Is Baptism necessary for Salvation?

[Jayyycuuup]

Yes, it is necessary. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the role model and example we should follow because He is the Way to salvation. Christ had Himself baptized despite the fact that He did not need it; therefore, we should follow Him.

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Should we ? Absolutely, I think everyone should..... Do you have to in order to be saved ? No...

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

I don't think so. While it is true that Christ came down to bring us redemption does not mean that we can now follow our own will and do whatever we want. If we did that, we would just be going back to the same thing that Adam and Eve did when they disobeyed God. Now that Christ gave us redemption, we still have to follow certain things. If we can't obey those simple things such as "baptism" then how can we be obedient to Christ? Afterall, baptism was ordered by God. It was never ordered by man.

Can you provide scripture that states baptism is an absolute ? No, because there is none. God may have ordained that we should, but never once does he say that if your not it keeps you from salvation. That is something that is read into, the bible say's that whoever confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus as Lord and Savior, that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. Period, why try and make it complicated ? I personally believe everyone should get baptized in the Name of the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit, but it is not a law set by God in order for salvation.... this is not something that was preached, nor something that God says will keep you from the kingdom but, rather man reading into what was done in the bible. God said it I believe it, that whoever confess with their mouth the following things above you WILL be saved.

[John Robinson]

I was baptized when I was 14, but only to shut up my mom (I was a closet athiest at the time, but I think she suspected). Ten years later, when I truly got saved, I did it again, but this time for myself. Somebody once said baptism is an "outward sign of an inward act." That pretty much says it. I'd publicly lived like the devil for over twenty years, so when I gave my heart to Jesus, I just as publicly wanted that fact to be known.

That said, after I was saved I worked with a guy who was a member of the Church of Christ (no musical instruments in their sanctuary, rabidly cessationist, rock-ribbed in their insistance that baptism is crucial to salvation, and so on). Although I disagreed with him about his church's teachings (he thought Pentecostals--of which I was, and am, one--were demon-possessed) he still was a very nice, albeit misguided, man.

Edited August 22, 2012 by John Robinson

[larryt]

I would like to discuss this topic and listen to any and everyone's opinions on this matter if you care to share. I personally do not believe it is necssary, and later in the thread I will bring scripture into the dialoge to support my postion.

Disclosure: I notice posters like to quickly say when I start a thread (Oh gee, we have already talked about this, or this isn't important to me), to those posters I say great, I have discussed this a 1000 times too, but not here. Also there are always new posters coming into our forum, so just keep those non-contributing remarks to yourselves.

Hi, upnorthfan,

The term baptism is commonly referring to the immersion in water. If that is what you mean then no it is not necessary for salvation. The term baptise means to immerse. Into what the object is to be immersed is not inherant in the word. To be saved we must be immersed into Christ though and this is necessary for salvation.

LT

Hi LT,

Nice to meet you. Do you think the act of baptism in and of itself is necessary for Salvation? At what age should one be baptised? What if a little baby isn't baptised, what then?

It is not necessary for salvation, it is not a matter of age as only believers are baptised and baptising a baby has no bearing in the eyes of God whatsoever.

[OneLight]

Yes, it is necessary. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the role model and example we should follow because He is the Way to salvation. Christ had Himself baptized despite the fact that He did not need it; therefore, we should follow Him.

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Many quote this verse to back the belief that one has to be baptized, but the second part of the verse does not say "but he that believeth not, or is not baptized, shall be damned." It excluded baptism because baptism is not necessary for salvation. As you said, we should obey and be baptized.

[OneLight]

Yes, it is necessary. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the role model and example we should follow because He is the Way to salvation. Christ had Himself baptized despite the fact that He did not need it; therefore, we should follow Him.

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Should we ? Absolutely, I think everyone should..... Do you have to in order to be saved ? No...

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

I don't think so. While it is true that Christ came down to bring us redemption does not mean that we can now follow our own will and do whatever we want. If we did that, we would just be going back to the same thing that Adam and Eve did when they disobeyed God. Now that Christ gave us redemption, we still have to follow certain things. If we can't obey those simple things such as "baptism" then how can we be obedient to Christ? Afterall, baptism was ordered by God. It was never ordered by man.

