Pastor Matt's Blogosphere

The Great Baptism Debate

Well, I received an email the other day informing me of a debate over whether or not baptism is necessary for salvation. While I'm sure you know where I stand on that issue (it's not necessary!), there was something funny I found in the email:

"The Bible teaches that a person must be baptized (immersed in water as a believer) to be saved, that is, to become a Christian."

The funny part to me is that in the parenthesis. If someone is immersed in water "as a believer" then wouldn't they already be saved? Remember, the Philippian jailer asked Paul what he must do to be saved. Paul answered by saying, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." Therefore, if one is a "true" believer, then the parenthetical phrase above has destroyed the Church of Christ debater. And well it should! To teach that baptism is necessary for salvation IS heresy. To add anything to the Gospel of Jesus Christ takes away from His wondrous work.

You CANNOT work for your salvation, speak your way into salvation (tongues included!), get wet enough for salvation (baptism is obedience not salvation), nor join enough churches to "get saved."

[Surely between this and the King James only debate, I'll have somebody mad at me!]