Baptismal Regeneration; Is Baptism Necessary For Salvation? Part 2

Part of the confusion over Baptismal Regeneration is a failure to understand the meaning of baptism. Baptism is simply a picture of what happened to you when you believed in Jesus. In a sense, baptism is a funeral of who you used to be. When you go under the water it is a picture of dying to your old life of sin. When you are raised from the water it is a picture of you being resurrected to a new life in Christ. That is what happened to you when you trusted Jesus as your Savior. Baptism, of course, also pictures your belief that Jesus died for your sins and rose again, and your belief that our physical bodies will be raised at the resurrection. 

What about the Bible passages that seem to teach Baptismal Regeneration? That seem to teach you must believe and be baptized to be saved?

First, do not neglect the multitude of clear passages that say if you believe in Jesus Christ you will be saved (see previous article, part 1).

Now, let’s look at those verses some claim teach Baptismal Regeneration.

1. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. -Mark 16:16
Notice first, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” 

In New Testament times it was common that when one believed, if there was enough water, they would baptize them immediately. So belief and baptism often went together.

Now, back to, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.”
That is true. It is also true that he who believes and joins a church will be saved. It is even true that if he believes and buys a pickup truck he will be saved. 

Now notice the next phrase, “but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

It is very significant that it does not say if he believes and is not baptized he will be condemned; only, if he does not believe he will be condemned.

2. What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? -James 2:14
But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? -James 2:20
Someone may say, show me your faith. Well, God can see your faith, but others cannot. God can see your faith, but man can only see your faith by your works. If you truly believe, then good works will follow. If there are no good works, a man may have reason to doubt your faith. 

Always remember as well, verses like Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 4:5; etc.

3. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. -1 Peter 3:21 (NKJV)
Many Baptismal Regenerationists only quote a small portion of this verse, “baptism doth also now save us,” (KJV). That is a strong argument, until the entire verse is considered. One of the basic rules of properly interpreting the Bible (hermeneutics), is to study the word, or phrase, or verse in context; what comes before and after it. 

This verse does not say baptism saves us or takes away our sins. It only says baptism is a type (or antitype, figure, symbol, picture) of our salvation. As mentioned previously, believer’s baptism by immersion is a picture of our salvation; a symbol of what happens to us when we trust Jesus as our Savior.

Notice also this verse says baptism is the answer of a good conscience toward God. In other words, we are commanded to be baptized. It is a good work. We are not saved by good works, we are saved by repentance and belief in Jesus. But after we believe, baptism gives us a good conscience because we are obeying and honoring God.

This verse even states baptism is, “not the removal of the filth of the flesh.” Rather than literally taking away our sins, baptism symbolically takes away our sins, a picture of what happened when we believed. Only Jesus can literally take away our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21).

4. Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” -John 3:5
Does born of water mean baptism? If it did, it would only mean so in a figurative way. However, it does not mean baptism. Every time you see the word water, that does not automatically refer to baptism. 

There are a couple of explanations. First, some believe born of water refers to physical birth, a water birth. This view says you must be born both physically (physical birth, born of the flesh) and spiritually (new birth, spiritual birth, salvation).

This view says Jesus explains “born of water and the Spirit” in the very next verse:

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. -John 3:6

Second, some believe born of water refers to the washing of the Word of God in salvation (John 3:5; Titus 3:5; 1 John 5:8).

Does the Word of God spiritually wash us? Yes.

That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word. -Ephesians 5:26

How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.
-Psalm 119:9

And one aspect of salvation is that we are born again through God’s Word.

Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever. -1 Peter 1:23

It should also be remembered that Jesus summed up the new birth in this same chapter in John in the well known verse,

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. -John 3:16

No mention here of baptism being a part of salvation. Rather simply believe in Jesus and you will not perish but have everlasting life.

5. Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” -Acts 2:38
The word “for” (Greek - eis) in this verse can also mean “because.” 

This verse could justly and easily be translated, “Let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ ‘because of’ the remission of sins.”

Do we ever use the word “for” in the sense of “because?” Yes we do.

For example,
“He was thrown in jail ‘for’ stealing a car.” 
He was not thrown in jail ‘so he could’ steal a car, rather, he was thrown in jail ‘because’ he stole a car.  

Note:  Compare Acts 2:38 with what Peter said in Acts 2:21; Acts 3:19; Acts 10:43; 1 Peter 1:9; 1 Peter 2:6.  Also, compare with the many verses mentioned in part 1 of this article. 

6. And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’ -Acts 22:16
Ananias was speaking in a figurative way of washing away sins. 

Baptism is a picture, a symbol of salvation, but it is not salvation nor a part of salvation. That baptism is a picture or symbol of salvation is shown in 1 Peter 3:21; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12.

Notice before Paul (Saul) was baptized, but after he believed, Ananias called him, “Brother Saul” (Acts 22:13), thereby recognizing his salvation.

