Understanding Water Baptism’s Role in Salvation
Introduction
Of the many doctrines (teachings) of the scriptures, few topics generate as much disagreement in Christendom as the reason, meaning, and mode of baptism. This division ultimately arises because truth is revealed only to God’s elect. God deliberately established distinctions between truth and error, good and evil, saved and unsaved—not always according to human logic. Ceremonial laws, such as not plowing with an ox and an ass together (Deuteronomy 22:10) or not wearing garments of wool and linen together (Deuteronomy 22:11), exemplify how God’s thoughts and ways differ from carnal man’s (Isaiah 55:8, “For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD.“).
In the New Testament, God instituted only two ordinances/ceremonies: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Questions surrounding baptism include who should be baptized, when, by what method, by whom, where, and—most importantly—what baptism means.
Etymology and Meaning
The words “baptize” and “baptism” derive from the Greek βαπτίζω (baptizō)G907, meaning ceremonial ablutions or washings, and appear only in the New Testament. They represent the washing away of sins and connect back to Old Testament Levitical washings. God guided the King James translators not to render the term simply as “immerse,” “dip,”, “wash,” or “sprinkle”, thereby preserving both temporal and spiritual senses.
- As a verb: Matthew 3:6, “And were baptized G907 of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.“; Matthew 28:19, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing G907 them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:“; Matthew 3:11–12 (John baptizes with water unto repentance; Christ baptizes with the Holy Ghost and with fire).
- Noun – βάπτισμα (baptisma)G908: Mark 11:30; Luke 3:3; Matthew 3:7&8.
- Noun – βαπτισμός (baptismos) G909, often “washings”: Hebrews 6:2; Mark 7:4.
- βαπτιστής (baptistēs) G910: Matthew 3:1 (John the Baptist).
- Root βάπτω (baptō)G911, “dip”: Luke 16:24; Revelation 19:13.
Hebrew equivalents for washing (רָחַק (rāḥaq)H7368) appear inGenesis 18:4; 24:32 apply to washing feet; We also read in Genesis 43:31, where Joseph after weeping following seeing his long lost brothers went at washed H7364 his face, which would not require immersion. This confirms the wisdom of not forcing a single English equivalent such as “immerse.”
The Mode of Baptism
Objections that infant baptism or sprinkling must be rejected because they are associated with Roman Catholicism are inconsistent; the same logic would require rejecting the Trinity, heaven and hell, and Christ’s incarnation.Biblical evidence favors “sprinkling”, “pouring”, and “washing” vice “immersion”:
- Hebrews 9:10 uses βαπτισμός (baptismos) G909 for “divers washings”; Hebrews 9:13, 19, 21 employ “sprinkling” (ῥαντίζω (rhantizō))G4472 of blood and ashes.
- Revelation 1:5&6 links “washing” (λούω (louō))G3068 away sins in Christ’s blood.
- Exodus 29:4; 30:20; “washing” (רָחַץ (rāḥaṣ))H7364 of both the sacrifices and the priests.
- Leviticus 14: In Verses 2&3, the leprosy is determined to be healed (physically) by the priest…the “fleshly” healing. But cleansing is still to be performed. In Verses 4-6 required a bird to be killed (two birds total) with one bird “dipped” (טָבַל (ṭāḇal)H2881 in the blood of the first bird. In Verse 7 Then the leper is sprinkled (נָזָה (nāzâ))H5137with the blood of the dead bird and the live bird is set free (one died and the one dipped in the blood goes free…Symbolic of Barabbas being set free and Jesus dying in his place). Verse 8 &9 The leper also had to wash his clothes, shave off his hair, wash his flesh (entire body)…then cleansed “so far”…but then symbols introduced pointing to “spiritual” healing. Verse 10 …the 8th day, same as circumcision, which is also the 2nd “first” day of the week…two male Lambs, one female ewe, three tenth deals of fine flour [for] a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil (the oil representing God’s Holy Spirit). Verses 11-12, Present him and them “before the Lord” in the Tabernacle (representing the Lord’s Body). The priest makes him clean…Etc.
