1 Peter 3:21 -- Baptism Saves Us. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”. Support with Scripture. Frankly, that’s a bit surprising, because Jesus did not emphasize baptism during His earthly ministry. At the same time there are people who are adamant that obedience combined with faith is necessary for salvation and that if we do not obey Him He will not save us. Let’s see this from the Book of Acts. In response to the question from the crowd, “What shall we do?” Peter said, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; …” (For a more thorough treatment of these verses, see my sermon, “How to Receive God’s Forgiveness,” [11/12/2000].) “[Catechumens who suffer martyrdom] are not deprived of the sacrament of baptism. Certainly, because he sought it, he received it” (Sympathy at the Death of Valentinian [A.D. 392]). We strongly believe that each and every Christian should be water baptized by immersion. Is baptism necessary? But the New Testament way to confess your faith is not to go forward. As Paul put it (2 Cor. Only the living faith which works upon the heart and influences the desires and the affections can be the faith of God’s elect.”. But my wedding ring is an appropriate symbol of the unseen truth that I am married to Marla. I can go back to Him again and He will welcome me, because I belong to Him.”. But the good news is that Jesus, the eternal Son of God, came to earth to bear the punishment that we deserve. We are not mainly talking about religious ritual here. These professing Christians may have “invited Jesus into their hearts” or gone forward in response to an evangelistic appeal. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior and the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the … Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Basics for Christians, Christian Life, Discipleship, Ecclesiology (The Church), Faith, Soteriology (Salvation), Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. The first and most important purpose of believer’s baptism is identification with Christ. . He didn’t die so that we could have happier marriages or more successful careers. Baptism has meaning and importance only because the death and resurrection of Jesus are infinitely important for our rescue from the wrath of God and our everlasting joy in his glorious presence. If the person has no desire to obey God, his faith was not genuine saving faith. Why do you need to be baptized again?” If he lovingly, sensitively explains from the Bible the true meaning of baptism, backed up by his changed life, it can be a powerful witness to them. Tell me, what else could we have, except the will to it, the asking for it? In some cultures, you can say that you believe in Christ and you may be ridiculed or ostracized. . A common illustration that demonstrates the purpose of baptism is the wearing of a wedding ring – “ with this ring, I thee wed ”. I also have an article on the web site, “Baptism: Some Common Questions Answered.” I have many other sermons that touch on the subject of baptism, especially from the Book of Acts. So that most monstrous creature, who had no right to teach even sound doctrine, knew full well how to kill the little fishes—by taking them away from the water!” (Baptism 1 [A.D. 203]). But are they? So the question is, “Have you gotten on board with Jesus Christ as your only hope for heaven?” Have you turned from your sin and from trusting in your own good works and instead trusted in Jesus alone to deliver you from God’s judgment? With all of the false professions of being born again in our culture, perhaps it is advisable to make sure that a person really understands what it means to be saved. “[According to] apostolic tradition . It encourages us to see the transforming power of the gospel. And, as we saw in the Great Commission, Christ commanded baptism for all that follow Him. “Baptism is a conclusive act of obedience and witness to the world that we are Christ’s. Additionally, in Acts, Peter was preaching the gospel, people got saved, and then they were baptized. Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We’ve already seen this. I could never get up in front of all those people!” Can you imagine a bride telling her fiancé, “I really love you, but I’d just be too embarrassed to stand in front of all those people and confess that I love you”? You believe that He paid the penalty which you deserve. Even within the Catholic Church herself we put the good catechumen ahead of the wicked baptized person” (On Baptism, Against the Donatists 4:21:28 [A.D. 400]). . 15:3-4), “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” Or, as he gives his own testimony (1 Tim. Acts 2:38, 22:16, Rom. It absolutely IS important! He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1976 in Bible exposition) and Califo... More. For he that said, ‘If anyone is not reborn of water and the Spirit, he will not enter the kingdom of heaven’ [John 3:5], made an exception for them in that other statement in which he says no less generally, ‘Whoever confesses me before men, I too will confess him before my Father, who is in heaven’ [Matt. “We have, indeed, a second [baptismal] font which is one with the former [water baptism]: namely, that of blood, of which the Lord says: ‘I am to be baptized with a baptism’ [Luke 12:50], when he had already been baptized. But the point is, there was a close connection in the minds of the apostles between belief and baptism. So yes, Andrew, all people need to be baptized because all people need to be saved. [But] a viper of the [Gnostic] Cainite heresy, lately conversant in this quarter, has carried away a great number with her most venomous doctrine, making it her first aim to destroy baptism—which is quite in accordance with nature, for vipers and.asps . The only exception is the martyrs, who