to starting our relationship with him. It is an inside-out process. It involves the heart of man as well as the outside actions.
Repentance begins with godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10) and then works its way out in changed behavior. Faith starts on the inside but manifests itself by actions (James 2:14-26). Baptism becomes one of those actions of faith. Reread Acts 2 and observe how the apostles preached the gospel to the crowd. Observe the impact of the gospel on their hearts. Notice the question in verse 37, “What shall we do?” Then see the depth of Peter’s response in the next verse, “Repent and be baptized every one of you for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Based on belief they asked the same question people ask today. They received the answer and 3000 were baptized.
A marriage ceremony marks the beginning of a permanent relationship of a man and woman. That ceremony can happen in a Justice of the Peace office with three witnesses or in a church building of 500. There are things that happen before and after the ceremony, but the ceremony marks the beginning point.
Baptism is similar. There are things that happen before and after baptism. Yet, baptism marks the beginning point of our life “in Christ” (see Romans 6:1-4).
From Romans 6:1-4 we see three parallels. First, the enemies of Jesus nailed him to the cross and killed him. Our enemy, the devil, has “killed” us by separating us from God through our sins. Second, Jesus’ friends took his body from the cross and buried it in a tomb. When we decide to follow Jesus, a friend will bury us in baptism. Third, God raised Jesus from the dead. God raises us to walk in “newness of life” through our baptism.
There are always questions about baptism. “I was sprinkled as a child. Do I have to be baptized as an adult?” “I was baptized for reasons other than what the Bible states; do I have to be baptized again?” “Suppose a man wants to be baptized and dies on the way to the baptistery. Will God condemn or save him?”
These and other questions arise when baptism is discussed. The flaw in the thinking behind these questions is a simple one. The questions boil down to finding out what the least we can do in regard to our salvation rather than finding the Lord’s will. Should not our response be that we are willing to do whatever God commands? He did not skimp in our salvation. He gave his best and his all in his only son. Why do we want to hold back?
Go back and read the passages in Acts and see what the individuals were told. You will notice that in the detailed accounts of salvation, baptism was a part of the process. “Now you’ve seen the Real McCoy!”
Keep The Light Burning!
Perry Greene
