Olson/Smith Debate on Salvation

 
 
 Faith, repentance, confession and baptism are for (in order to obtain) the remission of 
sins according to Acts chapter 2.

Affirm: J. T. Smith
Deny: Lloyd Olson

DR. OLSON'S THIRD NEGATIVE.

0.   Overview
I.   Challenges
II.  Smith's pillar debunked
III. Smith's Best 
IV.  Smith's failures.
V.   Convincing Crushing Conclusion.

O. Overview of Smith's position.
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the 
faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; 
having their conscience seared with a hot iron. (1 Tim 4:2)

Smith's position is the ages old human-centered desire for self-righteousness. This man-
made heresy denies the sufficiency of Christ through an exaltation of water baptism. The 
only way that this deception can stand is through horrendous misrepresentations of 
God's Word. We are in a spiritual warfare. The devil's deluding strength can be seen in 
Smith's position. The devil's deception allows one to read the Bible and yet embrace a 
pagan Christ-denying human-exalting religion.

Smith's responses throughout this debate are the model of those deep in the bonds of 
willful deception and satanic blindness. Let the truth prevail!

I. Challenges
A. Beginning with my first affirmative in the first proposition, I challenged Smith to find 
one verse that links justification to his heresy of water baptism. Smith has avoided this six 
straight times. His running highlights the violence done by his system to God's precious 
Word. Holy Writ presents salvation as the EVENT of justification in parallel to the process 
of sanctification. Smith's process of water baptism heresy stands in direct confrontation to 
the clear biblical teaching. Slam! Challenge unmet!! This by itself crushes Smith.

B. Smith is now the third CoC representative that has failed to answer this simple 
challenge. Incredibly, Terry Benton ran from this for an entire debate devoted to the topic 
of justification. Rudy Schellekens quit after five rounds so that his abject failure would not 
be formally published. Smith completes a terrible trio – the three blind mice! I made trips 
to the Lipscomb and Faulkner libraries and could find no scholarly work on justification. I 
should not be surprised for the entire denomination is devoted to covering up the vital 
truth of justification as an EVENT of God's imputation. A sequence of unanswered 
challenges: Slam! Slam! This by itself crushes Smith.

C. In this proposition, I also challenged Smith to find ONE BIBLE example of where water 
baptism to Gentiles was for the remission of sins. His response: silence! He has no 
response because the Bible does not teach this. The best Smith can do is parrot the 
devil's confusion of justification with sanctification, destiny with rewards, and Spirit's 
baptism with water baptism. Slam! Slam! Slam! This by itself crushes Smith.

II. Smith's pillar debunked
The depth's of the water baptism heresy is seen in the fact that Smith has never 
responded to the textual arguments of Acts 2:38. This is incredible for Acts 2:38 was 
supposed to be the foundational pillar of Smith's debate proposition. The bankruptcy of 
his position is seen in that he never discussed Acts 2:38 in his last summative argument. 
He simply could not bring himself to face the scathing truth that exposes him as a 
deluded denier of Christ. This by itself crushes Smith.

A. The Contexts of Acts 2:38.
In six straight responses, Smith failed to answer the crushing evidence of context. 
Instead, he returned to the slime pit of his diabolical twist to the surrounding, immediate 
and book contexts of Acts 2. Let's summarize these contexts again.

1. As given throughout this debate, the SURROUNDING CONTEXT begins in Acts 1:6 
where the disciples want to know if Jesus will "restore" (apokatistanoo) Israel's kingdom. 
Jesus did NOT rebuke them! They were right – except for the element of time. Likewise, 
in Acts 3:19-
21, Peter preaches repentance regarding the "times of refreshing" and the "times of 
restitution of all things." Here, we see the noun form (apokatastasis) of the verb used in 
1:6. Heresy dismisses this unmistakable parallel language.

2. In the IMMEDIATE CONTEXT, Peter links baptism to the prophet Joel's theme of the 
LORD's delivered for mount Zion and Jerusalem (Joel 2:28-32). Messiah's return is 
associated with a physical restoration of Jerusalem and with national Israel's deliverance.

In Acts 2:40, water baptism is easily linked to that "UNTOWARD GENERATION" (2:40) 
and the Lord's vengeance. See (Isa 34:8; 35:4,10; Isa 61:1-4; Jer 46:10; Nahum 1:2,7; 
and many others)

3. The BOOK CONTEXT links Israel's national repentance to their Messiah (Acts 5:28-
31). Stephen (Acts 7:37), Peter (Acts 10:36), the apostles (Acts 13:23-25), James (Acts 
15:16-17), and Paul (Rom 9-11) all pray for the restoration of Israel. 