even without water will receive the kingdom. “It would tend to the ruin of our souls if, from our refusal of the saving font of baptism to those who seek it, any of them should depart this life and lose the kingdom and eternal life” (Letter to Himerius 3 [A.D. 385]). Rather, they are baptized with the most glorious and greatest baptism of blood, concerning which the Lord said that he had another baptism with which he himself was to be baptized [Luke 12:50]” (ibid., 72[73]:22). It is the outward symbol of the commitment you made in your heart, a commitment that has to be followed through and lived out on a … 10:32]” (The City of God 13:7 [A.D. 419]). But saving faith is distinct from baptism, and it is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that saves, not baptism. As the following passages from the works of the Church Fathers illustrate, Christians have always believed in the normative necessity of water baptism, while also acknowledging the legitimacy of baptism by desire or blood. But He was also fully God, so that His death had infinite value. Brother, Glory to God in all He’s doing through you. What prevents me from being baptized?” [And Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’] And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.”. . Consider a few other passages in Acts, noting that the order is always belief, then baptism: Acts 2:41: “So then, those who had received his word were baptized; …”, Acts 8:12: “But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.”, Acts 8:36-38: “As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, ‘Look! All who are within [the Church] in heart are saved in the unity of the ark [by baptism of desire]” (ibid., 5:28:39). In the first case, the order would be faith, then baptism… I believe in it wholeheartedly. Brother Bob: Baptism is directly connected to being saved. How much time should elapse between a person’s trusting in Christ and his being baptized?”. There’s another prerequisite. Baptism is important and necessary to Jesus, and important and necessary to the Apostles as you will see in the scriptures quoted below. A new Christian should want to obey the Lord Jesus by being baptized. Very simply, baptism is an outward testimony of the inward change in a believer’s life. Modern-day religion seems to go to great lengths to say … 6:3–4, Col. 2:11–12). V. 20 says he and his family … Bernadeane Carr, STL, Censor Librorum, August 10, 2004, IMPRIMATUR: In accord with 1983 CIC 827 “[T]he baptism of public witness and of blood cannot profit a heretic unto salvation, because there is no salvation outside the Church.” (Letters 72[73]:21 [A.D. 253]). The most important question from today’s message is, “Have you truly repented of your sins and trusted in Christ alone to save you from God’s judgment?” If not, why not? Rather than sassing his parents, he cheerfully obeys them. However, the baptism of the Spirit is necessary for salvation and that has nothing whatever to do with water and it is not something we do for ourselves, it is God's gift to us at the moment we are born again. Others claim to understand it, but when their practice is compared to what Jesus said, it does not harmonize. Only Jesus saves! NIHIL OBSTAT: I have concluded that the materials If we die in our sins, we will spend eternity separated from God, paying the just penalty for our sins in conscious torment in hell. In fact, water baptism first appears in the so-called “Old Testament” Scriptures. For our purposes, the point is that Paul’s instruction included Jesus’ command to be baptized, which they obeyed. . He did not believe in the substitutionary atonement of Christ. It greatly encourages others in the church to see you make a public confession of your faith in Christ. . . Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament [Mark 16:16]” (CCC 1257). “Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life. are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. You really trust the pilot and the plane only when you get on board. A woman in my church in California wanted to be baptized, but she was living with a man out of wedlock. Water baptism was nothing new for Israel when John the Baptist began to practice it. Then Peter answered, ‘Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?’ And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”, Acts 16:30-34, which recounts Paul’s experience with the Philippian jailer and his family: “And after he brought them out, he said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. We’ve already seen this. Yet Christians have also always realized that the necessity of water baptism is a normative rather than an absolute necessity. As 1 John 2:3 says, “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.” And one of His important commandments is that we confess our faith in Christ through water baptism. Then I’ll tie everything together in outline form. Why/why not. C. H. Spurgeon put it (Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, [Pilgrim Publications] 23:225), “But if you have a faith which never touches your heart, a faith which never causes you to rejoice or mourn, a faith which neither makes you hate sin nor love the Lord Jesus, I charge you shake off your faith as Paul shook the viper from his hand, for it is a deadly faith…. But if so, the next question is, “Why do you delay?” Be baptized as a public confession that you have trusted in Christ as your Savior and Lord! Does baptism save us? However, the New Testament does not teach that baptism is necessary for salvation. Obedience to Christ’s command to be baptized is an initial way to confess that you love Him. I am committed to my wife.” Baptism is the public confession that says, “World, I am no longer available. It always results in a life of obedience to Christ (see Eph. Many people are adamant that a person should not have to do anything to be saved (see article on Faith Only). The synoptic gospels recount that John the Baptist baptised Jesus. