Home,   Contact Us,   Events and Activities,   News and Notes, On-Line Bulletin,   Archive,    Christian Evidences,
  The Church of Christ,   The Restoration Movement,   Baptism,   Music,   Youth Page,   Photos

Is Baptism Essential?

Baptism is an essential step in the salvation of a person's soul but baptism alone does not save one from their sins.  Nor is there any thing in the water that saves us.  God chose baptism as a way to symbolize our turning our backs on the sinfulness of the world.  We show that we are "dead to the world" and have become a new individual.  In doing this we are symbolically following the steps of our Lord Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.  We are literally "buried" and rise again.  Baptism is an action of our conscience due to our faith and in so doing brings us into contact with the blood of Christ which He shed for the sins of the world.  Peter explained this in I Peter 3:20-21 when recalled that God rescued the human race by saving Noah and kept him safe in the ark in the midst of the great flood.  Peter tells us that in this same figure..."baptism now saves us (not by putting away the filth of the flesh, but in the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. "  Paul wrote that "as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27).  Paul also wrote in Romans 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life".
Baptism is part of God's plan for entering into the church and we, as men, have no right nor power to choose otherwise.

Acts 22:16 Tells us  HOW TO CALL ON THE NAME  OF THE LORD!

Consider the account of Paul's conversion as he told it in a Roman court.  Paul tells how Ananias, a Christian, was sent by God to Paul  and told him what he had to do.  In Acts 22:16  we read that Ananias said to Paul; "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."  HOW MANY TIMES HAS IT BEEN SAID THAT ALL A PERSON NEEDS TO DO TO BE SAVED IS TO
 

Think about this...Suppose a person invited you to "get up and go to a ball game and be entertained cheering for your favorite team.  Everyone understands this statement. Arise and go to a ballgame our actions Being entertained is the outcome We call on the team to win by cheering So how hard is it to understand that in Acts 22:16 Arise and be baptized are actions on our part Washing away our sins in the outcome We ask God to recognize our actions by calling on his name

CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD? 

To understand more fully that baptism is a God decreed part of the plan of salvation, consider Isaiah 59:1-5 where we are told that God can save and hear our pleas but our iniquities have separated us from God.  God will not tolerate sin.  It is important to understand that this is a universal declaration.  Because of His love for us, God devised a plan whereby we might be cleansed of our sins, thus restoring us to His fellowship and allowing us to be saved and our prayers heard.  Jesus was and is the instrument through which this plan was to come to fruition.  Jesus said in Luke 16:16 to "Go ye unto all the world and preach the gospel...those who believe and are baptized are saved but those that believe not are damned".  This preaching began on the Day of Pentecost immediately following Christ's resurrection.  The apostles were given the power to preach this Gospel without error.  After preaching the first Gospel sermon, Peter and the other apostles were asked "men and brethren, would shall we do?"  Immediately following this question, Peter answers the people in Acts 2:38 by telling them "Repent and be baptized every one of you for the remission of your sins..."  notice two things about this passage
 

1. The conjunction "and" that connects repentance together with baptism.  This indicates that both are required of a person that wishes to become a Christian.  It is strange that those who claim that baptism is not essential to salvation never claim that repentance is not essential either.  Yet, repentance and baptism are inseparably linked together as essential elements of God's plan for man's salvation.
                                                        AND

2. The word "for", which in the original Greek language used in writing the book of Acts, was the Greek word "eis".  In the ancient Greek, "eis" could have two meanings; one was "because of" and the other was "in order to".  Anytime a word has two meanings, a person should look to the context in order to understand the correct usage.  In this case, and in comparison to Romans 3: 26-27, it is clearly understood that the correct usage of the word "eis" is to signify the meaning "in order to".

If we had no actual teaching about baptism in the New Testament, a person of good conscience would have to conclude that baptism is an essential step in what God would have us do by simply observing the numerous examples of conversion in the scriptures. Consider the following accounts of "conversion":

So we can see that baptism is an integral part of the plan of salvation that Jesus Christ instituted through the teaching of His Gospel.  It is by baptism that we become "fellow heirs with Christ" by showing submission to God's commandments symbolically becoming buried to rise again as did Christ.  When compared to the other parts of God's plan of salvation, baptism is clearly understood.     After hearing the Word of God, several changes take place in the life of a convert.

OLD MAN

Belief            =   A Change of Mind Repentance =   A Change of Lifestyle Confession   =   A Change of Allegiance Baptism       =   A Change of Relationship

Heir With Christ Born Again Christian Member of the Church

We invite you to study the Bible for yourself and learn of the plan of salvation that God has given to mankind.  We also invite you to look up the passages that are mentioned on this page and read of the place that baptism has in God's plan.  Have you been baptized for the remission of your sins?

[Top]

Need additional Information?

Click here for FAQ and answer about baptism.
baptism, baptize, baptizing, salvation, baptism, baptized, Baptist, baptism, baptize, salvation, baptizing, baptism,  baptized, salvation, Baptist, baptism, baptize, salvation, baptism, baptizing, baptized, Baptist, baptism, baptize, baptizing, baptized, salvation, Baptist, baptism, baptize, baptizing, baptized, baptism, salvation, Baptist, baptism, salvation, baptize, baptizing, baptized, salvation, Baptist, baptism

Presented by the New Antioch Church of Christ.
     Home, Contact Us, Events and Activities, News and Notes, On-Line Bulletin,  Archive,  Christian Evidences, 
The Church of Christ,  The Restoration Movement,   Baptism,   Music,   Youth Page,   Photos