- Nov 28, 2018
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Something that's been on my mind as of late, but is baptism a "work?"
As Protestants and also Baptists, we believe faith alone saves, and one cannot earn their salvation through works.
If the rite of baptism saves, does that make our salvation dependent on works? Are confessing sins and prayers also works?
Some Protestants argue that baptism is a requirement for salvation and deny that it is a work or that you earn your salvation. The reasoning, as far as I can understand, is that the salvation process is a work of God, and nothing we do, and that water baptism is a passive act of faith. God is doing all of the work, and He is asking from us is to perform a simple ordinance/sacrament.
I can accept water baptism as being necessary for salvation in the sense that it is a command from God, and someone who claims to be a Christian but willfully rejects baptism probably was not genuinely regenerated or repentant, but I think one is justified and regenerated before they are baptized.
What are your thoughts?
I know this is the Baptist part of the forum, but I'm open to other Protestants contributing to this thread, but I'm also interested in the Baptist perspective, as well. If there's a better place for the thread, it's fine to move it.
As Protestants and also Baptists, we believe faith alone saves, and one cannot earn their salvation through works.
If the rite of baptism saves, does that make our salvation dependent on works? Are confessing sins and prayers also works?
Some Protestants argue that baptism is a requirement for salvation and deny that it is a work or that you earn your salvation. The reasoning, as far as I can understand, is that the salvation process is a work of God, and nothing we do, and that water baptism is a passive act of faith. God is doing all of the work, and He is asking from us is to perform a simple ordinance/sacrament.
I can accept water baptism as being necessary for salvation in the sense that it is a command from God, and someone who claims to be a Christian but willfully rejects baptism probably was not genuinely regenerated or repentant, but I think one is justified and regenerated before they are baptized.
What are your thoughts?
I know this is the Baptist part of the forum, but I'm open to other Protestants contributing to this thread, but I'm also interested in the Baptist perspective, as well. If there's a better place for the thread, it's fine to move it.