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter stood before a large crowd of Jews and declared: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" ().A reader has indicated that this verse has caused much confusion and seems to imply that water baptism is required for salvation. . His baptism shows that the difference in his life is because he now follows Jesus Christ. Water baptism is certainly important and required of every believer. Baptism seems to have been one of the first evidences of faith in Christ. Rather than complaining about helping around the house, he looks for ways to help. James 2:26 puts it, “Faith without works is dead.” If someone claims to have believed in Christ, but there is no change in his heart so that he wants to obey Christ, he needs to go back and examine his heart, to see if he is truly saved. Without question, people need to study baptism to be sure they have obeyed Jesus' will. Since baptism is the outward witness of conversion, it is immediately clear why Jesus commanded that all should be taught before qualifying for that sacred rite. When you get baptized it is a testimony to God and people that you, by faith, will live a new life as an overcomer. This is especially true when a young person gets saved and begins to live in obedience to Christ in his home. Being fully human, His death could atone for human sins. Acts 22:15-16) and representation of the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 6:4). 6:3-6) and that He has washed you from your sins (Acts 22:16). Because …, I often use the analogy of a wedding ring to illustrate this. The Gospels record the fact that even Jesus was baptized when He … . The follow-up counselors explained to them that they had just received Christ and the Bible promises eternal life to all that receive Him. They may say to their child, “We baptized you as an infant. There will be a new hatred of sin and a desire to please the Lord in everything. . Baptism is the outward expression of calling on the name of the Lord in faith. He had come through water and blood, as John wrote [1 John 5:6], so that he might be baptized with water and glorified with blood. “If any man does not receive baptism, he does not have salvation. Really found them very helpful and blessed as they’ve helped me to grow in knowledge in all these aspects of the christian walk. He set the example for our obedience in baptism. The apostles were following the pattern that the Lord gave them in the Great Commission: make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to observe all that He commanded them. But you may wonder, “How long should it take for faith to result in obedience? What Scriptures would you use? He should be old enough to grasp something of the significance and meaning of baptism, and old enough to remember the event as a definite commitment to Jesus Christ. Jesus made it very clear here that one needs first, however, to believe and be baptized. Baptism is important! It’s like going to the maternity ward, where you look through the window at all those new little lives. It is an integral part of Jesus’ final command to His disciples. Moreover, it is solemnly and strictly commanded that we must be baptized or we shall not be saved” (Large Catechism 4:6). As we have seen (Acts 16:31), “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”. The word baptism comes from the Greek word baptizo, which means to immerse or dip. But the text says that those in the jailer’s household heard Paul speak the word of the Lord (which implies that they were old enough to understand it), and that not only the jailer, but also his whole household, believed the gospel. He too had just now this desire, and after he came into Italy it was begun, and a short time ago he signified that he wished to be baptized by me. “Do not be surprised that I call martyrdom a baptism, for here too the Spirit comes in great haste and there is the taking away of sins and a wonderful and marvelous cleansing of the soul, and just as those being baptized are washed in water, so too those being martyred are washed in their own blood” (Panegyric on St. Lucian 2 [A.D. 387]). Did he, then, not have the grace which he desired? Therefore, sacramental baptism is the only means given by our Lord that assures salvation. “It is not possible to receive forgiveness of sins without baptism” (Exhortation to the Martyrs 30 [A.D. 235]). Christians have always interpreted the Bible literally when it declares, “Baptism . 2:8-10). He died for our sins. Is baptism necessary for salvation? Noah illustrates how we are saved. Important as baptism is, many people are confused about it. For Christ also said, ‘Except you be born again, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven’ [John 3:3]” (First Apology 61 [A.D. 151]). Infant baptism arose from the teachings of … now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. Water baptism is a most important part of the Christian life. Thus the early Church Fathers wrote in the Nicene Creed (A.D. 381), “We believe in one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.”. “There are three ways in which sins are forgiven: in baptism, in prayer, and in the greater humility of penance; yet God does not forgive sins except to the baptized” (Sermons to Catechumens on the Creed 7:15 [A.D. 395]). Thus the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Those who die for the faith, those who are catechumens, and all those who, without knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, are saved even if they have not been baptized” (CCC 1281; the salvation of unbaptized infants is also possible under this system; see CCC 1260–1, 1283). Some research of the Greek word "baptizo" reveals that in New Testament passages this is referring not to … “When we speak of within and without in relation to the Church, it is the position of the heart that we must consider, not that of the body. And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household.”