Do you have to be baptized in order to go to Heaven??

Question

I wasnt baptized as a baby cause my mom wanted me to make the choice on my own. Now im debating wether it really matters, God should still love you even if your not baptized right?

Answer 1

You are saved by grace alone but baptism is what you do because you are a Christian. We are commanded to be baptized after we become a Christian. My own personal experience was after I was baptized I felt like I had a clean slate and was born a new. I also felt that I could fight sin better. It is like putting on the full armor of God.

Answer 2

Heaven and hell are right here on earth, I wouldn't worry too much about the baptism thing, if that was the case, then lots of people are in hell, for the baptism only started in Jesus's time, and there was plenty of people way before that. You don't have to be of any organized religion to have spirituality, or to believe in God, God is in you, and you get to heaven with your actions. If you live a good life, then you are already in Heaven. And as soon as you begin to believe in God, then you are saved from worries, headaches, and most problems that come to you when you don't do the right thing, and then have to pay the consequences. So you see it is simple, Do what is right, and the rest will come, you will get what you need and maybe even what you want.

Answer 3

You don't have to be baptized (I'm Catholic, by the way) but, generally, most people of faith choose to. However, you don't have to be baptized by only a priest, pastor, etc. Anyone of faith can baptize you at home, in a pool, a puddle, a water dropper, etc. When you're baptized, you are baptized a priest, a prophet, and a king. This applies to male and female. Think about it and make the choice your heart tells you to make. I myself didn't do my confirmation (Catholic) until my thirties. I was actually glad I waited because I went in with eyes wide open.

Answer 4

No, baptism is simply our first act of obedience after getting saved. We get baptized for no other reason then because God told us to. When Jesus was crucified there was a criminal who was also crucified next to Him. That criminal believed on Jesus and Jesus told him that this day he would be with him/Jesus in paradise. The thief was not baptized but he was Saved. Being Saved, believing on Jesus, is what determines if you go to Heaven. However, I do believe that when we obey God and get baptized that the Holy Spirit then opens up the scriptures to us and we then understand things that we didn't understand before.

Answer 5

The point of it is,
Do you know God.
Do you live a righteous life
Do you care about others
Do you shine your light when around you it is going belly-up
Do you live your truth, no matter what is appearing
Are you kind, courteous, caring, to all beings,

Whether someone puts some water on your head when you were are baby, does not give you a free ticket to heaven.

Life lived well, is the reward, we can either live as heaven exists, or live a life that is hellish.
Every moment of every day is a new choice.
Know this, and make yours well.
It does all come out in the wash.

Answer 6

While we should preach that all men are commanded to repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38), adding any other requirement to salvation by grace becomes "works" in disguise. Even though numerous Scriptures speak of the importance of water baptism, adding anything to the work of the cross demeans the sacrifice of the Savior. It implies that His finished work wasn’t enough. But the Bible makes clear that we are saved by grace, and grace alone (Ephesians 2:8,9). Baptism is simply a step of obedience to the Lord following our repentance and confession of sin. Our obedience— water baptism, prayer, good works, fellowship, witnessing, etc.—issues from our faith in Christ. Salvation is not what we do, but Who we have: "He that has the Son has life" (1 John 5:12).

Answer 7

If you believe Jesus Christ is the son of God. Then you would want to follow his example and be baptized. In the account of his baptism he was an adult.

I believe your mother was right that you should choose for yourself to be baptised. A good age of accountabilty is 8.

If you beleive that God is your Heavenly Father, then you are his child. God loves all of his children.

Answer 8

Some Christian philosophies state that baptism is immersion into the body of Christ and that the symbolic act of baptism doesn't matter in the end. But think of baptism as a ceremony or rite of passage, like marriage. You're making a formal transition from one stage in your life to another and allowing others in society to know it. On a spiritual level, you're not married until the ceremony is performed; that is, your souls haven't been joined under God until at whatever point in the ceremony it's supposed to happen...

...baptism is similar, only you're opening yourself to the Holy Spirit. You receive the gift of the Holy Spirit upon baptism. The point of baptism isn't JUST to be saved (although it's a crucial step), it's to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (which doesn't imply craziness or speaking in tongues or prophecy or any of that, just for the record).

Of course God loves you, but to be imbued with his spirit, baptism is the key.

It sounds like you're Catholic, so I don't know much about how they view baptism.

Answer 9

1 Pet 3: NKJV
21 There is also an antitype which now saves us--baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

As we see the conscience is involved. The baptism into water does not remove the sin, but is a symbolic act of the regeneration the believer. Thus, it is an act of faith done toward God, but also as a confession before men.

Answer 10

Well some Christian denominations say you must be born again to be saved. Catholics baptize you at birth. People that dog the Catholic religion say that you need a full water baptism,(not a spoon of water on your head) so..... I.E. in a river or something. Me personally, Just Believe in Jesus Christ and you'll be fine.