Is Water Baptism Essential to Salvation?

[Hansc]

Is Water Baptism Essential to Salvation?

Must a person be baptized to be saved?

What is your understanding of this matter?

Why do you believe as you do?

(In case any wonder, my position is that water baptism is NOT essential to salvation. While I believe people should be baptized, their salvation is not determined by, nor dependent upon baptism.)

[allofgrace]

Is Water Baptism Essential to Salvation?

To fulfill part of all that is righteous as Jesus said to John the Baptist prior to His baptism. This act and all acts of obedience demonstrate the desire which the Lord puts in the believer's heart to obey and to do(Phil 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.) John the Apostle said in 1 John 2:28-29 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. Obedience should be the desire of the heart for all Christians and is why Paul and others kept telling us to examine ourselves that we be in the faith. This passage here in 1 John tells us why it is important, that we be not ashamed at Jesus coming.

Must a person be baptized to be saved?

No, but if one willfully reject the first thing a believer should do without very good cause, that is no demonstration of a surrender heart. We can see in the NT days it was done speedily to new converts but I believe scripture plainly teaches that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness(remission). It says nothing of water baptism being a requirement. This is as good an example as any of which there are several which tells us how saints are cleansed: Rev 7:13-14 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

What is your understanding of this matter?

Why do you believe as you do?

The answers above state my convictions.

[He giveth more grace]

Ephesians 4:5 tells us that to the Christian there is only one baptism which is concurrent and synonymous with our being regenerated (saved) "One Lord, one faith, one baptism...". Water Baptism is a commandment of the Lord to show in the nature/physical what has already happened in the spiritual. Baptism with water is a testimony to all what has happen before you step into the water of Baptism.

The word baptism has the idea of identified with or united to, God has identified us into Christ death, burial, and resurrection. Water baptism is a sign for a greater reality of what has already happened.

So, no Water Baptism is not essential to Salvation! The Baptism into Christ' death, burial, and resurrection is salvation.

It's like, does the wedding ring make you a husband or wife, or does the marriage license and ceremony? No God uses the natural to show the spiritual.

[gdemoss]

Was Abraham taking his son up on a mountain and preparing to sacrifice him essential to his salvation? Did Jesus need to be baptized to fulfill all righteousness? Did Lehman have to dip himself in the Jordan 7 times to be cleansed of his leprosy? Is obedience to Jesus required to receive eternal life? Are we to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all things that are commanded of Jesus in scripture?

Questions like these are not easily discerned. Many people I encounter believe that nothing is required on the part of the recipient of salvation except easy believism. We as people naturally seek a standard that we can apply in a legalistic manner to answer such questions as 'Is water baptism essential for salvation?'. I personally do not hold any rigid line but say that obedience is necessary for eternal life according to Hebrews 5. One either obeys sin or Christ according to Romans 6,7 and 8. Those are the two choices. We are merely servants who must serve someone according to Philippians 2. One must understand fully what it means to walk in the Spirit in order to understand the actual requirements of having eternal life. The Spirit of Jesus Christ is eternal life. One must have Christ to have life. I was saved from sin and given life through Christ who is in me and quickening my mortal flesh that I might have life and have it more abundantly. As part of following Christ in me, I submitted myself to a water baptism where I was identified with Christ's death, burial and resurrection as an outward sign of an inward change. I did it out of obedience to the Word of God as I had opportunity to do so. I merely suggest that anyone who has the opportunity to make application of anything in scripture towards their obedience to Christ, do so. Whether or not it is a salvation issue when you stand before him or not is between you and him in that day as he will decide whether or not you are his according to Matthew 7 and other texts. Why would one not want to obey Christ?

[Sevenseas]

Who could ever forget that thread....some people think it is and is not all at the same time

I believe it is a command, but I disagree that in some cases it is necessary for salvation

If that sounds confusing, just click the link because I am pretty sure this thread will go the same way

[Sevenseas]

Ephesians 4:5 tells us that to the Christian there is only one baptism which is concurrent and synonymous with our being regenerated (saved) "One Lord, one faith, one baptism...". Water Baptism is a commandment of the Lord to show in the nature/physical what has already happened in the spiritual. Baptism with water is a testimony to all what has happen before you step into the water of Baptism.

[Guest shiloh357]

Water baptism is not essentia to salvation. Baptism IS essential as an act of obedience, but it has no bearing on how a person is saved.. Being obedient to the commandment to be baptized in water is an evidence that one has truly committed their heart to the Lord and seek to serve Him with a sincere heart.

Salvation is Jesus plus nothing. People seek to add baptism to the work of the cross and they are theoloically mistaken for doing so.

[GoldenEagle]

Baptisim is like a wedding ring, it is not essential to wear but in doing so it testifies of your union with another. That is the simpliest way I have heard it said.

God bless,

GE

[Guest shiloh357]

Baptisim is like a wedding ring, it is not essential to wear but in doing so it testifies of your union with another. That is the simpliest way I have heard it said.

That's a good way to look at it.

[He giveth more grace]

Baptisim is like a wedding ring, it is not essential to wear but in doing so it testifies of your union with another. That is the simpliest way I have heard it said.

You perfected what I said, I like your way better.