Expert: Joe Norman - 5/28/2008

Question
Is baptism really necessary for salvation? please explain, im really confused, im a CoC member and i think it's wrong to force baptism on people to gain salvation...

Answer
Hi,

I thank you for the opportunity to answer your questions. I want to apologize for my slow response. I am actually in the process of moving into a new townhouse and also received 3 questions from here to answer. I also have a blog site to keep up with and an online bible study group I am in charge of as well. The fact is that water baptism is necessary for salvation and should be clear. I will explain and hopefully remedy your confusion.

Since you are a member of the church of Christ, you should already know that the word baptize is a transliteration of the Greek word "baptizo" which literally means to full immerse or submerge.

But let's look at what the Bible clearly says about baptism.

Obviously, the first Christian baptisms took place on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, so we need to begin there.

Acts 2:37-41
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 38  And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39  For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." 40  And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation." 41  So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

The first thing I want to point out is that the people who had heard Peter preach knew there was something they needed to do to be forgiven for crucifying the Saviour. They asked what they should do. The answer was not anything like pray to God and ask Jesus to come into your heart or anything like that. He said REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED in the name of Jesus Christ FOR the forgiveness of your sins...not because of forgiveness of your sins. A result of repenting and being baptized in the name of Jesus was that they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Also, note the words of Peter in verse 40. He exhorted them to save themselves. We both know that we cannot possibly save ourselves by our own merit. But we CAN with God's help. This is clearly what Peter meant. God's part is to forgive the sins of those who have been water baptized. We show our trust in God's promise by submitting to it.

Now I am not telling you that baptism is the ONLY thing required for salvation, but you should know that already. A person must hear the gospel, believe, confess Jesus, and be baptized. He must also endure to the end. If you will notice, everything I listed is something that can be called a work except for water baptism. No one baptized themselves. They must allow someone else to baptize them.

But let's look at other passages regarding water baptism.

Acts 22:12-16
12 "And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, 'The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'

Here is a passage where Paul tells of his conversion experience. Please keep in mind that Paul saw Jesus on the road to Damascus and spoke to him. He was blinded and waited 3 days before Ananias showed up. In those three days, Paul was in constant prayer and fasting. Yet, after Ananias healed his vision in verse 13, he instructed Paul to rise and be baptized and WASH AWAY YOUR SINS, calling on His name in verse 16. If what many in the denominational world were correct about how a person is made a Christian and forgiven of sins, then why did Ananias tell Paul to wash his sins away in water baptism?

Here is another passage to consider:

1 Pet.3:18-22
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

The fact that Peter compares Noah and the flood with baptism should prove he is speaking of water baptism. Peter says very clearly that baptism saves in verse 21. Now, those who oppose water baptism being necessary for salvation try to insist that Peter is speaking of Holy Spirit baptism and claim that since he says it is not the removal of dirt from the body it is NOT water baptism. Yet, the only point Peter is making is that it is not a physical bath but a spiritual cleansing. I intentionally presented this passage from the ESV because it seems to have the most accurate rendering of verse 21.  Peter actually said that water baptism is an appeal to God for a good conscience. The Greek word that is translated as "an appeal" or "an answer" is below.

G1906
ἐπερώτημα
eperōtēma
Thayer Definition:
1) an enquiry, a question
2) a demand
3) earnestly seeking

I have just a little more to say regarding baptism. First, it is important for you to understand that baptism with the Holy Spirit was a NEVER said to be for forgiveness of sins. It was also not something commanded, but promised. Baptism with the Holy Spirit was for a limited time as well. The book of Ephesians was written sometime around 60 to 63 AD. This is important when you read this particular passage:

Eph.4:4-6
4 There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

It was a fact just 30 or so years after Jesus was crucified that there was only ONE baptism. Now the majority of the denominational world will tell most people we are saved by faith alone. They ignore the fact that the only place in the entire Bible that has the words "faith" and "alone" together is in James 2:24 which says:

"You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone."

James is trying to explain that saving faith is active and involves obedience. It is only when we act on our belief that it becomes saving faith because not until then do we show our trust in God.

When the "faith only" crowd is pressed on this, they then try to say we are saved by baptism with the Holy Spirit. I find this odd because if both are required, then it is impossible for faith alone to save anyone. The bigger problem though is that they believe in TWO baptisms and not one. Yet, they make one just a meaningless ritual.

Rom.6:1-7
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

This passage is another vital passage about water baptism. You might ask how I know this is speaking of water baptism. Here is my answer.
ONLY water baptism fits the description of a death, burial, and resurrection.

Last, please look at this passage from the book of Galatians.

Gal.3:24-29
24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

Here, Paul is explaining that the purpose of the law was to act as a guardian until Christ came. Once He came, Paul says that we are justified by faith. (Not faith alone) He says we are sons of God through faith. Then in verse 27, he explains further. As many as were baptized INTO Christ have put on Christ. Again, how do I know this is water baptism? There are several reasons. First, it is never said of baptism with the Holy Spirit to be for salvation or forgiveness of sins, nor was it a command, but a promise. Jesus was the administrator of the baptism with the Holy Spirit too. If He administrated it, then it was NOT what put us into Christ or how we put on Christ. Holy Spirit baptism is ONLY mentioned specifically in the gospels and in the book of Acts. All other passages that speak of baptism are speaking of water baptism. The word "water" is not necessary to know that either.

Finally, I must clarify that the power to save is NOT in the water and so anyone who might accuse me of teaching water saves, is incorrect. The power is in Christ's blood. Yet, until we submit OUR will to God's just as Christ submitted His will in allowing Himself to be crucified, we cannot and will not be saved. I have much more I could present and much more I would like to say, but my time is limited. If you have any further questions or need anything clarified, please let me know. I do hope that I have been of some help to you.

           IN Christ, Joe Norman