Does water baptism save us

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Feb 21, 2014
5,672
18
0
Mk 16:16; Jn 3:5; Acts 2:38; 1 Cor 1:12,13; Col 2:12-14; Rom 6:3-5; Gal 3:27; 1 Cor 1:12;13 etc all say baptism saves.
It's symbolic, and it's presumptuous to assume that dunking turns some sort of spiritual key to give eternal life.
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
You still can't see it or you just don't want to see it?



John 4:10,14-------------water



By one Spirit -----------baptized into one body, not by H20. Matthew 3:11 - I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will *baptize you with the Holy Spirit* and fire.



This is spiritual washing/purification of the soul, accomplished by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God at the moment of salvation. Plain ordinary H20 has no power to regenerate man. You are confusing the symbol with the reality.



Washing of water by the Word. What water is that? (John 4:10,14; 7:38,39). Water baptism is not the only "water" mentioned in Scripture.


When comparing these 4 verses that all deal with the new birth, you still cannot see (refuse to see) how living water is made equivalent Spirit baptism, that is made equivalent to washing of regeneration/spiritual washing/purification of the soul that is made equivalent to washing of water by the word.

Jesus clearly stated in John 4:10 - If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water. Compare with 1 Corinthians 12:13 - ..drink into one Spirit.

John 4:14 - but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. Living water is not water baptism. So where does living water fit into your theology or is it simply ignored?

As I have posted many times in this thread already, the bible is its own best commentary:


Jn 3:5-------------spirit++++++++++++++water>>>>>>>>>>in the kingdom
1Cor12"13---------spirit++++++++++++++baptized>>>>>>>>in the body
Tts 3:5-----------holy Ghost+++++++washing of reg.>>>>>>saved
Eph 5:26-----------Word++++++++++washing of water>>>>>>cleansed
1Pet 1:21---------spirit+++++++++++obey the truth>>>>>>>purified souls

All these verses perfectly harmonize.

You are creating all kinds of contradiction and disharmony among these verses that all deal with the new birth.

------------------------


Mt 3:11 "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, andwith fire:"

Proper exegesis is to know is is speaking, who is being spoken to and what is being said.

John is speaking, speaking to Pharisees that came to his baptism and verse 11 is what John said.

--the pronoun "you" occurs twice.

--why would John tell these Pharisees that "i baptized you with "water" when John had not done so, the Pharisees rejected John's baptism, Lk 7:30? It is apparent that neither "you" refers to those John was speaking to nor anyone today. John was simply announcing the baptism he baptized with and announcing the type of baptism Jesus would baptize with. It canot be told from the immediate context of Mt 3:11 who the pronouns "you" refer to, so we have to look at the fulfillment of this prophecy of John.

---in Acts 1:1-5 Jesus was with His apostles when He refers to what John said in Mt 3:11 in Acts 1:5. So the "you" that would be baptized with the Holy Ghost is the apostles. Of course people will try and force themselves into the verse making themselves the second "you" while ignoring the first "you" altogether.


---So Mt 3:11 is a promise to the apostles the baptism with the Holy Spirit, no one else. Christ's water baptism of the great commission, Jn 3:5; Mt 28:19,20; Mk 16:15,16 is commanded to everyone today.
 
J

JeremiahJr

Guest
[SUP]Is there anyone out there that wishes to neglect the rite?

18 [/SUP]For Christ also died[SUP][a][/SUP] for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; [SUP]19 [/SUP]in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison, [SUP]20 [/SUP]who formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. [SUP]21 [/SUP]Baptism, which corresponds to this, 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, [SUP]22 [/SUP]who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him. 1 Peter 3
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
In Acts 11, Peter is explaining the events that took place in chapter 10. If you would finish reading through verse 17, you would see they received the Holy Spirit WHEN they BELIEVED ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, not before they heard nothing at all. *Compare this with Acts 16:31, "BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND YOU WILL BE SAVED." Acts 10:44 says, "THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME ON ALL WHO HEARD THE MESSAGE," not on all who heard nothing.

