Tuesday

Baptism Saves: An answer to those who believe it does


Baptism has been a subject of debate and division for centuries. Those who believe it is only a picture of death and resurrection have their verses. Those who believe it has partial or total saving value have their texts. I believe the Bible clearly teaches that baptism is for believers (Acts 2:41; 8:36-37) and that it is by immersion (Acts 8:38-39; Colossians 2:12).

Those who believe baptism is a part of salvation use five basic texts to substantiate their position. The purpose of this post is to identify and answer those texts.


"He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." IF you stop reading in the middle, you would conclude that baptism is a part of salvation. However, when you read the entire verse, you immediately become aware that it teaches the opposite. The fact that baptism is omitted from the second part of the verse indicates that the determining factor of salvation is belief, not baptism. People are condemned not because of their lack of baptism, but because of their lack of belief (Revelation 21:8).

See here five timeless truths about baptism.
  • It does not save.
  • It is important because Christ commanded it.
  • It is by immersion (meaning of baptize in original).
  • It is for believers (word order "believeth and baptized").
  • God doesn't want secret disciples. He wants those who will take a public stand for Him.


"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." There are several possible interpretations of water here, any of which may be the true meaning, but certainly not baptism.

The water here may have reference to physical birth. The context would support this view (v. 6). That is, as you were born into your earthly family by a physical birth, you must be born into God's family by a spiritual birth through the work of the Holy Spirit. The water may be a symbol of the Word of God (John 15:3; Ephesians 5:26). Through the instrumentality of God's Word (James 1:18; I Peter 1:23) and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, a person
is born again (from above) into God's family.

Water cannot refer to baptism (thus making it a necessary part of salvation), because the verse would then contradict John 1:12, John 14:6, Acts 16:30-31, and Romans 10:13, all of which state that salvation is through Christ alone.


"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." The preposition "for" is the key to a proper understanding. It cannot mean "in order to" as demanded by baptismal regenerationists for two reasons:
  1. Greek grammar: The preposition
    2. hina (in order to), used some 500 times in the New Testament, is not here. Eis, an indefinite preposition of reference, used some 1,800 times is. Though it can be translated in various ways, it can never mean "in order to." Greek scholar A. T. Robertson feels the best translation here is "because." Believers are to be baptized because they are already in possession of the remission of sins, not in order to obtain them.

    3. Peter's theology: Compare his messages in Acts 2:38 with 3:19 and 10:43. Acts 2:38 and 3:19 each mention repentance, but the latter omits baptism. If baptism is a part of salvation, why is it conspicuously absent in 3:19? Acts 2:38 and 10:43 both speak of the remission of sin, but the latter omits baptism. Why? Either Peter had a change of theology between chapters two and three and two and ten, or he had a fatal lapse in memory, or baptism does not save or help to save. I opt for the latter.


"And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Paul's conversion is detailed in three chapters of the Acts. Chapter 9 is the historical account. Chapters 22 and 26 are his personal account of this life-changing event. Paul was clearly a believer (v. 13) before he was commanded to be baptized (v. 16). Likewise in chapter 9, he is Spirit-filled (v. 17) before he is baptized (v. 18). In his Expanded Translation of the New Testament, Greek scholar Kenneth S. Wuest translates v. 16, "Having arisen, be baptized and wash away your sins, having previously called upon His name." As the arising precedes the baptism, so calling on the name of the Lord precedes forgiveness. The Amplified New Testament gives, "Rise and be baptized, and by calling upon His name wash away your sins." We are saved by calling upon the name of the Lord (Acts 2:21; 9:14; Romans 10:13). The washing away of sins is to be connected with the calling on the name of the Lord and not baptism.


"Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water, the like figure whereunto even baptism doeth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Noah and his family were saved by the ark, not water. The water was the righteous judgment of God upon sinful mankind. Noah's story is a scene of safety in the midst of judgment.

"Figure" in v. 21 is the Greek word antitupon, from which we get the word "antitype." An antitype is that which corresponds to or is foreshadowed in the type. As the Flood separated Noah from his sinful world, so baptism is a figure (a picture) of one's break from his old sinful life and entrance into new life in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17).

"Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh" indicates what baptism does not do. It has no effect in improving the outward man. It does not save from sin.

"The answer (the requirement) of a good conscience toward God" tells what baptism does accomplish. It saves a believer from a bad conscience. It is something which a conscience made sensitive and pure relative to God's will requires.


Conclusion

There are six reasons why I reject the concept that baptism saves or helps to save.


    2. The thief on the cross was saved without baptism or any other external means (Luke 23:39-43).

    3. The Bible clearly teaches that salvation is through Christ alone (Acts 16:30-31; I Corinthians 15:1-4).

    4. The Bible clearly identifies the cleansing agent for sin is the blood of Christ and not water (Romans 5:9; Ephesians 1:7; 2:13; Hebrews 9:22; 10:10-19; I Peter 1:18-19; I John 1:7; Revelation 1:5; 5:9).

    5. If baptism saves, then why did Christ die?

    6. A proper understanding of the place and meaning of baptism in the New Testament negates its sacramental value.

    7. The texts used to support baptismal regeneration (Mark 16:16; John 3:5; Acts 2:38; 22:16; I Peter 3:20-21) can be answered.




© STelloyan



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