Water Baptism

Mark 16:15-16 He [Jesus] said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

It is faith in the redemptive work of Christ that produces salvation–not our actions.

James 2:20 faith without works is dead. Faith alone saves, but saving faith is never alone; it must be acted upon. This is what Mark was referring to when he spoke of baptism.

Water baptism is a command of Jesus and is the initial action upon believing. Water Baptism is an opportunity to act on our new profession of faith in Christ Jesus. Those who would refuse to follow the command of Jesus in water baptism would be suspect as to whether they really believed or not.

1 John 1:7 but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Can a person receive the baptism of Holy Spirit before water baptism?

Acts 10:44-48 Cornelius and his friends were filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues before they were baptized in water. John 14:17 The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and He will be in you. Jesus is expressing that unbelievers cannot receive the Holy Ghost, so Cornelius and his friends must have been born again before their water baptism. Acts 11:1-18 Peter referred to the baptism of the Holy Ghost as a proof of the Gentiles’ conversion.

Water baptism is the sign of the New Covenant in the same way that circumcision was the sign of the Old Covenant. Romans 4 clearly states that although Abraham was circumcised, his circumcision was only a sign. Abraham was justified in the sight of God before his circumcision. Genesis 17:9-14 Circumcision was a command of God that had to be kept, yet Abraham was justified before he was circumcised. Likewise, water baptism is a command, but keeping this command does not produce justification. Romans 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. Romans 4:5 the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.

Galatians 5:1-6 those who trust in circumcision are fallen from grace; Christ will profit them nothing.

Peter administered forgiveness of sins without any mention of water baptism. Acts 3:19-4:4 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and Paul Acts 13:38-43 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.

1 Corinthians 1:13-17 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one would say you were baptized in my name. Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.

Acts 8:35-38 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized? And Philip said, if you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.

Philip told the Ethiopian eunuch, who asked Philip to baptize him, that if he believed with all of his heart, he could be baptized. Philip used water baptism only after an individual had already believed. This is how Mark was using water baptism Mark 16:16, and Peter Acts 2:38.

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

“For” EIS meaning because of, as result of, since, or can also mean so as to obtain: since the remission of sins

Acts 16:30, 33 after he brought them out, he said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? They said, believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household. And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

Colossians 1:13-14 For He has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption [because of His sacrifice, resulting in] the forgiveness of our sins [and the cancellation of sons’ penalty].

Hebrews 9:22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].

Titus 3:4-7 But when the goodness and kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared [in human form as the Man, Jesus Christ], He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we have done, but because of His own compassion and mercy, by the cleansing of the new birth (spiritual transformation, regeneration) and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we would be justified [made free of the guilt of sin] by His [compassionate, undeserved] grace, and that we would be [acknowledged as acceptable to Him and] made heirs of eternal life [actually experiencing it] according to our hope (His guarantee)

What Baptism Means to a Believer

Romans 6:3-6 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the baptizer and the body of Christ is what we are being baptized into. Romans 6:6 As believers, we have become dead to sin through the death of Jesus. 1 Peter 2:24 Jesus did not die for His sins; He had none. He died for our sins. Therefore, His death was for us, and all the benefits were obtained through His death and resurrection.

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.