Summer time is filled with company picnics, corporate golf tournaments, family reunions, college pool socials and all sorts of kid camps. Each summer activity is unique in its group and they are typically set apart by a specific mark in which they can be identified. Some will wear clothing items and others will wear jewelry as a mark to specify who they represent. Society is able to identify groups of people with common marks, such as hula skirts are associated with Hawaii, crowns are associated with royalty and baptism is associated with religion. Baptism within a church dedicated to the Holy Scriptures is often looked upon as evidence of salvation. So, is baptism required for salvation? No, the Bible indicates that salvation comes through faith and baptism is simply a picture of salvation within the person being baptized.

Really “it is not until Justin Martyr, in the middle of the second century, that we find a relatively full ritual description of baptismal practice, and not until the late second century that we find sustained theological reflection in Tertullian’s treatise De Baptismo.”[1] It would be best to turn to the pages of Scripture in order to attain a clearer picture of baptism and its identification with salvation.

It would be incorrect to look at Scriptures individually without taking the Bible as whole into consideration knowing that the Bible does not contradict itself. So first look to Acts 15, Romans 4:5 Romans 3:22,24-26,28 and 30, Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9 and Philippians 3:9 in order to understand that there are no external acts necessary for salvation. It is through these Scriptures that one can understand that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

If baptism were required for salvation then there would be references to baptism with each salvation call. For example, Peter makes reference to baptism in Acts 2:38, yet he makes no reference to it in Acts 3:12-26. Instead he refers to sin and forgiveness in Christ for salvation. Paul never made water baptism part of the salvation message. He even emphasizes in 1 Corinthians 1:17 that he was sent to preach the gospel and does not mention baptism.

In addition, take notice to the people who were not baptized, yet they were called saved. The Penitent woman in Luke 7:37-50, the paralytic in Matthew 9:2, the Publican Luke 18:13-14 and the thief on the Cross Luke 23:39-43. In Acts 10:44-48 Cornelius is noted as being saved and then he is called to be baptized. Also note “there is no indication that the apostles themselves had been baptized with water”[2] And to be reminded Jesus was baptized probably to authenticate John’s baptism, but He did not need to be saved.

Other passages that may seem to make reference to baptism being necessary must be examined within its context as well as its language. For example, “Mark 16:16, a verse often quoted to prove baptism is necessary for salvation, is actually a proof of the opposite. Notice that the basis for condemnation in that verse is not the failure to be baptized, but only the failure to believe. Baptism is mentioned in the first part of the verse because it was the outward symbol that always accompanied the inward belief.”[3]

Therefore, baptism is an associated mark of a Christian, it is known as a picture of the redemptive work of God. However baptism is not required for salvation. It is faith through grace that is associated with salvation. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Deanna

[1] Martin, Ralph P. & Davids, Peter H., Dictionary of the Later New Testament & Its Developments, Inter Varsity Press, Downers Grove Illnois, 1997.
[2] Ibid, 114.
[3] MacArthur, John, “Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation?, www.gty.org/resources.php?section=issues&aid=176441.