Saved From Campbellism

I received the following communication from brother Bruce Oyen. Brother Oyen and I are about the same age and have a mutual friend in brother Bob Ross. I am happy to share his communication with our readers.

Ist Communication

"Brother Garrett, I am relatively new to your blogsite. I think I learned about it through Bob Ross. Anyway, I want to say your writings are very worthwhile. I will tell others about the site, just as I have done with brother Bob's. Keep up the good work."

2nd Communication

"Brother Garrett, here is something for The Baptist Gadfly: When I was a teenager (I'm 55 now), I went to Church Of Christ home Bible studies in St. Paul, MN for many weeks. After a thorough indoctrination about the need to be baptized to be saved, I made up my mind to do just that. So, one night we drove 30 miles or more to the Bible study leader's church for the baptism. The leader was also the pastor of the church. Anyway, I had been led to believe that simple faith in Christ did not bring salvation, but that baptism and faith in Christ, accompanied, of course, by the other steps to salvation the Church of Christ insists on, did. So, into the baptismal tank I went. Well, I came out as unsaved as I went in. Praise the Lord, though, I finally got saved the right way, the only: by simple faith in Christ w/o works of any kind. Here is what I have led up to: Chruch Of Christ theology inevitably leads one to have faith, not only in Christ for salvation, but also in baptism itself. They say they don't teach that. But it is normal for anyone to conclude that, if baptism is required to be saved, baptism itself has some kind of saving power, or is in some way a part of the saving process. I thank the Lord he helped me to see the truth after having had my mind clouded by Church Of Christ error. Now, my faith rests in Christ alone for salvation. I got baptized (immersed) as a testimony to salvation by faith in Christ sometime later."

Bruce Oyen

This is a good testimony and I am glad to share it. As I have announced, I have a two night debate scheduled for August, here in Monroe, N.C., to debate the necessity of water baptism for salvation.