A number of clear passages could be cited to prove that water baptism is essential to salvation. (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; 22:16) In this lesson I wish to examine some less well known Scriptures and present some thoughts that also make the same point.

1. The Church of Christ Teaches the Ancient View:

"Churches of Christ have stood alone in the religious world on the subject of water baptism. We have insisted that immersion to a penitent believer is essential to salvation from past sins. Because of this conviction we have been charged with disregarding or nullifying the grace of God, teaching salvation by works, advocating baptismal regeneration, and denying the Protestant theology of justification by faith only. Whereas we have emphasized baptism as a condition of salvation, Protestant Denominationalism has promoted the theory that baptism is simply a 'sign' or 'symbol' of the salvation which one has previously received through faith alone. What many people do not recognize is that churches of Christ are advocating the ANCIENT view of baptism, dating back to the first century and continuing almost unabated until the time of the Protestant reformation. Jack Cottrell has pointed out: (Baptism: A Biblical Study. p. 166) 'The understanding of baptism as the time when God bestows salvation was the nearly unanimous view in Christendom for nearly fifteen hundred years. It was a consensus shared by the early church fathers, Catholic theology in the Middle Ages, and Martin Luther. The "other" view, the one that now prevails, was the creation of Huldreich Zwingli in the decade of the 1520's..Thus the "sign and seal" concept of baptism is the newcomer..We should have no qualms about abandoning a view whose roots go back no further than Zwingli.'...Most adherents to this view would be surprised to learn that it is not only younger than biblical times, but that it is scarcely five hundred years old." (The Spiritual Sword. 'Baptism in the New Testament', Alan E. Highers, Vol. 25, Jan. 1994, pp. 1-2)

1. The Simple Matter Of Order:

The "order" taught in most Protestant denominations, is (1) Faith (2) Salvation (3) Baptism. But if we are first saved, and then baptized, then Jesus and the Apostles never taught the correct order. (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21)

1. 1 Peter 3:21:

1 PETER 3:21 'AND CORRESPONDING TO THAT, BAPTISM NOW SAVES YOU..'

Points to Note:

1. "In his handbook for members of the Baptist Church, J.T. Odle says there are four things necessary before one can be baptized scripturally. These are (1) one must be a saved person.." (Spiritual Sword. p. 5) Notice that this first requirement presents a religious Catch-22. In light of the above Scripture, how can anyone ever meet the requirements laid down by the Baptist Church to be baptized? You can't be baptized unless you are a saved person, and yet Peter says that you can't be a saved person unless you are baptized!

2. "Corresponding to that"-'This water prefigured the water of baptism' (NEB); 'And, corresponding to that figure' (Wey); 'And baptism, which this foreshadowed' (TCNT); 'Baptism, the counterpart of that' (Mof). Water baptism isn't a "sign" or "symbol" of salvation. Peter teaches us, that the flood of Noah foreshadowed (served as a type) the deliverance found in water baptism. "Robert Stein, Baptism scholar, has recently acknowledged: 'At times salvation is said to come about through baptism. Here once again we can mention 1 Peter 3:21, where baptism is clearly said to save'..Elsewhere Dr. Stein declares that any attempt to spiritualize the water of 1 Peter 3:21 'drowns in the flood waters mentioned in verse 20!." (Spiritual Sword 'False Concepts of Baptism', Wayne Jackson p. 32)

1. "Not the removal of dirt from the flesh"-'not as the mere removing of physical stain' (Gspd); 'not the mere cleansing of the body' (TCNT). But this phrase implies that baptism does remove something. And if it doesn't remove a physical stain, then it must succeed in removing a spiritual stain, i.e. sin. The next sentence demonstrates that this is the correct understanding of the passage. "But an appeal to God for a good conscience". And a good conscience is a conscience free from guilt. Therefore, water baptism is necessarily for the removal of sin and it's companion guilt.

1. Ephesians 4:4-6:

EPHESIANS 4:5 'ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM.'

Points to Note:

1. The "one" baptism in this verse is water baptism. (a) It must be the same baptism as that commanded in the Great Commission, since such was a universal requirement laid down upon all men. (Mark 16:15-16) (b) The baptism of the Great Commission is water baptism, seeing that it would involve a human administrator. (Matthew 28:19; Holy Spirit baptism doesn't-Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:4-5,8; 2:1-4)

2. Paul isn't saying, 'One important body, one important Spirit, one important hope, one important Lord, one important faith, one important God, oh, and by the way one unnecessary baptism'.