Smith's blatant heresy denies all aspects of context in order to glorify a human-centered 
obedience rite.

B. The Plan of Salvation in Acts.
Smith's last ditch plea was an appeal to the pattern of salvation in Acts. He claimed that 
water baptism is the basis of this pattern because he saw the word "water" in a few 
references. Let's see what he missed!

1. FIVE THOUSAND were saved by belief WITHOUT water baptism. Acts 4:4
2. Only Jesus' name is given for salvation – NO water baptism! Acts 4:12
3. Saul's conversion – BEFORE water. Acts 9
4. Cornelius' conversion – BEFORE water. Acts 10
5. Peter's summary of Cornelius – NO water! Acts 11
6. Sergius Paulus was saved by belief – WITHOUT water! Acts 12:6-12
7. The first? apostolic creed: salvation by faith in Jesus – WITHOUT water! Acts 13:39
8. Eternal life by faith alone! Acts 13:48
9. Many Greeks were saved by faith – WITHOUT water! Acts 14:1
10. Jerusalem Council declares salvation by belief faith – WITHOUT water! Acts 15:7,9
11. The 2nd? apostolic creed: Saved by grace – WITHOUT water. Acts 15:11
12. The Philippian Jailer: Believe and be saved. Acts 16:31
13. Jews were saved by belief. Acts 17:4,12
14. Paul taught repentance – WITHOUT water! Acts 17:30
15. Many believed – WITHOUT water! Acts 19:18
16. Paul's gospel: repentance and faith in Jesus – NO WATER! (Acts 20:21)
17. Paul didn't shun any part of the gospel (Acts 20:27). NO WATER! (Notice that Paul 
uplifts Christ not a human-centered rite)!
18. Thousands of Jew saved by their belief in Christ – NO WATER! (Acts 21:20)
19. Gentiles believed – NO WATER! (Acts 21:25)
20. Before Felix, Paul reasoned of righteousness (justification by faith), temperance and 
judgment – NO WATER! (Acts 24:25)
21. Paul, before Agrippa, witnesses to his faith – NOT WATER! (Acts 26:13-18). Paul's 
summary is that forgiveness of sins is by faith in Christ. (Acts 26:18)
22. Those on Paul's ship were saved by faith – NO WATER! (Acts 28:24)

Smith chose a few references to water baptism as an aspect of sanctification and 
deceptively redefined them as justification as a vain attempt to support his man-made 
heresy. His failure to comprehend the importance of the two Bible challenges is now 
amplified by his beguiling redefinition of Bible. This by itself crushes Smith.

Who/what should we believe? Smith's few twisted references OR the great weight of 
Acts?

III. Smith's Best Smith's pathetic summary ignored his very own foundational and 
demolished pillar. He tried to cover this failure by the following sleight-of-context tactics.

A. A return to Mark 16 for the Ethiopian Eunuch.
Philip made sure that the Eunuch was already a believer BEFORE water baptism. Smith 
(blind to the 22 evidences of salvation without water baptism in the book of Acts) sees the 
reference to water baptism as required for salvation. Rather, than use the clear 
implications of Philip's grilling, Smith returns to Mark 16 – a passage already shown to be 
abused by the negative fallacy error. 

Smith's blindness is so deep that he is ever learning but never coming to the knowledge 
of the truth. His defense appeals to an already discredited hermeneutical error. This is 
the trouble in talking with cults. Rather than face the truth, they keep running from one 
error to another. By the time they return to a given verse, they ignore all previous 
contextual analysis and simply use their denominational creeds. As a pig returns to its 
pits so also Smith to his errors.

Mark 16:16b (he who believes not is damned) shows that Mark 16:16a (believe and be 
baptized) is justification in parallel to (yet distinct from) sanctification. Smith's utter failure 
in the challenge of justification is again amplified here. When one fails with the kinder 
garden basics of justification, every subsequent analysis is corrupted. Believing 
(justification) is all that is required for the EVENT of justification. Baptism (sanctification) 
marks the beginning of a process of sanctification.

B. A leap of fancy with Cornelius.
Smith twists the sequence of Acts 10 by an out of context appeal to Romans 10:17. 
Rather than abusing one part of scripture to find support for heresy, why not simply let 
scripture interpret scripture?! Let's look at Acts 11. Here, Peter defends his actions with 
Cornelius before those at Jerusalem. Peter's summary is that the gift of the Holy Ghost is 
for those "who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 11:17). First, note the past tense. 
Belief comes before the Spirit's presence. Then, note that Peter NEVER MENTIONS 
water! Water is not required for justification.

