Baptism - is it required for salvation?

I’ve been thinking about the doctrine of baptism. we tend to think that we understand what the Bible teaches because we've thought it out, studied, and researched. But that isn't necessarily so. So much of what I thought I believed was simply because someone told me so. A sermon is too often substituted for personal study.

The doctrine of baptism is one such thing. What does the Bible teach about baptism? Perhaps not what we think. Baptism has a long tradition, including among the Jews, who ritually washed themselves. The practice of water baptism continued into the church as a ordinance or sacrament of the faith. Importantly, the idea of being washed in both blood and water has both natural and spiritual implications.

So, I'm going to explore some of the ideas surrounding baptism. This is by no means a thorough exposition, nor is it necessarily scholarly. I am not a Bible scholar.

The Old Testament

We well know that the offering of blood for the remission of sins is a crucial part of Jewish understanding. Large portions of the O.T. are instructions and references to blood sacrifice. All of this, of course, was pointing to the ultimate sacrifice for sin, given once for all in the person of Jesus Christ. But not as clear to me was how baptism connects to this.

The earliest biblical mention I could find regarding something akin to baptism is Num. 19:20-21:

"But if a person who is unclean does not purify himself, he must be cut off from the community, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on him, and he is unclean. This is a lasting ordinance for them. The man who sprinkles the water of cleansing must also wash his clothes, and anyone who touches the water of cleansing will be unclean till evening."

Like the blood sacrifices, this "water of cleansing" was a carefully described ritual act. Someone who was not clean could not enter the Temple to worship, and was actually an outcast, not part of the people. Of course, such a person could be restored to the community by becoming ceremonially clean, but until then they were unfit for worship and unfit to be part of the people.

David's famous statement in Ps. 51:7, "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" ties in here as well. Hyssop was used to place blood on the doorframe so as to be passed over. Moses sprinkled the people with blood at the giving of the commandments. Hyssop also was used to sprinkle water for ceremonial cleanness. Nu. 19:18: "Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water and sprinkle the tent and all the furnishings and the people who were there."

And as an interesting aside, a hyssop branch was what carried the sponge with sour wine to Jesus' lips as He hung on the cross.

This "sprinkling,"is a physical representation of the spiritual cleansing God intends. The Messiah, the Lamb of God, is offered for the sins of the world, and His blood washes those who are unclean because of sin. That sin prevented us from coming in worship, and also separated us from the Body of Christ. What is particular to the Jews in a physical manifestation is a picture of what God intends for all men, both Jew and Gentile. Is. 52:15:

"... so will he sprinkle many nations, so will many nations marvel at him and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand."

I like that this shown as a revelation, that those with spiritual eyes and ears will discern the glory of God as He offers His son as one sacrifice for all.

Ez. 36:25-27 continues this theme:

"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."

This is a greater act than ritual cleansing, it's a change in the inner man, where we receive a tender heart and a new spirit. This washing is supernatural, transformative, and it is so thorough and efficacious that God's own Spirit can take up residence in us. Now we can truly keep the law, be worshipers in Spirit and truth, and take our place in the Body as one of the living stones. That law, the law of Christ, is grace imparted to us, not by virtue of how well we clean ourselves, but by how completely we have been washed by the blood of Jesus and thence filled by His Holy Spirit.


The New Testament

John the Baptist's ministry continued the idea of water baptism, but it was not a baptism for the sake of being ceremonially clean. John's baptism was one of repentance:  "And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." (Mk. 1:4) I find it interesting that John had revelation regarding the true nature of the Jewish ceremonial ritual, for he connected the physical act to the spiritual application. His baptism marked the beginning of impacting the spiritual man, where cleanliness is a spiritual state of being washed of sin. Ez. 36:25-27 (cited above) is starting to become real.

John the Baptist was clear on his purpose: Jn. 1:31 "I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” His ministry was to prepare the way, and water baptism for repentance sets the stage for Jesus and the baptism He would do.

