Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation?

A discussion the controversial versus

Matthew 28:19-20

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen

We have here a command of Christ that we should make disciples of all nations, and be instrumental in disciplining them. Baptism was simply a means of initiation as a disciple. If we read the verse carefully we notice that the order make disciples is explains as baptizing. You make disciples by baptizing people. They are not two separate acts. John baptized and made his disciples. Jesus and his apostles baptized and made disciples for Jesus. So when we go into nations, we make them disciples by baptizing. It is in no indicative of any knowledge that these people have attained. That comes as a disciple grow in the community. Again this command was to those who were going out into the nations and not to the church. You are not ordered to baptize people who are in the church already or those who believe already.

It is particularly relevant to the mission fields where the gospel has not reached. One observations that people like us who have been immersed in other cultures was the need for mass baptism including the total households so that they will survive. Stray and rebels of communities who were baptized did more harm to the missions than good. Such individuals made good house servants to the missionaries and not more than that.

There is still another problem associated with the passage which is the uncertainity of what baptism is referred to here. It is mostly assumed that water baptism is meant. However the passage does not indicate it. On the other hand what is speciifc here is not "baptism in" water but " baptism in the name of the Father , Son and the Holy Spirit". Great Gurus take disciples into their Gurukulas. They are then known as the children or pupils (chela) of the Guru. The verse inidcates just that. The Baptism here is not for a mode of rritual, but into a community of Christians.

Mark 16:16

"He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned."

The most supportive passage indicating that baptism is part of salvation is this verse. Before we start discussing the verse, it should be noted here that this particular section of Mark is not found in many of the older manuscripts. It is usually considered as a redaction by bible scholars. A redaction is something which some scribe wrote at the margin of the text as his own study note which later was included within the text. Using such a controversial passage as a support for establishing a doctrine is a questionable act.

The argument here seems to be:

Believe + Baptized = Saved

While the first clause says that all who both believe and are baptized will be saved, it does not say that all who neither believe nor are baptized will not be saved. In other words, the clause does not exclude any group, while it does tell of a group of people who will be saved, namely, those who both believe and are baptized. But the second clause negates one group: those who do not believe will not be saved. There is no negation of the group of those who believe but are not baptized. Those who believe and are not baptized are not condemned in any way. Thus, while the verse as a whole does teach that belief is essential to salvation, it does not teach that baptism is.

Luke 7:30

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him

"him" in this verse refers to John the Baptist. . Acts 18:24-19:7 clearly indicates that John's baptism was not sufficient because it was only a baptism of repentance. To reject John’s baptism, therefore, was to reject John’s testimony. John’s testimony was that Jesus was the Savior (John 1:6-7) Jesus pointed this out clearly when he was questioned by the Pharisees by asking them in return "John’s Baptism. From whence was it? From heaven or from the earth.?’

John 3:5

Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God"

If we assume that "born of water" means water baptism and "born of the Spirit" means Holy Spirit Baptism this confirms that we need both water baptism and spirit baptism to be saved. Both these contentions are wrong. We are not speaking of baptisms but births. We are also accepting that entering into the Kingdom of God is what we mean by salvation. If as assumed it is indeed taking about baptisms, then the verse reads as follows:

Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is baptized in water and is baptized in the Spirit, he cannot be saved."

Joh 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

Joh 3:3 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.

Joh 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

Joh 3:5 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.

Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Joh 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

This interview with Nicodemus took place before the public ministry of Jesus.Jesus told Nic that unless a man is born again he cannot be saved. The response of Nic was, how can he go back to his mother’s womb. Now notice that Jesus says:

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. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Jesus evidently mentions two births.- Born of water, Born of Spirit. These are two distinct births. Both are necessary to enter into the kingdom of God. Then in traditional style the same idea is repeated to explain the two births, Born of flesh and Born of the Spirit. Then he emphasizes, you must be born again. Every man is born of water, i.e. born of flesh. He must be born again in the Spirit to enter the Kingdom of God. Being born from the watery womb makes a person fleshly person – a child of Adam – a living soul. Being born of the Spirit makes a man - a living soul- into a child of the second Adam – spiritual person

1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

The Rabbianic tradition and teaching supports this contention. Nicodemos as a teacher of the Jews – as a Rabbi – certainly knew of this "being born of water" as birth from the watery womb as his reply clearly indicates. So when Jesus refers to Pneuma (fluid – as the Greek word for Spirit implies) he assumes it as a second birth from the mother’s womb.

