If baptism is not needed for salvation then why does the Bible command us to be baptized? It’s a good question, so lets take a look at some scriptures concerning baptism and salvation.
Acts 22:16 is the account of where Ananias tells Saul (later to be called Paul), “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
Notice how there is an “and” between “baptized” and “wash away thy sins”, but there is no “and” found between “wash away thy sins” and “Calling on the name of the lord? The “and” separates “baptized” from the “washed away thy sins,” but does not separate “washed away thy sins” from “calling on the name of the Lord.” To have your sins washed away you need to call upon the name of the lord.
Paul retells the gospel which he had preached to the Corinthian Church by which they were saved, “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” That is the gospel. That is the key to how the Christians in Corinth were saved. Paul did not preach the need for baptism to be saved but only that they receive what Jesus had done for them.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:17a “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel:…” Baptism is not part of the gospel. It is separate and does not save. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is Jesus’ death and resurrection for the sins of the world.
Acts 2:38 says, “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.” This is probably one of the best verses to support baptism for salvation. Before we go into this verse, lets see what Peter said before this in Acts 2:21 “and it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Also in Acts 3:19a, when preaching his sermon from Solomon's portico in the Temple, he says “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out…” Again no mention of needing to be baptized.
If Peter believes you need to be baptized to be saved why doesn’t he always say so? Why would he say you need to be baptized in one verse but not say it in the others? To answer that we need to go to the Greek.
“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.” We are going to look at that little word “for” which in the Greek is “gar”. Gar has many translations. It is used for assigning a reason (used in arguments, explanations and intensification). Another word that gar can be translated as is “because” That little word changes everything. Repent and be baptized because your sins are gone.
Peter in Acts 10 went to see Cornelius in Cæsarea. Verses 44 to 48 reads, “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.”
Order of actions is: 1. Peter spoke. 2. The Holy Spirit came to those who heard Peter’s words. 3. They were baptized. The baptism was the result of God’s work within them. They were Christian believes who the Holy Spirit had come and dwelt within them and then they were baptized. We are all to be baptized (outward expression) because our sins are forgiven, (an inward work) It was true then and it is true today.
In the previous post “History of Baptism” I told how Baptism was done in the times of Jesus. If baptism was required for salvation then we would have to do it right and that is how Jesus was baptized. Where you baptized in living water (stream, river or ocean) or in a mikvah (large container of water which came from a natural source such as rain)? Where you touched when baptized (which can prevent water from reaching all your skin)? In fact in those times anyone who was baptized was naked. Were you wearing anything at the time of your baptism? If you don’t meet these requirements then you were not truly baptized properly. Does that mean your not saved?
Going under the waters are figurative for dying, just as Jesus died. Coming out of the water is figurative to rebirth and resurrection just as Jesus was raised from the dead. To say that a person must reenact the death and resurrection of Jesus for salvation is to add something we must do to be saved. It is no longer a gift but something we must earn by being baptized. Just before Jesus died he said “It is finished” It was the exact words used by merchants when a debt was paid. It meant “Paid in full”
To say baptism is needed to be saved, is to say his death on the cross was not sufficient. You still have to do something else to add to the work of God.
I will say no more but I pray that you will read this and pray about it. I can not change your mind even if I should write a thousand pages. The only one who can show you what is true is the Holy Spirit. Pray and ask Him to show you what is true. I have searched this subject thoroughly for hours, not just to win some foolish argument but) to find out what the truth is. If I was wrong I would have been praising God to have found out something new about Him and His word. The truth that I found is this: “For 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.” Ephesians 2: 8-9
Previous post on the subject of baptism: Salvation by Faith Alone–Scripture and History of Baptism
Photo Credit: The Power of the Blood of Jesus Christ by Unlocking TheBible
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