Articles / Class Lessons
“How Important is Baptism?”
Baptism is one of the most misunderstood and controversial religious acts, with the teaching surrounding it varying among most churches. Today, a majority of sincere persons believe that baptism is not necessary for salvation. One passage that is usually cited as proof comes from Acts 10 concerning the story of Cornelius. It is believed that since Cornelius received the Spirit before baptism – he must have been saved before baptism. Thus, if Cornelius and his household were saved before baptism, men today are also saved before baptism – making it unnecessary for salvation.
In order to better understand what happened with Cornelius, it is important to read all of chapter 10, as well as the first 18 verses of chapter 11. 10.6 and 11.14 state that he was to "hear words" by which he should be saved. Both chapters indicate an action in the future. At this point, they were not saved. Note also that 11.15 states they had not heard those words when the Holy Spirit fell upon them. Peter says, As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. What had Cornelius and his household done at this point to be saved? Nothing. Are they saved at this point? No. They had not been told what was necessary in order to be saved!
The Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius and his household to prove to the Jews that under the law of Christ, salvation was for everyone—both Jew and Gentile! This was the reason for Peter’s vision in the early part of chapter 10. In Chapter 11, Peter repeated the story in orderly sequence because his eating and drinking with Gentiles created quite a stir in Jerusalem. After Peter recounted the story, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life. (11.18)
Cornelius did what everyone else did in the first century to be saved. He believed and was baptized. If Cornelius believed and was baptized, salvation was his, Mark 16.16. Those who insist upon baptism not being necessary for salvation would have Cornelius be accepted by God (be saved) without doing one thing. Certainly this is not true, for we do have to do something in order to be saved. That is, we must respond to God’s conditions for salvation! Repentance, confession, and baptism are works of faith and when we follow through on these God-given expectations, He adds us to His church (Acts 2.38-47).
Sometimes some will turn to Peter’s sermon in Acts 3 and Paul’s sermon in Acts 13 where the necessity of baptism is not included in the parts of those lessons that has been revealed. Conclusions are drawn that since baptism is not mentioned in these two sermons that it must not be a requirement for salvation. This ignores Paul and Peter’s plain teaching in other places. For example, in Acts 2.38-40 at the conclusion of Peter’s first sermon we read: Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. "For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!" We know that after hearing they believed because verse 41 tells us those who received his word were baptized. Why would Peter have told the audience in Acts 2 something different than the one he preached to in Acts 3? Why would baptism not be included in Paul’s teaching in Acts 13 when he taught so clearly about its necessity in Romans 6? Why can’t we infer that Peter and Paul brought up baptism in each and every sermon, regardless of whether Luke recorded it or not, because it (baptism) is part of preaching Jesus. In every case of conversion Luke records those being saved were immersed in water. Refer to Acts 2.38; 8.12; 8.36-38; 9.1-6; 22.16; 10.1-2, 43, 47-48; 16.14, 30-33.
God operates on us in baptism! Note Colossians 2.12: having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. Note also, the next verse: When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions.
We can learn five things from these two verses. Those who have been baptized: (1) were dead; (2) were buried; (3) were risen; (4) were made alive; (5) had their trespasses forgiven. The Scriptures teach that baptism is to be done: (1) for the remission of sin—Acts 2.38 (2) to wash away sin—Acts 22.16; (3) to get into Christ—Galatians 3.26-27; (4) to be saved—Mark 16.16; (5) to get into the church—1 Corinthians 12.13; (6) to wear the name of Christ—1 Corinthians 1.12-13; and (7) to bury the old man of sin—Romans 6.3-6.
Have you been baptized for the right reason?
