Are You Washed? - Does Baptism Save?

Please examine this topic with an open mind and an open Bible.  What's gospel? How can we be saved?  Does water baptism save?  Can a ritual bath or shower bring forgiveness?  Is a water rite the climax of a “salvation process?”

"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" (Jn. 3:16).  This is a good rap on the Gospel in capsule form.  Isaiah 53 is also an incisive summary of the Good News and baptism is not discussed (cf. Jn. 12:37,38).  Paul made it clear that faith is the key (not baptism):

By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.  For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures ... Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed (1 Cor. 15:2-4,11).
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Rom. 1:16,17).

Paul told those in Corinth, "I because your father through the gospel" (1 Cor. 4:15). If baptism were part of the gospel he could have said, “I become your father through a ritual washing."  Did Paul baptize many at Corinth?

I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, ...  For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel - not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. ... For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. (1 Cor. 1:14,17,21).

Baptism is a work (Matt. 3:14,15).  God "saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy" (Titus 3:5).  "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast" (Eph. 2:8,9, cf. Rom. 11:6).  Consider this passage from Colossians chapter two:

In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands.  Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead (Col. 2:11,12).

This speaks of spiritual circumcision and spiritual baptism.  Both baptism and circumcision are outward symbols that refer to inward change (Deut. 10:16, 30:6; Lk. 3:16, Acts 7:51).  These rites symbolize our departure from our old wicked ways into a fresh life with God.  "And he [Abraham] received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.  So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them" (Rom. 4:11).  Baptism, like circumcision, is a symbol of salvation, not a button you push in order to obtain heaven.

In Exodus 13:9,16 "sign" is used to mean "reminder" and "symbol."  Abe was saved before circumcision (Rom. 4:8-10).  Inward circumcision of the heart is our crucial need (Rom. 2:29).  No outward ritual saves us.  God saves us through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Galatians clearly teaches that adding works to grace destroys the real gospel:

Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.  You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.  For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.  The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Gal. 5:3-6, cf. 6:15)

The contrast is between works, such as baptism, and grace (a free gift), between circumcision (an outward action) and faith.  Baptism can't give life, only Jesus can!  See Acts 15:1-11.  Why then be baptized if it isn't required for salvation?  Jesus commanded it in Matt. 28:19, isn't that reason enough?

What about Acts 2:38?  "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."  Be sure to check out the context (Acts 2:14-41).  Peter's central Scripture passage is Joel 2:28-32 (vv. 17-21).  Joel spoke of God's promise to pour out the Holy Spirit and he didn't point to baptism but concluded with, "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  

The believers at Cornelius' house received the Holy Spirit before they were baptized (Acts 10:44-48; 11:15-18).  What does "for" mean in Acts 2:38?  "For" is a very broad word: "Jim jumped for joy!" “Sue was given a ticket for speeding." The Greek word for "for," εἰς (eis) can mean “with reference to," "in relation to," "concerning," "because of" etc.  Consider the following uses of eis:

• "they repented at the preaching of Jonah” (Lk. 11:32)
• "about" (Eph. 5:32)
• "take pride in himself" (Gal. 6:4)
• "beyond" (2 Cor. 10:13)
• "while he stayed in the province of  Asia" (Acts 19:22)
• "I baptize you with water as a sign of your repentance" (Matt. 3:11, Phillips)

The thing we have to do in order to gain forgiveness according to the book of Acts is believe in Jesus and repent of our sins: Acts 3:19; 4:4; 10:43; 11:20,21;  13:38,39,48; 16:31; 18:27.28.  Search "baptism," "faith," "repent" and "believe" in the New Testament and prayerfully seek God's will to resolve this issue in your mind.

What about Jn. 3:5? "I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."  First, think context (Jn. 3:1-21).  In this passage "born of water" occurs only once, while believe is mentioned seven  times.  Jesus said, "unless a man is born again. he cannot see the kingdom of God" (Jn. 3:3).  "Born again" can also mean "born from above" which tells us that this new and different kind of birth comes from God.  Jn. 1:13 points out that than new birth doesn't come from man's efforts but from God alone.  