Jesus could not have been referring to Christian baptism because it was not instituted yet. Jesus began to baptize in the traditional manner of John of repentance soon after, delivering the same message of impending Kingdom of God. This was not the Christian baptism of salvation, because Jesus was not crucified, nor did he ascend to heaven and the Holy Spirit was not given to those who were baptized by the disciples of Jesus. Apostles themselves did not receive the Holy Spirit until they were sent on the mission and that only for the period. How could Jesus expect anyone to understand him if he was referring to something which was to come a full three years later.

If "born of water" meant water baptism, then verse 5 would contradict verse 6. Verse 6 requires being "born of the Spirit," as the only condition for salvation. Whereas verse 5 would require both being baptized in water and being born of the Spirit for salvation. In any argument you can increase the condition, but if we decrease the condition only the latter is valid.

There are people who would like to consider as being "born of water" as a figurative way of saying "born of the Spirit," then verse 5 does not contradict verse 6. Spirit is often compared to water in the scripture.

There is good reason to believe that "born of water" could be simply a figurative way of saying, "born of the Spirit." The word "water" in connection with salvation, the covenant, regeneration, rebirth, is often used in Scripture as a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself used water this way when He said:

John 7:37-39. If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water ….But this He spoke concerning the Holy Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive....

In many Old and New Testament verses this symbolism canot be found. See Isaiah 12:3, 35:6, 55:1; Ezekiel 36:25; Jeremiah 2:13; Zechariah 14:8, cf. Ezekiel 47:1-5; John 4:10; Revelation 21:6, 22:17.

Others claim that it refers to the Word of God, which is the cleansing agent. Paul aludes to this.

However the conjunction kai (and) in Greek creates a problem here. It is true that kai is used occassionally with the implication "namely" (just as we use viz. in English) or "indeed"

Various views are given to explain Jesus’ words about being born of water and the Spirit:

(1) The "water" refers to the natural birth, and the "Spirit" to the birth from above which I believe is the correct explanation in the context
(2) The "water" refers to the Word of God (Eph. 5:26). This is also not likely because, the Word of God is not brought in the context of discussion.
(3) The "water" refers to baptism as an essential part of regeneration. (This view contradicts other Bible verses that make it clear that salvation is by faith alone; e.g., John 3:16, 36; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5.)
(4) The "water" is a symbol of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39). This is using the multiple emphasis method usually employed in assertion. It would mean "born again in water which is the Holy Spirit."
(5) The "water" refers to the repentance ministry of John the Baptist, and the "Spirit" refers to the application by the Holy Spirit of Christ to an individual. the cleansing and regenerating power of the Holy Spirit (Ez. 36:25-27)

Let us Hear Paul

Rom. 6:3-10

"Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God."

The Greek terms "like" or "likeness" (homoioma—"an abstract resemblance") epitomizes baptism as our "symbolic example" Baptism is not magic through which we actually die with Christ. Evidently it is only symbolic. There has to be something beyond the act which is internal - but not magical tantra, yantra and mantra - that saves us. That is Gnostic/New Age teaching.

The Greek word here translated "into" would be translated better "in" or "unto." Thus Robertson (Word Pictures Volume IV, pp. 361-362). writes regarding Romans 6:3: "Better, "were baptized unto Christ or in Christ." The translation "into" makes Paul say that the union with Christ was brought to pass by means of baptism, which is not his idea, for Paul was not a sacramentarian.... Baptism is the public proclamation of one's inward spiritual relation to Christ attained before the baptism. See Galatians 3:27 where it is like putting on an outward garment or uniform. "Into his death"... So here "unto his death," "in relation to his death," which relation Paul proceeds to explain by the symbolism of the ordinance. In the first half of the chapter Paul is speaking in figures and symbols that he speaks of our old man was crucified with Christ. Though there are many who crucifies themselves for penitance, we do not consider it a necessary baptism to undergo. Or do we? It would have been a good way to die with Christ and be raised with him. In fact I am told some Free Mason Cults do that as their initiation ceremony. Baptism is a simpler picture of dying to self and rising with Christ. Neverthless it is a picture that can be painted in many ways. This is emphasized by Paul in I Corinthians 10:2-4, Paul wrote of the Israelites:

All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

Evidently the baptism the Israelites took is said to be "Baptized into Moses" What could this "into Moses" mean? Evidently it means that they took Moses as their leader and were disciplined by Moses into the ways of the Lord.