Notice also that Ananias, in speaking of washing away your sins included, “calling on the name of the Lord.”

Baptism is not a part of salvation, only a picture of salvation. Salvation is only in Jesus Christ, not in good works. In dealing with this issue, never forget or minimize the many clear Bible passages that teach salvation is only through personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

The song does not say,

Jesus paid a part,
Some to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
We washed it white as snow.

Rather,

“Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.”
-Elvina M. Hall, Baptist Hymnal, LifeWay; 2008. 

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, December 15, AD 2015.

Articles:
Baptismal Regeneration; Is Baptism Necessary For Salvation? Part 1 

Quotes on Acts 2:38, Baptism, Salvation

More Articles in lower right margin. 

 
 

Baptismal Regeneration; Is Baptism Necessary For Salvation? Part 1

I believe in and practice Believers Baptism by Immersion. 
Many believe, however, in Baptismal Regeneration. This view teaches you must believe in Jesus and also be baptized to be saved. They teach baptism is a part of salvation. Rather, the Bible teaches faith in Jesus Christ, and nothing else, brings about your salvation.

Does the Bible teach you are saved (born again, regenerated, forgiven, made right with God, given a place in Heaven, have everlasting life) by believing in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Yes.

Consider these verses:

Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace. -Luke 7:50 NKJV

Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” -Luke 23:42-43 The thief on the cross could not be baptized or do any good works, he could only believe.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. -John 1:12

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. -John 3:16

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. -John 3:36

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. -John 5:24

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. -John 20:31

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. -Acts 3:19

To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins. -Acts 10:43

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household. -Acts 16:31

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” -Romans 4:3; also Genesis 15:6

But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. -Romans 4:5

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. -Titus 3:5

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation…For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. -Romans 10:9-10, 13

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. -Ephesians 1:13

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. -Ephesians 2:8-9

Notice these verses (and many more) do not mention baptism at all. Simply repent, believe, turn your life over to Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Notice as well that baptism is a good work, yet we are not saved by good works.

Those who believe baptism is a part of salvation negate all these verses by emphasizing a few verses that appear to state their case. But, if we have to answer for their verses, they must answer for the many more clear, unambiguous verses that plainly state belief in Jesus saves us.

In a hospital waiting room a man who believes in Baptismal Regeneration told me, “The Bible says if you believe you will have a chance to be saved.” Three times he stated this, and three times I told him, that is not what the Bible says. Rather than his extra-biblical view, the Bible simply states if you believe you will be saved.

Lest there be misunderstanding, we are saved by faith, then works follow. Once we have been saved, God commands us to live for Him and produce good works.

Next: What about the Bible passages that seem to teach Baptismal Regeneration?

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, October 14, AD 2015. 

Articles: 
Baptismal Regeneration; Is Baptism Necessary For Salvation? Part 2
The Roman Road of Salvation
 Basic Baptist Doctrines / Beliefs

Quotes on Acts 2:38, Baptism, Salvation

Other articles in lower right margin. 
 

Keeping A Baptist Church Baptist

Baptist churches are free. Most are governed by congregational vote and authority. In other words, the pastor, deacons, and other church leaders certainly have a say, and we recognize that Jesus Christ is to be Head of the church, but the final decision in a local church is up to the vote of the members. 

Therefore, because of this freedom, we sometimes hear of a once Baptist church becoming non-denominational, charismatic or Pentecostal, liberal, or you name it. This is not intended to run down other Christian groups. But I admit to being Baptist and have good reasons for being so.

Here are a few things that may help keep your Baptist Church Baptist. You may not, however, agree with or intend to use all my suggestions. Well, like a good Baptist you are free to pick and choose among my points. Some have said, “You can tell a Baptist, but you can’t tell him much.” These actions can also make you accountable and prevent you and your church from straying too far from biblical theology.

1. Have Baptist in the name of your church. What better way to let your church, the community, and the world know who you are an what you believe. No confusion or deception there. Some also use the SBC logo or the initials “SBC” in small letters on their church sign.
This, however, is not to condemn those Baptist churches who do not include Baptist in their name. Some who do not have Baptist in their church name have my friendship and great respect. There are good, valid reasons on both sides of this issue.

2. Every now and then do a study on what Baptists believe and why they believe it. Sometimes it may be a formal study such as going through the Baptist Faith & Message, 2000. Sometimes it may be one point in a sermon. It can just be a passing comment or illustration. Preach and teach on the Baptist Distinctives (see articles below); what distinguishes Baptists from other Evangelical Christian groups.

3. Teach about and take part in the basic Southern Baptist Mission Offerings: Cooperative Program, Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for the International Mission Board, Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for the North American Mission Board. Don’t just put CP in your bulletin or financial report. Write it out and explain what it is and what it is for. For these offerings use posters, Prayer Guides, bulletin inserts. Don’t run it in the ground, but let people know where their mission money is going.

