Simon Says...

Jim R. Everett wrote this article which appeared in the November 1972 edition of Plain Talk, a publication of the Oaks-West Church of Christ in Burnet, Texas. Robert F. Turner was the editor.

When I was a boy, we played a game called, "Simon Says." One person was selected who had the authority to direct the game but what he said was to obeyed only if he said, "Simon says." It didn't matter what Simon said, if you were going to play the game you had to do it. Therefore, one could be put out of the game by failing to do what Simon said, or by acting when Simon hadn't said to do it.

Simon Peter says to people who believe in Jesus and want to be saved from their sin, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins..." (Acts 2:38). In the game, pretend Simon might have said, "Take two steps forward for a soda." Every child playing the game would have obeyed that command carefully.

While every little boy and girl would know exactly what "for" meant, some claim today that "for" doesn't mean "for" and refuse to do what Simon says, that they might be saved. Jesus said, "For this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for (eis, same Greek word as in Acts 2:38) many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:28). And we understand that His blood had to be shed in order that sins be forgiven.

Years later, Simon wrote to the elect scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, etc., and said, "There is also an antitype which now saves us - baptism..." (I Peter 3:21). Someone says, "Baptism is only a figure." Indeed it is, but Simon says it is a figure of Noah's salvation by water. As Noah was saved by water, we are saved by baptism. Don't presume that Simon said that baptism was a figure of OUR salvation.

Simon explains the Scriptural baptism that saves by saying, "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (I Peter 3:21). Baptism that saves is that which Simon said was, "for the remission of sins."

One lady said that Simon could not have been teaching that baptism saves (even though that's what he said), because peter knew that men were saved by the grace of God. But that is exactly what Simon said; hence, the baptism of which he speaks must be in complete harmony with God's grace.

In the game of Simon says, the difficulty was not in understanding what Simon said, but rather in a willingness at times, to condescend to the commands of the leader. Simon says that we must repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and some pretend that it is too hard to understand. I suspect that it may be too costly for them to obey.

Do not think however, that Simon originated such teaching. Jesus commanded Simon and the other apostles to go and preach the gospel to every creature. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved..." (Mark 16:16).