How were they baptized? Through their common experience of the cloud, the sea, the manna and the thirst. The fact that it is a symbol is emphasized by saying that "The rock that followed Israelites through the dessert was Jesus. Is Paul saying that the physical rock was indeed Jesus?

Paul’s theme of identification with Adam and with Second Adam runs through romans 5 through 7. Through this water baptism we have through Adam (by the birth through the watery womb of a woman) we have inherited all that Adam recived . Through the water baptism death passed upon all men (5:12); that the many are dead (5:15); all stand condemned (5:16); death reigns over all men (5:17)); judgment came on all (5:18); many were made sinners (5:19). With the birth in the Spirit, by Spirit Baptism we are identified with Christ; we are justified and made righteousness (5:18); we are buried with Him and resurrected with him unto life (6: 4),

For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all, but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord (6: 10-11).

The point here is a symbolic reenactment of rebirth will not save anyone, until he is really reborn in the spirit. So the only condiditon for salvation remains to be "born again" and nothing more. What is the point in being of flesh (material water) again?

"For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ."

The baptismal process is the common experience of pain and suffering, starvation and thirst they underwent. As they were united with Drinking Jesus, we are all One in Christ Jesus. We are not one because of sacrament or ordinance. In these cases there were no real baptism with water at all. Not only that not a drop of water fell on them

Ex. 14:22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

But as for Pharoah and his horse who were immersed:

^{Ex. 14: 28} The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen and all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not so much as one of them remained.

So we see that Israelites were saved from the waters.
As for the cloud, this cloud was not water clouds. They were not rain clouds
Ex 13:21. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night; ²² the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people
When the Pharoah’s army surrounded the Israelites the clouds seperated them and protected them. The cloud was associated with the Angel of the Lord and the Angel of the Lord was indeed Jesus.

One can notice that the ark, the covering of the cloud, and the sea and typical symbols of burial and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus was placed in a burial chamber – a cave of rocks. This direct analogy of death, burial and resurrection are used as a symbol of baptism in Christ by Paul and Peter.

Gal. 3:26-27

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ"

It is not clear what baptism is intended here. Are baptized into Christ by water baptism or by Spirit baptism? The verb in Greek translated as "put on" or "clothed" has the meaning of putting on a badge or uniform of a soldier Paul uses this in all his writings (see Romans 13:14; Colossians 3:9f; Ephesians 4:22-24, 6:11, 14 , I Thessalonians 5:8) . We are justified by our faith in Christ, not by baptism. Baptism was only the public confession and pledge, like the soldier's sacramentum, an oath of allegiance to Christ, taking one's stand with Christ. This concept is employed by the Salvation Army when they replaced water baptism with bringing the believer under the Salvation Army banner.

Just as a soldier does not become a soldier by wearing the uniform and putting on a badge, water baptism does not make one joined with Jesus in his death or his resurrection.

In other words, even if "baptism" is taken as referring to water baptism, the language which Paul uses shows it to be an outward sign of something that has already happened inwardly. The baptizing itself then would be an entirely outward event, with no spiritual effect, but only of a spiritual significance. Hebrews 9:13 reminds us that no outward ceremony has a real effect on the heart.

Col 2:11-12

"In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."

This verse is very similar to the symbolic statement of Romans 6:3-4. In this letter Paul uses baptism as the New Testament counterpart to circumcision in the Old Testament. Paul here asserts that baptism is the spiritual circumcision, the circumcision done without hands. If Circumcision led to salvation in the Old Testament, so does the baptism in the New Testament. Notice Paul bringing the words "without hands" "through faith" to show clearly the spiritual implication.

