Is baptism essential to salvation?
No. Baptism is not essential to salvation. Baptism is an act of obedience after salvation. In the Bible it is usually the first act of obedience as a Christian. The Bible goes as far as either recording the baptism of every person who is saved or assumes that every saved person is then baptized. And because baptism is not essential to attain salvation, baptism is not essential to retain salvation. Baptism was commanded by Jesus. (Matthew 28:18-20) Baptism was exampled by Jesus. (Mark 1:9) Baptism was commanded by the Apostles. (Acts 10:48) Baptism was the first thing a new Christian desired in obedience. (Acts 8:36) Salvation is received by one way. Salvation is by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (NASB95) “…and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that wh
It is commanded but it is not essential to salvation. This belief, also called “baptismal regeneration,” forms the basis for a works plus faith doctrine that requires physical water baptism to be performed upon a new convert by authorized personnel within the religious institution before members consider the convert “saved.” There are several problems with this belief. First of all, when Scripture expounds on the salvation process, rarely is physical water baptism even mentioned. Instead, emphasis is given to faith (belief/trust) in Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection and repentance (confessing and turning away from sin) to make Jesus Christ Lord and Savior. Secondly, as the following Scriptures explain, salvation is said to be “by faith” alone, apart from the works of human righteousness. Notice that baptism is not even mentioned in any of these verses: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have et
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