I have a question (close your eyes gdemoss). If a person is on their death bed, just about to pass, and they accept Jesus as their Savior, then dies without being baptized, are they saved?

There is a difference between being saved and being obedient.

[gdemoss]

(close your eyes gdemoss)

[Jayyycuuup]

Difficulty's lol..... So this is towards your post to me Selene.......

I don't think so, your making your basis off of what Jesus told his disciples. If Christ meant what you are saying then He would have said he that believeth not and is not baptized shall be damned. But that is not what it says, Christ only say's he who does not believe.....so your adding to what he said. Do you have anything else to add to your claim ?

I do, that states all you have to do is accept Christ and you shall live for eternity with our Lord !

John 5:35 And Jesus said to them "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."

John 5:37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." --By saying that you have to be baptized in order to be saved would be holding your own interpretation above the words of Christ, He states that whoever COMES to Me, shall not be cast out i.e not be saved.

[Jayyycuuup]

Yes, it is necessary. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the role model and example we should follow because He is the Way to salvation. Christ had Himself baptized despite the fact that He did not need it; therefore, we should follow Him.

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Should we ? Absolutely, I think everyone should..... Do you have to in order to be saved ? No...

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

I don't think so. While it is true that Christ came down to bring us redemption does not mean that we can now follow our own will and do whatever we want. If we did that, we would just be going back to the same thing that Adam and Eve did when they disobeyed God. Now that Christ gave us redemption, we still have to follow certain things. If we can't obey those simple things such as "baptism" then how can we be obedient to Christ? Afterall, baptism was ordered by God. It was never ordered by man.

I have a question (close your eyes gdemoss). If a person is on their death bed, just about to pass, and they accept Jesus as their Savior, then dies without being baptized, are they saved?

There is a difference between being saved and being obedient.

Christ knows the Heart, and if they truly repented, I believe so because Christ is loving and will accept all who come to him. (I know the point your making, just wanted to say something if that is okay )

[OneLight]

Yes, it is necessary. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the role model and example we should follow because He is the Way to salvation. Christ had Himself baptized despite the fact that He did not need it; therefore, we should follow Him.

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Should we ? Absolutely, I think everyone should..... Do you have to in order to be saved ? No...

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

I don't think so. While it is true that Christ came down to bring us redemption does not mean that we can now follow our own will and do whatever we want. If we did that, we would just be going back to the same thing that Adam and Eve did when they disobeyed God. Now that Christ gave us redemption, we still have to follow certain things. If we can't obey those simple things such as "baptism" then how can we be obedient to Christ? Afterall, baptism was ordered by God. It was never ordered by man.

I have a question (close your eyes gdemoss). If a person is on their death bed, just about to pass, and they accept Jesus as their Savior, then dies without being baptized, are they saved?

There is a difference between being saved and being obedient.

Why are you asking me? I'm not the one who makes that judgement. God has always been the one who decides who goes to Heaven and who goes to Hell. I never made that decision.

There is a difference between being saved and being obedient?? When God told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, their disobedience got them kicked out of the Garden of Eden. Their disobedience did not save them. Do you think that it's okay to disobey God? Don't you think we should obey the things ordered by God? Afterall, to "believe" is "to obey." If a person truly believes in God, that person would obey God.

I asked you because of your post, and to make you think a bit. So, thinking back to when you were first saved, were you always obedient? Are you always obedient now? If not, are you in and out of salvation according to obeying or not?

The question was also to show that not everyone has time to be baptized after they are saved, and in these cases, I believe they will return to the Lord, even if they are not baptized. I agree that God knows the heart of a person, not us, yet, this discussion is about someone being saved if they are not baptized.

I noticed you did not reply to my first post to you. Did you miss it?

[firestormx]

I would say. Baptism is not required for salvation, but evidance of Belief. The thief on the cross beside jesus is a good example. Christ said he would be with him in paradise and he could not get baptised. There's nothing in the bible that says he was baptised, he just believed. But, peter himself mentioned being baptised on the day of penacost. So clearly it's important, but I would think heart felt repentance and acceptance and Belief in Christ would be enough.