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Category: Christian Crossroads Christian Crossroads
Published: 01 June 2019 01 June 2019

Although many people maintain baptism is necessary for salvation, it’s a claim the Bible doesn’t support.

When the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas what they must do to be saved, the two missionaries answered, “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” No baptism involved.

Matthew records Jesus saying the men of Nineveh, to whom Jonah preached, would be saved because they repented. No baptism involved.

Perhaps most illuminating is Jesus hanging on the cross and telling the repentant thief that today he would be with Jesus in paradise. Again, no baptism involved.

Peter stated the ‘baptism’ which saves us is not the cleansing of the flesh, but having a good conscience toward God, meaning that believing in Jesus is what saves us, not being dipped in water.

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, says by being baptized, the Christian demonstrates to the world dying with Christ (to self), being buried with Him, and rising again to new life.

The Bible teaches trusting only in Jesus for salvation, to be followed by baptism as a public testimony of the believer’s position in Christ.