1. IT IS COMMANDED. "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord" (Acts 10:48). Obedience to God's commands is essential. "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him" (Hebrews 5:9).
2. CHRIST TAUGHT IT. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16). Christ didn’t say, he that believeth shall be saved. He didn‘t say, he that is baptized shall be saved. The copulative conjunction AND joins words of equal value. The one saved is not just any HE but the HE that believeth AND is baptized.
Christ commanded his apostles to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19). We must heed what Christ commanded. "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock...and every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand" (Matt. 7:24, 26).
3. THE APOSTLES PREACHED IT. Peter told the Jews on Pentecost, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41). Now note what they were added to. “”And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:48). Since the Lord adds the saved to the church, there are no saved outside the church.
4. IT IS AN ACT OF FAITH. "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead" (Colossians 2:12). We show faith in God when we submit to baptism as his word directs.
5. IT PUTS US INTO THE BODY. "For by one Spirit are we baptized into one body" (I Corinthians 12:13). Christ's body is the church. "And he is the head of the body, the church" (Col. 1:18). “...and gave him to be head over all things to the church, Which is his body...“ (Eph. 1:22-23). Since we are baptized into the body, those who have not been baptized are outside the body, the church.
6. IT STANDS BETWEEN THE SINNER AND SALVATION. "Arise, and be baptized and wash away thy sins" (Acts 22:16). "The like figure whereunto even baptism doeth also now save us..." (I Peter 3:21). That verse says that baptism saves us and it saves us now. Question: If baptism doesn't save us from past sins, from what does it save us?
7. IT IS A MEANS OF PUTTING ON CHRIST. "For as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27). How many have put on Christ? As many as have been baptized into Christ; no more, no less. Why is it so important to be in Christ? All spiritual blessings are in Christ (Ephesians 1:3); salvation is in Christ (II Timothy 2:10); eternal life is in Christ (I John 5:11); redemption and forgiveness of sin are in Christ (Eph. 1:7); all the saved are added to the church (Acts 2:47); He is the savior of the body (Eph. 5:23). Therefore, all outside the body are not saved.
If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God (I Peter 4:11).
Don H. Noblin
For questions or comments about this article, email Don H. Noblin. If you decide to email me, please include the title of the article. Thank you.