Biblical Salvation Requires Baptism

A salvation that requires baptism is Biblical salvation.

Jesus insisted on His own baptism.

“Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus shows us a pattern that would be seen repeated over and over in the book of Acts. Water and spirit baptism. Acts 2, Acts 8, Acts 10 and Acts 19, among others. Over and over again, you see the pairing of water baptism, specifically, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit Baptism, which is distinct and separate from a profession of faith or even water baptism. Faith does not equal spirit baptism in the theology of the Apostles. Go read Acts 8, and Acts 19. Understand spirit baptism comes after faith, not before or at faith alone.

If Jesus insisted on His own baptism to fulfill righteousness, why would modern preachers

de-emphasize baptism?

Tradition?

The great commission consisted of teaching and baptism.

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:18-21

Peter and Paul commanded baptism/rebaptism for converts.

“And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” Acts 10:48

“When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 19:5

To ignore that is to ignore Biblical precedent and the modeling given by the Apostles of Jesus Christ.

Jesus declared in John 3,

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. – Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. – Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” John 3, 5, 7

What is water in the verse mean? To be Born again of water and Spirit?

Natural birth is a combination of water and spirit. A baby lives in a water world before birth. From the water they come into an environment where they will live in an environment of oxegon, air, spirit. The baby is spanked to gasp and breathe in that air. Water and spirit is how we are born the first time naturally.

In like manner, John 3 describes a born again salvation that consists of water baptism and the spirit baptism. We know what it means by reading about Jesus’s own baptism and how the Apostles obeyed the great commission.

The baptism is declared to have special and spiritual benefits in scripture.

However many sincere people are taught baptism is just an outward show of an inward work. Jesus said you had to be baptized. Preachers say, “it’s a good idea, whenever you get around to it, but no big deal.”

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

Why are believers taught things that are not in scripture?

TRADITION! Tradition. TRADITION! Tradition.

Read what the Apostle Paul declared about his own baptism command he obeyed.

“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Acts 22:16

If you have not yet been baptized in water by immersion calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, trust the Bible record over all tradition. Or don’t.

Look at what Christian Tradition is doing today.

Changing the meaning of words.

Even changing the definition of nature and marriage and other things.

I don’t trust tradition.

This years.

Last decade.

Or two-hundred-year-old tradition.

Or One thousand-year-old tradition.

What does the Bible say?

I want to believe in Jesus as the scripture states and declares.

“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

John 7:38

Tradition often gives people a false sense of peace.

However, if one would actually read what the Bible says about these things, they might feel a little uncomfortable.

Let God be True and Every Man a Liar.

At one time it was a tradition that stated one must hear sermons in Latin, even if they did not understand latin.

At one time, it was a reason to be excommunicated to own or read a Bible.

At one time, it was a reason to be excommunicated if one was baptized in water by immersion, like the Bible says.

Why has baptism become a good idea if the first believers were commanded to be baptized?

“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men, and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” Acts 2:37-39

How many people know that the above exchange was given to the first believers that wanted to be saved after the resurrection of Jesus and the great commission?

Should that be important? Should we follow this pattern? Should we not seek to experience faith as modeled after those who were given the great commission directly and are seen here obeying Jesus for those first converts to the New Testament purchased by the Blood of Jesus? Should this be more important than modern or ancient tradition?

Sadly, only some understand the context or even have heard this as a direct response on how to be saved by the Apostles to the first believers.

Why?

TRADITION! Tradition! TRADITION.

Rather today, people are asked to repeat a prayer.

Who should we trust? Denominational Tradition over the actual written text in scripture recording the words of Jesus and Jesus’s hand-picked apostles?

I know many will give the answer to discount, doubt, and dismiss the scripture.

It’s what tradition teaches everyone.

Until tradition changes and dismisses itself to the new updated mandate. To be changed again. And again.

Let God’s word be your guide; every man-made tradition that contradicts the scripture is to be seen for its lie.

If you have yet to obey and experience the message found in scripture, reach out to me, and I will help you experience what the first believers experienced.

pastor@springridgechurch.com