Baptism Saves Us
The title of this article may seem startling to some. It may cause some to shake their heads in unbelief. The question is, does the bible teach that “baptism saves us?”
I know that many preachers preach that baptism is the “first act of obedience” after one has been saved, but “baptism has nothing to do with your salvation.” However, according to the Bible, baptism comes “before” salvation. It is something that one does to be saved, not something one does because he is saved already.
It is clearly a contradiction to say that “baptism saves us,” and to affirm that baptism “does not save us.” Either both statements are false, or perhaps one of the statements is false and the other is true. But both cannot be true. The statements clearly contradict one another.
Suppose I could produce a verse from the Bible that teaches “baptism saves us,” would you believe it? I would like to think that those reading this article would trust the teachings of the Bible. Consider the following statement made by the Lord’s apostle, Peter: “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”
(I Peter 3:20-21). Did you notice those six words of verse 21? “Baptism doth also now save us!”
The analogy Peter gives is this: In Noah’s day, eight souls were “saved by water,” just as water baptism also now “saves us.” Answer the following question please: according to Peter, an inspired man of God, what does baptism “do?” It does something. What is it? It “saves” us! That means that baptism comes before one is saved from sin. This fits perfectly with the rest of what the Bible teaches about baptism: baptism is “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38); baptism is the point when one’s sins are washed away (Acts 22:16), et al.
Please do not allow someone to prejudice your mind against this clear teaching of Scripture by “twisting” it. Also, be aware that some would charge that people who believe such teaching about baptism believe in “water salvation.” That is just an attempt to prevent you from accepting what the Bible actually says about baptism.
I have been a member of the church of Christ for thirty-six years and have never heard anyone preach that the power to save is in water. The power is in the blood (Ephesians 1:7), but it is in baptism that a sinner receives the benefits of the blood and is saved (Romans 6:3-4). Please consider these matters with an open mind and an open Bible.
