An 'x' means that a particular act is mentioned in the text.
Baptism: Is It Necessary?
There are three phrases in this statement that need to examined in light of NT teachings:
1. Baptism is the picture of death and burial to sin and resurrection to new life
The bible says: Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death (Rom 6:3-4)
Paul says that baptism is a burial into Christ's death, not a "picture." Neither does the NT teach that baptism is a "burial to sin." "We have died with Christ" (Rom 6:8). Christ died to sin (vs. 10), and in that sense, Christians die to sin (vs. 11).
2. (Baptism is) a picture of what has already taken place in the heart
There is no scripture that says baptism represents "what has already taken place in the heart." What takes place in the heart is belief (Rom 10:10) and repentence (2 Cor 7:9, 10). Repentence is proved by deeds, once of them being baptized.
3. (Baptism is) a privilege and duty, not a necessity
There is no scripture supporting that baptism is a privilege. It is a duty, in that it is commanded by God.
If the early church baptized converts, why do some teach that it's not necessary? Does the bible teach that baptism is necessary for a person to be saved? Let's examine some of the most commonly used arguments against baptism.
Baptism is a work and Paul says that salvation comes by "faith only."
Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works (Rom 4:4-6)
ANSWER: Verses 9 and following show that Paul is referring to the "work" of circumcision, not baptism. The Jews believed that simply by being circumcised, they were justified before God. It was Abraham's trust (faith) that God credited to him as righteousness. It was Abraham's unwaivering faith that caused him to obey God.
Baptism hinders those "quick salvations," where you just "ask Jesus into you heart" while driving to work. Radio and television preachers can't rack up the numbers if they have to wait for baptisms to be performed.
God doesn't dispense salvation through a drive-through window. Baptism is what puts you into Christ's death (Rom 6:1ff), yet the false teacher claims that you can just bypass stepping into Christ's death.
Paul writes, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Gal 3:26, 27). We are supposed to be "conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom 8:29). That "conforming" means putting on Jesus' "clothes" so that we look like Him.
But the false teacher will have you believe that baptism doesn't have anything to do with your relationship with God. You don't need to clothe yourself with Christ. It doesn't mean a thing. You can skip being baptized and go right into God's presence. No baptism. No putting on Christ. There is no scripture that says one can put on Christ by accepting Him into your heart or going to Sunday services.
Matthew 7 says that there will be many church people standing before the throne claiming to be one of Christ's own by pointing to their religious works. But His answer will be, "I never knew you, depart from me, you who work lawlessness." Law-less, or "without authority" is the literal rendering, and speaks of those who make assumptions and design teachings that have no scriptural basis and authority whatsoever.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Eph 2:8, 9)
The Bottom Line
We are saved by grace, not by works
ANSWER: Grace is God's unmerited favor offered to the human race through the cross of Christ. It is, as the scripture says, a gift—something freely given and that cannot be earned by any works of self.
Judaizing teachers wanting Christians to keep Mosaic traditions and ceremonial rites were a plague to the early church. Acts 15 and the Galations letter bear this out. This is why the NT deals so much with faith versus works. Arbitrarily adding baptism to the "works" argument doesn't fit the context.
All a person needs to do to be saved is say "the sinner's prayer" and ask Jesus to come into your heart.
ANSWER: The sinner's prayer has many variations, but they all say the same thing: "I admit and confess that I'm a sinner and need the blood of Christ to save me." It is true that anyone coming to the cross must do so out of sincerity. The Jews at Pentecost "were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37) In other words, they had been convicted as being guilty. They were "cut to the heart." Peter's answer to their question was, "Repent—change your ways—and be baptized" (vs. 38). He did not tell them, "say the sinner's prayer and ask Jesus to come into your heart." He told them to repent and be baptized.
There is no scripture telling anyone to ask Jesus to come into your heart or your life. Revelation 3:20 is used to support this idea, which says, "I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." This is not an instruction on how to be saved, but a statement made to Christians to maintain fellowship with Christ.
It's the blood of Christ that saves you, not baptism.
ANSWER: Baptism, in and of itself, does not "save" anyone. It is Christ's blood atonement that removes the guilt and penalty of sin. It is His blood that satisfied the Law's requirements. "Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness" (Heb 9:22).
But at what point in the salvation process is the blood of Christ actually "applied" to the sinner in order to take away those sins? There are two verses that give us an answer:
1. Jesus said, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matt 26:28).
2. "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38).
