There are many who call themselves Christian who question or even deny the absolute need for baptism. However, as is proved below, the Bible teaches that baptism is essential for salvation.
In answer to Nicodemus, a teacher in Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ said,
...Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God
(Jn.3:5). The Lord Jesus also taught, He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned
(Mark 16:16). Surely
it is obvious that those who deny this requirement to believe
and be baptized cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
Scripture also
has an answer to those who claim that they have been baptized
with the Holy Spirit and that this supersedes, and therefore
removes, the need for baptism in water. Christ's answer to
Nicodemus states that both are required, as demonstrated in
the case of Cornelius, A devout man, and one that feared
God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people,
and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about
the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him,
and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he
was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him,
Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before
God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose
surname is Peter: ... he shall tell thee what thou
oughtest to do
(Acts 10:1...6). Peter, having learnt
that,Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of
persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh
righteousness, is accepted with him...
(vs34-35), came
and preached Christ to the assembly and, While Peter yet
spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which
heard the word
(v44). However, even then Peter had not
finished with what Cornelius "oughtest to do", for he
continued, Can any man forbid water, that these should
not be baptized, which have received the Holy Spirit as well
as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of
the Lord...
(vs47-48).
Peter had also
been baptized in water. Referring to the saving of Noah's
family by water, he states, The like figure whereunto
even baptism doth 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:...
(1Pet.3:21). Clearly, unless Peter and all
those he spoke of had been baptized, they could not have been
saved nor could they have the answer of a good conscience
towards God.
In expounding the
Gospel to the Galatian churches, the apostle Paul testified,
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ
Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ
have put on Christ...And if ye be Christ's, then are ye
Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise
(Gal.3:26-27...29). Again it follows that those who have
not been baptized into Christ have not put on
Christ, will not be Christ's, will not be
Abraham's seed and therefore will not be heirs
according to the promise.
The above
quotations also prove that the sprinkling of infants at a
'Christening' ceremony cannot be considered a Scriptural
baptism because the candidate can have had no belief at that
time. A subsequent 'confirmation' does not remedy that defect
and is a mere tradition of men. When the Lord Jesus Christ
said, ...Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God
as a little child, he shall not enter therein
(Mk.
10:15), he was not sanctioning infant baptism. Proof that he
wasn't is evident from examination of the context of a
similar passage in Matt. 18:1-6: -
At the same
time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little
child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said,
Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as
little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of
heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this
little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name
receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones
which believe in me, it were better for him that a
millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were
drowned in the depth of the sea.
It is not the status of children which is being taught here, rather the meekness, humility and teachability required of those who are willing to be converted from their old ways to be joined to Christ. The significance of Baptism in this conversion process is expounded in Rom.6:3-5. It signifies the death and burial of the old worldly creature and a resurrection to newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is the first act of obedience of the new convert. Those who deny the necessity of baptism are simply refusing to put away their old wilful ways. See also Notes on The Atonement.
For as many
of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on
Christ...And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed,
and heirs according to the promise.
HOME ©2011-2016_M.A.C.