The Necessity of Water Baptism Proved from Scripture

[Randy_Carson]

The necessity of water baptism is foreshadowed in the Old Testament.

Ezekiel 36:25-27
I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses…a new heart I will give you and a new spirit I will put within you…and I will put My spirit within you…"

In the New Testament, we find passages that speak of the fulfillment of that Old Testament prophecy:

Acts 22:16
And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins…".

Acts 2:38
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."

The parallels between Ezekiel and the message preached in Acts could not be more clear. Notice also that baptism is the constant in the following passages:

Mark 16:16
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Acts 2:37-39
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38Peter replied, “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. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

So, whether the call is for *belief *and baptism or repentance and baptism, baptism is the constant, common element of the message of salvation – the message Paul repeated in his letter to Titus:

Titus 3:4-7
4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Through baptism, we are included in the body of Christ:

1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.

And being buried with Christ through baptism, we are also raised to new life in Him:

Colossians 2:12
12 when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

As St. Peter said, baptism saves us:

1 Peter 3:20-21
when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Scripture simply does not support the non-Catholic notion that Baptism is symbolic. Scripture does very directly and very clearly support the Catholic teaching that Baptism saves us; that Baptism makes us members of the Body of Christ; that Baptism washes away sin; and that through Baptism we receive the Holy Spirit…just as the Catholic Church teaches!

 

[thinkandmull]

Water baptism is a necessity of precept, meaning you are required to do it as a command. But Catholics are free to believe in baptism by desire, that is, that water baptism is not a necessity of means. Protestants interpretation of those verses is valid for them. They would say that baptism was the moment that one accepts Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior. They believe it is superstitious to believe an imperfect act of will can be made perfect by the pouring of water or the words of a priest in a confessional

 

[DavidFilmer]

Acts 2:38
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."

I always like to include the next verse:

For this promise is for you, and for your children [Acts 2:39]

Just in case there is someone out there who doesn’t think that infant Baptism is Biblical.

 

[eazyduzit]

I always like to include the next verse:

Just in case there is someone out there who doesn’t think that infant Baptism is Biblical.

We always need to ignore something to make the bible say what we want. Notice that your verse begins with the command to REPENT. We cannot ignore this because it doesn’t fit our tradition. V.39 still continues to add “all that are afar off”. Taken together, it simply means to all generations. So the promise is good for children and grandchildren, when they are ready to repent and then be baptised.

 

[hu324b]

I believe there were two occurrences of baptism by the laying of hands by Paul I believe in acts 2 and 10 - these must be special circumstances - in the church we still do it at confirmation.

 

[Cathoholic]

Easyduzit.

In response to DavidFilmer’s post (here) . . .

QUOTE
For this promise is for you, and for your children [Acts 2:39]

. . . . you said (here) . . .

QUOTE:
Taken together, it simply means to all generations. So the promise is good for children and grandchildren, when they are ready to repent and then be baptised.

How do you know?

How do you know that “the promise” for the gift of Baptism did NOT INCLUDE babies?

Because babies couldn’t “repent”? But they had no COMMITTED sins to “repent” of. That couldn’t be it.

So how do you know?

Why didn’t the early Greek speaking Christians who read Acts in their original language not come to that conclusion but rather baptized babies and USED WATER?

When Moses and the Israelites were faced with Pharaoh’s army or the Red Sea, God opened the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to pass and escape the slavery of sin, I mean escape destruction from Pharaoh’s army.

Would Moses have said (?):

“Alright folks. Today the Shekinah Glory Cloud (A Pillar of Cloud by day, and a Pillar of Fire by night) is going to allow us to escape slavery. Escape Pharaoh’s army. So we will all cross the Red Sea. . . . . BUT . . . leave all the infants and children on the shoreline! They will have to wait until they are old enough to accept Yahweh themselves. This promise of deliverance by God is merely “good for children and grandchildren, when they are ready to repent and then be baptised.”

Do you think that is what Moses would have said?

No of course not.

Yet what does St. Paul say regarding Baptism and the Red Sea event? Fortunately the Bible tells us.

1st CORINTHIANS 10:1-2, 5-6 1 I want you to know, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, . . . . 5 Nevertheless with most of them God was not pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things are warnings for us, not to desire evil as they did.

These little Israelite babies were dependent upon the faith of their parents (Joshua echoes that same concept of speaking on behalf of his household when he says: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”).

These babies didn’t make a “personal choice”. Their parents did it for them . . . and it was accounted as “faith” . . . . .even for the babies!

(Incidentally. Notice also that there was “real water” in the Red Sea. Not mere "marshlands or a “spiritual crossing” that some modernist theologians sometimes try to pass off in some cases possibly because of their incredulity. . . .

. . . . The Israelites were saved by WATER and The Spirit. REAL WATER. They were saved by water and the Spirit–Hmm. Where have we heard THAT before?)

Look at what Hebrews doesn’t say . . .

NOT HEBREWS 11:29 but a PHANTOM VERSE 29 By faith the Adults crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land; but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.

HEBREWS 11:29 29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land; but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.