4. Every now and then refer to or quote significant Baptist leaders. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with quoting non-Baptist Christian leaders, and I do so.

5. Have key Baptist Christian books in your church library. Talk about them from time to time. Make books available, especially to your church leaders, that explain and defend Baptist beliefs.

6. Subscribe your entire church, or at least your church leadership, to your Baptist State paper. We subscribe every one of our members to the Southern Baptist Texan. Subscribe them to the print copy; you can tell people to look it up on the internet, but they are more likely to read the print copy when it is mailed to their home.
Every now and then during a church service I will refer to an article in it. It will back up what you preach and stand for. It helps your people keep up with what going on with our SBC. Yes, you will occasionally disagree with it, that just goes with being Baptist.
When you have a Revival, church anniversary, a preacher passes away, etc., send the news to your state Baptist paper. People like seeing their church mentioned in the paper, and they enjoy keeping up with churches and preachers in their area.

7. Use the Baptist Hymnal published by LifeWay; 2008. It is a good hymnal including great new and old songs. It will not conflict with what we believe. It is another relatively subtle way of reminding people who we are.

8. Use the Church Covenant. It is available from LifeWay and has been used by many Baptist churches since the 1850s. We have the postcard size in our tract rack and have a stick-on version on the inside cover of our Baptist Hymnals. 

9. Every so often, get extra copies of a good Baptist or Christian book and offer it to your church members. They need good Christian literature in their homes. Some of the larger churches even have their own bookstores.

10. On Mother’s Day and Father’s Day we give that month’s issue of Home Life (a LifeWay magazine) to all the mothers or fathers present.

Use LifeWay and other Baptist literature in Sunday School and Bible Study. You don’t have to exclusively use them, but do use them. For those who may not know, LifeWay is owned by the SBC. Provide tracts and literature that answer questions your members may have about Eternal Security and other Baptist views. Some state Baptist conventions have good tracts on Baptism, Eternal Security, etc. We often stamp our church name and address at the back of these magazines or tracts.

We also use LifeWay’s Parent Life and Mature Living. I sometimes use one of these magazines in hospital visitation. I also use other papers such as The Biblical Evangelist, a good independent Baptist paper that has been supported by many conservative Southern Baptists.

11. Attend the state and national (SBC) conventions when you can. Take some of your members to them or to your state evangelism conference. Give a brief report on them to your church. Brief and as interesting as you can make it; otherwise their eyes will glaze over.

12. Speak positively about Baptists. Some pastors have a sour attitude about the Southern Baptist Convention. That sour attitude rubs off on others. Even dealing with controversial issues can be done in a positive way. And remember, even the New Testament Church also had their disagreements and controversies.

Hope this is helpful. If so, let me know.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, August 6, AD 2012.

Other Articles:
About the Church Covenant
Why I Support the Baptist Association, Part 1
Basic Baptist Doctrines / Beliefs
Baptists and Eternal Security, or Once Saved Always Saved; Part 1 of 3
A Baptist Church Baptizing by Sprinkling?
Top Three Seminaries

More articles in lower right margin.

A Baptist Church Baptizing by Sprinkling?

Buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. -Colossians 2:12

I read recently of a Baptist church wanting to baptize a lady who was very sick and in the hospital. According to the story, she could not be baptized by immersion. Their solution? They sprinkled her.

These Baptists called it Baptism. Frankly, it was not. The Greek word for baptize literally means to immerse, dip, or plunge. Even non-Baptist Bible Dictionaries will reveal this. So when you say, “I baptize you,” you are saying, “I immerse you.” How strange to say, “I immerse you,” while sprinkling water on a person.

Several years ago a pastorless Baptist church needed to baptize someone and in their ignorance of both the Bible and Baptist belief they just poured a bucket of water over their head. Brothers, this should not be so. Fortunately, I believe these stories are rare.

In addition to the word baptize literally meaning immerse, baptism is a picture of a death, burial, and resurrection. Sprinkling or pouring does not symbolize this. This symbolism of baptism is teaching three things:

1. I believe Jesus died for my sins, was buried, and rose again.

2. I have died to my old life of sin and have been born again, raised to a new life in Christ.

3. When a Christian dies their spirit goes to Heaven, but their body is laid in the grave. Baptism is saying when Jesus returns the graves will be opened and we will be reunited with our resurrected, glorified body.

Further, some Scripture is detailed enough that it reveals baptism involved going down into the water, and coming up out of the water, or the requirement of much water (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; John 3:23; Acts 8:38-39). You don’t need much water, neither do you need to go down into the water and come up out of the water, if all you need is a teacup of water to sprinkle.

It is also telling that archeologists have found baptistries for immersion in some of the earliest church buildings, churches built in the first centuries of Christianity.

