What Does the Bible Say About Baptism?

The subject of Baptism in the Bible stirs up controversy among the various Christian denominations. Some denominations believe that the Bible states very clearly that one must have baptism along with repentance in order to be saved. Other denominations believe that baptism has nothing to do with salvation and is only an act of obedience. Reading some of the verses in the Bible on baptism seems to give an indication that baptism is essential for salvation, but it is NOT. Let's look at this act of baptism that is fundamental yet non-essential to receiving the salvation of Jesus Christ.

New converts submit to baptism after their acceptance of Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us in Acts 2:41 (NIV) that 3,000 people became believers on the Day of Pentecost and all went through baptism on the same day. In Acts 8:36-38 (NIV), the Bible tells us about the Ethiopian eunuch who was told the Gospel by Philip. Once the Ethiopian believed, he asked Philip to baptize him right away. And in Acts 10:47-48 (NIV), Peter instructs a group of new converts, that he won over to Christ, to be baptized right away. It's important to see that they first became believers and then submitted to baptism as an outward expression of their faith.

Baptism is among your first public professions of faith. Jesus proclaimed that He does things that please the Father. Baptism identifies the believer with a group who also trusts in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Of course, Jesus did not need to be baptized because He was God in the flesh. He was perfect in every way which was the prerequisite for Him to be sacrificed on the cross. Instead, what Jesus was doing was publicly making His presence and ministry known and providing an example of how the church should conduct the ordinance of baptism in the future. But most importantly, He was going through baptism to please His Father in heaven.

Another point of controversy is baptism by immersion or sprinkling. Actually, the approved method is not clearly stated in the Bible. When things are not clear, you should determine for yourself what is right based upon what you read from the Bible. Matthew 3:16 (NIV) says that Jesus came up immediately out of the water which seems to indicate He was immersed. However, it could also mean that He stepped out of the water after being sprinkled or washed. This controversy is not that critical when considering that baptism is not essential to salvation.

If baptism is essential for salvation, than the thief on the cross was not saved. It is often the case among the various Christian denominations that simple truths get mixed up in all the confusion of differences. In Romans 10:9 (NIV), the Bible is very clear that when you confess Jesus as Lord and believe the Gospel in your heart, you will be saved. Jesus told the repentant thief hanging on a cross next to His that on that day he will be with Him in Paradise. No one could pour water on this man. No one could pull him from the cross alive to be baptized. This story is probably one of the simplest examples in the Bible of salvation by faith alone, yet so many Christian denominations overlook it in order to promote their opposite belief of faith combined with baptism.