I’ve had a Catholic criticize my article, Roman Catholic Baptism Is Unbiblical, claiming that baptism is indeed necessary for salvation. He included the following Bible verses as “proof texts” that baptism does indeed provide salvation. Well, let’s just examine his “proof” for what it is.
Mark 16:16: He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Notice it first says, “He who believes.” The belief in Jesus as savior is what saves the person, and the baptism is the outward sign of an inward faith/spirituality. Notice in the second phrase it says, “he who does not believe will be condemned.” The one who does not believe will not be saved through baptism.
John 3:5: Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
IF the water referred to is baptism, then notice one must be born of the Spirit (i.e. born of the Holy Spirit because of faith in the salvation of Jesus). But water here is not literal, rather it refers to cleansing (e.g. Ezekiel 36:24-27). John MacArthur points out, When water is used figuratively in the OT, it habitually refers to renewal or spiritual cleansing, especially when used in conjunction with “spirit” (Num.19:17-19; Ps.51:9, 10; Is. 32:15, 44:3-5, 55:1-3; Jer. 2:13; Joel 2:28-29). Thus, Jesus made reference to the spiritual washing or purification of the soul, accomplished by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God at the moment of salvation (cf. Eph. 5:26; Titus 3:5), required for belonging to His kingdom.
Notice though, that Jesus is restating vs. 3 where He says, “Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Replace “born again” with “born of water and of the Spirit.” “Born again” has the meaning of placing one’s faith in Christ for salvation.
Acts 2:38-41: And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him.” And he testified with many other words and exhorted them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation.’ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
It doesn’t take a theological scholar to see that Peter did not say anyone needed to be baptized to be saved. He stated the first thing to do was “repent.” Then he says the baptism which follows is in the name of Jesus, which implies with their repentance they put their faith in Jesus for salvation. Those who were saved were “those who received his word”— i.e., the sermon he had just preached about Jesus beginning at verse 14. They asked what they should do after hearing this sermon. If they didn’t repent and place their faith in Jesus, being baptized in His name would not give them salvation. Real repentance knows how evil sin is and that it must be forsaken “and the person and work of Christ totally and singularly embraced.”
The Apologetics Study Bible says this: Many groups use these verses to teach that baptism is essential to salvation. Yet Paul made a distinction between the two when he wrote, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (1 Co. 1:17). He then described the gospel as “the power” to save (v.18). Baptism and the gospel are thus set in opposition to each other. Paul explained that “the gospel . . . is God’s power for salvation” (Rom.1:16).
Acts 22:16: And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.
This was said by Ananias AFTER Paul had an encounter with Jesus and more teaching by Ananias. Paul had been given the faith and the Holy Spirit. So Ananias is telling him to now be baptized. As most commentaries will point out, grammatically calling on the name of the Lord precedes “rise and be baptized.” Calling on the name of the Lord is what saved Paul, not the baptism.
Romans 6:3-4: Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Notice he says ‘baptized into Christ Jesus.” They were believers and then baptized into that faith. The baptism symbolized their faith in Christ as they were “buried with him through baptism.” BUT that is assuming Paul is talking about water baptism. But what do scholars have to say? “Paul is actually using the word baptized in a metaphorical sense, as we might be saying someone was immersed in his work, or underwent his baptism of fire when experiencing some trouble.”
This is pretty plain because Paul says we were buried into death and yet we didn’t die.
1 Corinthians 6:11: And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
This passage doesn’t even mention baptism, rather it is about being washed, etc, but the Spirit! Baptism would come later.
Titus 3:5: He saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit…
Again, this is not about baptism but about regeneration and renewal by the Spirit! Water baptism isn’t even hinted at.
1 Peter 3:21: Baptism … now saves you…
How about we look at the context of this passage starting at vs 18:
For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the]spirit; in which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison, who once were disobedient when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…
So notice he says, not the removal of dirt from the flesh, i.e. not with water but with an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I suggest the reader look at the very thorough explanation at “Got Questions."
Ephesians 2:8-9 says salvation is not of oneself, i.e., works—and baptism is a work. Baptism is the outward sign of an inward faith/spirituality. Without the inward faith, baptism has no meaning—it does not provide salvation nor is it necessary for salvation.
Now the amusing thing is that Catholics have four paragraphs in their Catechism which prove they don’t believe that water baptism is what saves you:
1258 The Church has always held the firm conviction that those who suffer death for the sake of the faith without having received Baptism are baptized by their death for and with Christ. This Baptism of blood, like the desire for Baptism, brings about the fruits of Baptism without being a sacrament.
1259 For catechumens who die before their Baptism, their explicit desire to receive it, together with repentance for their sins, and charity, assures them the salvation that they were not able to receive through the sacrament.
1260 Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery.”[62] Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity.
1261 As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them,”[63] allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.
None of this is even hinted at in the Bible and has been invented by the Papist Church as a way to maintain the lie that Baptism is what provides salvation.
