5 Reasons Why Baptism Is Not Essential For Salvation

Baptism does not save you. That is a lie from Satan.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” – Romans 10:9 (KJV)

Here are several problems with the idea that salvation requires someone to be baptized.


1) Requiring baptism to be saved is faith+works. Salvation is by faith only…not works.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” — Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)

The Bible is very clear. No works are involved to be saved.


2) The Bible says that our works are like filthy rags. Since this is the case, how can baptism be a part of salvation, since being baptized to be saved would be performing a work?

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” — Isaiah 64:6 (KJV)


3) “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” — 1 Corinthians 1:17 (KJV)

Since Paul’s primary mission was to preach the gospel (not to baptize), the logical conclusion is that baptism is not necessary for salvation.

Thoughtful Question: If baptism is necessary for salvation, why would Paul not worry about it and instead focus on preaching the gospel?


4) The thief on the cross was never baptized, but Jesus said that he would be with Him in paradise.

Luke 23:40-43 (KJV) “But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

If baptism was necessary for salvation, 1) the thief on the cross would have really gone to Hell, and 2) Jesus would have been lying. The only sane conclusion is that baptism is not necessary for Salvation.

One person online claimed that the thief “could have been baptized earlier on”. This is a very weak, baseless, nonsensical argument. He obviously was caught off guard and responded with a useless rebuttal.


5) The Book of 1st John says:

1 John 5:13 (KJV) “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

Everything in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John is to teach us how to know we are saved. Nowhere in those books is baptism mentioned. Obviously if baptism was necessary for salvation, the Lord would have made sure it was mentioned.

Baptism is to show others that we have been saved, not to get saved.


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