Is water baptism necessary for salvation?  The Bible teaches that, as an act of faith in God, one must be baptized in order to be saved.  Many religious organizations today, however, do not put this degree of emphasis on baptism, stating that one "should" be baptized, but that it has nothing to do with salvation.  Below you'll find a number of New Testament scriptures, some you may never have read before, that express God's direction on baptism.  There are only six verses in the New Testament where baptism and salvation (or its equivalent) are mentioned together.  In each verse, baptism always precedes salvation: 

Mark 16:16.  "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; he who does not believe shall be condemned."  According to the teachings of many people today, one is already saved after he expresses belief in Christ.  In order to comply with today's teaching, Jesus would have to change His command to read something like, "He who has believed shall be saved, and then he should be baptized in order to follow my example of baptism; but he who does not believe shall be condemned."  Their argument for the second half of this verse hinges on the fact that Jesus did not say if one is NOT baptized he shall be condemned.  Note, however, that there are two people mentioned in this verse: one will be saved and the other lost.  According to Jesus it takes two conditions to save; it takes only one to be lost.

Acts 2:37, 38.  "Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brethren, what shall we do?'  And Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'"  In this passage Peter had just finished preaching the gospel of Jesus to a large number of Jews that had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Pentecost.  They were now convinced that they had crucified Jesus, the one God had sent to them.  Peter explained to them that to receive God's forgiveness and His Holy Spirit, they must repent and be baptized.  The Greek word "kai" is a conjunction and is translated "and," indicating that both repentance and baptism were equally part of this command in order to receive forgiveness of sins.

Acts 22:16.  "And now why do you delay?  Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name."  Saul of Tarsus, who's name was later changed to "Paul," met Jesus, who appeared as a bright light, while he was traveling on a desert road that led to the city of Damascus.  Saul was led, because of his blindness caused by the bright light of Jesus, into the city where he did not eat or drink for 3 days, known as fasting.  Saul also spent this time in prayer.  If the story ended here many today would conclude that Saul was a saved man, having his sin's washed away.  However, the story doesn't end here, but continues, and we learn that Saul's sins weren't washed away after having met Jesus on that road; his sins weren't washed away after having fasted for 3 days; his sins weren't washed away even after having prayed during those 3 days; his sins were washed away after Ananias baptized him.

Romans 6:3, 4.  "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?  Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life."  In Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome, he reminds them that their baptism was a burial and that they were baptized into Christ Jesus. Compare Paul's words here to Jesus' words as recorded by the apostle John.  "Jesus answered and said to him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'"  (John 3:3)  Jesus used the phrase "born again" while Paul said "newness of life."  These two phrases mean exactly the same thing.  Jesus said one cannot see the kingdom of God without being born again.  Paul said that after the burial of baptism one would be raised to walk in newness of life.

Galatians 3:26, 27.  "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." In verse 26, Paul acknowledges that his readers are "sons of God."  Verse 27 begins with the Greek word "gar," translated "for," which means to introduce the reason of the thing previously stated.  Here, the apostle explains to the Galatian Christians that the reason they are sons (present tense) of God  was because they were baptized (past tense) into Christ.  It is in baptism that one "puts on Christ" or "clothes himself with Christ"--not before.

1 Peter 3:20, 21.  "who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.  And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,"  In Peter's letter to Christians scattered because of persecution, we learn that God used water as a dividing line to both destroy and save.  Those that lived wicked lives, which were all but eight persons, were destroyed by water.  God, however, used that same water to cleanse the earth of the sin stains of mankind.  Noah and his family were brought safely to a new life, one that would allow them to start over.  Peter reminded his readers that water baptism wasn't for the purpose of cleaning stains from the skin.  No, its cleansing power was far greater--it was grounded in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Although Peter says "...baptism now saves you...", it is important to note that baptism isn't that which causes our sins to be washed away.  It is simply the time that God chooses to wash away our sins.  There's no power in water that will wash away sins.  God sees our heart-felt obedience and then He washes away our sins.  Similarly, we learn of a man named Naaman in 2 Kings 5.  Naaman was a captain of the army of the king of Aram, a highly respected man, a valiant war--Naaman was also a leper.  Elisha the prophet directed Naaman to wash in the Jordan seven times and he would be cleansed of his leprosy.  Resistant at first, Naaman finally does as he is told, and his skin was restored like the flesh of a little child.  There was no power in the water of the Jordan River; the power was with God to cleanse.