Christ shed His blood, but it is at baptism where the remission of sins applies, and not before. Someone will argue that Acts 10:43 says, "whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins." In other words, all you need is faith to receive remission of sins. But this doesn't exclude baptism. You can exclude confession and repentance using this same verse to support such a teaching.
I'm still not convinced; baptism doesn't save you.
ANSWER: There are two verses that contradict this belief:
In speaking of the flood, Peter writes, "...baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience" (1 Peter 3:21) NAS
The Jews treated baptism as a purification ritual, which Peter says it is not. It is an appeal to God for a good conscience. The old sin nature is buried in baptism, and a person is raised up in the likeness of Christ's resurrection (Romans 6). Thus, when the old sinful man is buried, the sins connected to that person are forgiven—they are buried and forgiven. A person coming up out of the water then has a clean slate—a clean conscience before God.
The second verse is Mark 16:16, which is discussed next.
ANSWER: Mark 16:16 quotes Jesus as saying, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15-16).
Many believe Mark 16 to be an additional section, later added by an uninspired writer. Many bibles today have a footnote supporting this claim. In light of other scriptures, however, Mark 16 doesn't contradict the teaching. It is both foolish and dangerous to assume that God was not in control when the NT was assembled by the early church. To claim that the Almighty can create the Universe but was unable to write a book is just plain silly.
Mark 16:16 isn't part of the original manuscript.
What about someone who can't get to water? You're telling me that babies who die and are not baptized are going to hell? You're saying that someone on their way to church to get baptized and gets killed in a car accident is going to hell?
ANSWER: The bible does not teach infant baptism. (Click here to read article.)
Hypothetical circumstances fall into what Paul condemns as "useless arguments" (2 Tim 2:23). God promises that those who seek Him will find Him (Luke 11:9). He is not going to "hand a snake" to someone who is seeking salvation (Matt 7:10).
Mark 16:16 doesn't say, "whoever who does NOT believe and is NOT baptized will be condemned."
ANSWER: Arguing semantics is risky business when you're dealing with the Word of God. It is the sword of the Holy Spirit (Eph 6:17), that many fall on in attempt to bypass the truth. Can you imagine a preacher standing before the Judgment Seat and saying, "Lord, it didn't say whoever does not believe and is not baptized..."?
Someone who doesn't believe the Gospel is not going to be baptized, so the issue is therefore not mentioned in the verse. If someone refuses to buy a plane ticket and then refuses to go to Seattle by plane, either action results in the same consequence. In order to get on the plane, a person has to buy a ticket. No ticket means you're not getting on the plane. Buying the ticket and not boarding the aircraft results in the same consequence: no trip to Seattle. Both actions are necessary to complete the transaction.
The phrase, "repent and baptized...for the remission of sins" in Acts 2:38 doesn't mean that in the Greek language.
ANSWER: If you have to use Greek to support a teaching, your teaching is flawed. Instead of grasping at straws, other scriptures need to be consulted to confirm the truth. It's amazing at the amount of ink that has been spent on translating the word "for" in this verse. Pick up any commentary to confirm this. The fact is, the writers are trying to wiggle their way out of the plain truth. Thank goodness they weren't around to "advise" the original Greek translators!
Others are quick to say that Acts 2:38 is referring to Holy Spirit baptism. But can a person be baptised in the Spirit "on demand"? The verse refers to compliance with something that those at Pentecost were told to do. You don't tell someone to get baptized in the Spirit. Cornelius' household were so baptized, but it wasn't done by human will (Acts 10).
To say that salvation is all up to God and we don't have a part is an unscriptural teaching. Salvation involves the mind, heart and body. God could have made the waters at Morah drinkable by "doing a miracle," but He made Moses also throw a piece of wood into the pond (Exo 15:23-25). God could have saved Hezekiah's life by "doing a miracle," but He still required a poultice be applied in order to save him (2 Kgs 20:7). He also could have saved us with a "magic wand," but He chose to have us physically do our part to complete the process.
The thief on the cross wasn't baptized and he went into Paradise.
ANSWER: At the time of Jesus' life and death, the Old Testament was still in effect. The kingdom had not come, nor would come until the Day of Pentecost. It was at that time that baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus was instituted.
There are several instances in the Old Testament where God forgave sins (2 Sam 12:13; Psa 32:1; 103:3), long before Christ came to earth. But that was His sovereign perogative as God.
The thief on the cross was the only person in the bible who was given this privilege. He was in no position to do anything except rely on God's mercy. Most of us living in our self-centered culture are just too lazy or too ashamed to get baptized.
Confess