The washing by water frequently parallels the blood sacrifices in some fashion. Sometimes, it seems the two are the same thing, and other times it appears they are separate. The writer of Hebrews explains why the Jews did what they did, and how Jesus is the fulfillment of all of this: He. 9:18-25:

"This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19 When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, 'This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.' [Exodus 24:8] 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies.22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

23 "It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own."

This passage deals with the superior nature of Christ's sacrifice in the matter of His blood. Note also the mention of water. In the next chapter, He. 10:22, we find this: "...let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." Notice the imagery of being sprinkled and washed with blood and water, coupled with faith. For without faith it impossible to please God, and that faith is in Christ and His blood, which cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn. 1:9).

Kinds of Baptism

That there are different kinds of baptism is interesting to me, because baptism doesn't always mean washed or immersed in water. However, baptism in water is certainly one of the ways, which we see all over the New Testament. For example:

Ac. 8:36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?”

Ac. 10:47 “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”

These references specifically mention water baptism, but we will see that there are other kinds of baptism that do not mention water.

As mentioned before, Jesus was going to do another kind of baptism. John the Baptist tells of this: “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." (Mt. 3:11) The Gospel of John relates it slightly differently, where the contrast between the two kinds of baptism is even more stark: Jn. 1:33 "I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, `The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’" This kind of baptism, heretofore unknown, is a supernatural event, where we will be washed, filled, and purified by the Holy Spirit. This is a superior baptism according to John. This baptism has power.

Another kind of baptism is also represented as an anointing or calling, or perhaps a mission. "They replied, 'Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.' 'You don’t know what you are asking,' Jesus said. “'Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?'” (Mk.10:37-38) This kind of baptism seems to be the giving of one's life, martyrdom perhaps.

Jesus amplifies: Lk. 12:50 "But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!" Jesus likened His impending crucifixion as a baptism. His death and resurrection are precursors for for our own death of the carnal nature and new life by the Spirit. Ro. 8:13: " For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live..." 

To me, baptism seems to be more like Ro. 8:13 than water immersion.

Paul and Jesus Were Not Baptizers 

As I make my case for baptism with the Holy Spirit as being the crucial baptism, I pause to make note that both Paul and Jesus were reluctant to be connected with water baptism. First Paul. in 1Co. 1:14-17, we read,

"I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no-one can say that you were baptized into my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel — not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power."

It is clear here that Paul did not want his ministry being distracted from his calling by having baptisms being attributed to him. The power of the cross, that is, the life we are given by the Holy Spirit, was separate in Paul's mind from water baptism! He intended to preach the gospel, for that isthe power transaction that saves us.

And regarding Jesus, Jn. 4:1-2 tells us: "The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples." Again we see a distancing from water baptism. The apostle John was careful to point out that Jesus did not baptize anyone. Why would he say that? Was it because a superior baptism was going to supplant water baptism?

Baptism, Salvation, and The Holy Spirit

Now this is where it gets real interesting. Baptism is sometimes listed with salvation, but not always with water. Which makes me wonder if water baptism is required, or simply the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Or both? For example, Mk. 16:16-18:

"Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

There is no mention of water here, but clearly this baptism is required to be saved. And in this instance it is a supernatural baptism, because we find mention of spiritual manifestations of power, and it is inclusive for "those who believe." This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit John the Baptist referred to. This is the baptism that is superior to water baptism/ritual cleansing.

Luke records Peter's words in Ac. 2:38: "Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Peter likely was talking about water baptism here, but the thing is, he promises that these believers will receive the Holy Spirit, which means this is specifically the baptism of the Holy Spirit coupled with the gift of the Holy Spirit.

A couple of verses later we find this: "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." (Ac. 2:41) This seems like water baptism, but it would only be so if we had the preconception that water baptism is required for salvation. If our preconception is that the baptism required is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, then the verse supports that as well.

Later in Acts the apostles happened on a group of people who do not fit neatly into our preconceptions. Ac. 8:16: "...because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit." Here we see that these people were baptized, most likely with water, but apparently they yet lacked a necessary process. They needed the baptism of the Holy Spirit!

