If Baptism is not essential for salvation then how are these verses to be explained?
- Jn 3:5, 22 – born of water & Spirit: Apostles begin baptizing
In context, Jesus's reference to water is to the normal birth as being of the flesh when Israel used to be born into the Kingdom of God by blood relative, and then baptized with the Spirit is how one is born again of the Spirit.
Jesus deferred from the normal birth into entering in the kingdom of God by water ( how a woman's water broke to indicate a coming birth ) and saying that which is born again of the Spirit is of the Spirit.
John 3:[SUP]5 [/SUP]Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.[SUP] 6 [/SUP]That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.[SUP] 7 [/SUP]Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.[SUP] 8 [/SUP]The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.[SUP]9 [/SUP]Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Verse 8 is a testimony that there is to be no outside telltale sign as proof to those born again of the Spirit when it happens.
Jesus continued by answering Nicodemus's question on how one is born again... by believing in Him after His resurrection and His ascension to the Father above.
John 3:[SUP]13 [/SUP]
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.[SUP]14 [/SUP]And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
even so must the Son of man be lifted up:[SUP]15 [/SUP]That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
So the born again experience was to happen after Jesus had ascended to God the Father so that whenever any one believes in Him, the promise of the permanent indwelling Holy Ghost is sent at that believer's salvation by the Father in Jesus's name.
The natural birth by blood relative used to be how one was "born" into the kingdom of God under the Old Covenant.
John 1:[SUP]12 [/SUP]But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:[SUP]13 [/SUP]Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Tit 3:5 – saved us through bath of rebirth & renewal by Holy Spirit
In context, that is referring to the baptism of the Holy Ghost at our salvation. Do note that it is not by any works of righteousness which we have done... and so that discounts water baptism as a means to obtain salvation by.
Titus 3:[SUP]4 [/SUP]But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,[SUP] 5 [/SUP]
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;[SUP]6 [/SUP]Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;[SUP]7 [/SUP]That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Acts 2:37-38 – repent, be baptized, receive gift of Holy Spirit
It is understandable that you would apply that verse to mean water baptism is essential but read it in context and with the rest of scripture to see that water baptism was just an ordinance for saved believers to follow; not a means to receive the promise of the Holy Ghost at their salvation in being born again of the Spirit.
Acts 2:[SUP]36 [/SUP]Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.[SUP]37 [/SUP]Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
So these Jews that had crucified Jesus Christ because they did not believe in Him, were pricked in their hearts when they realized that they had crucified their Messiah and had asked what they were to do after having done such a horrible thing to God which they had participated in by joining the crowd to have Him crucified.
So when Peter called them to repent... it was to repent from unbelief, for the remission of sins whereas the water baptism was interjected in there but not meaning to serve as a means by which they had received the promise of the Spirit.
Acts 2:[SUP]38 [/SUP]Then Peter said unto them, 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 Ghost. [SUP]39 [/SUP]For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Proof that by believing in Him is that call to repent for the Jews to do in order to receive the remission of sins is how one receives remission of sins when that same gospel was preached clearer to the Gentiles without interjecting that ordinance in that altar call, because the Gentiles had received the promise of the Holy Spirit BEFORE water baptism.
Acts 10:[SUP]43 [/SUP]To him give all the prophets witness,
that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.[SUP] 44 [/SUP]While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.[SUP]45 [/SUP]And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.[SUP] 46 [/SUP]For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,[SUP]
47 [/SUP]
Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?[SUP] 48 [/SUP]And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
So by reading other scripture with the reference you had cited in Acts 2, one could better understand Peter what he had actually meant in how any one receives the remission of sins and that was by believing in Him and thus receive the promise of the Holy Spirit at their salvation.
Acts 22:16 – get selves baptized and sins washed away
Acts 22:[SUP]16 [/SUP]And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and
wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
By calling on the name of the Lord to be saved is believing in Him to receive the remission of sins.
1Cor 6:11 – you were washed, sanctified, justified
Not by water baptism. Read it again below. It lines up with Titus 3:5-6
Titus 3:[SUP] 5 [/SUP]
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;[SUP]6 [/SUP]Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;[SUP]7[/SUP]
1 Corinthians 6:[SUP]11 [/SUP]And such were some of you: but
ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Rom 6:4 – baptized into death; live in newness of life
That hardly points to water baptism when receiving Christ at our salvation is how we had received newness of life to walk in newness of life, otherwise, one could apply that verse below that one has to live in newness of life by constantly water baptizing oneself.
Romans 6:[SUP]3 [/SUP]Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? [SUP]4 [/SUP]Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Galatians 2:[SUP]20 [/SUP]I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Colossians 2:[SUP]6 [/SUP]As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: [SUP]7 [/SUP]Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
So how we walk in newness of life is not by water baptism but by having received Jesus Christ at our salvation.
1Pet 3:21 – baptism…now saves you
1 Peter 3:[SUP]21 [/SUP]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:
Water is used to putting away the filth of the flesh and so it is not water baptism, but the answer of a good conscience toward God by believing by the resurrection of Jesus Christ is how one is
baptized with the Holy Ghost at our salvation.
Heb 10:22 – heart sprinkled, bodies washed in pure water
Has any body been washed by pure water with our heart sprinkled too?? So we should look at this analogy and what brings this analogy about as a result.
Hebrews 10:[SUP]19 [/SUP]Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, [SUP]20 [/SUP]By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; [SUP]21 [/SUP]And having an high priest over the house of God; [SUP]22 [/SUP]
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
[SUP]23 [/SUP]Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised
So our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water is by doing what? Drawing near to Him in full assurance of faith.. by believing in Him is how we receive the promise of the Holy Spirit at our salvation.
- Ezk 36:24-28 – God promises to unite Himself to His people through a regenerative washing in pure water by the power of the Holy Spirit (added by Shameless Popery)
But that can be read in lining up with Titus 3:5-6 as saying the same thing without water baptism. When you read that reference, do note that this is God saying what He will do.. not you doing it for Him by water baptism.
Ezekiel 36:[SUP]24 [/SUP]For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.[SUP] 25[/SUP]
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.[SUP] 26 [/SUP]
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.[SUP] 27 [/SUP]And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.[SUP]28 [/SUP]And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Did you put a new heart in believer? Did you put a new spirit in believers? No. God did. And so it is God that cleanses us with pure & clean water as in
washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Titus 3:[SUP] 5 [/SUP]
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;[SUP]6 [/SUP]Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;[SUP]7[/SUP]
So when you read thoe references of yours in context and all together, you can see that water baptism has nothing to do with the remission of sins but by believing in Jesus Christ so that by doing so, is how one receives the promise of the Holy Spirit at their salvation. It is by believing in Him is what pleases God to save sinners by.
1 Corinthians 1:[SUP]14 [/SUP]I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;[SUP] 15 [/SUP]Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.[SUP] 16 [/SUP]And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
[SUP] 17 [/SUP]For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.[SUP] 18 [/SUP]For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God......[SUP]21 [/SUP]For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God,
it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.