Why Water Baptism Is Not Essential to Salvation

1. Why Water Baptism Is Not Essential to Salvation By Steve Morrison www.BibleQuery.org

2. Points We Should Agree On Salvation was purchased neither by water nor by faith. Our salvation is by grace through the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. The issue is whether we choose to receive that salvation through a) faith (most Bible-believing Christians, including some Church of Christ) b) faith plus one work: baptism (some Church of Christ) c) faith plus works in general (Catholic, Orthodox, some Church of Christ) d) being a nice guy (Jesus’ blood was unnecessary) (many liberal Protestants and Catholics)

3. Why This is Important A person can believe wrong on one of the first two and still be saved. But this is still important and unscriptural: 1. Says God sometimes breaks His promise 2. Salvation: God plus our response plus a 3rd party 3. Is there is a corner in Hell for some obedient believers? What if a Church of Christ person believed, but was killed in a car wreck on the way to being baptized?

4. Thesis Nowhere does the Bible say the words “Cannot be saved without water baptism” Granted that some Bible truths are implied, not directly stated. But allegedly implied truths that contradict Biblically stated truths are untruths

5. Outline: Five Points Through Faith (Jn 3:16,18,36; Jn 5:24; 6:29,35,40 Rom 10:9-13; 1 Cor 1:14,17a etc.) Response of a Believer (Mk 16:16; Jn 3:3-6; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet 3:20-21 etc.) Understanding Salvation(Eph 2:8-10) Thief on the Cross(Luke 23:40-43) Holy Spirit & Cornelius (Acts 10:43-48)

6. Through Faith We Are Saved Some verses teach belief/faith for salvation, no mention of baptism. Others explicitly give the Promise of All who believe / have faith … are saved (John 3:16,18, etc.) We should all believe God’s promises. But what is genuine belief / saving faith?

7. Genuine Belief / Saving Faith • Saving Faith is not belief about but believing on • Even the devils believe – and shudder (Jms 2:19) • “Cheap grace”, mere belief about facts, but not leading to a transformed life, is dead (Jms 2:20-24) • True belief means trusting our lives to God OT: Ps 4:5; 9:10; 13:5; 20:7; 22:4,9; 25:2; Pr 3:5; Isa 8:17 NT: Rom 4:5; 9:33; 10:11; 1 Pet 2:6; Heb 2:13 (quotes 2 Sam 22:3) Blondin & the Tightrope across Niagara Falls illustration Old Testament believers, with the knowledge they had, were saved trusting forward to the same Savior we have, while we with knowledge we have trust backwards at the finished work of Christ.

8. Genuine Belief in Jesus as Lord Genuine belief in Jesus as Lord implies a repentance, calling on God, and commitment to obedience, including I might add, practicing the Lord’s supper and baptism. But let’s say a person was unable to fulfill baptism or another act of obedience, God understands out intentions.

9. Role of Works in Salvation Both Ephesians 2:8-9 and James 2 show that works have an important role in our salvation: they are an output, not an input. Works are like a beating heart. You can make a dead person’s heart beat with electrodes, but that does not mean they are alive. But if you say a person is alive but their heart is not beating, then I have my doubts. Baptism is a work of a saved believer, not a lost person. But if someone says works have a role in us getting saved, then they deny Ephesians 2:8.

11. John 3:16 Jn 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.” (KJV)

12. John 3:18 Jn 3:18 He that believeth in Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (KJV) When you believed in Christ, were you condemned or not condemned at that exact in time?

13. John 3:36 (KJV) “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

14. John 5:24 (KJV) “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

15. Acts 10:43 (KJV) Acts 10:43 “To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name, whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.” This was said to Cornelius prior to baptism

16. Rom 10:9-13 (Joel 2:32a; Acts 2:21) (KJV) “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (11) For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (12) For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. (13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

17. 1 Cor 1:14; 17a (KJV) 1 Cor 1:14 “I [Paul] thank God that I baptized none of you except Cris’pus and Ga’i-us” 1 Cor 1:17a “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel:”

18. Jn 6:28-29,35,40 (KJV) Jn 6:28-29“Then said they unto him, What shall we do that we might work the works of God? (29) Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” Jn 6:35 “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” Jn 6:40 “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

20. Summary of the First Section While some verses mention belief without baptism, many other verses say that all who believe, regardless of baptism will be saved. Saving faith is a living faith, that is willing to repent, confess God, and obey. Of course getting baptized with water is part of obeying. But if a person dies before they are able to be baptized, God looks at our heart.

21. Response of a Believer Belief in the Lord Jesus implies a pledge of obedience. But this does NOT imply God sends an obedient believer, who in unable to do something, to Hell! While no other way except Christ (Jn 14:6b, Acts 4:12) the Bible never says condemned without baptism. While these show baptism is an important response of believers, no verse reneges on God’s promise to all who believe!