In John 3:4 Nicodemus is thinking on the physical level and seemingly seeking salvation through his own abilities.  As "Israel's teacher" he should have thought of Ezekiel chapter thirty six:  

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.  And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.  And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ez. 36:25-27)

Note the parallels with John chapter three.  Ezekiel is speaking of a spiritual change brought about by the Holy Spirit not an outward ritual required to get to heaven.  Similarly, Isaiah makes a comparison between water and the Spirit (Is. 44:3).  Elsewhere in John we see that Jesus compares the Spirit with living water (Jn. 4:10-15; 7:37-39).  We're born again through the Gospel contained in the Word by the Spirit (1 Cor.  4:15; James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23), not by water!  John doesn't contradict himself, we're saved through faith, not water (Jn. 1:12; 3:36; 5:24; 6:28,29,47; 8:24; 11:25-27).  Are you a believer?

... these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (Jn. 20:31)Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (Jn. 3:18)Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God ...  Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? ...  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 Jn. 5:1,5,13)

Faith - not water.  Let us know what you think about baptism ...      

    ned_oa_1657@yahoo.com

Further Reading

Bob Ross has written a superb work on Campbellism and the "restoration movement" (Acts 2:38 or bust).

Jay Adams, famous as a pioneer in the Biblical counseling movement, has written a short but sweet book on baptism.

In the 1800's, James W. Dale produced an exhaustive four volume work on the uses of the word "baptism" from the Scriptural, Patristic, Judaic and Greek contexts.

Good News Osmosis (What is the Gospel?)

God created the universe and you.  At one time all was perfect.  When our Creator made Adam and Eve (the first married couple) there were no police, wars, deadly tsunamis, or cancer.  Sin came when they ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3).  We are born sinners and we all sin.  But sin has consequences.  God is love and God is just.  Rebellion must be punished.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

 

We are all doomed to permanent judgment – Jesus spoke very strongly about those who rejected him:

“Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 22:13).

“Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels …These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:41,46).

But, thank God, there is a solution!  Jesus is both God and Man.  He came to earth to rescue us from our sin problem.  He is the only way to heaven.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1,14).

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

क्‍योंकि परमेश्वर ने जगत से ऐसा प्रेम रखा कि उस ने अपना एकलौता पुत्र दे दिया, ताकि जो कोई उस पर विश्वास करे, वह नाश न हो, परन्‍तु अनन्‍त जीवन पाए। John 3:16 (Hindi)

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).

Jesus lived a perfect life and committed no sin.  When Christ died on the cross he became our substitute and took the punishment for sin in our place. 

“All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him” (Isaiah 53:6).

Our response is faith and repentance (turn from sin).  Jesus died for sin and rose again 3 days later.  The Apostle Paul explains the gospel (GoodNews):

“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas [Peter], then to the twelve.  After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep [died]” (1 Corinthians 15:1-6).

“… God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,  because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man [Jesus] whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30,31).

Salvation is not obtained by being nice, giving to charity or going to church:

“But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, he saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration [born again] and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4,5).

Once we become Christians we want to live for Jesus and obey his commands:

“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” (2 Corinthians 5:14,15).

 

Some reject the Bible because they think evolution is a fact.

Our book Biological Essentialism tackles Aristotle, UnDarwinism, human exceptionalism, worldview & bias, renegade scientists, Dawkins vs. Dawkins, natural kinds, gender confusion and the sanctity of human life among other topics.  Have you ever been curious about the Genesis "kinds" (Gen. 1:12)?  If so, please get a few copies for you and your friends!  Also, your positive review on Barnes&Noble would be most appreciated.

The first 11 chapters of Genesis are true history from the Creator of the cosmos.  Believe the GoodNews about Jesus today – the only route to true hope and positive change.  For more about the GoodNews for now and forever click here.  You should think about tomorrow and your ultimate end – it will soon be here.

Please let us know if you have any questions about salvation and eternal life with Jesus in heaven: https://totalyouth.us/contact-us

Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. (Jude vv. 22,23)

 

I highly recommend Ray Comfort's book God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life - The Myth of the Modern Message.  We heard Ray, Kirk Cameron and Ken Ham at the same event in Fort Worth years ago.  My wife and I visited a church in Bellflower (CA) that was led by an Aussie pastor who's wife was a Filipina. 

 

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