—WATER
BAPTISM—
Why is it that unbelievers grab hold of water
baptism like thirsty men in the desert? Catholics,
Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Church of Christ and
countless others, teach it is necessary for one’s
salvation. Mormons even say you ought to be baptized
on behalf of your loved ones who died before Joseph
Smith showed up in order to help bring them the
gospel. Water baptism would seem to be quite an
agent to effect the new birth.
How is it then, that the greatest Christian who ever
lived didn’t think so? The apostle Paul wrote that
“Christ sent me NOT TO BAPTIZE, but to preach the
gospel” (1 Cor 1:17). Then, in the same book he
defined the gospel as the death, burial, and
resurrection of Christ “according to the
scriptures” (1 Cor 15:1-4) MINUS water baptism.
Our friends insist that it was Christ himself who
first taught their doctrines when he said “Except
a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5) To a
man they all believe that the water Jesus meant was
water baptism, especially as practiced by their
denominations.
Yet, notice the context. The water mentioned in John
3:5 is also identified by the words “flesh”
(v.6) and “his mother’s womb” (v.4). The
labor of physical childbirth usually begins when a
woman’s “water” breaks. How could Christ have meant
anything else but physical birth?
Peter said that, for the believer, water baptism DID
NOT put away the filth of the flesh, but was “the
answer of a good conscience toward God” (1 Pet
3:21). Baptism is a
testimony
of salvation, but never the means of it.
Show me how to get saved!
Bible Baptist Church International
448 N. Virginia Ave. Ontario, CA 91764
(213) 448-4456
Korean Pastor: Kyeong W.
Kim English Pastor: Michael Schreib
www.believers.net
BIBLE BELIEVERS BOOKSTORE
12235 Beach Blvd. Suite 3B, Stanton, CA 90680
