Is baptism required for salvation?

[jpcedotal]

I was baptized as a baby, but not since then.

Do I need to be baptized in order to be saved, or was I covered back then. OR is baptism not required for salvation?

I've heard people say that the Bible clearly, unarguably states that baptism is a definitely requirement for salvation. I'm just not sure what to believe - that doesn't seem right, but I don't trust my own thoughts, so I can't exactly go by that.

Anyway, please help! Please let me know if I need to be baptized soon -

PS: I am not a member of any church (although I do attend one), so can I even have it done?

Baptism is not required for salvation.

Baptism is a public act showing others that you are now a follower of Christ.

Baptism is a good first step down the path of making Christ a part of your practical life by doing what He did.

Baptism was good enough, important enough for Christ, so why would it not be important enough for you?

The baptism as an infant has more to do with your parents witness to others that they were going to raise you with Christian principles. Now, as any adult, you need to show others how much Christ means to you...

If you are able, you should go ahead and be baptized.

 

[Albion]

Baptism is not required for salvation.

Baptism is a public act showing others that you are now a follower of Christ.

Baptism is a good first step down the path of making Christ a part of your practical life by doing what He did.

Baptism was good enough, important enough for Christ, so why would it not be important enough for you?

The baptism as an infant has more to do with your parents witness to others that they were going to raise you with Christian principles. Now, as any adult, you need to show others how much Christ means to you...

If you are able, you should go ahead and be baptized.

That is the Baptist answer, to be sure. But the OP probably is seeking an answer that transcends denominationism and takes account of the POVs of all the other Christian churches too.

 

[stelow]

I believe Peter too. What Peter's saying is they spoke in tongues just like the apostles did. He is not saying that they received the indwelling, regenerating presence of the Holy Spirit. They received the gift of tongues from the Holy Spirit. That's not what saved them, though.

Funny how someone would try to rewrite what Peter said, here's what the bible says.

Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”

 

[greatdivide46]

Funny how someone would try to rewrite what Peter said, here's what the bible says.

Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”

Precisely!! And how did people see that they received the Spirit? They spoke in tongues. That this was not their salvation is obvious because Peter wanted to baptize them. Peter recognized the truth of Acts 2:38 -- that the Holy Spirit is given upon baptism, not upon speaking in tongues.

 

[mathetes123]

Precisely!! And how did people see that they received the Spirit? They spoke in tongues. That this was not their salvation is obvious because Peter wanted to baptize them. Peter recognized the truth of Acts 2:38 -- that the Holy Spirit is given upon baptism, not upon speaking in tongues.

The criminal hanging on the cross next to Jesus was never baptized, yet he was saved.

 

[greatdivide46]

The criminal hanging on the cross next to Jesus was never baptized, yet he was saved.

Absolutely!! That's because baptism is into the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (see Rom. 6:3-4), which hadn't occurred yet when the thief was saved.

 

[Littleautieboy]

I dont think the theif on the cross was baptized.

 

[greatdivide46]

I dont think the theif on the cross was baptized.

He wasn't. Baptism into the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus hadn't been instituted yet since Jesus was still alive. Therefore, the thief on the cross couldn't have been baptized. Nevertheless, he was saved because Jesus said so.

 

[joshhuntnm]

No. However, refusing to be baptized calls into question whether one has surrendered to Christ as Lord.

 

[If Not For Grace]

I don't believe this a Biblical view of baptism.

Theif on the cross? By Grace are you saved, not ANY deed...

or show me the verse on Required Baptism and how it is to be preformed. In the Bible I read explicit instructions were given on anything God required man to do from temple building to boats- REQUIRED is the key word. I believe all Christians should be baptised, but its kind of like being married-the wearing of the ring is a symbol, leaving off your wedding ring probably not a good idea for several reasons but not wearing one does not make you any less married.​

 

[greatdivide46]

Theif on the cross? By Grace are you saved, not ANY deed...

or show me the verse on Required Baptism and how it is to be preformed. In the Bible I read explicit instructions were given on anything God required man to do from temple building to boats- REQUIRED is the key word. I believe all Christians should be baptised, but its kind of like being married-the wearing of the ring is a symbol, leaving off your wedding ring probably not a good idea for several reasons but not wearing one does not make you any less married.​

How about skipping the wedding altogether? Does that make you any less married? Baptism is not the ring. Baptism is the whole wedding.

