Is obedience to Christ a “must” to enter heaven? Is dying with Christ a “must” to enter heaven? Is confession of faith a “must” to enter heaven? Is forgiveness of sins a “must” to enter of heaven? If none of the above things is a “must” to enter heaven, then neither is water baptism. But if even one of these is necessary for salvation, then so is baptism. For water baptism is all of the above and more. Water baptism was never an option in the early Church. It was not a “work” of personal righteousness. It was/is the very means by which one was admitted into the Church, which is the body of Christ. It was also the means of receiving forgiveness of sins though faith in Christ (and repentance). Those who reject water baptism reject membership into the body of Christ. They reject the second heavenly birth of which Christ Himself said: “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” (John 3:5) Baptism is therefore, more than a public confession. Some people are baptized with no one around except the person baptizing them;
Baptism is the following:
1. Burial with Christ and sharing in the likeness of His death:
“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Rom 6:4)
2. Washing away of sins (through the blood of Christ):
“And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.” (Acts 22:16)
And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:4)
3. Circumcision of the New Testament
“In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith” (Colossians 2:11)
Baptism of John the Baptist was baptism of repentance. Baptism of Christ is of repentance and Holy Spirit.
Matt 3:11
I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.Acts 19:3-6
So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
Water baptism is necessary for entrance to the Kingdom of God
John 3:5
Jesus answered (Nicodemus), “Verify, Verily, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.“
Baptism is a command of the Lord Jesus. Christ did not command the church anything that was not necessary for salvation:
Mt 28:19
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,
Through baptism we are “clothed” with Christ and joined to His body
Gal 3:25-27
But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a disciplinarian. For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.1 Cor 12:12-13
As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Through baptism, we are joined to the one Lord and one Faith
Ephesians 4:4-6
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism;one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.Acts 2:37-39 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” Peter (said) to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.” For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.”
Acts 10:44-47 While Peter was still speaking these things, the holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the holy Spirit even as we have?”
Acts 8:11-13 They paid attention to him (Simon Magus) because he had astounded them by his magic for a long time, but once they began to believe Philip as he preached the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, men and women alike were baptized. Even Simon himself believed and, after being baptized, became devoted to Philip.
Titus 3:5 … not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth (baptism) and renewal by the holy Spirit.
1 Pet 3:20-21 God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water. This prefigured baptism, which saves you now.
Rom 6:3-4 Or are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.
1 Cor 1:16 I (Paul) baptized the household of Stephanas also …
Acts 16:15 After she (Lydia of Thyatira) and her household had been baptized, she offered us an invitation…
Acts 18:8 Crispus, the synagogue official, came to believe in the Lord along with his entire household.
Col 2:11-12 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not administered by hand, by stripping off the carnal body, with the circumcision of Christ. You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
1 Cor 10:1-4 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, and all of them were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. All ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was the Christ.
Mk 10:13-16 And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” … Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
John’s baptism–where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’
Baptism of the New Testament wasn’t instituted until after the death and ascension of Christ (baptism is dying with Christ). Any form of baptism before was merely of repentance only. Note that the disciples of the Apostle Paul were rebaptized even though they were already baptized by John:
“There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. “(Acts 19: 2-5)
Thus, the thief on the cross was saved without New Testament baptism just as characters of the Old Testament were saved without baptism. Still yet:
1. The thief on the cross couldn’t be baptized (even if New Testament baptism was in place).
2. Thief on the cross literally died with Christ (which is what baptism is about)
3. We don’t know that the thief wasn’t baptized by John the Baptist (which is still not the baptism of the New Testament).
Yet some will argue, we are not saved by works of the Law. In response, baptism is not a “work” of the Law. Examples of works of the Law were blood sacrifices, circumcision,etc. These were types made obsolete by the realities that replaced them in the New Testament–such as the Sacrifice of Christ and baptism. That is why the obsolete works of the Law do not save. Baptism is not a “work” of righteousness; it is the grace by which we share in Christ’s death and receive rebirth and remission of sin, though faith in Christ’s blood. Baptism was not instituted by Moses. It was instituted and commanded by Christ Himself.