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Truth about Baptism
Monday, August 30, 2010 at 12:09 PM The Truth About Baptism
Baptism is a Requirement
–David Sain–
Most religious groups, that teach and believe that Jesus is the Lord and Savior, teach and practice baptism. Consequently, most people in these groups believe that being baptized is something that they ought to do. However, as a careful examination of their denomination-based faith will show, most people do not believe that baptism is a requirement for salvation. Their conclusion is that baptism is important, but not essential to salvation.
The purpose of this writing is to show conclusively that the Bible teaches clearly and unmistakably that baptism is, indeed, a requirement for salvation. Specifically, we shall look at the fundamentals of what the Bible teaches about baptism -- things that we must understand about baptism to effectively discuss and give defense of that which we believe and practice.
Biblical Fundamentals About Baptism
Biblical Baptism Is Immersion In Water.
The person who is Biblically “baptized” is immersed in water, as indicated by the Greek word, baptizo, of which baptism is a transliteration. In teaching the saints in Rome, the apostle Paul taught that what one does in being baptized is in the likeness of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. In that context, he wrote, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). And, in Paul’s epistle to the Colossians, he said that we are “buried with him in baptism” (Col. 2:12).
From these definitive statements that baptism is a burial, we must conclude that the practice of sprinkling or pouring water upon the head of the baptismal candidate is done without Biblical authority or divine approval.
A Biblical example of baptism (i.e., immersion) in water is recorded in Acts 8:35-39. There, it is written that the Ethiopian, after being taught about Jesus, saw water and requested that he be baptized. And Philip, the evangelist, who had taught him, went down into water with him and “baptized him.”
Biblical Baptism Is Action Taken By A Penitent Believer.
According to the Scriptures, the proper candidate for baptism is one who believes the Gospel (Mark 16:15-16), who has repented from his sins (Acts 2:36,38), and who has confessed that he believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Acts 8:35-39). These truths require that the candidate be mentally capable and mature enough to understand and embrace the Gospel. These truths also require that repentance precede Biblical baptism. Furthermore, like the eunuch of Acts 8, the candidate for baptism must first confess with his mouth the Lord Jesus (Rom. 10:9-10).
Obviously, these divinely imposed requirements mean that the practice of baptizing babies, like the practice of sprinkling or pouring water upon the head of the baptismal candidate, is without Biblical authority or divine approval.
Biblical Baptism Is Done In The Name Of Jesus.
The apostle Peter proclaimed, “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). Therefore, the candidate for baptism is instructed to take that action in the name of Jesus Christ, but what does it mean to do something in the name of Jesus?
To do something in the name of Jesus is to do that which he has authorized, in the manner and for the reasons that he has given. And a study of the teaching of Jesus about baptism reveals two very important matters:
(1) He directed that baptism be “into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mat. 28:19). Biblical baptism puts one into a state of union and communion with God, the Father, Christ, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
(2) He taught that baptism is a prerequisite of salvation (Mk. 16:16). Therefore, one is to be baptized because Jesus declared it to be essential to salvation, a matter that shall be discussed in a later point.
Biblical Baptism Puts One Into Christ and the Church.
That baptism is a “requirement” is further understood by recognizing that salvation is in Christ (II Tim. 2:10), and baptism is that act that puts one “into Christ” (Gal. 3:26-27).
Also, when one, by faith in Jesus, is baptized he is saved (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38), and the Bible informs us that the Lord adds the saved to the church (Acts 2:47). So, baptism is also that act that puts one into the church. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body…” (I Cor. 12:13), and that “body” is the church (I Cor. 12:27; Eph. 1:22-23).
Biblical Baptism Is For The Forgiveness Of Sins.
At this time, the reader is reminded of a point made in the beginning of this writing -- that most people do not believe that baptism is a requirement for salvation. Most religious people believe that baptism is important, but not essential to salvation. They contend that one must be baptized to “obey God,” but they believe that one is saved before one is baptized. In light of these things so commonly believed, this point that Biblical baptism is for the forgiveness of sins cannot be overemphasized.
The Biblical truth is that baptism is not something one does after he is saved. Instead, as the apostle Peter declared, baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). The prepositional phrase “for the remission of sins” in this verse is identical (in the Greek and English) to the words that Jesus used when he said that he shed his blood “for the remission of sins” (Mat. 26:28). The purpose for which Jesus shed his blood and the purpose for which man is to be baptized are one and the same. Jesus shed his blood so that man could obtain the remission of sins, and, likewise, the purpose of baptism is so that man can obtain the remission of sins.
From these scriptures the following conclusion is logically inescapable -- baptism is a command of God that one must obey in order to be saved, and one is not saved until he is baptized for that purpose! And a study of four related scriptures verifies the conclusion:
1. In Acts 22:16, the instruction from Ananias to Saul of Tarsus was, “…be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” No honest reader of this divine record can ignore the connection of baptism to the washing away of sins.