Acts 10:44 - While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. "Began to speak" (Acts 11:15) and "still speaking" (Acts 10:44) are not in contradiction. Acts 10:44 says, while he was "still speaking," which means, he already started talking and said, "WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL RECEIVE REMISSION OF SINS" (Acts 10:43). So obviously, began to speak can't mean, said nothing at all yet, because that would contradict, "still speaking." There is a difference between "as" I began to speak and "before" I began to speak.

Acts 11:17 refers to that apostles that believed back in Acts 2.

Acts 11:4 "But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying,"

Acts 11:15 "
And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning."



 
Feb 21, 2014
5,672
18
0
Acts 11:17 refers to that apostles that believed back in Acts 2.

Acts 11:4 "But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying,"

Acts 11:15 "
And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning."



In 1 Peter 3.21 Peter makes it clear that it is a symbol or figure.
 
Feb 17, 2010
3,620
27
0
The ONE Name.... Rev 19:Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called: The Word of God.

The ONE NAME is the WORD OF GOD....

So here is the answer to ALL the three commands....
TEACH THEM WHAT? ............
THE WORD OF GOD
BAPTIZE THEM IN WHAT? ....THE WORD OF GOD
OBSERVE WHAT?...................THE WORD OF GOD

The Word of God is God... John 1
The word of God was made flesh, Jesus.... John 1
The word of God is the Truth (Spirit of Truth)... John 17 in what we are SANCTIFIED IN!
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
It's presumptuous to assume that the application of water will activate the Holy Spirit savingly and exclusively.

Water is a symbol of the spiritual truth of cleansing, and this cleansing is by the precious blood of Christ (Hebrews 9.14).

Col 2:12-14 God cuts away the body of sin when one is water baptized.
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
It's faith in His blood that saves; and the repentant thief on the Cross found it hard to be baptised.
The thief is not an example of NT salvation. He may have been water baptized by John for all we know, Mk 1:5.


So the question remains; Can I disobey Christ's command to be baptized and still be saved?
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
So if I just say 'I repent' and get dunked, this automatically makes me a Christian? automatically causes the new birth to occur? Really?
You have to first hear, Rom 10:17; believe, Jn 8:24; repent, Lk 13:3,5; confess, Mt 10:32,33 and be baptized (new birth), Mk 16;16.
 
Feb 21, 2014
5,672
18
0
Col 2:12-14 God cuts away the body of sin when one is water baptized.
Actually verse 11 makes it clear that the circumcision of the New Testament believer is spiritual. And it's the power of the Resurrection (verse 12), not baptism, that brings new life to the person who is born again.
 
Feb 21, 2014
5,672
18
0
You have to first hear, Rom 10:17; believe, Jn 8:24; repent, Lk 13:3,5; confess, Mt 10:32,33 and be baptized (new birth), Mk 16;16.
Linking baptism with the new birth is plain wrong.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,444
13,377
113
So the question remains; Can I disobey Christ's command to be baptized and still be saved?
can i be baptized in water without trusting Christ for my salvation and still be saved?
 

Jabberjaw

Senior Member
Mar 21, 2014
1,039
7
38
If you keep Eph 4: 5. in it's right context, You will see that the, "One baptism", Is the rebirth.
V4, There is on body, one Spirit,
[By one Spirit we are baptised into the body] 1 Cor 12: 13.

V5 One Lord, one faith.
V6 One God, "who is in us who believe". Jn 17: 22-23. 2 Cor 6: 16.
I like how you left out "one baptism" in verse 5, and its in the Greek... "βαπτισμα" and you missed it....

I already explained how one gets into the one body, it is by water baptism, you're buried in water putting you "into Christ" that puts you in spiritual contact with the cleansing blood of our Savior :

Romans 6:3-6 (NKJV)
[SUP]3 [/SUP]Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? [SUP]4 [/SUP]Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. [SUP]5 [/SUP]For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, [SUP]6 [/SUP]knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.