Consider a contrasting view held by many today.  Many people today are being taught that one simply has to believe in Jesus, to accept the Lord Jesus into one's heart, and to pray the "sinner's prayer" in order to be saved.  In this teaching, water baptism is not connected with salvation, but, instead, takes place after one becomes a Christian.  In defense of this position, many people teach that we should be baptized in order to follow the example of Christ.  Christ, however, was baptized by John the Baptizer "to fulfill all righteous."  (Matthew 3:15)  John's was a baptism of repentance (Acts 19:4), and Jesus' example demonstrated His obedience to His Father, not as an example to us that we should be baptized in John's baptism.  It is correct that one must first believe that Jesus Christ is God's Son, that one must accept Jesus AND His direction for our lives.  It is also true that prayer should be a vital part of one's Christian life if he intends to grow in his relationship with God.  However, what is known as the "sinner's prayer" is nowhere to be found in scripture.  If one is already "in Christ" after believing that Jesus is God's Son and praying the "sinner's prayer," before and apart from water baptism, how, then, can one later be "baptized into Christ" (Romans 6:3)?

The apostle Luke records in Acts 16:30, 31:  "and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  And they said, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.'"  After having been asked this question by the jailer, Paul and Silas taught the jailer and his household about Jesus.  After learning of Jesus, the jailer washed the wounds (repentance) of Paul and Silas.  In turn, the jailer and his household were baptized.  Paul and Silas' wounds were washed and the jailer's sins were washed.  At the end of this story of conversion, notice that the jailer had reason to rejoice after he demonstrated his new belief in Christ by being baptized.  He was considered a "believer" after obeying the gospel, not before.  We are told in Paul's second letter to the church in Thessalonica that those that "do not know God and ... do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus" will pay an eternal price apart from God. (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9) The gospel is something one must obey, and it must be obeyed as the Lord expects, not in ways that are taught by man.  Jesus said, "But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men." (Matthew 15:9)  So it does matter how we worship God, and it does matter that we obey as He has directed, or else it is in vain.  This story of the Philippian jailer's conversion closely resembles a similar conversion that we read about in Acts 8.  In this account, a man named Philip (not the apostle) taught an Ethiopian eunuch about Jesus.  After learning of Jesus the eunuch asked, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" (Acts 8:36)  A person that is properly taught about Jesus understands that to believe in Jesus is to obey Jesus, which includes water baptism.

Finally, notice what John says about belief and obedience in Christ, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”  (John 3:36)  From this we learn that when the bible speaks of “belief,” it does not exclude “obedience.”  In fact, belief and obedience go hand in hand.  A simple illustration:  You awaken in the middle of the night to the smell of smoke.  You quickly get up and race to the door but are unable to exit the room because of the flames.  You realize that you are trapped inside your 10th-floor burning apartment and that you are helpless to do anything about it.  Death is certain.  At that moment you hear the sound of your window being shattered.  A fireman appears just outside your window on a ladder.  He screams at you, “If you want to live, come through this hole and onto my ladder.”  One could say, “Believe the fireman and you will be saved.”  However, just as the Bible teaches, belief is not biblical belief unless it includes obedience.  Notice, too, that by obeying the fireman the person was not attempting to earn his freedom from the grip of death.  He was simply obeying; the fireman did the saving.

The argument surrounding the thief on the cross is also used to prove that water baptism isn't necessary for salvation.  Please see the discussion regarding the thief on the cross.  [top]