Titus 3:5

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit

This verse is sometimes used to prove that baptism is the means of regeneration This verse refers to washing of regeneration and it will be far too imaginative to equate it with baptism with water. Hebrews 10:22 states that the regeneration, is accomplished by washing, or sprinkling with the blood of Christ. Revelation 1:5 confirms it .

The "washing of regeneration" should be interpreted as "washing which is regeneration which evidently is done by the Holy Spirit.

Heb. 10:22

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water

In this verse faith is enhanced by hearts sprinkled (evidently with blood Hebrews 9:14; I Peter 1:2) to clean the heart from evil conscience and washing the outward body with pure water (evidently with the word of God) for outward holiness. We can boldly enter the holies only with our inward conscience and outward nature made holy and blameless. This is an echo of how the Old Testment Priests entered the holies (Leviticus 8:22; Hebrews 9:19; cf. Exodus 24:8) with their bodies washed and carrying the blood of the lamb as atonement.

Let us Hear Peter

I Peter 3:19-21

being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also [Christ] went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through (see other translations for ‘through’) )water. There is also an antitype which now saves us, namely baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ .

This passage states unequivocally that it is not the external act of water baptism which is simply the removal of the filth from the flesh that saves, but the answer to good conscience towards God that saves. Good conscience towards God is what we call conversion, change towards God, rebirth, born again, faith in Jesus. If we only take the phrase "which now saves us, namely baptism" and affirm that baptism is necessary for salvation, we will be misrepresenting scripture. Peter was careful enough to expand on it to remove any such interpretation.

Here Ark is the symbol of salvation it is not the flood. At that time eight souls were saved through water. Peter then says that this water "symbolizes" baptism (as the NIV translates the Greek term antitupon, literally, "antitype"). Baptism now saves us, Peter says--just as the water "saved" Noah and his family. But, of course, we know that Peter was not asserting that there was some salvific aspect to the flood waters. Flood waters did not save Noah. It was the ark that saved Noah. It was God who saved Noah and his family because Noah believed God. Because of the righteousness of Noah (the head of the family), the entire family escaped destruction. Noah and his family did not receive the baptism. The earth received the baptism through which the (sins of the earth) sinners were washed away and the "answer of Good Conscience towards God" of Noah brought forth salvation to him and to his household. The earth was reborn. They were saved from the water baptism which the sinners received and they escaped. Peter is careful to inform his readers that he is not teaching baptismal regeneration, namely, that a person who submits to baptism is thereby regenerated, for he says, "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh." Baptism, Peter explains, does not wash away the filth of the flesh, either in a literal sense as a bath for the body, nor in a metaphorical sense as a cleansing for the soul. Peter goes on to define by saying that it is "the answer of a good conscience toward God," and this is actually accomplished, today, "through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.".

The Greek word for "appeal" or "answer" as in "answer of a good conscience toward "is translated in different ways.
NAS New Testament Greek Lexicon

Here is how the various versions render it:

NAS New Testament Greek Lexicon for the word "through" as in Saved through water

38: "Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit....'"

41: "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation. Those who accepted his message were baptized...."

The confusion here simply is how we are going to connect "for (eis) remission of sin" with regard to "repent and baptized". If we look at other verses that defines salvation we will see two factors. Repentance and Confession or repentance and fruits corresponding to the repentance. (Rom 10:9-10 John the Baptist Jn 3:-----) In the historic context of the last pentecost this mass confession was expressed as coming forward to the baptism "in the name of Jesus". The baptism was not to be "in water", but "in the name". How were they to express this in concrete terms? It is evident that some form of baptismal mode befitting the occasion was used. . My contention is that, it could have been anything that declares the change. Considering the Essenic ties of the new Way, some form of Essenic baptism must have used. Many suggests that a sprinkling of water was the best possible mode. Considering that there were 3000 to be baptism, in the center of the city, any immersion baptism was impractical.

