Todd Clippard

Topic(s): Baptism, Salvation, God’s Will, Bible Study

You have objected to “our teaching” concerning the necessity of baptism in water for salvation. In defense of your beliefs, you cited John 5:24. However, in the latter part of your letter, you said:

"If the person hears His teachings, repents, and pledges to live a life with God (obviously seeing Jesus as his/her Savior), he or she (according to Scripture) is surely saved."

Without sounding argumentative, you say we have added a requirement to being saved that the Bible does not command, namely baptism. However, in your statement above, (copied without addition or subtraction), you added two requirements not found in John 5:24. There is nothing in John 5:24 mentioning the need for repentance nor any personal "pledge to live with God." Am I denying the need for repentance or living with God? NO!!! But I mention this to make the following point:

You would and probably could show me some verses showing the need for repentance to be saved. Among them might be Matthew 4:17; Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19; Acts 17:30; and Acts 26:20. The point is this -- there is no one verse that teaches everything one must do to be saved. One must take everything the Bible says about the subject in order to know what it teaches.

You made no mention of confession to be saved. But I would expect you believe in the need to confess one's faith in Christ in order to be saved -- John 12:42-43; Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:9-10.

I believe we are in agreement on the need for faith in Jesus, repentance, and confession of faith as necessary for salvation. Now, does the Bible make any connection between baptism in water and the forgiveness of sins / salvation? Indeed it does. Consider the following verses:

Mark 16:15-16 - "He who believes and is baptized shall be saved." Faith and baptism are joined by the conjunction "and," thus making both equal in their importance to receive salvation.

1 Peter 3:21 -- "Baptism does also now save us." This verse needs no explanation.

Acts 22:16 -- "Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Thus, Acts 22:16 is a Divinely inspired commentary on how one calls upon the name of the Lord (Acts 2:21; Rom 10:13).

2 Corinthians 5:17 -- "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new." How does one get into Christ? See Galatians 3:27.

Acts 2:38 -- "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins." Again, repentance and baptism are joined by a conjunction, thus making both of equal importance to receive remission of sins.

The necessity of immersion in water to receive remission of sins is unequivocally taught in the New Testament.