Is it ever necessary to be re-baptized? What about infant baptism? The question concerning "re-baptism" assumes the first baptism was a true baptism.  If one's baptism was scriptural, it would not be necessary to be baptized again, no matter where it may have taken place. If, however, the first "baptism" was not scriptural, then it would be necessary to be "baptized," not "re-baptized," because what was originally believed to have been "baptism" was for the wrong reason(s).  It may have removed the stains from the skin, but Christ did not wash sins away as a result. Notice what the apostle Luke wrote in the book of Acts, chapter 8. Philip (not the apostle) preached in Samaria and baptized many, including a man named Simon, who had formerly practiced magic in that city. After Simon witnessed the apostles later laying their hands on the new Samaritan Christians that they would receive the Holy Spirit, he offered the apostles money to buy the same ability. Peter told Simon that his heart was not right before God and that he needed to repent. Now that Simon was a child of God, he didn't need to be baptized again in order that God would again forgive his sins; he needed to ask God to forgive him.  A person outside of Christ should not expect God to forgive his sins; conversely, Christ washes away the sins of those that have obeyed Him.

Many people today are baptized for the wrong reason(s).  For example, to be baptized in order to join a church is not what baptism was intended.  To be baptized in order to make one's parents proud is not what baptism was intended.  To be baptized because Jesus was baptized into John's baptism is not what New Testament baptism was intended.  In Acts 19, the apostle Paul finds himself in the city of Ephesus.  There he finds some disciples. (A disciple is one that has undertaken a life of student, trying to learn and become what the master was.)  During Paul's discussion with these disciples he asks if they received the Holy Spirit when they believed.  They replied that they had not even heard of the Holy Spirit.  Paul understood that they were believers, but how, then, could they not know about the Holy Spirit?  Paul immediately asks, "Into what then were you baptized?"  They responded, "Into John's baptism."  At this point Paul explains that these two baptisms were for different reasons.  "And Paul said, 'John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.  And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.'" (Acts 19:4, 5)  This passage of scripture teaches us, among other things, that it does matter for what reason one is baptized.  Christian baptism is for the remission of sins, and is to be done "in the name of [by the authority of] the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit."  (Matthew 28:19)

Regarding infant baptism, there is no example, inference, or command to baptize infants. One must have sinned in order to need God's forgiveness. In chapter 18 of the book of Ezekiel, the prophet Ezekiel wrote: "The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself."  Those that "baptize" infants do so without divine authority. [top]

How could one of the thieves on the cross be saved without being baptized?  The salvation of one of the thieves on the cross is recorded in Luke chapter 23.  First, only one of the thieves asked Jesus for His mercy; the other was unwilling to repent and ask.  In Luke 5:24 we are told that Jesus had the power to forgive sins while He was on earth.  Equipped with this authority, Jesus forgave a number of people of their sins.  After the thief asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus came into His kingdom, Jesus replied, "Today you will be with me in paradise."  It was not until the day of Pentecost that people would be able to obey the command to be immersed in water for the forgiveness of their sins.  The story of the thief on the cross was not given to us as an example of how we are saved today, any more than the story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11) or the paralytic man (Matthew 9:1-8) were. These examples were given to demonstrate the compassion and authority of Jesus, even as He was later on the brink of death Himself.

To also help our understanding of what took place during the crucifixion, consider also that the thieves lived under the Old Covenant, a covenant that God made with Israel.  Speaking to the people of Israel, Moses told them, "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples,"  (Deuteronomy 7:6, 7)  Earlier, Moses reminded the Israelites, "The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, with all those of us alive here today." (Deuteronomy 5:2, 3)  Even earlier, Moses told the Israelites, "So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, that is, the ten commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone." (Deuteronomy 4:13) There were no provisions designed into the ten commandments, the basis of God's Law to Israel, to forgive sins. (Hebrews 7:19; 10:4)  However, the prophet Jeremiah prophesied about a future time when God would effect a new covenant. The new covenant would not be written on tablets of stone, as the original covenant was; it would be written on the hearts of believers.  In this new covenant mankind would find forgiveness of sins. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)  Jesus' death brought in the new covenant, as the old covenant was fulfilled and taken away or replaced. (Hebrews 10:9)  One may ask, "So, if forgiveness of sins was offered under the new covenant and not under the old covenant, how could the thief on the cross receive forgiveness of sins, having lived under the old covenant?" Good question! The following illustration may make it clearer. Suppose someone's last will and testament stated that you would receive $100,000 upon the testator's death, provided you satisfied any prerequisites that may exist. When asked, "When would the beneficiary receive the money?", most would say, "Upon the death of the testator." And this answer would indeed be correct, provided all prerequisites, if any, were satisfied. The writer of the book of Hebrews explains, "For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives." (Hebrews 9:17)  We learn, therefore, that while Jesus was alive, His covenant, which would offer forgiveness of sins, had not yet come into force. Occasionally we hear of someone's will being changed to remove a beneficiary from receiving as much, or anything.  In the same way, we can understand that until Jesus died, His will was not in force. Therefore, He could forgive any penitent person as He chose. However, AFTER He died on the cross, His will became a binding covenant. From then on, people would have to comply with that covenant in order to receive forgiveness of their sins. The apostle Peter explains to the Jews on the day of Pentecost that in order to receive forgiveness of their sins, they were to repent and be baptized. Peter preached this gospel sermon to a large crowd of Jews--he disclosed the provisions of God's will whereby penitent believers could receive forgiveness of their sins. The thief on the cross is not an example of how we are to receive forgiveness of our sins today. In fact, nowhere do we find in Scripture someone being told to be saved as the thief was.  Peter's sermon and conclusion, as recorded in Acts chapter 2, is our example because Christ's will is now binding and applies to us all. [top]

