Baptism necessary for salvation

[justme]

The Church teaches that Baptism is necessary for Salvation but how does the Church reconcile this idea with this from Holy Scripture?

[bibledrb]Acts 16:30-31[/bibledrb]

After saying this Paul did baptize the jailer and his family but Paul did not say that baptism was necessary, why not?

 

[puzzleannie]

on the contrary that passage clearly proves baptism was necessary, that the initial conversion by itself is not enough and must be followed up by baptism. Otherwise Paul would have said, nah, let’s not bother with all that baptism and water stuff, you have already been born again and baptism would be redundant. He did not say that, rather he insisted on having the entire household baptized, so I don’t see your logic.

 

[justme]

on the contrary that passage clearly proves baptism was necessary, that the initial conversion by itself is not enough and must be followed up by baptism. Otherwise Paul would have said, nah, let’s not bother with all that baptism and water stuff, you have already been born again and baptism would be redundant. He did not say that, rather he insisted on having the entire household baptized, so I don’t see your logic.

When asked Paul said “Believe” he did not say “Believe and be baptized” nor did he say “Be baptized”.

While baptism did follow all Paul said that was necessary was belief.

This is what confuses me.

 

[Jim_Dandy]

Jesus said it was necessary.

“…Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven” John 3:5 RSV. “Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born anew” John 3:7 RSV.

We are born anew (again) in Baptism.

One verse or paragraph does not a doctrine make, as is the case with most Protestants. The Scriptures must be read holistically. Everything the Bible says on any topic must be considered.

The Catholic Church teaches what the Apostles taught. And the Church wrote the New Testament. The NT is based on the teaching of the Church, not vice versa. Look to the Catholic Church for answers about what the Bible means.

Salvation requires more than belief! And more than Baptism!

Peace, Jim Dandy
Former Protestant

 

[Hiskid1973]

Our faith in Christ is a maturing process…Choosing to follow Christ by repentance opens the door to rebirth ie. your spirit is born anew…Next part of growth is water baptism. You will note the Ethiopian eunuch asked about baptism right away and others you don’t hear about but it was part of the process repent/be baptised…I had a powerful conversion experience an evening in Aug. 1973 that radically turned my life around…My druggy coworker/friend had a
similar experience not long after…We started going to a bible study at the office we worked at
Within months we we surprising our coworkers talking to them about faith in Jesus…During that time I was being taught I learned about baptism and was water baptised about a year later with a large group at a farm pond…About maybe a year after that I was reading about baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire that fired up the early church…I asked the Lord to set me on fire…I can’t explain it but my faith had a match lit under it…It gave me boldness to pass out hundreds of gospel tracts and talk to people about Christ…This was almost 40 years ago and my faith is strong and vibrant…People are at various stages of growth in Christ…It all starts with repentance and putting your faith/trust in Christ…He will be faithful to complete the work He started in you…

 

[puzzleannie]

When asked Paul said “Believe” he did not say “Believe and be baptized” nor did he say “Be baptized”.

While baptism did follow all Paul said that was necessary was belief.

This is what confuses me.

keep reading, that the family immediately sought baptism is obviously assumed by Paul and directed by him. Belief leads to baptism. What is Christ’s injunction to the apostles before his Ascencsion: first preach and teach, then baptize. You will consider Christ at least in equal authority to Paul, who also says that his job is to preach and teach, and lead his subjects to others for baptism.

 

[Gabriel_of_12]

The Church teaches that Baptism is necessary for Salvation but how does the Church reconcile this idea with this from Holy Scripture?

[bibledrb]Acts 16:30-31[/bibledrb]

After saying this Paul did baptize the jailer and his family but Paul did not say that baptism was necessary, why not?

The reason for conversion was already proven, what Paul was calling for was “Faith in Jesus Christ”, the act of faith in Jesus or the “yes” to God leads one to the baptismal waters. What you are witnessing here is an introduction to faith in Jesus, which leads to baptism “which saves you now”, see 1 Peter 3:21.

When infants are baptized they are baptized from the faith of their parents and God parents, till the child reaches the age of reason to make this profession of faith on his/her own. The adults make this profession of faith during their baptism.

Paul invites the jailer to recieve salvation by first making his profession of faith in Jesus, then baptism follows. This apostolic Tradition is still practiced in the Catholic rite of baptism. A profession of faith in Jesus is always asked first upon the “elect” before being baptized.

Now listen to Paul statement with this in mind " believe in the Lord Jesus" present tense, "so that you may be “saved”, future tense pointing to baptism.

 

[Jim_Dandy]

Our faith in Christ is a maturing process…Choosing to follow Christ by repentance opens the door to rebirth ie. your spirit is born anew…Next part of growth is water baptism.

[remaineder of post truncated by Jim Dandy]

The first Christians were taught by the Apostles own lips. The first Christians baptized infants and small children.

In the New Testament, the Apostles were speaking to first-generation converts – adults. But St. Peter said: “. . . Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For **the promise is made to you and your children **and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call” Acts 2:38, 39.

Many Protestant denominations baptize infants. Jesus said baptism is required for entrance into heaven. The Church teaches that in addition to water Baptism, there is also the Baptism of Desire and Blood (martyrdom).

Peace be with you.

 

[japhy]

Just because Paul didn’t say “Believe and be baptized” does not mean that by saying “Believe” Paul did not also mean “and be baptized”. You could argue (wrongly) that all you need to do is “believe” and that nothing else (obedience, love, or baptism, for example) is necessary. But that would be an impoverished understanding of what belief in Jesus Christ actually entails and requires of us.