 

[Albion]

Theif on the cross? By Grace are you saved, not ANY deed...

or show me the verse on Required Baptism and how it is to be preformed. In the Bible I read explicit instructions were given on anything God required man to do from temple building to boats- REQUIRED is the key word. I believe all Christians should be baptised, but its kind of like being married-the wearing of the ring is a symbol, leaving off your wedding ring probably not a good idea for several reasons but not wearing one does not make you any less married.​

Goodness. Not only is Baptism referred to many times in the NT, and we have specific examples of people who were baptised, along with the ingredients (water) and the words to be used (See the Great Commission), but Jesus went through it himself in order to show us! What more did you have in mind?

 

[If Not For Grace]

I see you both "Skipped" the theif on the cross. Jesus also drank wine (doesn't mean i have to, does not mean I can't) He did not marry at ALL and Paul said it was best not to, but It is not forbidden. In fact Jesus attended weddings-His 1st miracle was at one (The wine again) The Idea is that it is not the MEANS by which you are saved, no deed YOU can do gets you saved. So it is not required, but as I say you should..Not being baptised is like having a garage and not storing your car in it, kinda silly to keep a bunch of junk in there and leave your car outside, but people do it.


I have worked in hospitals and nursing homes where people came to Christ late in life and had no option to be baptised, so you are saying these people can not go to heaven...right?
From the time some walk down the aisle until the Baptism cermony is sometimes a week or more..if they die before then.in a car wreckor tornado..no salvation, I think not, but you of course are free to think as you like.

 

[greatdivide46]

I have worked in hospitals and nursing homes where people came to Christ late in life and had no option to be baptised, so you are saying these people can not go to heaven...right?

Wrong.

From the time some walk down the aisle until the Baptism cermony is sometimes a week or more..if they die before then.in a car wreckor tornado..no salvation, I think not, but you of course are free to think as you like.

I think these people will most likely go to heaven. However, that is totally up to God. It's not up to you or me. God clearly ties baptism to salvation in Scripture so I cannot teach that someone can forego baptism and still be saved. But if God chooses to save some people without baptism that's His call. But I shouldn't take those examples and present them as evidence that no one needs to be baptized, particularly when Scripture says otherwise.

 

[Albion]

I have worked in hospitals and nursing homes where people came to Christ late in life and had no option to be baptised, so you are saying these people can not go to heaven...right?
From the time some walk down the aisle until the Baptism cermony is sometimes a week or more..if they die before then.in a car wreckor tornado..no salvation, I think not, but you of course are free to think as you like.

The point is that Baptism in presented to us in scripture as something we ought to do if we aspire to salvation in Christ. That doesn't make thewords Jesus spoke into some sort of legal contract that covers every possible case in the world. Oftimes, he was speaking to adults in an adult way, but that doesn't mean he was excluding children. When he said that we should "see" something, he didn't mean the sightless were banned from his promise, and so on. So too here. Baptism is part of the process for mankind, for his disciples, for us in all times, places, and ages. It does not mean that exceptional situations we can conjure up in our minds wash out the obvious meaning of what Jesus taught.

 

[Norah63]

Mankind doesn't have a problem with baptism so much as to who does it to whom.
that old authority raises it's head and so divides the people. As if they needed any more division in this day and age.

 

[stelow]

Acts 10:43-47

43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

44 While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on everyone who heard the word. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 They heard them speaking in other languages and praising God. Peter asked, 47 “These people have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. Surely no one can stop them from being baptized with water, can they?”

 

[stelow]

Acts 11:14-18

14 He will tell you how you and your entire household can be saved.’ 15 When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as the Spirit fell on us in the beginning. 16 I remembered the Lord’s words: ‘John will baptize with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, then who am I? Could I stand in God’s way?”

18 Once the apostles and other believers heard this, they calmed down. They praised God and concluded, “So then God has enabled Gentiles to change their hearts and lives so that they might have new life.”

 

[stelow]

Acts 15:7-11

7 After much debate, Peter stood and addressed them, “Fellow believers, you know that, early on, God chose me from among you as the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and come to believe. 8 God, who knows people’s deepest thoughts and desires, confirmed this by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, but purified their deepest thoughts and desires through faith. 10 Why then are you now challenging God by placing a burden on the shoulders of these disciples that neither we nor our ancestors could bear? 11 On the contrary, we believe that we and they are saved in the same way, by the grace of the Lord Jesus.”