Baptism necessary?

Question

I was wandering your all thoughts on baptism.

It states in Acts 2:38 to repent and be baptized everyone for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the holy spirit.
Also in Romans 6 it goes in depth of what baptism symbolizes and the importance.
There are many other examples, but I was wandering what you all thought.

Explain your thoughts. Back them up.

Answer 1

Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

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

Jesus told the apostles, "thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. " (Luke 24:46-47)

In Acts 2, beginning at Jerusalem, men were gathered together from every nation (verse 5), and Peter preached "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins."(verse 38) Exactly as Christ had commanded.

Jesus commanded baptism. (Mark 16:16, Matthew 28:18-20) Baptism is in the name of, or according to the authority of Christ and "for the remission of sins". (Acts 2:38) Baptism places one "into Christ" and "into his death" (Gal. 3:27, Col. 2:12, Romans 6:3-4) We cannot be saved outside of Christ.

At his death is where the saving blood was shed. We cannot wash in that blood until we contact his death.

At Baptism we "rise to walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-4) We cannot be saved if we are not "born again".

Jesus commanded baptism! "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him!" (Hebrews 5:9)

If you love Christ, you will keep his commandment to be baptized for the remission of your sins! Jesus saves those who obey him.

Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved"

Some say you believe, are saved, and then you shall be baptized. This is not the same the same thing Jesus said. It is not in the same order.

What would Jesus have said if he had meant "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved"?

I believe He said what he meant and meant what He said. I believe what Jesus said. I believe Jesus! "he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:16)

Some point to the thief on the cross. The thief on the cross lived under the Law of Moses. He lived and died BEFORE Jesus rose from the dead and gave the command about baptism. He could not have obeyed a commandment that had not yet been given. He could not have been baptized "in the name of Jesus" or according to the authority (instructions) of Christ, because Christ had not yet given those instructions.
Also, as I pointed out earlier, baptism is how we come into contact with Christ's death. The thief was there! He had direct contact with Christ at his death.

Since the thief had direct contact with Christ at his death, he was able to make a direct appeal for salvation. We are not in that position.

It is through baptism that we contact Christ's death and make our appeal. 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." (Quoted from NASB) (What would Peter have said if he meant "baptism now saves you"?)

Finally, the death, burial, and resurrection that baptism represents had not yet occurred at the time the thief lived. So, the thief could not have been obedient to this baptism.

Again I believe Jesus! Who do you believe?

As for the form of baptism, the New Testament was originally written in the Greek language. The Greek word we get the word "baptism" from, means to immerse.

Immersion is to dip down into the water. It is an overwhelming. The one being baptized is lowered into (until he is completely under) the water and then lifted up out of the water. It is not just sprinkling or pouring a little water on top of someone.

This can also be seen in Scripture.

John 3:23 says, "Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized." Only immersion requires "much water".

Baptism is described as going down into the water and coming up out of the water. (Matthew 3:16-17, Acts 8:38-39) Only immersion has the one being baptized going into the water.

Also, baptism is described as a burial. (Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12) Only immersion buries the one being baptized.

It's funny that the only place that people have trouble understanding baptism is in religion. If someone were to say they were "baptized in debt", would you think they had just a sprinkling of debt (a few bills)? No, someone described in this way is figuratively "covered up" with debt.

I saw a sports article that said the freshmen on a football team had an "early baptism". Of course it mean they were plunged into full sudden participation in the program. They did not just see a sprinkling of activity, but they were fully involved.

If we can understand this everywhere else, why not in religion?

There is no Biblical authority for infant baptism, as some teach. Rather, those being baptized were to first believe and repent. (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, Acts 8:36-38)

Answer 2

OK yes baptism is necessary ..

a proper baptism meaning..

1: fully emerged (not sprinkled water on)

2: Baptized in the name of The Father Son and Holy Spirit (not just in the name of Jesus)

3. It should be done after age of accountability ( the child should understand why their doing it)

now if someone is unable to be baptized because of health issues or what have you then that's why Jesus was Baptized for the ones that died before him and the ones that cant be baptized today...

