Is Water Baptism Required for Salvation?
1. Define Salvation (Faith in Christ Alone)
Salvation is by grace through faith, not works.
📖 Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
📖 Romans 10:9-10 (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.”
📖 John 3:16 (KJV)
“Whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
🔑 Point: The Bible repeatedly teaches that salvation comes through faith alone in Jesus Christ, but people want to grab obscure passages and teach otherwise which we will talk about shortly. If Baptism isn’t required for salvation then what’s the point of it?
2. What is Baptism? (An Act of Obedience and Public Profession)
📖 Romans 6:3-5 (KJV) 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:
🔑 Point: Baptism is a command from Christ and represents dying to sin and rising to new life it is a symbol, not the cause, of salvation, and even further we are baptized into Jesus himself and this is relating to the church….
📖 Ephesians 1:22-23 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, [23] Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
📌 So I believe baptism is to show your obedience to God as well, that you died to your old self and that you want to live for the new man, and there’s no better way then to be baptized by a church and discipled, a great example is in Acts 2
📖 Acts 2:41-42 (KJV) Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them (the church) about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
3. Does Baptism Save You? (Clarifying the Controversial Verses)
📖 John 3:3-7 KJV Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. [4] Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the 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 into the kingdom of God. [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
🔥 Being born of water is referring to the fleshly birth, because when we are born we are born in water bag, thats the birth of water Jesus is referring to and mentions it in the next verse “[6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
Some would say this is overlooking the chapter at the end as the end of the chapter is about John baptising! The problem here is that segment from verse 1-21 is one moment but 22-36 is another moment unrelated, it’s always important to understand grammar in the KJV bible as it’s not like your average grammar but you can definitely see that there are two parts in John 3.
📌 Some will go on to speak about Colossians as though it’s referring to water baptism.
📖 Colossians 2:11-13 KJV “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”
The first clue this passage notes is it brings up the spiritual aspect of circumcision made without hands it’s not a literal circumcision so we are already speaking of spiritual things, and just like the baptism part its not speaking about the actual water baptism but the definition of baptism which is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, this is what water baptism is showing, its showing a picture of the actual but water baptism isn’t the literal death, burial and resurrection, and 1 Peter 3 explains this….
📖 1 Peter 3:20-21 (KJV) Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a 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:
And so we see here that Baptism is a figure (a picture) just like the picture of Noah, these are symbolic to the actual Salvation of Jesus Christ which is the conscience of the resurrection.
Conscience is the understanding of the resurrection as 1 Thessalonians put it....
📖 1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
📌 Another point to consider…..
📖 Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
This is an old strategy used by baptism for salvation crowd, just because it says Baptized, they think this is the reason for the remission of sins, but its the repentance that saves, meaning (having a change of mind by believing of Christ for the remission of sins, but a similar verse they use as well is found in Mark 16:16
📖 Mark 16:16 “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
We see here that believe and baptism is in the same sentence with the word “saved” but its not the baptism that saves, it was the believing that saved them indefinitely, because in the next part of this verse he explains, “he that believeth not shall be damned” it didn’t say here if you are not baptised your damned?
📌 The confusion comes from the closeness of believing then being baptized shortly after.
📖 Acts 22:16 “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
📖 Acts 16:27-34 “And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. [28] But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. [29] Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, [30] And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? [31] And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. [32] And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. [33] And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. [34] And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.”
📌 So notice here the keeper of the prison was saved through believing then later on in the same hour he was baptised with the added mention “He washed their stripes” meaning the Jailor washed Paul’s and Silas wounds, and then he himself was baptised. It’s important to carefully read the pronouns.
🔥And by the way if baptism was needed for salvation tell me why the apostle Paul didn't baptize any of his converts,
📖 1 Corinthians 1:14-17 KJV I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; (15) Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. (16) And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. (17) For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
🔥 If Paul wasn't sent to baptize but to preach the Gospel that means he’s wasting his time if baptism was meant for salvation?
4. Example: The Thief on the Cross
• Luke 23:42-43 (KJV)
“And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said… Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
🔑 Point: The thief was never baptized, yet Jesus promised him paradise because of his faith.
5. Why Then Should We Be Baptized?
• Obedience: Jesus was baptized (Matthew 3:13-17) and commands us to baptize.
• Public Declaration: It declares your new life in Christ to others.
• Symbol of the Gospel: Death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4).
🔑 Point: Baptism is not the cause of salvation, but a response to it—a testimony of saving faith.