Please comment on the fact that Romans 10:9 says we can be saved by confessing Jesus as Lord, but doesn't mention baptism. Romans 10:9--"that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved;" In order to understand and properly interpret this passage of scripture, we will need to look at several other New Testament scriptures. The Psalmist wrote, "The sum of Thy word is truth, and every one of Thy righteous ordinances is everlasting." (Psalm 119:160) Every word that came to us by inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:16) is true; it is in complete harmony with itself. As a result, biblical passages do not compete with each other. One verse does not cancel out another verse, as people often use them. If two biblical passages appear to contradict one another, our understanding of at least one of them is incorrect. Taking a verse out of context and applying it in a manner in which it was not intended is dangerous. This is the case of this passage in Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome.

The opening salutation of this letter tells us that the apostle Paul was the author and that the original recipients were the "called of Christ; to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints (or holy ones)." (Romans 1:6-7) Paul's letter was an exhortation to the Christians in Rome, a letter of encouragement much needed, especially considering the horrible fates of many Christians during this period of history. History records that in order to be spared certain death Christians had to denounce their Christian faith, which opposed Caesar worship. Christians who confessed Jesus as Lord were put to death, many within arena walls where they would be chained to a large post with wild animals...they would serve as entertainment for the onlookers.

In chapter 6 Paul dispels a perceived misconception. The logic he countered was that since the grace of God results from man's sin, if people sinned more they would receive more grace. Paul reminds his readers that they were not to continue sinning so that grace might increase. He continues by reminding them that by being baptized into Christ they were baptized into His death--they had been buried with Christ through baptism into death. As Christ was raised from the dead, they too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:1-4)

We come to chapter 10 verse 9 where Paul encourages these Christians in Rome to remain faithful, in this case by confessing Jesus as Lord and they would be saved. Remember that Christians who confessed Jesus during this time in history were put to death. They lost their physical lives but received an eternal inheritance with Jesus. Paul is writing to Christians in Rome who had already been baptized. He is encouraging them not to deny Jesus, but to remain faithful. This passage of Scripture is often mistakenly taken out of context and used as a proof-text to teach people that one need not be baptized in order to be saved. This scripture would more aptly be used in the "once saved always saved" debate. For Christians who would instead pay homage to Caesar would gain their physical lives but give up their spiritual inheritance. Jesus said, "And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28) Jesus goes on to say, "Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32, 33) Timothy writes, "But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives." (1 Timothy 5:6) This passage of Scripture teaches us that people can give undue priority to their physical pleasure at the expense of eternal life.

It is necessary to point out that Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'" (Matthew 7:21) The apostle John wrote, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." (John 3:36) It appears that on judgment day, many people will expect to stand before Jesus heralding all the great things they had done in His name, reminding Jesus that they had mentioned His name in their "Lord, Lords." However, to obey Jesus is not to do as one wishes and then claim that the doing was in Jesus' name.

