Yes. At the Decker Prairie church of Christ we read the New Testament as connecting baptism directly to being saved and having sins forgiven, so we understand it as part of coming to Jesus rather than a step you add on down the road. Some people teach that baptism is nothing more than a symbol. We want to honestly consider the plain wording of the Bible.
Underneath the question is usually a fair worry: doesn’t this turn salvation into something you have to earn? We would rather face that head-on than tiptoe around it, so we will.
What the New Testament Actually Says
Start with the very first gospel sermon. When the crowd asked what to do, Peter answered, “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” (). Notice that forgiveness and baptism are spoken of together, in a single sentence.
That same thread runs right through the book. Ananias said to Saul, “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name” (). Peter would later write that “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 good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (). And Jesus said it plainly Himself: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (). We didn’t build that connection. We are just careful not to pull it apart.
Isn’t This Salvation by Works?
Salvation is a gift, never a wage. Paul could not be clearer: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (). Not one thing we do buys forgiveness. The price was the blood of Jesus. In this way it is similar to the Israelites putting blood on the door post during the first Passover. No one would say they earned salvation by that action. They simply did as God instructed and received the protection God promised them for doing so. It was God who delivered by his grace. Baptism is the same way. It is God’s instructions for how we receive the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, to be washed from our sins. It is an admission that we cannot save ourselves.
Baptism isn’t a rival to grace; it is the moment grace is received. Watch how Paul puts the washing of baptism right in the middle of God’s mercy, not across the table from it: “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (). Baptism isn’t an achievement to brag about. It is surrender, an appeal to God where you stop and let Him do the rescuing. Someone going under who grabs the rescuer’s hand hasn’t earned a thing.
What Baptism Actually Pictures
Some of the confusion comes from imagining baptism as a tiny ritual. The New Testament paints something far bigger. Paul wrote, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” ().
It is a burial and a coming back to life. That is why it is a full immersion in water and not a sprinkle, and why it is meant for someone old enough to believe and to turn from sin. It is the point where a person’s faith takes hold of what Jesus did, laying down an old life and rising into a brand-new one in Him.
Where Baptism Fits in the Whole Picture
Baptism isn’t the only thing asked of a person coming to Christ, and it was never meant to stand by itself. Someone hears the good news, believes in Jesus, turns from sin in repentance, confesses Him as Lord, and is baptized, and then keeps walking with Him from there. Faith is what makes baptism more than getting wet. Without a heart that believes and repents, the water does nothing.
So when we say baptism is necessary, we don’t mean it works in some magical way apart from anything else. We don’t mean it is a box on a checklist. We mean the Bible sets it right at the doorway, where a believing person is joined to Christ and washed clean from sin, and we don’t feel free to drag it somewhere else.
Keep Studying
If you grew up hearing baptism is only a symbol, we understand why this feels unfamiliar, and we’re not asking you to just take our word for it. Open the book of Acts and read what people did every single time the gospel was preached. Go slow, watch what happened and when, and bring every hard question you’ve got. Nobody here will pressure you, and you are always welcome to work it out for yourself.
Come Study the Bible With Us
You were made for a life with real purpose, and at the Decker Prairie church of Christ we would count it a joy to open the Scriptures with you and help you find it. There is no pressure here, just people glad you came.
Plan your visit, and you will be right at home.
Want to know what the Bible says about being saved? Start here.
When we meet:
- Sunday: Worship 10:00 am · Bible Class 5:00 pm
- Wednesday: Bible Class 7:30 pm
