Well lets ask a question, are you justified by faith alone?
You’re not labouring over that old misapprehension are you?
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit (i.e. baptized), he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” [John 3:5; RSV]
In Mark’s Gospel just before Christ ascended into heaven, He told His disciples:
“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” [Mark 16:16]
At the end of Matthew’s Gospel, Christ commanded the Apostles to baptize all people “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” [Matt. 28:19] This command from Jesus would be a waste of time if we were saved by merely accepting or trusting in Him.
In the second chapter of Acts, the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit. St. Peter stood up and addressed the crowd. After telling them that God made Jesus, whom they crucified, both Lord and Messiah, they were shakened and asked “what shall we do?” St. Peter answered:
“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.” [Acts 2:38-39]
It is interesting to note that baptism and repentance are both connected to the forgiveness of personal sins - a key step towards salvation. Also noteworthy, this promise includes children; no age requirements are stated. The only requirement stated is “every one whom the Lord our God calls to Him” and not whoever is old enough to accept Jesus. Later St. Peter also wrote:
…in the days of Noah,…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,… [1 Peter 3:20-21]
This Bible passage explicitly states that baptism “now saves you.”
St. Paul also taught on the importance of baptism for salvation. In Acts 16:25-34, the jailer of Paul and Silas asked, “Men, what must I do to be saved?” [Acts 16:30]. Paul and Silas verbally replied:
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” [Acts 16:31]
However, almost immediately during the midnight hour, Paul and Silas continued their answer not by words but by action:
…and he (the jailer) was baptized at once, with all his family. [Acts 16:33]
Now these baptisms were performed with a sense of urgency. If baptism were not necessary for salvation, then why did St. Paul baptize the jailer and his family almost immediately during the midnight hour? Since baptism is a one-time event for a person, it was more expedient for St. Paul to simply baptize the whole family than to tell the jailer that baptism is necessary for salvation.
