Some protest the need for baptism, saying something like,
“We are not saved by baptism, we are saved by the blood
of Christ.”
“The objection is sometimes raised that to insist that immersion in water
is a scriptural condition of salvation equals a doctrine of "water
salvation." If that is the case, then it is such scriptures as Mark 16:16;
Acts 2:38; 22:16, etc., that should be blamed for the teaching, rather than
those who believe it. However, such verses attribute no merit to water as a
spiritual cleansing agent whatsoever. These
verses do not say what the cleansing agent is. They only tell us when
the cleansing occurs. It is plain from other scriptures that the blood of Christ
is the agent of cleansing or forgiveness (1 Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 1:5,
etc.). The old song is absolutely correct: "What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus."”*
The Bible clearly states
that baptism saves us by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ. This ties directly into Romans 6:3-6 which is
how we become united with Christ. We also become clothed with Him when we are baptized into Christ. In being united with Him in this manner, we become one with
Him and the shed blood of Christ’s body now comes to cover us
also, who are now members of His body.
1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a
part of it.
►Through the sacrifice of Christ’s physical, fleshly body, His blood becomes available.
Hebrews 10:19-22
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
► “…since we have
confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by
the blood of Jesus,
by …his body,”
►It is through
Christ’s body that we gain access to His blood.
►What is
Christ’s body?
Besides 1Corinthians 12:27
quoted above, there are many other places in Scripture that teach the
church is a spiritual illustration of the
body of Christ.
1Corinthians 6:15
Do you not know that your bodies are members of
Christ himself?
Colossians 1:18
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Colossians 1:24
Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
Ephesians
1:22-23
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him
to be head over everything for the church,
which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in
every way.
Ephesians 5:23
For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body,
of which he is the Savior.
►How do we become a
part of His body (which is the church)?
Through baptism:
1Corinthians 12:13
For we were all baptized
by one Spirit into one body--whether
Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
►Through baptism we become a part of Christ’s body—the church, and we therefore gain access to Christ’s blood. (See also Romans 6:3-4-- take note of the phrases “into Christ“, and “through baptism.”)
Romans 6:4
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that,
just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the
Father, we too may live a new life.
We gain access to Christ’s blood
through His body.
We gain access to Christ’s body
through baptism.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in
accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom
and understanding.
– Ephesians 1:7-8
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus – Romans
8:1
WHAT DO THE BLOOD OF JESUS AND BAPTISM HAVE IN COMMON?
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Blood of Christ |
In Common |
Baptism |
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ANSWERS TO SOME COMMON
ARGUMENTS AGAINST BAPTISM
This page last updated: November
7, 2005