I think David is right on and I would like to see evidence WHY I should discount not only what David is saying, but 2000 years of Christianity in regards to the people, the water, and even the infants.

And the evidence is going to have to be a lot more convincing then an opinion:

Taken together, it simply means to all generations. So the promise is good for children and grandchildren, when they are ready to repent and then be baptised.

God bless.

Cathoholic

 

[Cathoholic]

JOHN 3:3-4a, 5, 22 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? . . . 5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. . . . . 22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea; there he remained with them and baptized.

 

[DavidFilmer]

So the promise is good for children and grandchildren, when they are ready to repent and then be baptised.

Just to add to what Cathoholic already said…

It seems uncharacteristic that God would establish his Church based on the REQUIREMENT that we sin. If repentance is REQUIRED, then sin must necessarily precede it (otherwise we have nothing to repent).

So, before you can receive the Grace of Baptism, you MUST sin. Sin is therefore an integral and necessary prerequisite to salvation. Is that how you see it? God’s plan for salvation requires us to sin before we can even be eligible???

That’s a, ummm, rather unique bit of exegesis you have going there.

 

[thistle]

Just to add to what Cathoholic already said…

It seems uncharacteristic that God would establish his Church based on the REQUIREMENT that we sin. If repentance is REQUIRED, then sin must necessarily precede it (otherwise we have nothing to repent).

So, before you can receive the Grace of Baptism, you MUST sin. Sin is therefore an integral and necessary prerequisite to salvation. Is that how you see it? God’s plan for salvation requires us to sin before we can even be eligible???

That’s a, ummm, rather unique bit of exegesis you have going there.

 

[God_I_Love]

The necessity of water baptism is foreshadowed in the Old Testament.

Ezekiel 36:25-27
I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses…a new heart I will give you and a new spirit I will put within you…and I will put My spirit within you…"

In the New Testament, we find passages that speak of the fulfillment of that Old Testament prophecy:

Acts 22:16
And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins…".

Acts 2:38
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."

The parallels between Ezekiel and the message preached in Acts could not be more clear. Notice also that baptism is the constant in the following passages:

Mark 16:16
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Acts 2:37-39
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38Peter replied, “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. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

So, whether the call is for *belief *and baptism or repentance and baptism, baptism is the constant, common element of the message of salvation – the message Paul repeated in his letter to Titus:

Titus 3:4-7
4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Through baptism, we are included in the body of Christ:

1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.

And being buried with Christ through baptism, we are also raised to new life in Him:

Colossians 2:12
12 when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

As St. Peter said, baptism saves us:

1 Peter 3:20-21
when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Scripture simply does not support the non-Catholic notion that Baptism is symbolic. Scripture does very directly and very clearly support the Catholic teaching that Baptism saves us; that Baptism makes us members of the Body of Christ; that Baptism washes away sin; and that through Baptism we receive the Holy Spirit…just as the Catholic Church teaches!

Watch as every word you highlighted gives you deeper understanding. but the only way is to cut your bias (ie words and highlightation). then will the Spirit’s voice be made clear in this topic

 

[AmbroseSJ]

God_I_Love:

Watch as every word you highlighted gives you deeper understanding. but the only way is to cut your bias (ie words and highlightation). then will the Spirit’s voice be made clear in this topic

Careful…

You (in your OWN bias) are discounting the WORD, the God-breathed Scripture, if it doesn’t mean what YOUR bias has. We know the Holy Spirit guides His Church. But NOT everyone who picks up the Bible. THAT is in Scripture! (2 Peter 3:16)

Better check and see what YOU have highlighted in your own Bible!

 

[God_I_Love]

‘‘He who hears you hears me’’. Can you hear him? How do you know when my words are His words and when they are not? Only if you know Christ fully in me can you answer me in Truth those questions. Not to say you do not know Christ. But the nature of sin is to blind one to aspects of love and understanding through inwardly directed love (seeking within oneself unification which is impossible hence the lie of sin)

 

[AmbroseSJ]

‘‘He who hears you hears me’’. Can you hear him? How do you know when my words are His words and when they are not? Only if you know Christ fully in me can you answer me in Truth those questions. Not to say you do not know Christ. But the nature of sin is to blind one to aspects of love and understanding through inwardly directed love (seeking within oneself unification which is impossible hence the lie of sin)

I could turn your comment right back around to you!

 

[Cathoholic]

God_I_Love.

You said (concerning the Baptismal regeneration issue) . . .

How do you know when my words are His words and when they are not?

By believing what Jesus actually said that’s how. And believing ALL of it.

---

And if you are denying Baptismal regeneration, you ARE denying what Jesus said God_I_Love.

You DO know that the denial of Baptismal regeneration is a tradition of men that makes void the commandments of God don’t you?

The denial of Baptismal regeneration was an invented tradition by men such as Thomas Müntzer, a politician.

Right after Jesus’ discussion with Nicodemus, Jesus and His disciples go out into Judea and BAPTIZE.

JOHN 3:1-2b, 5, 22 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus . . . . 5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. . . . 22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea; there he remained with them and baptized.

