Preliminary statement: Faith in Christ saves, period. However, that said, faith is given by purely by grace. Baptism leads us to faith, that is its purpose. It is God’s work. But faith, if it is true, God-given brings forth the fruits of faith. That, in a nutshell, is scriptural teaching.
Catsrus wrote:
“Being baptized does not save anyone.”
1 Peter 3:21 says otherwise.
Also:
“It is an outward evidence of an inward work.”
Where does the Bible say that?
Also:
“WE are immersed (baptised) into the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There isn’t any evidence in the Bible that those who accepted Christ were sprinkled. They were dunked under the water.”
The matter is nowhere near as cut and dried as you imagine. We can get into it if you really want to. In so saying, I will readily admit that the preference was from the beginning for immersion, because of the symbolism of Romans 6. But the early church never insisted on immersion or else it was no baptism, and this because they knew (knowing Greek usage a little better than we) the boundaries of the meaning of “baptizo,” to baptize (or, if you want to get really technical, “I baptize”).
Also:
“Nor, is there any evidence that babies were sprinkled.” I am assuming here that you are seeking to invalidate infant baptism. And so reply, that too is not true. I could cite the fact that the Book of Acts refers to the baptism of whole households, in which were probably children, in the case of Cornelius and of the Philippian jailor. Similarly, it is reported that “Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan” (Matthew 3:5) came to John to be baptized. That is pretty inclusive language. In observing this, it should also be noted that Israel was quite used to bringing 8-day-olds to be circumcised. But better than that is that in the Great Commission the apostles are commanded to make disciples of all the nations. That being the plain and universal command, the burden of proof falls on him who insists that “all the nations” doesn’t mean children also. Before you you take off with various presumed proof texts (of which there are none conclusive), consider that the identical phrase “all the nations” is used by the very same author, Matthew, for those who will stand before Christ on the Day of Judgment. (Matthew 25:32) Does all the nations there mean, “all, except children”? Scripture interprets Scripture. Matthew is the best commentary on Matthew.
Better than simply putting forth standard denominational talking points is to examine carefully the language of the Holy Scriptures, and let it decide what is true and what is not.
In dealing with Cyberant’s point, I also dealt with your point. See my post 119.
I.e., baptism being an identification with Christ’s death and burial, it can hardly mean sprinkling. When Christ was taken down from the cross, was he sprinkled? Or was he actually BURIED?
You are grasping at straws. Baptism follows a repentance of sins. Babies cannot sin. Only when they are old enough to understand right from wrong, are they able to repent. You make assumptions that are not scripturally valid regarding whole households. Yes, if the children of those households were old enough to know right from wrong,and repented, then they could be baptized. However, to infer something is misusing the Word of God.
Water baptism is clearly a FIGURE or TYPE of something which already took place in the heart of the believer the moment he/she was saved (1 Pet. 3:21). Water baptism is the ordinance representing the identification of the Christian with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
You are “crucified” (standing upright in water), you are “buried” (immersed into the water), and you are “resurrected into life” (raised out of the water). Water baptism then, is a picture of spiritual baptism as defined in Rom. 6:3-5 and 1 Corinthians 12:13. It is the outward testimony of the believer’s inward faith. A sinner is saved the moment he places his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Baptism is a visible testimony to that faith.
Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him, through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead.” Colossians 2:12
So then, water baptism is a picture of what transpired when you placed your faith and trust in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to save you from your sins (Romans 6:3-5). It does not atone for sin. Only the blood of Christ cleanses us from sin (I John 1:7; Colossians 1:14).
Circumsion is not baptism. It was and is a Jewish custom to circumcise males at 8 days. It has nothing to do with baptism. Baptism comes from the Greek word, baptizo: “immersing”
Indeed, study your Bible, and find out what it really says. Baptism DOES NOT save anyone. You must compare 1 Peter 3:21 with all other scriptures relating to repentance and baptism. To build a doctrine on just one scripture is heresy.