So, what do we do with someone who has trusted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, but for physical reasons cannot be baptized?

First, it is amazing the lengths some will go to follow the Lord in baptism. Jesus walked many miles to be baptized by John in the Jordan River (Matthew 3:13-17). I led a man in his 80s to the Lord, who insisted on being baptized. He needed assistance in getting in and out of the baptistry, but it was a very moving service. In The Wit and Wisdom of Pastor Joe Brumbelow and at SBC Encounters is the story of The Baptism of Linda Potts. If there is any reasonable way you can get baptized, then do so.

Second, baptism does not save us, and has no part in salvation. We are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12; 3:16, 36; 5:24; Romans 10:9-19, 13). Baptism is only a picture of what happened to us when we were saved. We are, however, commanded to be baptized after we are saved.

Third, a person can go to Heaven without being baptized; he cannot go to Heaven without personal faith in Jesus Christ. If a person literally, physically cannot be baptized, don’t fake it with an unbiblical sprinkling or pouring. We don’t get to make the rules, God does. The thief on the cross could not be baptized, but Jesus told him, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:42-43).

The Biblical thing to do is simply recognize the person cannot be Scripturally baptized, but to assure them they are saved and will go to Heaven based on the fact that Jesus died for our sins and rose again, and that they have placed their personal faith in Him.

Note: Some Scripture on Baptism - Matthew 3:13-17; 28:18-20; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12.
-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, June 12, AD 2012.

Other articles in lower right margin. 

Basic Baptist Doctrines / Beliefs

Below is material we used in teaching Deacons. I reprint it here, with some revision, to remind us of what we believe. This is a brief list with no attempt to give the Scriptural reasons for these beliefs. That will be left for other articles. This is a summary. For a complete statement, read the Bible!

Fundamental or Basic Christian Doctrines are the foundational beliefs of Christianity. They have been believed by all, or at least the huge majority of all Christians.

Distinctive Baptist Doctrines are those beliefs that distinguish (or have distinguished) Baptists from all other, or some other, Evangelical Christian groups.

Fundamental, Basic Christian Doctrines:
1. Divine inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. The Bible is our supreme rule of faith and practice.

2. The Trinity. God is one, but reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

3. Jesus is God.

4. The Virgin Birth of Jesus.

5. Jesus’ sinless life

6. The blood atonement. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, shed His blood for us.

7. Jesus literally, physically rose from the dead.

8. Literal Return of Christ to the earth.

9. Resurrection and Judgment

10. Reality of Heaven and Hell

11. Man is a sinner in need of a Savior.

12. Personal faith in Jesus is the only way of salvation. Faith alone in Christ alone.

Distinctive Baptist Doctrines:
1. Believers Baptism by Immersion, is the scriptural means of baptism.

2. Two scriptural offices: pastors and deacons. In the Bible pastor, bishop, and elder are used synonymously for the same office.

3. Eternal Security of the believer. Once saved, always saved. But true faith should result in good works for the Lord.

4. Autonomy of the local church. The local church is a democratic body, with Christ as the head of the church. No one outside a local Baptist church can tell them what to do.

5. Religious liberty. Citizens of a country should be free to worship according to the dictates of their conscience. They should be free to witness to others.

6. Requirements for church membership: salvation and believer’s baptism by immersion.

7. Priesthood of the believer. Each believer is responsible before God to search the Scripture and believe and live accordingly.

8. The two ordinances of the church are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. They are not sacraments. A sacrament carries with it the idea of having “saving grace.” We are only saved by personal faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Ordinance - a special command given by Jesus for the church to observe.

9. The elements (unleavened bread & fruit of the vine) of the Lord’s Supper are symbolic, not literal. They are not His literal body, they symbolize Jesus’ body and blood given for us on the cross. The Lord’s Supper is not a sacrifice, it is a memorial service.

10. Missions and Evangelism. We are to go into all the world with the Gospel. Baptists believe in giving to missions, for example, through the Cooperative Program, and to the local Baptist Association. Baptists believe in personal involvement in evangelism.

11. Southern Baptists stand against beverage alcohol, destructive drugs, and gambling.

12. Our church is a part of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC), and the San Jacinto Baptist Association (SJBA).

Ongoing Christian Life
Baptists believe Bible reading and study, prayer, giving, faithful church attendance, ministry and witnessing should be an ongoing part of the Christian life. Jesus Christ and His Word should be central in all we do.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, April 2, AD 2012.

Other Articles:
Brief History of SBC Conservative Resurgence
Differences Between the 1963 and 2000 Baptist Faith and Message
2006 SBC Resolution on Alcohol Use in America
The Roman Road of Salvation
About the Church Covenant
Adrian Rogers on "Wit & Wisdom of Pastor Joe Brumbelow"
Why I Support the Baptist Association, Part 1