Articles
Why Not Baptism?
Last week, we considered the matter of baptism and its place in God's plan for our salvation, according to the Bible. This week, let us consider some common objections to the claim baptism is an essential part of God's salvation plan, and the Scriptural and logical answers to those objections.
Baptism Is Only A Symbol. The reasoning for this argument is varied, and different Bible passages are cited, but the common argument is that the act of baptism is only symbolic, and is merely a visible act that declares to the world you are already saved, before you were baptized.
This is a popular position on the matter of baptism, but it ignores plain Bible teaching that says we are to “Repent, and…be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38), “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16), and that Christians are “buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Col. 2:11-13). Ignoring these passages, or trying to explain them away to uphold a doctrine that contradicts those words, does not change the wording.
Some will point to 1 Peter 3:20, 21, where Peter recounted the worldwide flood in Noah's day, and how Noah and his family “were saved through water,” and then added, “There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Some point to baptism being the symbol here, but that is not the case; the flood was the symbol, while baptism is what the flood pointed to: the act wherein God saved those who have faith in Him. The NIV actually has a good rendering of this verse: “and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” The power is not in the water, but in the resurrection of Jesus! [See last week's article for a lengthier explanation.]
A common explanation of baptism as merely a symbol is often stated, "Baptism is an outward sign of inward grace." Again, the argument is that it is merely symbolic and is not required for one to be saved. Two points must be made regarding this argument. First, this claim about baptism did not come into the realm of theological discussion until the fifth century, first published by Augustine, in De Catechizandis rudibus, as one of the seven sacraments recognized in what was becoming what we now know as the Roman Catholic Church. It is amazing so many in the mainstream Protestant denominations are so willing to use terminology from the Catholic Church to explain baptism's part, rather than reading the text of the Bible itself.
Second, if baptism is a visible demonstration to the world that we are already saved, how many people are going to actually witness that act? And if it is a visible demonstration for the world to see we are already saved, why didn't Philip tell the eunuch to wait until he got back to Ethiopia to be baptized, so more people would be witnesses to his baptism? But we see, in the Bible, that when the eunuch asked, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:26-39), Philip did not tell him to wait. If baptism is for the world to see, why baptize him there, where only he and the eunuch could see the baptism?
And what about the Philippian jailer? If baptism is merely a visible symbol to the world we are already saved, why did Paul, after midnight, baptize this man (Acts 16:31-34)? Why didn't he wait until the next day, and bring him out in public so many more could witness this "symbol"?
The answer to these two men's baptism is that it was urgent they be baptized, because in this act of obedience to God [you are obeying a command], God does the work of forgiving their sins, and they are saved by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. If they had waited, they might not have had the opportunity to be baptized and they would have died in their sins. Baptism, according to the Bible, is much more than symbolic.
We Are Saved by Faith Only. This is most often the alternative to accepting Bible teaching on the subject of baptism as a part of God's plan of salvation, but it has absolutely no basis. There is only one verse in the entire Bible that has the phrase “faith only,” and it does not say we are saved by faith only; in fact, it says, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (Jas. 2:24). Some, hearing this, will simply dismiss the entire book of James [as did Martin Luther], but when one honestly studies the New Testament examples of conversion, you will not see one where it is said that one was saved by faith alone. Not one.
Some will point to Ephesians 2:8, 9, which says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast,” and proclaim, "See! It says we are saved by faith alone, and not works! Baptism is a work, so baptism doesn't save us!" Please read that passage again and fin where it says we are saved by faith alone. You won't find it, but several websites promoting this false doctrine of "faith only" salvation are audacious enough to insert the word "alone" in the text! Sadly, many will read it and not check it against the actual Bible verse, and they will be deceived.
And please note that the gift of God Paul talks about is salvation — not faith. Some, determined to uphold the false doctrine of Calvinism that says salvation is all God and man has no part [can do nothing], will try to make grammatical arguments that claim that faith is the gift, but that would mean the words that followed [“not of works, lest anyone should boast”] is still talking about faith. Will they say Paul is saying faith is not of works? No, even in arguments claiming the gift is faith, they will simultaneously argue that Paul is talking about salvation being of God, and not man! Amazing!
If You Say Baptism Saves, You Believe in ‘Works Salvation.’ This objection comes, again, from those who hold to the Calvinistic doctrine wherein God does everything because man can do nothing for his spiritual good. This doctrine so often attributed to John Calvin was in response to the Roman Catholic practice and teaching that placed a great weight on good deeds for salvation; of course, no one can do enough good deeds to merit salvation, but neither should we swing the pendulum to the other extreme and say that man can do nothing. Right in the middle is the truth: Man must obey the commands God has given us if we want to be saved, and when we do what God commanded [baptism], He does the work of forgiving us, and that because Jesus shed His blood on the cross. As we saw in an earlier article [3/13], there is no one thing necessary for our salvation. Man has a part, and God has a part.
In the first century, some “rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized” (Luke 7:30); don't let the same be said about you. “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22:16)
—— Steven Harper