 

KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon for "eis" as in "for the remission of sin"

Strong's Number: 1519
Original Word	Word Origin
eiß	a primary preposition
Transliterated Word	TDNT Entry
Eis	2:420,211
Phonetic Spelling	Parts of Speech
Definition
into, unto, to, towards, for, among "For" (as used in Acts 2:38 "for the forgiveness...") could have two meanings. If you saw a poster saying "Jesse James wanted for robbery", "for" could mean Jesse is wanted so he can commit a robbery, or is wanted because he has committed a robbery. The later sense is the correct one. So too in this passage, the word "for" signifies an action in the past. Otherwise, it would violate the entire tenor of the NT teaching on salvation by grace and not by works.

Acts 8:12

"But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women."

This proves that baptism is part of the salvation process but that it is also predicated on belief. There is nothing in this verse that should lead one to think otherwise. "Belief" in Christ/God includes His forgiveness once sins are confessed (Rom. 10:9-10; 14:11; Phil. 2:11; 1 Jn. 1:9)

Acts 8:15-17

"When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit."

In this passage, baptism was not enough to imbue reception of the Holy Ghost. They were ritually baptized in the correct way with correct name. It was the Laying on of hands and praying that resulted in the reception of the Holy Spirit. Act 2:38 promises the gift of the spirit for repentance and baptism, but that is not the complete story. They are both insufficient, though they may be sufficient.

Acts 8:36-38

"As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, 'Look, here is some water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?' And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him."

Again, while baptism is a part of the salvation process, it always follows belief. There is no discussion within the text that suggests that baptism is required for repentance or that baptism is the vehicle of regeneration. In fact, one gets the distinct impression that baptism, in this particular case, was proposed by the ennuch himself . Act 8:27 tells us that this eunuch had come to Jerusalem to worship. He was therefore familiar with the Jewish religion, if not actually a convert to it. If he were a convert, or if he were considering becoming one, he must have known of the Jewish practice of baptizing all converts to Judaism (which had been done for several centuries). The Jews used baptism as an initiation rite for Gentiles who were converted to Judaism, and in other religions as well. Hence the eunuch would have been familiar with baptism even if Philip never mentioned baptism. Remember eunuch was reading from the book of Isaiah, when Philip joined him. He was meditating on all that he was reading about in Issaiah. He must have also just read Isaiah 52:15, which begins, "So shall He sprinkle many nations." The passage only mentions that he preached Christ to him, but this does not mean that after preaching Christ to him, he could not also have told him about baptism, and indeed about many other things that confirms and edify believers and make them grow into the likeness of Jesus.

Act 10: 47-48

"Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ."

Here, it is obvious that individuals had already received regeneration—before baptism—for they had received the Holy Ghost. It is also true that regeneration cannot take place without repentance (Rom. 10:9-10). Hence, there is NO remission of sin in baptism, nor is it critical to salvation. Baptism followed the salvation.

Peter said that this group of people had received the Holy Spirit "just as we have." He acknowledged that these people were already saved. Just as truly as Peter and the Christians with him had received the Holy Spirit, so Cornelius and his friends had received the Holy Spirit. Having received the Holy Spirit was proof that they were already saved, as Romans 8:9-16 shows. Those who have received the Holy Spirit are the children of God. They are "born of the Spirit." They are "born again." They are guaranteed their inheritance (Romans 8:1 1; II Corinthians 1:22, 5:5; Ephesians 1:14). They are, in fact, saved. Cornelius and his friends were saved before Peter commanded them to be baptized.

Then why were they given baptism? To openly receive them into fellowship. It did nothing to them. They were already saved. Peter and all Jewish Christians could not say no to the evidence of the salvation that was demonstrated before them.

Acts 11:15-18

"As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit.' So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God."

Salvation is complete with faith in Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit is given to all those who are saved and ask for it. Baptism plays no part either in salvation or Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 16:30-33

"He then brought them out and asked, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' They replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.' Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and his family were baptized."

Here is the clear answer to the question, "What shall I do to be saved?"
The answer is straight and clear, "Belive in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." It is interesting that the salvation will spill over to the whole household. They can loose their salvation by rejecting Jesus. They are already saved.

"While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived a Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?' They answered, 'No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.' So Paul asked them, 'Then what baptism did you receive?' 'John's baptism,' they replied. Paul said, 'John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.' On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all."

