If baptism is not necessary for salvation why is it still necessary?
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Asked September 26 2013
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Sajid Masih
Supporter
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Tafirenyika Gwenzi
1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to BAPTIZE , but to PREACH the gospel:not with wisdom of words , lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
Food for thought!!!!
Dianne Washington
When you get baptized, it is a symbolic meaning. When you go into the water you die to your old self, and when you are risen you are a new creation.
Daniel Veler
The question asked is whether water baptism is essential to receive salvation.
You must understand why John came preaching and baptizing the people with water. You must understand why, when John was telling Jesus it was his baptism he desired, and why Christ said: "Let all righteousness be fulfilled." When you understand these things, then you understand the purpose of John’s baptism.
John the Baptist said the following (I am going to break this verse down to explain what is being said):
John 1:29: The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." Now John recognized Christ was the Lamb of God that would take away the sin of the world. The sin that Christ would take away was the sin of unbelief to belief. But we see John did not know Christ was the one until he baptized Christ with the water. See the next verse.
"This is he of whom I said, 'After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.' But he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, 'Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.' And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.”
(We see by these verses that John did not know Christ, but God gave him a sign in order to recognize him.)
In the next scripture from Matthew, we find that Christ would not only baptize us with the Holy Spirit but also with fire. While most people understand the baptism of the Holy Spirit, not many comprehend the purpose of the fire.
Matthew 3:10: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire."
Now Israel required a sign from God in order to understand the purpose of being baptized. This is why John said "I indeed baptize you with water," but he, meaning Christ would baptize us with the Holy Ghost and with fire.
Now, if God had instructed John to prepare the people to receive the baptism of Christ, and he was instructed that he would recognize him when the Holy Spirit would descend upon the one he was to baptize. Now if John had persisted in insisting on receiving the baptism of Christ himself, he would not have fulfilled God’s instructions given to him. This is why, when John said to Jesus before baptizing him, the following:
Matthew 3:13: “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 replied to him, “For this it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness." And Jesus answering said unto him, "Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness."
John had to complete the command given to him in order to fulfill God’s instructions given unto him. Had he not fulfilled his commission, then the Holy Spirit would not have descended upon him.
The conclusion is this: John was sent baptizing with water to teach the people that their sin must be forgiven. Water baptism was a picture of the one that would come through Christ. As John said himself, “Indeed baptize you with water," but he, meaning Christ, would baptize us with the Holy Ghost and with fire.
It is further written in Ephesians 4:5 the following:
Ephesians 4:5: “One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
The question is then what baptism would you prefer? The one from John or the one that comes through Christ. I choose Christ.