What is the difference between being saved and not coming into condemnation? Please remember that condemnation is something strictly before God, but salvation is relative; it is something before God and something before man as well. Whether I am condemned or not is a matter before God. But whether I am saved or not has to do with God and has to do also with man. Salvation is toward God and man; condemnation is strictly toward God. Once a man believes, he will not be condemned before God. He who does not believe has been condemned already. Those who are in Christ shall not be condemned. But those who do not believe have been condemned already. This is the question before God all the time. But thank the Lord, salvation is with God and with man as well. On the one hand we have to believe, so that we can be saved before God. On the other hand, we have to be baptized, so that we can be saved before man.

If there is a man today who continues to be a Christian secretly, should we acknowledge him as a Christian? He has believed and is no longer condemned before God. But one cannot say that he is saved before man. Before God we have to be delivered from condemnation. But before man we have to be saved. If there is a person who has genuinely believed in the Son of God and has genuinely believed in the work of the Lord's cross, yet he never confesses with his mouth, nor has he ever been baptized, others will not know if he is saved. There is only one condition to be saved before God and to come out of condemnation before God, which is to believe. But to be saved before man there is another condition, which is to be baptized. I am not saying that baptism is not necessary. We definitely need to be baptized. Baptism has to do with our salvation. But this salvation is not what some people think. This is absolutely not a question of coming under condemnation. It does not say that if you are not baptized, you will be condemned. Rather, it says that if you do not believe, you will be condemned. Before God there is no question of baptism; there is only the question of faith. Once there is faith, everything is settled. Baptism is not for God. Baptism is for man. It is a testimony among men, testifying of the position that one stands upon. Are you a person in Adam? Or are you a person in Christ? This fact is testified by baptism.

Thank God that the thief next to the Lord's cross went to Paradise. At that time, Peter was not there yet. Neither was John or Paul. Right after the Lord went to Paradise, the thief followed Him. But he was not baptized. Before God, whoever calls on His name shall be saved. Why does a person call on His name? It is because he has believed. But whether those on earth will say that such a person is saved or not is another question. In the next few evenings I will make a clear distinction for you. It seems that in the Bible, justification, forgiveness, and coming out of condemnation are all before God. But salvation is before God and before man as well. If you are not clear about these things, you will create many problems. In the Bible, many places refer to what happens before man. Many other places refer to what happens before God. If we confuse the two, we will fall into error.