This passage sums up the entire argument: a). John the Baptist's baptism was inadequate and he baptized for "repentance," the remission of sin. b). Paul had to re-baptize these twelve men—in the name of Jesus—implying that it is only Jesus Who saves or remits sin. c). No human act or work can accomplish this feat and; d). Jesus supplanted John the Baptist's baptism.

They were saved when they received Jesus (though it is not explicitly stated). Otherwise they would not get baptized in the name of Jesus. They did not receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit because of water baptism. It was as a result of laying on of hands.

Acts 22:16

"And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away calling on his name."

"And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away...." This verse could lend strong support for those taking the position that baptism "saves" or remits sin. But again, contextually, something is missing—the rest of the verse: "calling on his name."

When this is added to the phrase, it becomes obvious that it is not baptism which saves or remits sin, but the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! "Washing away" is connected to "calling on his name". This is supported by original Greek text. The terms "arise" and "call" (anastaV and epikalesamenoV) are aorist participles; "be baptized" and "be cleansed" (baptisai and apolousai) are aorist imperatives. These terms form two sets--the first, "arise and be baptized," the second, "wash away your sins, calling upon the name of the Lord," or more literally, "wash away your sins, having called upon the name of the Lord."

Paul evidently did not associate baptism with salvation as we know very well that his gospel did not contain baptism even though Paul was chosen to be Christ's "witness to all men of what [he had] seen and heard."( Acts 22:15), he declares:

Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel...
(1 Cor.14-17a)

That gospel did not evidently contain baptism.

Rom. 3:27-28 - "Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law."

Rom. 4:1-3 - "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.'"

Rom. 4:6 - "David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works."

Rom. 11:6 - "And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace."

Gal. 2:16 - "Know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified."

Gal. 2:21 - "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

Eph. 2:8-9 - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."

2 Tim. 1:9 - "Who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time."

Heb. 6:1-2 - "Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment."

B. Baptism does not bring the anointing of the Holy Spirit 

Was baptism the means of receiving the Holy Spirit? 
Acts 2:38   Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

On the occasion of Cornelius conversion this is what happened: 
 Acts.10: 44 -47"While Peter was still saying this, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word...for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God " Then Peter declared,  "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." 
The obvious implication is that these people received the Holy spirit- the baptism from Jesus, who can now stop them from becoming members of the church of Jesus Christ?  The only consistent condition for receiving the Holy spirit is that they hear the word.  They were baptized because they heard the word and received Jesus and received the Holy Spirit.  Here was a visible indication of God's impartiality.  "Truly, I perceive that God shows no partiality..." 

But in Samaria we have a different situation: 
Acts 8:12   But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 

Here baptism followed the preaching of the word.  But they did not receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit until the apostles laid hand on them. 
Acts 8:16   because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 
Acts.8: 18 Spirit was given through the laying on of Apostles hand. 
Here they were given the instructions in Jesus and then baptized.  Then they received the Holy spirit. 
There is no order we can assign to the baptism of Holy spirit. 
What is the conclusion?  Is baptism a necessary or sufficient condition for receiving the Holy Spirit? 

How do we understand this verse now? 
Acts 2:38   Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 
Receiving of the Holy spirit does not follow from baptism, but from believing Jesus. 

Galatians were asked point blank this very question: "This only would l learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Gal.3:2). The answer was obvious-God's gift of salvation was received the moment they heard the word of the Gospel and accepted its invitation. It was certainly not as a result of being baptized.

So we come to the basic conclusion:

Baptism is neither necessary nor sufficient to be saved or to receive the baptism of the Holy spirit. 

What does this salvation mean here?  For personal salvation baptism is not necessary.  But many people usually restrict the meaning of salvation.  It is not limited by personal salvation.  The final salvation is not individualistic but communal.  Jesus will not come to take away individual believers.   He comes to take his bride - the church.  Salvation lies in being within the body of Christ.  Baptism is that entry into the Church which will be raptured away to be with Jesus.  Individual believers do not form that church.  A worshipping community, organically livened with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which shows forth the fruits of the spirit to the glory of God through good works, is the Church.  It is ultimately this meaning that salvation through baptism implies. 

A study of the verses showing how salvation is imparted.