What is the importance of baptism?

Question

Please do not answer this if you don't believe Jesus is out savior.
How important is it for a Christian to be baptized?
If possible, please support your answer with scripture.

Answer 1

Matthew 28:19: Jesus said, "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."

Mark 16:15-16:
He said to them, "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Acts 2:38
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.

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 without being Baptized are baptized by thier 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. See Romans 2:13-16. This is also Baptism of desire.
- Children who have died without Baptism are entrusted to the mercy of God.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

Baptism is the Catholic Church's primary sacrament of initiation.

One of seven sacraments, baptism was personally instituted by Jesus Christ, to give grace.

According to scripture, which accurately records the words of Jesus Christ, unless one is born again, of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Based on this, the Catholic Church teaches that, absent a few rare, and very unusual circumstances, baptism is necessary for salvation.

Baptism, when administered by either the pouring of water, or immersion in water, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is always 100% effective in sweeping all sins from the soul, making one a temple of the Holy Spirit, an adopted child of God, a citizen of heaven, a member of the church, and co-heir with Jesus Christ.

Baptism may be administered at any age.

Due to the insidious nature of original sin, Catholics prefer to baptize their children as soon as possible, after birth.

Infant baptism in the Catholic Church remains the most significant demonstration of salvation without any works at all, as absolutely nothing is required from the infant.

In this case, the church freely supplies the water, the grace, the faith, and anything else that may be necessary, according to the express will of God, who desires all to be saved.

Those who are baptized as infants, at least in the Latin church, typically receive the other two sacraments of initiation ... Holy Communion and Confirmation ... some time later in life.

Those who receive the sacrament of baptism as adults typically receive all three of the sacraments of initiation at the same time.

Those who die without benefit of baptism are not assured of heaven, and all we can do in these cases, is trust in the mercy and just judgment of the Lord.

All of this has been an essential part of the authentic teaching and practice of the Catholic Church since the times of the apostles.

Many of the late day protestant reformed Christians have other ideas.

I suggest that it is foolish to take chances with one's eternal salvation, and since the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church have always dovetailed nicely with both the authentic scriptures, and the express words and deeds of Jesus Christ ... water baptism ... in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit ... should be considered the typical, and absolute minimum requirement for initiation into the "Body of Christ" and every Christian's first step towards ultimate salvation.

Answer 3

This is a very important question. Baptism is a symbol of your faith in Christ and a new life. It does not save you nor does it guarantee heaven. The thief on the cross never got baptized, yet Jesus said "Today you shall be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43) Many people come to christ on their deathbeds. They would not be denied heaven just because they were not baptised.
It is important in that it is a public statement of faith in Christ Romans (6:4) and some churches use baptism as a means of becoming a member with voting privileges and ministry opportunities. (Ephesians 4:1-13)

Answer 4

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. Love, Grace, Mercy, Repentance, Christ's blood, 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.

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.

Many verses talk about the blessings "in Christ", but the only verses that use the phrase "into Christ" say we are "Baptized into Christ". (Romans 6:3-4, Galatians 3:27) To leave out baptism, is to leave out the step where we get "into" Him. We cannot be saved outside of Christ!

1 Peter 3:21 says, "Baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Notice again the main part of this statement, "Baptism now saves you... through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Some people will use a lot of words to say that this verse does not mean what it says. (Just like they do with Mark 16:16.)

Baptism is "for the remission of your sins", "unto the remission of sins", or "so that your sins will be forgiven". (All three quotes from Acts 2:38 - depending on which translation you use)

At baptism we are "baptized into Christ" (Rom. 6:3, Gal. 3:27). Can we be saved outside of Christ?

At baptism we contact his death. (Romans 6:3-4, Col. 2:12) The blood was shed at His death. This blood washes away sins. (Revelation 1:5, Romans 5:8-10) How can that blood wash away our sins if we do not contact his death? Baptism washes away sins (Acts 22:16) because it is at that point we contact His death!

Finnally, at baptism we "rise to walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-13). How can we be saved if we are not born again into this new life? Can we be saved without being born again?

Thankyou for your good question. If you would like to study this more or ask follow-up questions, feel free to e-mail me!

I have also included some links to some articles on this subject.

Answer 5

The answer to can be based on religious practices. Baptism is not needed for salvation (as the baptists believe). Salvation consists of accepting the Lord Jesus as Savior of the world, and believing that He died for your sins and rose again (Romans 1:16). All scripture should be taken in light of its content....The water that Jesus is refering to in John 3:5 is not a water baptism, it is speaking of purfication..having a clean heart, living a life of holiness..

Baptism is an outward demonstration of an inward confession, it is were you are telling the world that you are sold out for Christ.

Answer 6

It is important. Jesus is our example in all things.
Galatians 3:27: For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Romans 6:1-10 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

Answer 7

salvation:

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 3:5

Christians have always interpreted the Bible literally when it declares, "Baptism . . . now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 3:21; cf. Acts 2:38, 22:16, Rom. 6:3–4, Col. 2:11–12).

Answer 8

There are verses that speak on baptism, however I think that the "importance" of baptism depends on each person's heart and relationship with God. You shouldn't get baptized unless you feel you are doing it for the right reasons (for God's glory, and so you can confess your faith to others publicly). Usually, that means you will wait until you are old enough to form those opinions in your mind, believe them, and confess them.

Here are some verses to start...Matthew 3...

13Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

14But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

15And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

Vs. 14 "I have need" indicates importance. Hope that helps.

Matthew 20:23 is good too.

Answer 9

Baptism, in Jesus name is essential for salvation.
John 3:5
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Answer 10

It is for the remission of sins (Acts2:38), and essential part of the born again experience (John3:5).
Water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ allows us to partake in his burial. Colossians 2:12 "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." So the old man and his sin is dead. We become new creatures in Christ. I suggest reading the book of Acts and learn what the first christians did.