Answer 3

I think this; Baptism was a public confession of a inward commitment, in Jesus and the Apostles days if you were baptized you were put out of the Jewish temple, so they really had to make a choice between Jesus and tradition, same today if it is tradition that keeps you from doing it.

I think some people believe in it but fear of what family or tradition or other non baptizing denominations think , so they keep it secret. Must be a open confession.

on the other hand the theft on the cross had no opportunity to get baptized, so there is special cases, BUT he did openly before men confess Jesus .
bottom line if it was good enough for my Lord it's good enough for me.

Answer 4

Everyone in the NT who was converted was baptized by water immersion, except for the thief on the cross, for whom it was impossible, so he took the baptism of Christ. (This is why Christ was baptized - He had no sins to be baptized for, but He did it for the sake of those who cannot - "to fulfill all righteousness".) Baptism symbolizes our burial with Christ into death, and our resurrection to new life in Him. This is a public confession of faith, which is expected of all new believers. Other forms of baptism, such as sprinkling or pouring, do not represent the "burial" in death of the "old man". One must be completely submerged. "One Lord, one faith, one baptism". If a person was baptized by a counterfeit method, they are allowed to be re-baptized by immersion, as were the men who inquired of Paul about their baptism by John. They were allowed to be re-baptized.

Answer 5

i'm nevertheless a splash puzzled approximately this concern. thank you for making it clearer for me. i'd say that baptism isn't mandatory for salvation. ok, do I even have this splendid? Baptism is meant to be a public act of repentance and assertion of our option to persist with Jesus. John the Baptist stated repent and be baptized, and Jesus grow to be baptizing followers too. i think like i'm lacking something. and how can we save that stability to steer away from it growing to be an empty ritual?

Answer 6

I have a strong view point on Baptism. What happeneds to the soul of a crack addicted Baby who dies before it can be baptized? I believe that God would have mercy on a baby that has made no choices, but some say that the child's soul would be sent to limbo or purgertory. I believe that Religion is such a personal choice that to take that choice away from someone isn't right. you have to make the choice for yourself to love God and believe in his word. so to me dunking newborn in water obviously without any knowledge of what or why this is happening is kind of silly. its just an excuse to party.

Answer 7

1 Cor. 10:2, the Israelites were 'baptized' when fleeing from the Egyptians. The 'thief' on the cross; went to paradise. Yes, water is required for 'baptism'; but does its presence 'depend' on ones perspective (separation of waters Gen. 1) when God was creating things?? I think now, it does.

Answer 8

No, it's not necessary. The only necessity to get into Heaven is to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and believe He died on the cross for you.

But Baptism is basically a way of cleansing yourself. It preaches a sermon. Buried with the dead man, raised to walk in the newness of life. It symbolizes the dead man that loved sinning just died and what do you do with a dead man? You bury them. Then Jesus raises us to be new people of Christ. It's basically saying I give up my life of sin and will strive to be a better Christian
[examples there taken from my pastor, Pastor Gary Simons of High Point Church]

Answer 9

As faith without works is dead, yes. Not that the act of baptism saves, nor that one cannot be saved before they are baptized, but true saving faith must have true confession if it is realm and baptism, like an "altar call," can be a "sinner's prayer" in body language, or a catalyst to bring forth true faith.

(Rom 10:9-10) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. {10} For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Rather than lead 3,000 convicted souls in a sinner's prayer, Peter told them to be baptized, thereby confessing Christ with no simply their mouth, but their body.

Romans 6 deals with the underlying typology, which is death to self and resurrection to "walk in newness of life" (6:4). Praise the Lord! This is to be done but complete immersion (Act 8:38), which is the only mode that corresponds to what it typifies.

Answer 10

No, the baptism mentioned in the new testament is a spiritual baptism. We were emersed in Him at his death and died when he died. Anything you think you need to "do" to gain favor with God is called a "work" and all of that was done away with at the cross. (Romans 11:35..who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed to him again?) God is not impressed by what we "do". He's impressed with what Chris did.
Bo