Bible Authority For Salvation- Baptism Series

The subject of Baptism is often a controversial subject among denominations when it deal with salvation. There have been disagreements over who is to be baptized- infants or adults. Disagreements over how people should be baptized, by sprinkling, pouring water over one’s head or immersing completely into water. There have been disagreements over when someone should be baptized such as after a waiting period, or immediately upon the belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God.

So why is there so much confusion? Does the Bible not have an authoritative process to make this easy? I believe it answers all questions that we have. What does the bible say about baptism?

As the apostle Paul recounted his own baptism experience he stated that his teacher Ananias told him in Acts 22:16-NKJV

16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

The water itself has no power, but God has chosen to make our obedience to the command to be baptized in water the means by which we demonstrate our faith, and on that basis we are cleansed. It’s like putting on a new set of clothes!

Galatians 3:27-NKJV

27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Galatians 3:27-NIV

27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Galatians 3:27-Easy-to-Read Version

27 You were all baptized into Christ, and so you were all clothed with Christ. This shows that you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Paul clearly states that the obedience to the Gospel is how you are saved! The gospel stated here is the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Christ.1 Corinthians 15:1-4-NKJV

15 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

Paul goes forward clarifying so there is no confusion about the significance of baptism.

Romans 6:1-6-NKJV- 6 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised 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 united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

We were baptized into the death of Christ and this is the key to understanding why baptism is essential for the forgiveness of sins. Baptism is the only way the Bible has ever described how we come in contact with the blood of Christ. We are redeemed by His blood:

Ephesians 1:7-NIV

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

We become dead to sin when we become united with Christ in His death. While the sinner is being immersed in water by faith, God is operating justification and regeneration on his spirit.

Colossians 2:11-12-NKJV

11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

Baptism further signifies our being raised to a new life. When we are baptized we are born again. Nicodemus asked Christ about this new birth in: John 3:1-5-NKJV

3 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”