Listen to what the Spirit is saying here.

Is it mere coincidence in John 3, that immediately after Jesus tells Nicodemus (and all of mankind) they must be born of WATER AND the Spirit, that He goes out with His disciples and Baptizes?

If you say yes you will have to assert “Water” doesn’t mean “water” in John 3:5.

Others have asserted this tradition too. Men like the “Zwickau prophets” (i.e. Nicholas Storch, Thomas Dreschel and Markus Stübner) or the politician Thomas Müntzer (1489-1525) in Germany, or “the Swiss Brethren” from 1525 (mainly Felix Manz, Conrad Grebel, and ex-Catholic Priest George Blaurock) in Switzerland during “Reformation” times, or other Anabaptist Reformation-era inventors.

“Water” didn’t mean, “water” to them either.

These are the men that you are following God_I_Love, if you are re-wording what Jesus said.

Why not just believe Jesus? Why not take Jesus at His word God_I_Love? Why self-style something you think is “better” or “more spiritual”?

 

[Randy_Carson]

Water, Water Everywhere
Taken from: catholic-convert.com/?p=238

1. The first creation came from the earth which was covered with WATER and the SPIRIT hovered over the waters and from the water emerged land and man and God’s first creation (Gen 1:1-2).
2. A new humanity was started with Noah through WATER and SPIRIT. The ark went through the water and a dove (representing the Spirit) hovered overhead with an olive branch. Peter said this represents baptism which “now saves us” (1 Peter 3:18-21).
3. The nation of Israel was created through the WATER of the Red Sea (baptism) with the cloud and fire of the Holy SPIRIT overhead — my, oh my, again we have water and Spirit (Ex 14).
4. Ezekiel then describes what the New Covenant will look like and he said we will be sprinkled with clean WATER and his SPIRIT will be placed in us (Ez 36:25). Born again, I suspect.
5. Then Jesus, right before saying you must be born of “water and the Spirit” had just gone down into the WATER of the Jordan and the SPIRIT came down and landed on his head. Again, water and the Spirit (Mt 3:16; Jn 1:29).
6. Jesus teaches Nicodemus that he must be born again, or from above which is accomplished through “WATER and the SPIRIT.“
7. When Jesus finished these words what was the first thing he did? He went down and baptized people in the Jordan with his disciples (Jn 4:1-2).
8. At the first Holy Ghost Gospel Revival meeting Peter stood up at Pentecost and said, “Repent, and be baptized (WATER) 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“ (Acts 2:38).
9. Peter also says “Baptism now saves you“ (1 Pet 3:18), and Paul is told “Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16), and Paul writes that we are saved “by the washing of regeneration (WATER) and renewal in the Holy SPIRIT“ (Titus 3:5).

Water baptism was prefigured in the OT and brings about the forgiveness of sins and regeneration of the soul.

1 Corintians 10:1-4
“I WANT you to know, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same supernatural food and all drank the same supernatural drink. For they drank from the supernatural Rock which followed them, and the Rock was Christ.”

This is an abundantly clear OT prefiguring of baptism and being saved by baptism. The Israelites were baptized into Moses by passing through the water of the Red Sea; we are baptized into Christ by passing through the water of the baptismal font. Additionally, the Israelites that left Egypt are described as follows:

Exodus 12:37-38
And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very many cattle, both flocks and herds.

From this, it is obvious that the sacrament of baptism is for men, women, and children.

 

[Ignatius]

So, for Protestants, Jesus commanding it isn’t enough?

 

[AmbroseSJ]

So, for Protestants, Jesus commanding it isn’t enough?

Not ALL Protestants. One of the BEST books ever written on Infant Baptism was by the Protestant (Anglican) Wm. Wall in 1705. You have to remember that the ONLY Protestants that have rejected Baptismal regeneration, are the (ironically enough) Baptists, and their offshoot Evangelicals. But then they have rejected ALL Sacramentality and Priestly Orders. Otherwise, all mainline Protestant churches believe in, and perform infant and adult Baptism.

 

[Ignatius]

Ignatius;12736094:

So, for Protestants, Jesus commanding it isn’t enough?

Not ALL Protestants. One of the BEST books ever written on Infant Baptism was by the Protestant (Anglican) Wm. Wall in 1705. You have to remember that the ONLY Protestants that have rejected Baptismal regeneration, are the (ironically enough) Baptists, and their offshoot Evangelicals. But then they have rejected ALL Sacramentality and Priestly Orders. Otherwise, all mainline Protestant churches believe in, and perform infant and adult Baptism.

Yup, absolutely, But I was hoping one of our brothers or sisters from the Non-Denominational Denomination would clarify why Jesus’ command isn’t enough for them.

 

[AmbroseSJ]

Yup, absolutely, But I was hoping one of our brothers or sisters from the Non-Denominational Denomination would clarify why Jesus’ command isn’t enough for them.

I’ve had this argument with my own family who are Evangelical-former Catholics. They are unable to understand the words of Jesus correctly. They will need the gift of grace from the Holy Spirit. That will not come as long as they adhere to the doctrines of men which make void the word of god.