The following is from a big book called "Systematic Theology", by Wayne Grudem, which is a book I recommend to be on anyones' bookshelf if they want to seriously study Christian theology. I agree with what this book has to say on the subject, and if you agree or disagree I would love if you would leave a comment explaining why.
"While we recognize that Jesus commanded baptism (Matt. 28:19), as did the apostles (Acts 2:38), we should not say that baptism is necessary for salvation."..."To say that baptism or any other action is necessary for salvation is to say that we are not justified by faith alone, but by faith plus a certain "work," the work of baptism. The apostle Paul would have opposed the idea that baptism is necessary for salvation just as strongly as he opposed the similar idea that circumcision was necessary for salvation (see Gal. 5:1-12)
Those who argue that baptism is necessary for salvation often point to Mark 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." But the very evident answer to this is simply to say that the verse says nothing about those who believe and are not baptized. The verse is simply talking about general cases without making a pedantic qualification for the unusual case of someone who believes and is not baptized. But certainly the verse should not be pressed into service and mad to speak of something it is not talking about.
More to the point is Jesus' statement to the dying thief on the cross, "Today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). The thief could not be baptized before he died on the cross, but he was certainly saved that day. Moreover, the force of this point cannot be evaded by arguing that the thief was saved under the old covenant (under which baptism was not necessary to salvation), because the new covenant took effect at the death of Jesus (see Heb. 9:17), and Jesus died beforeeither of the two thieves who were crucified with him (see John 19:32-33).
Another reason why baptism is not necessary for salvation is that our justification from sins takes place at the point of saving faith, not at the point of water baptism, which usually occurs later. But if a person is already justified and has sins forgiven eternally at the point of saving faith, then baptism is not necessary for forgiveness of sins, or for the bestowal of new spiritual life.
Baptism, then, is not necessary for salvation. But it is necessary if we are to be obedient to Christ, for he commanded baptism for all who believe in him."
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I have added myself to follow your blog. You are more than welcome to visit my blog and become a follower also.
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.‘"
This verse is often used to say that baptism is part of salvation, but we know from other scriptures that it is not, lest there be a contradiction. What is going on here is simply that repentance and forgiveness of sins are connected. In the Greek, "repent" is in the plural and so is "your" of "your sins." They are meant to be understood as being related to each other. It is like saying, "All of you repent, each of you get baptized, and all of you will receive forgiveness." Repentance is a mark of salvation because it is granted by God (2 Tim. 2:25) and is given to believers only. In this context, only the regenerated, repentant person is to be baptized. Baptism is the manifestation of the repentance, that gift from God, that is the sign of the circumcised heart. That is why it says, "repent and be baptized."
Also, please notice that there is no mention of faith in Acts 2:38. If this verse is a description of what is necessary for salvation, then why is faith not mentioned? Simply saying it is implied isn't good enough. Peter is not teaching a formula for salvation, but for covenant obedience, which is why the next verse says that the promise is for their children as well.
Jason M,
I happened upon your blog via Steve Finnell's blog (I found his blog because he had left a comment on my blog). You are right on in your beliefs on salvation and baptism (as much as I have read thus far). Also, you are very good at articulating your thoughts and words. Thanks for writing.
Blessings,
Jamie
Jamie, thanks for reading. I was invited by Steve to read his blog, and it became clear that me and him got some very different theological views, which I normally don't let bother me. But when it comes to issues of salvation and the gospel, it always bothers me, because a persons' eternal salvation is at stake.
Have fun reading.
Jason--I like your blog...much better than the Steve Finnell blog...I think he was trying to be legalistic with me as well. I have a question for you, why can't the actions of Acts 2:38 all go together(Faith, Repentance, Baptism)? Remember, Peter is speaking to Jews, they had some sort of understanding of faith in God! Just not in what Jesus Christ the Messiah had truly done for them. I am not trying to start a controversy but just asking what you think about that.
I like your argument about saving faith, that is awesome! But faith must also have its deeds as well. We must exhibit our faith by what we do! (obedience, trust, humility...) Let me know what you think...by the way can I follow your blog?