Continuing with Romans 10, verse 13 says, "for whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved." This is a quote from Joel 2:32 (repeated by Peter in Acts 2:21), where Joel prophesies about the blessings that will come to mankind when God would pour out His Spirit (i.e., make His Spirit available) upon all mankind at some future time. Understanding the historical significance of this verse helps us to understand that, in context, Paul is specifically referring to Christians. Confessing Jesus as Lord is not something a person does once and then is absolved of the responsibility (and privilege). Read Acts chapter 22 about a man named Saul, from the city of Tarsus, whose name would later be changed to Paul, who was instructed by a man named Ananias to call on the name of Jesus. "And now why do you delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name." (Acts 22:16) It is important to note that one's calling on the name of the Lord must be consistent with obedience, as was the case of Saul. Note also that (1) Saul met Jesus while Saul was traveling on the road to Damascus, (2) Saul obeyed Jesus by going into the city as Jesus had instructed, (3) Saul fasted for three days, and (4) Saul spent his time in prayer. (Acts 9:5-11) This was a man that Jesus would put His confidence in, and it was evident that Saul was convinced he had been persecuting Jesus. However, Saul's sins were not washed away until Ananias baptized him. This is consistent with biblical teaching throughout the New Testament. Isolating biblical passages and taking them out of context results in misunderstanding, confusion, division, disobedience, and eternity away from the presence of God. In this case a person can conclude that water baptism is not necessary for salvation. [top]

Can a Christian lose his/her salvation? The prophet Ezekiel wrote: "Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord God, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die." (Ezekiel 18:23, 24) The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote: Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:28, 29)

Genesis 1:31 states, "And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good..."  From this passage of scripture, it is evident that Adam and Eve enjoyed a favorable relationship with God.  This relationship, as it still is today, was not without restrictions placed upon man.  For example, notice what the writer says in Genesis 2:16-17:  "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, 'From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.'"  Notice that God didn't say "if" they they ate from the forbidden tree; He said, "...for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die."  (verse 17)  Applying the teaching of many religious organizations today, neither Adam nor Eve could sin in such a way as to "fall from grace."  It has been explained during many bible studies that if they found themselves apart from God so as to be lost, "they were never saved in the first place."  We do not find that to be the case with Adam and Eve, however.  In fact, the serpent himself (also known as the great dragon, Satan and the devil, Revelation 12:9) was the first to utter, "once saved always saved" when he convinced Eve that she would "surely shall not die!" (Genesis 3:1-4)  God said they would die that very day and Satan said they would not die.  We learn that Eve ate of the tree and invited Adam to eat of its fruit as well.  As God promised, they died that day, exemplified by the fact that God banished Adam and Eve from the garden, stationing "the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life."  We later learn that Adam actually lived to be 930 years old.  It is evident that Adam and Eve died spiritually the day they sinned, as God had warned.

Jesus stated, "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand." (John 10:29)  Adam and Eve were given as examples to demonstrate that salvation is not without responsibility on our parts.  Consider also Judas Iscariot, whom Jesus handpicked.  Jesus later would refer to him as the "son of perdition," (John 17:12) stating that Judas was the only one of the apostles that ended up lost.  The question is asked, "Who snatched Judas from the Father's hand?"  No one...evil was in Judas and he acted upon its evil influences.  He walked away on his own.

Review the story of the prodigal son as recorded in Luke 15:11-32.  In this story, as told by Jesus, the youngest of two sons decided to ask his father for his inheritance early.  The father divided his wealth between them, and not many days later the young man gathered his things and left home for a distant country.  While there he foolishly spent his inheritance and soon found himself dying of hunger at the same time a famine had swept across the land.  Remembering how well he had it back home, he came to his senses and decided to return home to confess his sins and beg for a job as a hired man.  His father saw his son while he was still a long way off, and felt compassion for him.  The father's response was not expected by the young man, as the father embraced and kissed him.  Notice the father's words in verse 24, "for this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found."  The fact that the father said the son had come to life "again" implied that at one time the son enjoyed life, but had lost it.

As in the stories of Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:7-3:24), Judas Iscariot (Matthew 26:14-25;  27:3-4), and Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11), no one snatched the young man from his father's hand.  God created each of us with free will, the capability to reason and discern between good and evil.  However, sin has such a dirty influence on each of us, and we sometimes choose that which would satisfy the flesh at the expense of our spiritual life.