Should we build a doctrine upon out of context appeals or on scripture's own verification? 
Only the devil's deceptive devises support Smith's water baptism heresy.

C. Muddy the waters with the Philippian Jailer
Here, the devil's deceptive devises are in the open. Smith quotes the verse and even 
notes that the only requirement for salvation is to believe. Then, in a bold denial of Holy 
Writ, he appeals to his denominational creed by noting that the whole household was 
baptized. Again, when one cannot face the truths of justification, then one gives heed to 
seducing spirits and doctrines of devils in every other doctrine. Baptism is part of 
sanctification – not justification. Justification in parallel with sanctification describes one's 
entire life for Christ. Justification is the new birth; sanctification is spiritual growth. Smith's 
heresy would make an aspect of growth to be needed for birth. This foolishness would be 
like demanding the unborn baby to walk or talk in order to be born. The water baptism 
heresy can stand only with such insanity.

IV. Smith's failures.
Smith's summary totally avoided a response to the following crushing aspects of the truth.

A. John 3.
Here, Jesus used three illustrations to show that the new birth was from above (John 
3:3,7); not seen (John 3:8), and completed by a single look of faith (John 3:11-16). All 
three illustrations are one. All three deny water for justification. This by itself crushes 
Smith.

B. Romans 6:
In context (Smith never uses context), this chapter occurs AFTER a discussion of 
justification by faith. We don't find the word "water" anywhere in this chapter. Smith's cult 
would redefine the spiritual immersion into Christ's death, burial and resurrection as 
something physical. This monstrous heresy can only stand with such diabolical delusions! 
This by itself crushes Smith.

C. Paul's Conversion.
Smith cherry picks verses from Paul's conversion. He simply had no answer to the 
biblical facts that Paul was a chosen vessel (Acts 9:15) commissioned as an apostle to 
the Gentiles (Acts 26:17) while on the road to Damascus. Paul received his sight and the 
filling of the Spirit BEFORE he was water baptized by Ananias (Acts 9:18). Smith's 
blindness forces him to cherry pick just the bits and pieces of Holy Writ that support his 
heresy. He is guilty of using the Bible to support a human-centered religion. This by itself 
crushes Smith.

D. Abraham as the pattern for NT salvation.
Smith had no answer to OT saint Abraham used as a pattern for all NT believers (Rom 
4:11-12). Abraham was justified by faith (Gen 15:6; Rom 4:3) WITHOUT water and 
WITHOUT circumcision. Abraham was justified by faith (Rom 4:5, 13, 14, 16) BEFORE 
the Mosaic Law was given. Abraham's faith was counted as righteousness (Gal 3:6) by 
way of God's declaration of imputation (Rom 4:6-8, 11, 22-23). Imputation is the EVENT 
of justification that demolishes Smith's idolatrous process of human obedience. This by 
itself crushes Smith.

V. Convincing Crushing Conclusion.
Smith failed to respond to TWO biblical challenges both of which demolish his man-made 
quest for self-righteousness. When you combine fellow heretics, his man-made religion is 
crushed 17-0 in this one aspect.

Smith failed to respond to the contextual arguments of Acts 2:38 – the pillar of his 
deceptive proposition. This by itself is an embarrassing thrashing that is made far worse 
by a listing of 22 examples from Acts showing salvation is by faith WITHOUT WATER!

Negatively, there is no honest biblical evidence for water baptism.
Positively, God's Word declares salvation by faith BEFORE & WITHOUT water baptism.

These combine to condemn Smith's vile, contemptible, nefarious, man-made, cancerous 
religion. The water baptism lie is totally exposed, demolished and crushed. My claim from 
before the debate was valid, is now confirmed and verified, and will for ever stand on the 
truths of Holy Writ.

It is my deepest hope that an honest reader would see the biblical truth of God's sole 
active declaration of forgiveness via justification by faith in Jesus Christ WITHOUT 
WATER. Smith must be marked as the devil's advocate. His vile man-made religion must 
be marked as the devil's delusion and opposed as a cancerous disease upon Christ's 
Church.

The Spirit rightly spoke of Smith's system as one that departs from the faith, gives heed 
to doctrines of devils, speaks lies in hypocrisy, and has a seared conscience (1 Tim 4:2). 
I call upon Smith to stop denying the sufficiency of Christ and His Cross, to repentance 
for dishonest manipulations of God's Word, to turn from this deceptive water baptism 
error, and to embrace the truth of justification by God's gracious forgiveness and 
declaration of imputed righteousness – alone; via simple faith – alone; in Jesus Christ – 
alone!

Let us put away self-righteous human-centered water rites!
Let us boast in nothing but Christ and His sufficiency!

Lloyd Olson