2. Twice in Romans, chapter six, the writing of Paul, the apostle, illustrates the importance of baptism. First, he told the Roman Christians that, when they were raised from the waters of baptism, they were to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-5). Second, later in the chapter, he thanked God that they had “obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine,” adding that it was “then,” i.e., when they obeyed that form of doctrine, that they were made “free from sin” (Rom. 6:17-18). When they heard and believed the gospel, and were baptized in the likeness of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (Rom. 6:3-5), their sins were forgiven.
These two texts clearly show that one is “free” from the guilt of sin and walks in “newness of life” at the moment that one is baptized,
3. In I Peter 3:21, Peter declared that Noah and his family were “saved by water,” referring to the fact that the waters of the flood saved those in the ark from the destruction that came upon those who were outside of the ark. Then he added that baptism, in a true likeness, “doth also now save us,” i.e., the waters of baptism save us from the eternal destruction that is sure to come upon those who are outside of Christ and the church, at the end of time (II Thes. 1:7-9).
4. Another significant scripture that verifies the conclusion that baptism is a command of God that one must obey in order to be saved is Mark 16:15-16. In this text, Jesus decreed that, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Considering the words of this text without any preconceived ideas, let us ask, where did Jesus place being “baptized” — before or after salvation?
It is undeniable that, according to Mark 16:16, Jesus placed being baptized before salvation, which means that being baptized is required in order for the believer to be saved. In order to say that one can be saved without being baptized or before being baptized, one would have to change the words of Jesus. And surely no one would contend that a doctrine is correct when it changes that which Jesus said.
A careful examination of these texts solidifies the conclusion that baptism is essential to salvation!
DOES THIS MEAN THAT WE EARN SALVATION?
When we contend that baptism is essential to salvation, a common objection such teaching is that it means that we earn our salvation. The objection might be worded like this, “Baptism is a work. If we are saved by baptism, then we are saved by works, but the Bible teaches that we are saved by grace, not works!”
Indeed, the Bible teaches that “by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). Make no mistake about it. We do not, and cannot, earn our salvation. God owes us nothing! Salvation is by grace. However, that does not mean that our salvation is unconditional. Instead, the Scriptures clearly teach that obedience is essential to salvation.
Note three examples of such teaching. (1) Jesus taught that the one who shall enter the kingdom of heaven is the one who does the will of the Father which is in heaven (Mat. 7:21). (2) The author of Hebrews identified the one whom Jesus saves as the one who obeys him (Heb. 5:8-9). (3) The apostle Paul gave the sobering warning that the Lord will take vengeance upon all who do not obey the gospel (II Thes. 1:7-9). However, when we obey the gospel, including our obedience to the command to be baptized, we do not earn our salvation!
The “work” that we do in response to a promise or command of God is a work of righteousness, not a work of merit. The merit is in the Lord who commanded the work, and in whom we place our trust as we obey him! To illustrate, repentance is an act of faith, relying on the Lord to save (Acts 17:30), and confession is an act of faith, relying on the Lord to save (Romans 10:10). Likewise, baptism is an act of faith, relying on the Lord to save (Acts 2:38).
The truth is that the grace of God is appropriated to us when we, by trust in the Lord, do the works that God has commanded!
Helpful Questions Regarding Baptism
Finally, here are four questions that, when answered correctly, according to the Bible, will further equip us to discuss and defend our belief that baptism is required for salvation. Following each answer is a conclusive statement of an undeniable Biblical fact about the role of baptism.
Question: Can one be saved without having his sins forgiven? The correct Biblical answer is “No,” according to Romans 6:23. Well, it is a Biblical fact that baptism is commanded in order to obtain the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38, 22:16). Therefore, we conclude that baptism is a requirement for the forgiveness of sins.
Question: Can one be saved without being in Christ? The correct Biblical answer is, “No,” according to II Timothy 2:10. Well, it is a Biblical fact that it is when one is baptized that he is in Christ (Gal. 3:26-27; Rom. 6:3). Therefore, we conclude that baptism is a requirement for one to have salvation in Christ.
Question: Can one be saved without being in the church? The correct Biblical answer is, “No,” according to Ephesians 5:23. It is a Biblical fact that it is when one is baptized that one is saved and added to the church (Acts 2:38-47; I Cor. 12:13). Therefore, we conclude that baptism is a requirement for one to be saved and in the church.
Question: Can one be saved without obeying the gospel? The correct Biblical answer is, “No,” according to II Thessalonians 1:7-9. And it is a Biblical fact that being baptized is a command of the Gospel (Mark 16:15-16). Therefore, we conclude that baptism is a requirement for one to be saved by the gospel.
