Is baptism necessary for salvation?

Question

I believe it is necessary for salvation because Jesus said it was necessary in John 3:5..."Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God."

Jesus said this himself.

Ryan H...the thief was saved because Jesus had not yet given this commandment...this commandment was given after Jesus arose from the grave.

Answer 1

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.”

Baptism is a command of Christ. He said, “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.” (Mark 16:16)

Many will tell you that someone believes, is saved, and then he shall be baptized. This is not 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 Jesus! “He that believes not shall be condemned.” (Mark 16:16)

Many agree that baptism is commanded by Christ, but they say it is not necessary for salvation. However, Hebrews 5:9 says, “He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” It is necessary to obey Christ to be saved!

Acts 2:38 says that baptism is “for the remission of sins”, “unto the remission of sins” or “so that your sins will be forgiven”. (Depending on which translation you read.) I Peter 3:21 says "baptism now saves"!

What would Peter have said if he had meant, “baptism now saves”?

In the conversion of Saul (Paul), Acts 22:16 says he was commanded to be baptized and wash away his sins. Can we be saved if our sins remain? The blood of Christ washes away sins (Revelation 1:5) .

Romans 6:3-4 says we are “baptized into Christ”. Can we be saved outside of Christ? (See Gal. 3:27 also.) These verses in Romans also say we are “baptized into his death”. At Christ’s death is where his saving blood was shed and offered for our sins. We must contact His death to contact that blood! Can we be saved if we have not contacted His death?

How can our sins be washed away by the blood (Revelation 1:5) if we have not contacted that blood? To contact the blood, we must contact His death where the blood was shed!

Romans 6:3-13 also say that at baptism we “rise to walk in newness of life.” At a birth there is a new life. Can we be saved if we have not been “born again” to this new life in Christ?

In the New Testament after Jesus gave the command about baptism, every example of a conversion specifically mentions baptism. None of these converts ate, drank, slept, or continued their journey until they were baptized. It was always immediate.

Some point to examples, such as the thief on the cross, before Jesus issued his command of baptism. He could not have obeyed a command that had not yet been issued. Also the death, burial, and resurrection that baptism now represents had not occurred at that time. How could he be baptized into Christ's death, when Christ had not yet died? How could he have been “buried with Christ” (Col. 2:12) when Christ had not yet been buried? How could he rise from baptism “in the likeness of His resurrection” when Christ had not yet risen?

Those before Christ's death lived under the Old Testament. The New Testament came into effect after Christ died and rose again. (Hebrews 9:15-17) And remember, it was after His death that Jesus commanded baptism (Mark 16:16, Matt. 28:18-20) All those who now live after that point in time are subject to the New Testament and to that command.

Also, the thief on the cross was at the scene of Christ's crucifixion. He had direct contact with Christ at His death. We are not in that position. Again, it is through baptism that we contact His death!

Saul who I mentioned earlier, is a good example of the necessity of baptism. He spoke to Jesus. He called Jesus “Lord” and he asked what he needed to do to be saved. Jesus told him to go into the city and it would be told to him what he “must do”. In the city he fasted for three days and he was praying. (Acts 9:9-11) Many would say he was saved at that point, but he still had not been told what he “must do”.

Then he was told to be baptized and wash away his sins “calling on the name of the Lord”. Obviously, “calling on the name of the Lord” involved more that saying ‘Lord’, more than praying, more than belief and more than repentance. Saul had done all of these things, but he still needed to call on the name of the Lord!

The phrase “calling on the name of the Lord” means to rely on His authority. Saul had not done this until he did what the Lord authorized (instructed), namely “be baptized”. (Mark 16:16, Matthew 28:18-20, read Luke 24:47 along with Acts 2:5 & 38).

Please note, even though he had not eaten or drank for three days, he was baptized before he took food. (Acts 9:18-19) This shows the urgency of baptism. In fact, none of the new converts in the book of Acts ate, drank, slept or continued a journey until they had been baptized!

Baptism is specifically mentioned in all of the examples of the conversion of an alien sinner in the book of Acts. Love, grace, mercy, confession, repentance, and the blood of Christ are all necessary for salvation, but, even though they can be inferred, they are not specifically mentioned every time. Baptism is!

After one believes, repents and confesses Christ; baptism is the point at which we come “into Christ”. The act of being immersed in water and rising up out of the water symbolically recreates Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. It is this way God has appointed for us to contact Christ's death and be forgiven of our sins. Baptism is “for the remission of sins"!

Answer 2

I'm still a little confused about this subject. Thank you for making it clearer for me. I would say that baptism is not necessary for salvation. Okay, do I have this right? Baptism is meant to be a public act of repentance and declaration of our choice to follow Jesus. John the Baptist said repent and be baptized, and Jesus was baptizing followers too. I feel like I am missing something. And how do we keep that balance to prevent it becoming an empty ritual?

Answer 3

Given your additional posts to your question, you know thatBaptism is an act of obedience to God after the Salvation experience....

Answer 4

Born of water... from the womb, not baptism. Read a little father in the same chapter.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever BELIEVES in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Baptism is a work.
Ephesians 2:8-10

8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.


Faith saves not works. We should be baptized in obedience to God, but it is not required for salvation.

It makes no sense that Jesus would come to tear down the barriers to salvation (rules) and then make a new one. It is simply foolish to believe that Jesus would do this. What does God want? He wants us to have faith and to trust in HIM, not our own actions.

Answer 5

I believe the Bible upholds that fact. It is true that we don't get baptized to *be* saved, but to show that Christ has saved us. But beware to him that, once knowing that Jesus commanded baptism (John 3:5), still thinks they don't need to be baptized:

James 4:17 "So then, if we do not do the good we know we should do, we are guilty of sin."

Nonetheless:

Acts 17:30 "God has overlooked the times when people did not know him, but now he commands all of them everywhere to turn away from their evil ways."

Then, for those whom could not be baptized, Jesus was baptized for them -- such as the believing thief on the cross beside Jesus.

Answer 6

Remember the thief on the cross. He didn't get baptized to go to heaven. Baptism is a sign to show obedience, and that you are a child of God. If people get saved before they die, then they go to heaven.

Answer 7

That "water" is speaking of human birth, water surrounding the baby in the womb before birth. Baptism is wonderful, and is great to do to follow Jesus' example, but is not mandatory to salvation.

Answer 8

Yo, brothers and sisters!
Are we going to turn Christ's magnificent grace into a law of works?
Christ says to be baptised.
If you are able, do it.
If you aren't able and you die in the interim yet have still confessed Christ as saviour you will live with Him in eternity.
Stop splitting hairs.
How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
"Have nothing to do with foolish arguements!"

Answer 9

No, but it is an outward display of one's inner faith. According to Romans, one must believe in one's heart that Christ died for one's sins and confess with one's mouth that He is Lord. Should you die immediately after confessing that but before being baptized, you will still see Him in paradise.

Think about the thief that died next to Christ. He said he believed and Christ told him he would see Him in paradise, even without baptism.

Answer 10

I obey Jesus because I love Him.