Baptism & Works

“Must I get baptized to be saved?” Though there are plenty of passages that teach baptism has a role in salvation, many deny this truth because “baptism is a work and we are not saved by works.” Therefore, I would like to consider that argument scripturally.

There are different kinds of works mentioned in the New Testament. We read about “works of the law” (Galatians 2:16), “works of the flesh” (Galatians 5:19), “works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11), “our works” (2 Timothy 1:9), “works of the devil” (1 John 3:8), etc. We are not saved by any of those works. However, to say that there are no works involved in salvation will take one further than he wants to go because belief is a work (John 6:28–29). Must one believe to be saved? Then works are involved in salvation.

Baptism is the same kind of work as belief. Both are works of God. Therefore, the two stand and fall together in this discussion. If baptism is excluded as a work, then belief must be excluded as well. Obviously, neither should be excluded.

Baptism is distinguished from meritorious works in the New Testament. Titus 3:5 says that God saved us “not because of works done by us in righteousness” (meritorious works) but by “the washing of regeneration” (baptism). Hence, baptism is not a meritorious work.

By building the ark, was Noah engaging in a meritorious work or was he simply meeting the conditions of God’s grace? All agree that he was simply meeting the conditions of God’s grace. The same is true with the Israelites marching around the walls of Jericho, Naaman dipping in the Jordan River, and the ten lepers going to show themselves to the priests. Then we should have no problem seeing the same truth with baptism. By being baptized, we are simply meeting the conditions of God’s grace.

Baptism stands between a sinner and salvation (Mark 16:16), a sinner and the kingdom ( John 3:5), a sinner and the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), a sinner and the washing away of sins (Acts 22:16), a sinner and the death of Christ (Romans 6:3), a sinner and newness of life (Romans 6:4), a sinner and the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), a sinner and putting on Christ (Galatians 3:27), a sinner and cleansing (Ephesians 5:26), and a sinner and being made alive (Colossians 2:12–13). Hence, baptism obviously has a role in salvation. So, have you been baptized?