From these illustrations we learn that God doesn't desire for any to be lost, but He will punish those that have turned back to a life of sin.

For continued study on this topic, please read the following scriptures:  2 Chronicles 15:1-2; Isaiah 59:1-2; Matthew 10:22; 13:41-42; 24:10-13; Romans 11:11-24; 12:21; 13:13; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17; 9:24-27; 10:1-13; 15:33; Galatians 1:6-8; 4:8-11; 5:4, 16-21; Ephesians 5:3-11; Philippians 4:8-9; Colossians 1:21-23; 3:8, 9; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; 6:9-10; Hebrews 3:5-6, 12-14; 4:1, 11; 6:4-6; 10:26-39; 12:1-3, 14-17; James 1:13-16; 2:13; 5:19-20; 2 John 1:8, 9; and Revelation 21:8. [top]

Can a person go to heaven without believing in Jesus Christ?  The apostle John wrote: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)  The apostle Luke wrote: "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)  The apostle Paul wrote, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  This last statement includes us all...we all fall short of God's glory, and none of us can work hard enough to earn God's good favor.  Consider Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion.  He said, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as You will."  Jesus asked His Father if there was a "Plan B," and His prayer was written for us that we would know that there was no such plan, that we would know we could not effect payment for our sins.

Paul wrote this to the church in Thessalonica:  "...the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who have not obeyed the gospel our Lord Jesus.  These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His power,"  (2 Thess. 1:7b-9)

The apostle John wrote, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."  (John 3:36)

To summarize the above scriptures: God desires for all to be in heaven.  Believing in Jesus is required to go to heaven; knowing God is required to go to heaven; obeying the gospel is required to go to heaven. [top]

Please comment on the fact that in Acts 16:31 the apostle Paul simply told the Philippian jailer to believe in the Lord Jesus in order to be saved, and that baptism wasn't part of that command.  Paul and Silas had been imprisoned for upsetting the city of Phillipi with their teachings about Christ.  The straw that broke the camel's back occurred when Paul cast out a spirit of divination from a young girl that had been bringing her masters a lot of money by fortune telling.  When her masters' hope of profit was gone, they took measures to have Paul and Silas put in prison.  At about midnight an earthquake opened all the prison doors and freed all the prisoners of their chains.  When the prison guard awoke he immediately noted that all the prison doors were opened, supposing the prisoners had long escaped.  Drawing his own sword to take his life, Paul cried out to him to do himself no harm, that all the prisoners were still there.  The prison guard was apparently so moved by the faith of Paul and Silas that he asked them what he must do to be saved.  Some have argued that the salvation in question here was from the Roman officials who would surely have put him to death.  But, since Paul had assured the guard that no prisoners had escaped, it's more likely he was referring to the salvation that Paul and Silas had probably been singing about all night.  Since the jailer did not know who this Christ was, hence he had no foundation in which to put his faith, it would have been inappropriate at that time for Paul to have ordered him to be baptized.  Baptism would have been meaningless to the jailer, and Christ would have still remained a mystery.  However, Paul told the jailer to believe in Jesus, he and his household, and they would be saved.  Romans 10:14 tells us, "...How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard?  And how will they hear without a preacher?"  Logic dictates that in order to believe in something one must know something about it.  The jailer could not have believed in Jesus until he was taught about Jesus; then he would have had to make a choice, as you have had to make that same choice, or are in the process of making that choice.  After the jailer and his family were taught about Jesus, the jailer demonstrated repentance (forsaking one's old life and turning to God) by washing Paul and Silas' wounds.  He and his household were baptized into Christ (Romans 6:3) and rejoiced that they believed in Jesus.

In summary, the jailer and his household had to do the same thing that you and I are required to do.  He didn't simply believe that Jesus was the Son of God and that was it.  Even the demons believe--and tremble.  (James 2:19)  The response to the question, "What must I do to be saved?" is not the same for everyone.  It depends on where a person is on his road toward salvation.  But, in the end, all have to do the same thing.  Many have taken this one verse out of context and built a doctrinal argument for omitting water baptism.