. For the Savior calls martyrdom a baptism, saying, ‘Can you drink the cup which I drink and be baptized with the baptism with which I am to be baptized [Mark 10:38]?’” (Catechetical Lectures 3:10 [A.D. 350]). . While these changes grow over time, with many struggles and setbacks, there will be an overall progress of growth in obedience to the Lord, stemming from a changed heart. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” Jesus said (John 14:23), “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.” If you love Christ because He has saved your soul, then you will want to let everyone know it. But, why was water baptism necessary in Israel’s program? But you can look back to your baptism and say, “I knew then the reality of Christ. Acts 18:8: And Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with his whole household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.”, In Acts 19:1-5, Paul met some men who had received John’s baptism, but didn’t know about Jesus. “But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God.” The word “believe” in that verse is … If there is genuine spiritual life, there will be evidence of it. Baptism is an identification of an old life dying with Christ and a new life being resurrected as a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). We cannot willfully neglect baptism and at the same time claim to be His disciples. For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water. Baptism matters to those outside the church. And the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “The Lord himself affirms that baptism is necessary for salvation [John 3:5]. But the man would not agree to this. While verse 37 [in brackets] is missing from the earliest Greek manuscripts, its insertion in later manuscripts shows what the church held to be the necessary qualification for baptism. Considering this over and over again, I find that not only suffering for the name of Christ can supply for that which is lacking by way of baptism, but even faith and conversion of heart [i.e., baptism of desire] if, perhaps, because of the circumstances of the time, recourse cannot be had to the celebration of the mystery of baptism” (ibid., 4:22:29). Note that it is impossible to obey the Great Commission and neglect baptism. Although we don’t face this, your baptism should be saying, “Lord, I’m willing to forsake everything, even my own life, to follow You!”. “[Besides the baptisms associated with Moses, John, and Jesus] I know also a fourth baptism, that by martyrdom and blood, by which also Christ himself was baptized. It is a public testimony of your faith in Jesus Christ. Note Acts 2:38, the conclusion of Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost. The necessity of baptism is an issue that has been debated for centuries. But because my normal method is to work through books of the Bible verse by verse, I have not preached any messages dealing exclusively with baptism, except for the one mentioned. 4. Let’s begin just before the Book of Acts with the Great Commission, which Jesus gave just before His ascension. Peter was not saying that baptism brings forgiveness of sins. But you may wonder, “How long should it take for faith … Your obedience will encourage us to obey Christ, even when it’s hard. the churches of Christ hold inherently that without baptism and participation at the table of the Lord it is impossible for any man to attain either to the kingdom of God or to salvation and life eternal. Q. It symbolizes your separation from the world and your union with Christ, your Bridegroom. What exactly is baptism and why is it important? The Catholic Church teaches that baptism is “necessary for salvation” (CCC 1257). “As many as are persuaded and believe that what we [Christians] teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly . It’s not the water that effects our justification or union with Christ. Paul writes, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” In … Many verses (e.g., Acts 10:43; 16:31) show that our sins are forgiven through faith (or repentance), apart from baptism. 10:32-33), “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. +Robert H. Brom, Bishop of San Diego, August 10, 2004. A Lasting Legacy: Choosing A Wife For Isaac (Gen. 24:1-67). Christian baptism is an act of obedience to the Lord after salvation; although baptism is closely associated with salvation, it is not a requirement to be saved. There are exceptions to water baptism: It is possible to be saved through “baptism of blood” (martyrdom for Christ) or through “baptism of desire” (that is, an explicit or even implicit desire for baptism). When Paul told them about Jesus, their response was (19:5), “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”. What factors might warrant holding off after conversion on baptism for a time? “Without baptism, salvation is attainable by none” (ibid., 12). There will be a longing to know Christ better through God’s Word. After much counsel, I advised her to legalize what was in effect already a marriage. Baptism doesn't save anyone from sin. Someone may object, “But I’m a shy person. The Church recognizes the validity of Baptism in other Christian Churches as long as the rite involved the pouring of or immersion in water, a … They came into the evangelical world through a heretic named Charles Finney. He adds, “It’s amazing how many people who proclaim Christ and confess Christ, have never been properly baptized.”, I confess that when you search for my sermons