Do You Have to Be Baptized to Be Saved?
1 Peter 3:21 says:
Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you. Not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This is one of those “proof texts” some will use to say that baptism is necessary for salvation. After all, it’s right there: Baptism… now saves you.
While, Peter does make a connection between baptism and salvation, in no way is he saying that water has salvific properties. Water does nothing except wash away dirt. It’s not about what baptism does, but what it represents: an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
To be sure that is what Peter is saying, look at the story of him baptizing Cornelius in Acts 10:1-48.
After Peter preached the Gospel, the Holy Spirit of the Lord came upon all who heard it. Then, Peter declared, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus.
And there you have it – baptism was the sign of their belief, not the cause of their salvation.
Hang on… I take that back.
They WERE saved by baptism!!… a baptism of the Holy Spirit!
John the Baptist baptized with water but he said there was One coming after him Who would baptize with the Holy Spirit.
I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. (Matthew 3:11)
Water baptism is the outward symbol of that inward change, signifying that we have been buried in our sins and risen to new life in Christ.
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in the newness of life. (Romans 6:3-4)
Jesus commanded to baptize and to be baptized. It is a command we must obey, just as we are to love our neighbor.
Go therefore and make disciples of al nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… (Matthew 28:19)
But, water baptism is a “work” – a sign of our faith – not the cause of it.
…when we understand the text.
(This video is by WWUTT. Discovered by Christian Podcast Central and our community — copyright is owned by the publisher, not Christian Podcast Central.)