3. Water baptism isn't just a "cultural tradition". One cannot argue that being baptized in water was what "they did" to be saved, but that we can choose something more in line with our own culture to demonstrate our submission to God. In these verses water baptism is placed among a number of "unchanging" realities. Nothing in Ephesians 4:4-6 is tied to "tradition" or "culture". In addition, the "cultural" argument against baptism also falls in the face of the Great Commission. "the implementation of this commission (Matthew 28:19-20) is essential for the reception of the Lord's promise that he will always (unto the end of the world) be with those who are carrying out this commission. In other words, the baptism here contemplated will last until the end of time. Water baptism is thus a permanent feature of the Christian system." (Spiritual Sword. 'False Concepts of Baptism', Wayne Jackson p. 31)

4. All of the subjects mentioned in Ephesians 4:4-6 are plain, fundamental, and basic issues. This infers that the subject of baptism can't be that hard to understand. It can't be a subject that demands years of study just to figure out the why, how and who of it. Therefore, if one rejects water baptism, they are rejecting a truth that is just as plain as the answer to the question of 'how many God's exist', or, 'how many hopes are valid', or, ' how many Lord's govern the universe.'

1. This whole section (Ephesians 4:1-6) is dealing with unity. Which is brought about by the right attitudes (4:1-3) and the correct doctrine (4:4-6). Therefore, the person who reject's any attitude or doctrine mentioned in this section, is guilty of spreading division. Such would be divisive and contentious behavior. God tells us to reject such. (Titus 3:10-11) Hence, those who preach that baptism isn't necessary for salvation, are guilty of spreading division in the body of Christ. They are people who have set themselves (knowingly or ignorantly) against "preserving the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Eph. 4:3)

1. 1 Corinthians 12:13:

1 CORINTHIANS 12:13 'FOR BY ONE SPIRIT WE WERE ALL BAPTIZED INTO ONE BODY..'

Points to Note:

1. "For by one Spirit"-means through the guidance, teaching or instruction of the One Spirit. From Ephesians 4:4-6 we have already proven that the one baptism required of all who would belong to the one body (church) is water baptism. Water baptism is the one entrance into the one body. (Compare Mark 16:16=Eph. 5:23)

2. Therefore the Holy Spirit would never tell anyone to reject or disregard water baptism! The Holy Spirit would never move or inspire any man to preach against water baptism. In fact, when the Holy Spirit did inspire men to preach, the message preached to the lost contained teaching stressing the necessity of being baptized. (Acts 2:38; 8:5,12; 8:35-38; 10:

10:47-48; 16:30-33; 18:8; 22:16)

1. As I read the N.T., I am impressed that Paul and the other Apostles never mentioned or conceived of an "unbaptized Christian". Such a person didn't exist in the First Century. Everyone in the Church at Rome had been baptized (Romans 6:3 "all of us"); so had all the Christians in Corinth (1 Corinthians 6:11-the exact same individuals who had been justified and sanctified, had also been washed; 12:13 "we were all baptized"; Acts 18:8). Every Christian in the Galatian region had been baptized (Galatians 3:27 "For all of you who were baptized"). The same was true in Ephesus (Ephesians 2:5-6); Colossae (Colossians 2:11-13; 3:1); Christians the Hebrew writer addressed (Hebrews 10:22); and the recipients of Peter's letter (1 Peter 1:23; 3:21). Where are the unbaptized Christians in the First Century?

1. Acts 2:41; 16:13-15:

Points to Note:

1. We are told that all you have to do in order to gain salvation is accept in your heart that Jesus is your personal Saviour. I find something different happening in the New Testament. When people "accepted" what God had said (Acts 2:41), and when they allowed such preaching to open their hearts and convict them of their own sins and God's love for them (Acts 16:14), THEY IMMEDIATELY WERE BAPTIZED!

1. Therefore, as long as one rejects baptism, one is also rejecting Jesus as one's personal Savior, for He commanded you to submit to it. (Mark 16:16) And, the refusal to be baptized demonstrates that your heart isn't as open to the Lord as you claim it is.

VII. Final Observations:

"Have you heard of 'lordship salvation'? This term has reference to a controversy which is flaming today among 'conservative' or 'evangelical' denominations. On one hand is Zane Hodges..who argues that salvation is by 'faith only'. One the other hand is John MacArthur..who says that true faith requires submission to God. At issue is whether one must be obedient to Jesus (as Lord) in order to be saved or whether one can simply believe in Jesus (as Savior)..What is fascinating about this controversy is that MacArthur is using fundamentally the same arguments on Hodges that we have used throughout all of the years in dealing with those who teach salvation by faith only!...Forewords to MacArthur's book, The Gospel According to Jesus, were written by two well-known conservative scholars. J.I Packer says: 'Bare assent to the gospel, divorced from a transforming commitment to the living Christ, is by biblical standards less than faith, and less than saving...James Montgomery Boice states, 'that faith without works is a dead faith and that no one will ever be saved by a dead faith.' Is this not what gospel preachers have always said?" (Spiritual Sword p. 47)