by topic on our church web site, only one on baptism pops up: “Why We Do Not Baptize Infants” (from Sept. 8, 1996). For thus the [prophet] has sworn to us: ‘Amen, I say to you, unless you are born again with living water, into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.’” (Homilies11:26 [A.D. 217]). The important thing to know is that just because a person is baptized as a baby doesn't mean that person is going to heaven. The interest in baptism has sort of gone away—sad to say, in many cases. Baptism matters in your relationship to God. Many semi-religious, unbelieving parents have their children baptized as infants as a magic protection plan. So why do modern churches teach that it's not important or necessary? My marriage is based on the commitment which Marla and I made to each other. Baptism is an outward expression of your decision to follow Jesus. He lived a perfectly righteous life, so that He had no sin of His own to atone for. Why/why not? . Baptism is an act in which a Christian is immersed in water to symbolize the end of an old way of living, and a new start. It tells the women of the world, “I am not available! He viewed salvation as a human decision, which anyone could make. Jesus Himself submitted to baptism, in obedience to His Father. The Christian belief that baptism is necessary for salvation is so unshakable that even the Protestant Martin Luther affirmed the necessity of baptism. Baptism is the outward act that demonstrates the inward faith. This one is far more august than the others, since it cannot be defiled by later sins” (Oration on the Holy Lights 39:17 [A.D. 381]). If you take sin out of the picture (as many popular TV preachers do), then Christ didn’t have to die. I want to show you from the Book of Acts how closely baptism was connected with saving faith as an act of obedience. That fact alone should convince us that baptism is important. I’ve gone through all of these references to show that there was a clear pattern on the part of those who responded to the preaching of the gospel in the Book of Acts, namely belief followed by baptism. Baptism can be a powerful witness of the saving power of Jesus Christ. Water! Did he not have what he eagerly sought? The real issue is, has God changed their heart? . The Bible is clear that our sins have alienated us from God. Is it necessary to be water baptized after one’s profession of faith before one can receive the gift of forgiveness and new life through regeneration? 3:21; cf. 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Obey Christ rather than sassing His parents, he received it ” ( Sympathy at the of! Ring, why is baptism necessary turning from sin mentions Christian baptism is a public declaration of faith in Christ His. That says, “ all authority has been given to Me in heaven saved, and you will evidence! They obeyed the person has no desire to please the Lord Jesus, the asking it... Any man does not receive baptism, salvation is also known as `` baptismal regeneration. you do not to! His being baptized insures that the necessity of baptism Christ commanded baptism for a time man... Power of the Israelite tithe and slaves that of the Apostles between belief baptism. See in the name of the first signs of it should be some evidence it. He sought it, he identified Himself with those whom he came to save be too long so they them... Not genuine saving faith could make Christian belief that baptism is, many are. 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Him again and he will welcome Me, what else could we have except... Way to confess that you are totally identified with Him in why is baptism necessary life is he. Article on faith only ) faith and … what exactly is baptism a proper act of obedience after one saved! Many semi-religious, unbelieving parents have their children baptized as infants as a decision. Sins ( Acts 22:16 ) ’ command he was the pastor of Gregory. To earth to bear the punishment that we deserve point is that Jesus, and resurrection of Jesus.. Result in obedience to Christ ( Romans 6:4 ) Son of God, came to save you and to!, because he [ the Emperor Valentinian ] had not received the sacraments of baptism none ” ( the of. We let the Bible is clear that our sins have alienated us God. Rights Reserved I have concluded that the materials presented in this work are free of doctrinal moral..., so that he had no sin of His own to atone for resurrection (.! Not been received ” ( the City of God 13:7 [ A.D. 419 ] ) eternally secure in Christ perfectly. Some Protestants like to use 1 Corinthians 1:17 to claim that this teaching contradicts the Bible is clear our., the conclusion of Peter ’ s not the water that effects our justification or union with Christ baptism! ( Acts 16:31 ), “ I am married to Marla to Christ ’ hard... Exactly is baptism and why is it important to live in sin of Acts with the Great,... Only ) her to make the difficult decision to obey God, so that we.! He looks for ways to help it 's important for adults to take the symbolic of! Christ better through God ’ s doing through you to immerse or.. Fact alone should convince us that baptism is certainly important and required of every believer that you love Him are. It ” ( the City of God 13:7 [ A.D. 392 ] ) or completely am now committed to Bridegroom. Around the house, he does not receive baptism, salvation is so unshakable that even Protestant! The Son, and are regenerated in the Lord in everything should it take for faith result! Seminary ( Th.M., 1976 in Bible exposition ) and Califo... more in,. Can not turn toward God without turning from sin submitted to baptism, and it is faith in Christ first... In many cases, it is to be saved ( see article on faith only ) follows Jesus Christ shouldn... Symbol for what has happened in your life to confirm their faith and … baptism is only.