Paul, faith repentance and baptism really do all go together. It is faith that comes first and is what is essential. Why confess and repent of our sins to God when we have no faith in Him? People in the Old Testament like Abraham had faith in God, and because of that faith, they obeyed God. Making things like baptism, a work of faith. Works of faith is what James was talking about when he said that "faith without works is dead". In a sense it boils down to why are we doing good works. Is it so that we can get saved, or is it because we have a saving faith and love for God?
I grew up a fundamentalist Baptist preacher’s son, very well educated in Baptist doctrine. I became an evangelical in my twenties: same doctrines just with a more positive emphasis. I am now a conservative (confessional) Lutheran.
Why did I become a Lutheran if I was taught, and still believe, that salvation is received through faith alone, in Christ alone? How could I join a Church that believes that God saves and forgives sins in Baptism? Baptism is a work!
I became a conservative Lutheran when I realized that the reason Baptists and evangelicals do not and cannot understand infant baptism and baptismal regeneration is that they do not understand how a sinner obtains FAITH!
As I said above, I was a Baptist preacher’s son. When I was nine years old, I got into trouble, and my mother gave me a well-deserved spanking. After the spanking, she talked to me about sin and that I needed to be saved. She led me in a prayer to ask Jesus to forgive me of my sins, come into my heart, and be my Lord and Savior. I remember feeling so good after finishing that prayer. I was saved!
I was then told that God would now speak to me or move me or lead me to do things to follow his will for my life. All the Christians around me were talking about God moving them, leading them, speaking to them…but I just didn’t have the same intensity of feelings that most of them seemed to have. So when I was about 15, hearing a good Baptist sermon, I asked myself this, “Maybe the reason God doesn’t speak to me like he does other Christians is probably because I am not really saved! I didn’t really believe the first time. Maybe I didn’t fully repent. Maybe I didn’t have enough faith.” So I prayed the equivalent of the Sinner’s Prayer again, with all sincerity and contrition for my sins. I felt that rush of good feelings again. I was happy. I now knew that I was definitely saved!
But then in my early 20′s I attended a non-denominational evangelical church (with Baptist doctrine). The people in this church REALLY had God. They would sway with the hymns, hands toward heaven, their eyes rolling back in the heads. "Wow! God REALLY speaks to these people! So why doesn’t he speak to me like that? There must be something wrong with me, because I don’t FEEL saved anymore!"
I left the Church altogether.
I was not the only Baptist/evangelical to undergo several born again experiences because we didn’t FEEL saved. My mother, the pastor’s wife, several years later, the person who had “led me to Christ”, decided that she wasn’t really saved either, so she repeated her born again experience just to be sure. And several other people in my church repeated their born again experience for the same reason: they weren't sure that they had done it right. If you go on your computer and google “how many times have you prayed the Sinner's Prayer?” you will find other Baptists/evangelicals who have gone through the same experience.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060728125929AAnQHZp
The problem with the Baptist/evangelical Doctrine of Faith is that it is based on US! Our salvation is based on us having the maturity and intelligence to make a free will decision to accept Christ into our hearts, So if later on in life we start to question our salvation due to not FEELING saved, what do we have to fall back on? Ourselves! Did I really repent? Did I really have true faith or was I trusting in my own faith? At nine years old did I really have the maturity to make a decision? MAYBE I DIDN’T DO IT RIGHT! So just to be on the safe side, I’ll sincerely repeat a version of the Sinner’s Prayer, and make 100% sure that, this time, I do everything right!
So, in this plan of salvation, which is supposed to be a FREE gift from God, we turn it into something that depends on us…on us doing the born again experience correctly!
To read the rest of this article, click here:
http://www.lutherwasnotbornagain.com/2013/06/the-reason-baptists-and-evanglicals.html
God bless,
Gary
Luther, Baptists, and Evangelicals
Lutherans believe that God saves sinners and forgives sins in Baptism because that is what the simple, plain reading of the Bible says.
However, we do NOT believe that Baptism is absolutely necessary/mandatory for salvation. All the saints in the OT, the thief on the cross, and many Christian martyrs down through the ages have died without baptism.
As Christ states in Mark 16:16, it is the lack of faith/belief that damns one to hell, not the lack of baptism.
Baptism is one of several "when"s of salvation, it is not the "how" of salvation. The "how" of salvation is and always has been the power of God's Word/his declaration of righteousness, received through faith.
If you are interested in reading more about Lutheran doctrine, go to the official website of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod.
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