Those which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke, as they are recorded in the last chapter of Mark, verse 16: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." * * * * * THE BENEFITS OF BAPTISM. Baptism is God's means of receiving us into His covenant, and opening up to us all the treasures of Christ's redemption. Through this sacrament He adopts us as His children and receives us into membership in His Church. [Gal. 3:36, 27+] We are baptized in (into) the name of the Father (who sent His Son to save us), and of the Son (who died to redeem us), and of the Holy Ghost (who applies Christ's redemption to our souls). Therefore every baptized person may say, "God is _my_ Father, Christ is _my_ Redeemer, the Holy Ghost is _my_ Sanctifier, and all the benefits of Christ's redemption are offered to _me_." Hence we declare of baptism, that IT WORKS FORGIVENESS OF SINS, [Acts 2:38+, Acts 22:16, Eph. 5:25, 26] DELIVERS FROM DEATH AND THE DEVIL, AND CONFERS EVERLASTING SALVATION. These are the very benefits which Christ has acquired for me by His innocent sufferings and death (see Article II, of the Creed, Chapter XIX.). And since I have been "baptized into Christ's death," [Rom 6:3+] all these benefits belong to me if I only accept them by faith. [Mark 16:16] I am regarded by God as having already suffered the full penalty of my sins in Christ's death, and for His sake I am pardoned and saved. ON ALL WHO BELIEVE. Faith is the hand with which we grasp and hold fast the treasures of God's grace offered in this sacrament. The benefits are offered to every one who is baptized, but they are accepted and possessed only by him who believes. AS THE WORD AND PROMISE OF GOD DECLARE. The benefits belong to all who are baptized and believe, because God has said so. [Numb. 23:19] He has promised, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." WITHOUT FAITH baptism will not save any one. "He that believeth not shall be damned" even though he is baptized. For while such a person has been adopted as God's child, he is a disobedient and rebellious child, and therefore is disinherited, and loses the heavenly inheritance [Pet. 1:4] which would have been his, if he had remained faithful.