According to Eph 2: 8--9, and Titus 3:5. says salvation isn't by works.
Jesus said, [Whosoever believes shall be saved]. .. He said nothing about anything else that saves us.
Yes, Eph 2:8-9 says the Jewish law will not save you, but Titus 3:5 "through the washing of regeneration" and "renewing of the spirit" or in other words "water baptism" we are saved.
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
'For' can be translated 'on account of'; it's as a testimony and as a symbol of the faith that already exists. Acts 2.41 ('they that gladly received his word were baptised') and the account of the Philippian jailer in Acts 16 ('believing with all his house') make this clear.

Eis (for) means for, looking toward NOT "because".

Acts 2:41 "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized:..."

Those that rejected baptism rejected Peter's gospel words. So one has not accepted the gospel until he has obeyed the gosepl turth by beign bpatized:


Jn 3:5------------------spirit++++++++++++water>>>>>>>>>>>>>.in the kingdom
1cor12:13------------spirit+++++++++++baptized>>>>>>>>>>>>in the body
1Pet1:22--------------spirit+++++++++obey the truth>>>>>>>>>purified souls

Obeying the truth purifies the soul > baptism remits sins


Acts 16:34 "
And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, having believed in God.

The participle "having believed" includes ALL the jailer had just done including repent as seen by cleaning their stripes and being baptized.


So here in Acts 16:34 as in Acts 2:41,44 we have believed used as a synecdoche were it includes being baptized.
 
J

JeremiahJr

Guest
This has always been the relevant question. Christ gave the parable of the wedding feast in which the guest without the wedding garment was cast into outer darkness. (Matt. 22:11-). Paul describes those that have been baptized as having "put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27). The Greek here (Strong's 1746) means to "sink into a garment" or to "invest with clothing".

Perhaps the question could asked: Do you want to be without your wedding garment at the necessary time?
 
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
It's symbolic, and it's presumptuous to assume that dunking turns some sort of spiritual key to give eternal life.

Rom 6:3-4 water baptism is symbolic of the death burial and resurrection of Christ where one rises from a watery grace to walk in newness of life. No baptism = no newness of life.

Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38; 1 pet 3:21 show that water baptism also saves, so it not just a mere symbol and nothing more.
 

Jabberjaw

Senior Member
Mar 21, 2014
1,039
7
38
The ONE Name.... Rev 19:Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called: The Word of God.

The ONE NAME is the WORD OF GOD....

So here is the answer to ALL the three commands....
TEACH THEM WHAT? ............
THE WORD OF GOD
BAPTIZE THEM IN WHAT? ....THE WORD OF GOD
OBSERVE WHAT?...................THE WORD OF GOD

The Word of God is God... John 1
The word of God was made flesh, Jesus.... John 1
The word of God is the Truth (Spirit of Truth)... John 17 in what we are SANCTIFIED IN!
 Ephesians 5:26 (NKJV)
[SUP]26 [/SUP]that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

This means water baptism, you cannot obey "the word of God" and not be baptized.
 
Feb 21, 2014
5,672
18
0
Eis (for) means for, looking toward NOT "because".

Acts 2:41 "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized:..."

Those that rejected baptism rejected Peter's gospel words. So one has not accepted the gospel until he has obeyed the gosepl turth by beign bpatized:


Jn 3:5------------------spirit++++++++++++water>>>>>>>>>>>>>.in the kingdom
1cor12:13------------spirit+++++++++++baptized>>>>>>>>>>>>in the body
1Pet1:22--------------spirit+++++++++obey the truth>>>>>>>>>purified souls

Obeying the truth purifies the soul > baptism remits sins


Acts 16:34 "
And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, having believed in God.

The participle "having believed" includes ALL the jailer had just done including repent as seen by cleaning their stripes and being baptized.


So here in Acts 16:34 as in Acts 2:41,44 we have believed used as a synecdoche were it includes being baptized.
The baptism was a sign that the faith existed. It was not in order to make the faith happen.