Water baptism saves us by giving us a good conscience toward God. Our sins are forgiven because we have died with Christ on the cross. We now are risen with Him and are working out our own salvation with fear and trembling.

The quick, cheap gospel of deliverance from Hell by grace forms the great bulk of the evangelical preaching of our day. "Count how many decisions for Christ you can get!" The expressions and concepts are false. The result is a crowd of people who do not know the Lord and are not coming to the Lord.

They have been drawn to the churches by carnal means and they must be kept in the churches by carnal means.

They are not growing in Christ, meaning they are not learning how to reject evil and choose good.

For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:13,14)

They are not travailing in birth because Christ is not being formed in them. They constitute the majority of the Christian "believers" of our day, but they are not being saved. They have begun their Christian walk with an incorrect understanding of the Divine redemption.

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; (Hebrews 3:14)

Our participation in Christ is always conditional, always dependent on our maintaining a joyous trust in God throughout our discipleship.

Let us turn to the Book of Acts to see if the Apostles preached reconciliation to the Father (according to the allegory we presented above) or if they preached escape from the torments of Hell.

Let us note, first of all, that the term "hell" does not appear in the Book of Acts after the following verse:

He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. (Acts 2:31)

This means that none of the apostles or evangelists, as recorded in the Book of Acts, presented the Gospel of the Kingdom as an escape from Hell. They did not talk about Hell. Hell is not the issue.

The New Testament preachers spoke of how the world will be judged in righteousness by the Lord Jesus.

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:31)

They declared that the blood of Jesus forgives the sins of people when they turn away from wickedness. They then are free to choose to live in righteousness before God.

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38)

Whoever will turn from his sins (repent) and be baptized in water for the forgiveness of his sins will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

To be continued.