Catholic Answers Focus: Is Baptism Really Necessary?

How can the Catholic Church teach that baptism is necessary for salvation when the Bible show people receive the Holy Spirit before baptism and when Paul tells us that Christ did not send him to baptize but to preach the gospel? The author of Meeting the Protestant Challenge, Karlo Broussard, explains.

Transcript:

[microbroadcast]

These special 'Focus' videos on specific topics are a great idea. Thank you for posting and looking forward to more in this series.

[everydaycatholic]

I love these videos. Catholic answers has truly helped me to understand the Catholic position and this one helps me so much! I received the Holy Spirit apart from Baptism (I didn’t know the necessity of Baptism) and so I struggled with this teaching but knowing that God isn’t bound by His Sacraments and can save the ignorant like me makes me more Catholic! I’m in RCIA!

[zekdom]

Around 8:56, “God is not bound by His sacraments. We can affirm baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom it is revealed in those who have the possibility to ask for it. But we can also affirm that God is not bound by His sacraments, and He can administer the graces of the sacrament in other ways outside the boundaries of the sacrament itself.”

[sadiepotcake]

If baptism removes temporal punishment, how did the believers in the old testament get their temporal punishment removed

[charnelallan]

The scripture says repent and be baptized for this the will of god

[ArtVandelay-ImporterExporter]

The problem is Peter references the Holy SPirit's falling on the believers in Cornelius' houselhold, not as an extraordinary event, but as the normal fulfillment of Jesus and John the Baptist quotes of baptizing with the Spirit.

[renjithjoseph]

Do you really archive these in the format of MO/DA/YR (122820)? Everyone knows the superior format is YEAR/MO/DA (20201228).

[billchiburis]

Lots of assumptions. Acts 10:44-48 these believers were saved before baptism

[AndreaRaeburn]

its a command in the bible so yes it is necessary.
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, BAPTIZING them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

[GovtWatchdog]

If physical baptism is not essential for the salvation of those who the Gospel has not yet been proclaimed to, why then wouldn't the Church be much more optimistic that babies who die in the womb go to Heaven?

[ricklamb]

if being babtised want necessary, Jesus Himself would not of demonstrated its necessity, by example, and His recieving the holy spirit.Anything Jesus did, do.Everything Jesus refused to do refuse it also.He wS sent here by His Father to introduce us to the true God, His Father, and to lead us in the ways of righteousness.And warn us of the tricks of satan, which He also demonstrated by tjrning satan down.

[charlesfinn-zd]

The new Catholic Encyclopedia states:”Baptism is necessary for salvation.” John 3:5). You’re giving a Catholic viewpoint?

[rem]

10:35 so your argument is that the Holy Spirit is poured on certain individuals because God isn’t bound by His sacrament. Your implication being that despite the Spirit being given to Joshua for leadership, and Bezalel for Artistry, they were not saved? How did you come to the conclusion that they are not saved?

[cdeep]

I’m a little confused. So let’s say a person who doesn’t believe u need to be baptized in order to be saved doesn’t get baptized, is that person now culpable for not following the command of Jesus Christ? Or does God not hold his ignorance against him and therefore accepts his faith as a form of baptism?

[douglasdde]

I hold fast to it’s essential part of salvation, Jesus said for forth and tell everyone to be born again, oops no be baptized in the name and the father and the son

[shihyuchu]

NECESSARY..but NOT Necessary. Like moral certitude? Neither means ANYTHING

[tamarink]

Is our rite, ritual, sacrement, reglious acts required in addition to salvation which is God's work?

[davidortega]

Baptism is similar to the act of circumcision in old testament it was an initial evidence outwardly of that religion of Judaism in the new testament after the day of Pentecost from that day forward water baptism is the net testament initial evidence outwardly of your commitment to Jesus Christ in the Bible especially in the book of Acts 2:38

[charlesfinn-zd]

The new Catholic Encyclopedia states “Baptism is necessary for salvation “. Are you going against Catholic teachings? It’s confusing, right?

[mosesmanaka]

So it's not necessary for Salvation but it is necessary for Salvation. Great reasoning.

Salvation is solely as a result of what Christ has accomplished on the cross, paying the Ransome price for our sins, nothing else.

There is thus nothing more we could possibly do to add to or take away from what Christ has done.

Anything which we do whether it is Baptism, the Eucharist, tithing, so-called good works, etc are all only an expression of our love and gratitude to Christ, it cannot add or contrabute towards our Salvation, it's not Christ plus it's only Christ.
As Paul says these are mere symbols.

Is it good to be Baptized? Yes, it is because it is a visual and open declaration to the world of our commitment to Christ.

Paul in Romans 10 incorporates another aspect which the Church seldom talks about and that is confessing with our mouths that God raised Jesus from the dead. Evangelism.

We solely concentrate on Baptism or the Eucharist, never evangelising which Paul clearly states in Romans 10.

The Scriptures say very little about the doctrine or sacrament of Baptism, it is mostly inferred.

Read what Paul says in Romans 10:
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word [the message, the basis] of faith which we preach— because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will not be disappointed [in his expectations].” For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile; for the same Lord is Lord over all [of us], and [He is] abounding in riches (blessings) for all who call on Him [in faith and prayer]. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord [in prayer] will be saved.”
Romans 10:8‭-‬13 AMP