23. Mark 16:16 yet John 3:36 Mark 16:16 “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (NKJV) Yet John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (NKJV) Change for a dollar & a water bottle illustration

24. John 3:4-6 yet John 3:16,18a John 3:4-6 “‘Nic-o-de’mus saith unto Him, ‘How can a man be born when is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ (5) Jesus answered, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (KJV) Jn 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.” (KJV) Jn 3:18a “He that believeth on him is not condemned”

25. Jn 3:4-6 said before the resurrection a) If baptism essential before resurrection: Thief on the cross problem in Lk 23:43 b) If baptism not-essential, then since Jesus told Nicodemus prior to His resurrection, John 3:5 cannot teach no unbaptized person can be saved. But if b), note that believers were to be baptized in Jn 4:2. Water baptism: Not practiced in the OT, a command in the New, but never was it simply a suggestion!

26. Acts 2:37-38 yet Acts 10:43 Acts 2:37-38 “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ (38) Peter replied, ‘[ya’ll] Repent and [he/she] be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for [eis] the forgiveness / remission [aphesin] of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (NIV/NKJV) Yet Acts 10:43 “To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission / forgiveness of sins.” (NKJV/NIV)

27. Yet Acts 2:21 (Joel 2:32a; Rom 10:13) “And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (NKJV) So right before Acts 2:36, Peter told us the criteria for receiving salvation: Acts 2:21.

28. Forgiveness/Remission [Aphesin] are the Same word in Greek The word forgiveness/remission is the same Greek: aphesin (Strong’s 859) The same Greek word is used as: Remission (KJV/NKJV) Mt 26:28; Mk 1:4; Lk 1:77; 3:3; 24:47; Heb 9:22; 10:18 Forgiveness (KJV/NKJV), Mk 3:29; Acts 5:31; 13:38; 26:18; Eph 1:7; Col 1:14 NIV has forgiveness/forgiven in all these verses

29. Many Meanings of Eis (Strong’s 1519) Eis mean in order to cause Lk 5:14 Jesus told the cleansed leper to show himself to the priests as Moses commanded eis a testimony to them. Eis means “because of” Mt 3:11 “John baptized eis repentance. If eis could only mean to cause remission of sins in Acts 2:38, then eis would have to baptize to cause repentance in Mt 3:11 Mt 12:41 [Ninevites] “repented eis the preaching of Jonah” Eis means “to” Jn 4:5 “He [Jesus] comes eis a city of Samaria” Jn 11:31 “She goes eis the tomb” Eis means “about” or “in reference to” Acts 2:25 David speaks eis him

30. Cause and Effect and Eis If eis could only mean “caused” The Ninevites “caused” the preaching of Jonah? Mt 12:31 Mary goes to “cause” the tomb”? Jn 11:31 Through one man sin “caused” the world”? Rom 5:12) John the Baptist had a baptism for repentance to cause forgiveness of sins too. (Then what about the thief on the cross?) (Lk 3:3) You cannot base a doctrine on a grammatical ambiguity!

31. Acts 22:16 yet Acts 22:13a Acts 22:16 [Ananias told Paul] “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.” (NIV) Acts 22:13a “He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’…” (NIV) Saul/Paul was already a fellow believer in Acts 22:13. 1) This does not say baptism saved, and 2) if it was the water that washed sins away that would be against 1 Peter 3:21.

32. More on Brother Now in Rom 9:3 brethren meant fellow Jews. However: We have no proof that Ananias was Jewish Ananias and Paul had a bond that was closer than being Jewish: even prior to Paul’s baptism, both were genuine believers. All genuine believers are our brothers. Baptism is only something a brother and sister believer does.

33. Alexander Campbell Christian Messenger, 1831 p.19,21 “My opinion is that immersion is the only baptism. But shall I therefore make my opinion a term of Christian fellowship? If in this case I thus act, where shall I cease from making my opinions terms of fellowship? I confess I see no end. . . . Let us still acknowledge all to be brethren, who believe in the Lord Jesus, and humbly and honestly obey him, as far as they know his will, and their duty.”

34. Rom 6:3-5 yet Rom 10:9-13 Rom 6:3-4 “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (4) Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (5) For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:” (KJV) While Rom 6 refers to water baptism, not just Spirit baptism, this never says cannot be saved if not baptized. Rather, it gives the meaning of baptism (our identification with Christ’s death and resurrection.

35. Yet Rom 10:9-13 Rom 10:9-13 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (10) For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (11) For Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame. (12) For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. (13) For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (NKJV)

36. 1 Cor 6:11 yet Rom 8:11; Eph 1:13-14a 1 Cor 6:11 “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God.” (NIV) Washed by the Spirit here, not water. Baptism of the Holy Spirit is in Mt 3:11b; Mk 1:8; Lk 3:16b; Acts 1:5+2:4; 8:16-17; 19:2-7; 1 Cor 12:13

37. Yet Rom 8:11; Eph 1:13-14a Rom 8:11 “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (NKJV) Eph 1:13-14a “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, (14) who is the guarantee of our inheritance…” (NKJV)

38. Gal 3:26-27 yet 2 Cor 5:4-5 Gal 3:26-27 “For you are all sons of God though faith in Christ Jesus, (27) For all of you who were baptized in Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”(uNASB) The Greek word enduo “clothed/put on” (Strong’s 1746) “in the sense of sinking into a garment); to invest with clothing (lit. or fit.): array, cloths (with), endue, have (put) on.” As a soldier has a uniform, being clothed with Christ is an external emblem or an inward change and new identity.

39. Yet 2 Cor 5:4-5 Yet 2 Cor 5:4-5 “For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who have prepared for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” (NKJV) Even we are not fully clothed while in this life, but in the New Testament those who have the Spirit are guaranteed they will be fully clothed.

40. Eph 5:26 & Titus 3:5 yet Acts 1:5+2:4 Eph 5:26 “To make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,” (NIV) Titus 3:5 “he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior” (NIV) This is baptism (washing) of the Holy Spirit, which is mentioned in Acts 1:5 and fulfilled in Acts 2:4

41. Alexander Campbell Design by Baptism p.262 (1st part) “In this sense we are to understand what is said by Paul, that Christ sanctifieth and cleanseth the church ‘with washing of water by the word.’ Eph 5:26, and in another place, that ‘according to His mercy he saved us, but the washing of regeneration, and of renewing of the Holy Ghost’ Titus 3:5, and by Peter that ‘baptism doeth save us’ 1 Pet. 3:21, For it is not the intention of Paul to signify that our ablution and salvation are completed by water, or that water contains in itself the virtue to purify, regenerate, and renew; nor did Peter mean that it was the cause of salvation, but only the knowledge and assurance of it is received in this sacrament: what is sufficiently evident from the words they have used.”

42. Alexander Campbell Design by Baptism p.262 (2nd part) “For Paul connects together the ‘word of life’ and ‘the baptism of water;’ as if he had said, our ablution and sanctification are announced to us by the Gospel, and by baptism this message is confirmed. And Peter after having said the baptism doth save us, immediately adds, that it is ‘not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God’ which proceeds from faith. But on the contrary, baptism promises us no other purification than by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ; which is emblematically represented by water, on account of its resemblance to washing and cleansing.”

43. Col 2:11-13 yet Rom 2:29; Acts 15:1-21 Col 2:11-13 “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: (12) Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. (13) And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.” (KJV)

44. Yet Rom 2:29 Rom 2:25-28 said that circumcision had value if you obeyed the law, but not for lawbreakers. Even those who kept the law but were uncircumised will be regarded as circumcised. Rom 2:29 “But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” (KJV)

45. Yet Acts 15:1-12 Some men [falsely] taught that unless you are circumcised you cannot be saved. The apostles COULD have said, “Not circumcision anymore but baptism.” But instead Peter said, “No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” So they told Gentile believers to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, sexual immorality, blood, but “missed their chance” to say that baptism is required.

46. Heb 10:22 yet 1 Pet 3:21 Heb 10:22 “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” (NIV) Yet 1 Pet 3:21a (NIV) “and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God…” 1 Pet 3:21a (KJV) “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.)” The body washed with pure water is a visible emblem of our changed hearts. 1 Peter 3:21 says that it is not the water that saves us but the pledge of a good conscience towards God.

47. 1 Pet 3:20b-21 yet 1 Pet 2:6b 1 Pet 3:20b-21 “days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. (21) 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:” (KJV) Note: KJV’s “by water” is incorrect; the Greek is “through water (di udatos)” per (NKJV, NIV, uNASB, Green’s literal translation, NRSV) Yet 1 Pet 2:6b “he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” (NKJV)

48. Response to 1 Pet 3:20b-21 Both Noah and Abraham were obedient servants of God prior to the flood and testing with Isaac 1 Peter 3:21 says it is NOT the water, but the pledge of a good conscience before God. It does not refer to people who made a pledge but were not able to get baptized. The Bible also uses word save in the fourth tense (of working out our salvation. So baptism only saves in the on-going sense that we can turn others from sin (James 5:20) we can save ourselves (Acts 2:40), we can save others (1 Cor 7:16, 9:22; 1 Tim 4:16)

49. Alexander Campbell Millennial Harbinger, 1837 p.411-412 (1st part) “But who is a Christian? I answer, every one that believes in his heart that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Son of God; repents of his sins, and obeys him in all things according to his measure of knowledge of his will. . . . I cannot make any one duty the standard of Christian state or character, not even immersion into the name of Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and [cannot] in my heart regard all that have been sprinkled in infancy without their own knowledge and consent, as aliens from Christ and the well-grounded hope of heaven.”

50. Alexander Campbell Millennial Harbinger, 1837 p.411-412 (2nd part) “Should I find a Pedobaptist [one baptized as an infant] more intelligent in the Christian Scriptures, more spiritually-minded and more devoted to the Lord than a Baptist, or one immersed on a profession of the ancient faith, I could not hesitate a moment in giving the preference of my heart to him that loveth most. Did I act otherwise, I would be a pure sectarian, a Pharisee among Christians.”