- 2 Kings 5:1-10, The Syrian leper Naaman washes רָחַץ (rāḥaṣ)H7364 in the Jordan River);
- Numbers 8:5-7, “Sprinkle (נָזָה (nāzâ)) H5137water of purifying“;
- Ezekiel 36:25-27, “Then will I sprinkle (זָרַק (zāraq))H2236 clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness…”;
- Isaiah 52:15, “So shall he sprinkle (נָזָה (nāzâ)) H5137 many nations;”;
- Leviticus 14:7, “And he shall sprinkle (נָזָה (nāzâ)) H5137 upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean“
- New Testament: Hebrews 10:22 “having our hearts sprinkled (ῥαντίζω (rhantizō))G4472 from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed (λούω (louō))G3068 with pure water.”;
- 1 Peter 1:2, sprinkling (ῥαντισμός(rhantismos))G4473 of the blood of Jesus Christ:;
- 1 Corinthians 10:1&2, “all baptized (βαπτίζω (baptizō))G907 unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;“.
The Holy Spirit’s baptism is described as “pouring out,” not immersion. Ezekiel 36:25-27 links sprinkling (זָרַק (zāraq))H2236 of “clean water” with regeneration, instilling a new spirit and a new heart, and Isaiah 52:15 states, “So shall he (Jesus) sprinkle (נָזָה (nāzâ)) H5137 many nations;
Water Baptism as a Sign, Not the Substance
Water baptism is a sign of the New Covenant of Grace, parallel to circumcision as the sign of the Old Covenant under the Law (Genesis 17:1-14). Circumcision pointed to the cutting off of Christ at the cross and the need for heart circumcision (Deuteronomy 30:6); it never ensured salvation ( Esau (like Ishmael earlier) was circumcised yet both were unsaved; Romans 9:10–13). Likewise, water baptism points to the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit, but does not itself ensure salvation. Colossians 2:8-14 links circumcision “made without hands” with burial and resurrection in baptism. Galatians 5:1-4; Ephesians 2:8+9; Romans 4:9-11; Galatians 2:16, 21; 3:1-3 emphasize salvation by grace through faith, not works of the law or outward signs. Acts 2:38 and Mark 16:16 refer ultimately to the Spirit’s baptism that remits sins. Remember that the thief on the cross was saved without water baptism.
John’s Baptism versus Jesus’ Baptism
Titus 3:5-7: “”Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
John the Baptist, representing the last of the Old Testament prophets, who spoke of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, had a water baptism that was a ceremonial “sign” of cleansing of spiritual uncleanness, but which could never cleanse anyone of his or her sins. John’s baptism was only a “sign” pointing to the future spiritual cleansing through the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ, which could only come by the washing of regeneration by the anointing of God’s Holy Spirit. Acts 1:5, “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”). John 3:27 and 1 Corinthians 4:7 underscore that every spiritual gift, including regeneration by The Holy Spirit, is from God Alone.
Summary Conclusion
Water baptism is an important New Testament ordinance and outward sign of the believer’s repentance and identification with Jesus Christ as Savior, and for hope of the Spirit’s inward cleansing, which is administered to confessing believers and their children, just as circumcision once signified identification with the Old Covenant people of Israel. Yet, just like circumcision, Baptism was never meant to be the means, or trigger, of salvation, only an outward identification with a corporate body that honors God. Remember that both Jacob and Esau were both circumcised when they were eight days old, but yet we read in Romans 9:13, “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.“
True baptism—the only one that saves—is the regenerating work of God’s Holy Spirit. Only the Baptism of the Holy Spirit will wash away sin, create a new heart, and unite the elect to Jesus Christ. All human modes of application and timing of water baptism must remain secondary to this sovereign, gracious act of God, lest the sign be mistaken for the substance, and the true Gospel of Grace be obscured, even to the destruction of souls. [For more on what “election” means please see: “The Potter and the Clay“.]
Finally, let us remember what happened in Acts 2:37-39 when roughly 3000 people heard the Apostle Peter preach the Gospel of Salvation through the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ, “¶Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do? ¶Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized (βαπτίζω (baptizō))G907 every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remissionof sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.“
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