is baptism mandatory for salvation?

Question

and when baptism occurs Ive been told It MUST be in JESUS CHRISTS name.... not the father ,son, and holy ghost

Answer 1

Jesus said, "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved". (Mark 16:16)

Some say you are saved before or without baptism. In essence they say, he that believes and is saved shall be baptized.

This is not the same thing Jesus said. This is not in the same order.

If Jesus had meant "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved", what would he have said? I believe he said what he meant and meant what he said! I believe Jesus! "He that believes not shall be damned!" (Mark 16:16)

In fact, every example of the conversion of a sinner recorded in the New Testament after Jesus rose from the dead and made this statement, specifically mentions baptism. Faith, Love, Grace, Mercy, Repentance, and Confession are not mentioned in every example, even though they all are necessary for salvation, but baptism is mentioned every time!

Also, no convert either ate, drank, or slept until he was baptized. It was always immediate! This shows the importance of this step in the plan of salvation.

When Saul saw and spoke to Christ on the road, Saul called him "Lord". Jesus told Saul that in the city he would be told what he "must do" to be saved. (Acts 9:6) In the city Saul fasted and prayed for three days. (Acts 9:9-11). Some would teach he was saved at that point, but he had not yet been told what he "must do".

Ananias then told him, "Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord". Obviously he had not yet called on the name of Jesus, even though he had been praying. "Calling on the name of the Lord" is more than saying "Lord" and it is more than praying, it involved obediance or something to be done. (Matt 7:21) Saul had not called on the name of the Lord until he had done what he was commanded (baptism).

Also, until this point, his sins were not washed away. We are not saved if our sins remain. Since only the blood of Christ washes away sins (Romans 5:8-10, Rev. 1:5), he had obviously not contacted that blood until he was baptized.

Baptism is "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38) and puts us "into Christ" and "into his death" (Romans 6:3-4, Gal. 3:27, Col. 2:12). When we contact his death, we contact (and our souls are washed in) his saving blood, because that is where that blood was shed. To leave out baptism is to say we are saved without contacting the blood of Christ.

Many verses talk about the blessings "in Christ", but the only verses that use the phrase "into Christ" say we are "Baptized into Christ". To leave out baptism, is to leave out the step where we get "into" Him. We cannot be saved outside of Christ!

We must be baptized "in the name of Christ". "In the name of" means by the authority or according to the instructions of. Jesus did instruct baptism (Mark 16:16, Matt 28:18-20). We must follow the authority of Christ. Since Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit are all in agreement, one follows the authority of all three when he follows the authority of one. Therefore, to be baptized in the name of Christ, is the same as being baptized according to the authority of all of the members of the Godhead.

Jesus specifically authorized "baptizing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" (Matt 28:19). Therefore to follow the authority of Christ means you are submitting to all three.

Answer 2

Dear Friend,

Water baptism is NOT required for salvation. It is simply a sign just as circumscision is a sign. For example, do you remember the thieves crucified with Jesus? One of those thieves was saved there upon the cross! He surely did not have time to get baptized in water. And many people have erred greatly in this simple sign which was to indicate that we must be washed from our sins. Who is the only One that wash away our sins? Only God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
There is a term "baptized with the Holy Spirit." Think of the term "baptized" to mean "washed." So we must be washed by God. The Holy Spirit is God so baptized with the Holy Spirit is another term to mean salvation or the washing away of our sins. If you read Matthew 28:19 it refers to baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Again this is spiritual and baptism means "washing." When one hears the true Gospel, and the Lord has chosen to save that individual, he/she is washed by God's action. We can do nothing to merit salvation (Ephesians 2:8, 9).

Answer 3

Baptism is commanded by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Baptism is your acknowlegement before the World that you are leaving your old life of sin behind and now you are living for God. I notice that when it comes to baptism, some people get cold feet because they realize the seriousness of it. Some people still want to hang on to their old sinful habits, so they don't get baptized and they end up going back into the world living as they did before. A refusal to be baptized is saying that you do not want to live your old life behind. The Lord said, that if you would be ashamed of Him, He would be ashamed of you in the presence of His angels. As for the case of who's name you are baptized in, stick with the Scripture. There is nothing wrong with being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost as long as you understand that you are doing this for Jesus Christ and the Father.

Answer 4

Jesus said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved." (Mark 16:15-16)

And, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19)

The Catholic Church believes that Baptism is necessary for salvation for those who have heard the Gospel and have had the opportunity of asking for Baptism.

Therefore
+ Those who die for the sake of the faith with being Baptized are baptized by their death for Christ. This is called Baptism of blood.
+ Those who die while preparing for Baptism are assured salvation. This is Baptism of desire.
+ Those who die never hearing of Christ but have sought the truth and does the will of God as they understand it can be saved. This is also Baptism of desire.
+ Children who have died without Baptism are entrusted to the mercy of God.

The Catholic Church accept Baptisms of all Christian faiths if performed using the Trinitarian formula commanded by Jesus Christ: [Name], I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," is accepted in the Catholic Church.

With love in Christ.

Answer 5

Is baptism necessary for sa;lvation? Yes
However, baptism is in Christ's authority. (1 Cor. 10:2)

Is water necessary for baptism? Yes (John 3:5) However, bear in mind that water is available for 'baptism' virtually any place on the earth's surface. (Genesis 1:5-6).

Answer 6

Spiritual baptism of the heart is necessary. This is not always accompanied by the pouring of water. It is the inward man that must accept Jesus as Christ, the Savior.

Answer 7

No it is not necessary for salvation. And with regard to the second part of your statement, when Jesus told His disciples to go out and preach the gospel, He said to baptise in the name of the Father, Son and holy spirit. Since it is God the Father, God the Son and God the holy spirit, it hardly matters in which way you word it!

I am constantly baffled as how people want to deny the simplicity of God's own word: believe on Him (Jesus) and be saved.

Answer 8

No, it is not necessary for salvation of Jesus never would have told the thief on the cross, "today you will be with me in paradise."

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the proper name to baptize in.

Answer 9

God is all that is "mandatory" for salvation, period. He is not concerned with rituals.

Answer 10

no water baptisim its not necessary,its symbolic.But the baptisim that is necessary,is that of the holy spirit.God-Bless ya!