Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation?

Ask Pastor John
Episode: 1372

[kakaman]

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

[trustjesus]

I became born again after I prayed for repentance and forgiveness of my sins, with in minutes I felt like a brand new person. It was amazing!!!!😊

[kingheredia]

It's still simple, if you live the same life you did before you met Jesus you are NOT saved. If you repented and reject sin and believe in Jesus you are saved

[michaelwelch]

As someone who would say baptism is a necessary part of our sanctification, it isn’t because I don’t understand that it is by God’s grace, given freely to us though we did not deserve it and accepted by us through our genuine faith in His Son, Jesus the Christ, that saves us. My argument would instead be that one cannot claim to have genuine faith in Messiah Jesus if their response to His lordship does not include baptism. Pastor John mentions that it is something we should do as quickly as possible after coming to that salvific faith, but what if we don’t? What if we just never get around to being baptized? Jesus tell his apostles to make more disciples, baptizing and teaching them (Matt. 28:19). Peter says to repent and be baptized, not only for the forgiveness of sin but to receive the gift of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Paul mentions that at the point of his conversion Ananias asked him, “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name”
‭‭(Acts‬ ‭22:16‬). The water is not what does the saving, we can all accept that. But Jesus, the Incarnate Word, and Peter and Paul, apostles of Christ who spoke not by their own authority but by the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit, all say to submit to baptism— not as a work of the flesh like we’re trying to earn our way into heaven, but as an obedient response to God’s work that He’s doing in our lives to justify and sanctify us. How can anyone claim to have an “inward change” if they don’t follow it up by being obedient to the words of Christ Jesus? Pastor John brought in Romans 4 and Colossians 2 talking about how Abraham was justified by his faith prior to being circumcised. But in James chapter 2, James uses the exact same event of Abraham being counted righteous according to his faith, but brings in the fact that Abraham followed up his faith by being circumcised and offering his son Isaac on the mountain to the Lord to show that Abraham’s faith was exemplified and made “alive” by acting on that faith. How can we claim to have faith in the Son of God, but then not live out that faith by being “baptized into a death like His?” (Romans 6:3). God gets to make the final call, but I can’t see how anyone could claim to have assurance in Christ if they began their relationship with Him by essentially saying, “nah, I don’t think that action you told me to do is ‘necessary’ for me and you to have a right relationship.” That’s like if your dream spouse showed up and said, “I want to be with you forever, all that I ask is that you be faithful, and as a sign of our love wear this ring, ” and you responded with “I’ll totally be faithful to you, but I just don’t feel like wearing a ring is necessary and it seems like to do so is asking a lot of me.” Jesus isn’t asking for much at all— Have faith in Him as Lord of your life, and then get dunked.

[randallblann]

Remember Blood of Jesus Christ.That has all the power.The Blood of Jesus Christ is the power to save.

[joelyons]

Ephesians 2:8
"FOR BY GRACE ARE YOU SAVED THROUGH FAITH, & THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES, . IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD." Amen.

[Nechole]

I repented and was converted October 14. 1994. I was changed right away. My spiritual eyes were opened before I was baptized. I got baptized later but it did not save me.

[alexisherron]

I was recently deeply troubled while asking myself this exact question just a few days ago. I let God lead me and I found your channel and this video. Thank you for sharing and being a messenger for God. I have been blessed by his sacrifice for my soul and his loving guidance to return to him. Amen.

[Ad-zknz]

One morning I got up reborn and with a new life force and a view of myself and the world around me. The Holy Spirit descended on me after 1 week of sincere search for Jesus Christ, after years of madness with new age deception. 🙌🙏

[thebestdothereis]

JESUS CHRIST baptizes in THE HOLY SPIRIT and fire

[sb]

Thank you for answering this correctly, it’s by faith we are saved, not of works. Being baptized is and outward expression. It’s a lot of people that went in a dry devil and came out a wet one, but never believed!

[HearGodsWord]

What a great debate. Shows how diverse the church is these days.

Debating scripture helps our own understanding.

[batman]

I would consider myself to be a non-denominational Christian. I have the desire to be baptized, but sadly, most churches require you to be a member before they will baptize you.

[henricronje]

There is allways so much tension when it comes to baptism.

It started with John the baptist. Where he was doing a baptism of repentance. Then Jesus was baptized.
Jesus said a servant is not greater than his master. Why do we think we do not need baptism.
I'm not saying its necessary for salvation, but thats a big risk.

The King came down warning everyone repent for the Kingdom is at hand. You are in the wrong kingdom, you need to enter my Kingdom, by water and Spirit. The disciples understood this and thats exactly what they preached and did.

I also think that God is greater than our little quarrelling and if you cannot be baptized, but want to its a different story, for example the thief on the cross. He couldn't get down to get baptized. But hardening your heart and standing firm that baptism isn't necessary is a different story.

They also understood, where we nowadays think that faith is just believing. Is not how they did. Its has a action. Because you believe in Jesus and that you are following Him, you get baptized, read romans 6 where the whole chapter is about being baptism and that you are now free from the bondage of sin. That overpowering grip on you, where sin will no longter have dominion on you.

The disciples preached the new birth exactly like Jesus told them when He rose from the dead and for 40 days talked to them about the things of the Kingdom.

Everyone was baptized in acts and the very same day on most cases. Peter even commanded them to be baptized after receiving the Holy Spirit in acts.

One last thing is that the disciples preached repentance, baptism water and Holy Spirit. That was what the Churches consisted of. So all the letters in the bible written by Paul and others is for born again believers and taking out passages and implementing that on non believing people, I think is foolish. We will be held accountable for what we preached and I don't think we must do anything different than what they did in acts. They knew more than we do now.

[EricSmythChrist]

If you are reading this... Get baptized. Don't mess around.

[marysouthard]

This explanation is so convoluted. Repent and be baptized WHY? For the forgiveness of sins and you receive the Holy Spirit. It's that simple people.

[angelomanzi]

Amen!!! We are justified by faith! I got water baptized and it was beautiful, but it didn’t save me! The book of Acts makes the transition from works/law to grace super clear. By the end of the book of Acts we as believers can fully understand what God wanted to accomplish all along. There are no works required to be saved, believe in the complete and finished work of Jesus Christ!

People who think they need to be baptized to be saved have misunderstood passages of scripture and are not reading the book of Acts from beginning to end.

[donnaroberts]

Thank you for explaining this crucial importance of knowing how we are saved. It is by "FAITH" ALONE that we are saved!
Baptism is THE OUTWARD EXPRESSION OF OUR FAITH AS A BELIEVER IN CHRIST. BAPTISM ALONE DOES NOT SAVE US.
ONLY FAITH! ✝️❤️

[paulajohnson]

Baptism is not a work it is an act of obedience. For as many as were baptized have clothed themselves with Christ. We do not know the thief on the cross had not been baptized. They were still under the old law.

[jehovahrohi]

Jesus Christ made it clear to his apostles that they should go every and teach the people all things and baptizing them in the name of the father, the Son and the holy spirit if it wasn't important Jesus wouldn't leave that instruction God says if all things were to be written the Bible would have to be the size of the world so he put in it what is important for our salvation and to enter heaven simple. Mark 16:16-"Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned".