Bible Truth FAQs
THE PURPOSE OF BAPTISM
Perhaps the most distorted subject in all the holy scriptures is baptism. Religious people regard it as a rite, a special ceremony, and often associated with infants who have no control whatever over it. Such travesty is foreign to New Testament Christianity.
Jesus made baptism (immersion in water) a condition of salvation (Mark 16:16). The Apostle Peter specified repentance and baptism as requirements in order to obtain remission of sins (Acts 2:38). The Apostle Paul stated that baptism puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-21), in which state one becomes a new creature (II Cor. 5:11} and enjoys all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3}, including the forgiveness of sins and an eternal inheritance (Eph. 1:1, 11). Peter also affirmed that water baptism saves us (I Pet. 3:20-21} through the answer of a good conscience toward God, having our sins removed.
Repentance removes the PRACTICE of sin, whereas baptism removes the GUILT of sin. Satan and his angels object to baptism because they know that it is the only act of obedience that puts one INTO Christ. That is why so much fuss is raised, so much effort expended, to prove (?} the non-essentiality of baptism in God's plan of salvation.
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