Another group of people lacking the needed baptism of the Holy Spirit is found in Ac. 19:2-5:

"'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?' They answered, 'No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.' 3 So Paul asked, 'Then what baptism did you receive?' 'John’s baptism,' they replied. 4 Paul said, 'John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.' 5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus."

It seems like a tangled web, because Acts 8 tells us that that group of people were baptized into the Name of Jesus but had not received the Holy Spirit, but those who had received only the baptism of John in this Acts 19 passage also needed to be baptized into the Holy Spirit. However, we are told the second group was "...baptized into the Name of the Lord Jesus."  There is no conflict, however, because the second group was not saved by John's baptism. They needed to receive the Holy Spirit and be baptized into the Name of Jesus!

Ac. 22:16 couples baptism with washing and "calling on his name:" "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name." It seems that "calling on his name" is synonymous to being baptized into his Name. Here there is no mention of the Holy Spirit.

Baptism, the Death of the Carnal Nature and Life by the Spirit

Our understanding of baptism is broadened by Ro. 6:3: "Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" Jesus, as we noted above, had a baptism to undergo. This verse alludes to that. Baptism connects the believer to the death of Christ. Jesus' crucifixion destroyed the power of sin, so our baptism into Jesus means the power of sin (the carnal nature) is broken off us. Baptism connects us to the saving power of Christ's death from the condemnation of sin.

This baptism as we have noted involves the Holy Spirit, and is a universal thing for believers. 1Co. 12:13 says this: "For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." Life as part of the Body is given via the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It seems we go down with the death of Christ and rise with the Holy Spirit!

This baptism of the Holy Spirit makes it so we can take on the nature of Christ. Ga. 3:27: "...for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." The baptism of the Holy Spirit empowers us to become Christ-like. Ep. 4:22-24: "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." It's this transformation in the new life that is made possible by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Notice in this verse how we are saved by the word of truth and then receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit: "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance..." Ep. 1:13-14 In order to be saved, we need to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, and we receive the Holy Spirit via faith: Ga. 3:14 "He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit."

Jesus' famous encounter with Nicodemus bolsters my case:  

"In reply Jesus declared, 'I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.' 4'How can a man be born when he is old?' Nicodemus asked. 'Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!' 5 Jesus answered, 'I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.'" Jn. 3:3-6

Notice the context and procession of ideas.

1)You must be born again.
2) How can I re-enter my mother's womb?
3) You must be born of water, and also the Spirit.
4) Flesh from flesh, spirit from Spirit.

There are two births under discussion, flesh and Spirit. Jesus tells Nicodemus that he needs the Spiritual birth. Nicodemus thought Jesus was referring to another flesh rebirth. Jesus tells him he has had the flesh birth (water), but lacks the Spirit birth.

I think this connects all the concepts together. Water is analogous to human birth, where we are born after our mother's water breaks. Spiritual new birth, being born again, comes by the Holy Spirit.

This is also important because those who view water baptism as a requirement for salvation excuse the thief on the cross from baptism because he was still under the old covenant and as such was saved by different means. However, Nicodemus was also under the old covenant. How could Jesus be teaching the Nicodemus' need for baptism in order to be saved if the ordinance had yet to be established?

Two last verses to conclude. Col. 2:11-12: "In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead." This correlates with being baptized into his death from Rom 6:3 above. The true baptism is the death of the sinful nature through Christ's death on the cross, and rebirth by the baptism of the Holy Spirit into new life, a life full of promise, power, and anointing.

1Pe. 3:20-21: "...only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also — not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience towards God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ..." It's verses like these, connecting us to the death and resurrection of Jesus, that so illuminate the true nature of baptism in the church age. Baptism by water doesn't offend me. I don't think it's wrong to baptize with water. That baptism, if coupled with the crucial baptism of the Holy Spirit, satisfies my understanding.