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Articles
The Necessity of Baptism
“Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.” Acts 22:16
As baptism is the point at which a person is united with Christ (Romans 6:4-5; Galatians 3:27), it should come as no surprise that Satan so stubbornly tries to convince people that baptism is not necessary for salvation. It is tragic how many people are led astray by his influence in thinking less of baptism than the Scriptures would have us believe. As Christians, we must always be ready to defend and promote God’s will regarding the necessity of baptism.
Acts 22:16 is one of many verses we can turn to teach about baptism. We see three important points from this passage: 1) baptism is urgent, 2) baptism “washes away your sins,” and 3) baptism is how you call on the name of Jesus.
Baptism is Urgent
Ananias urged Paul not to delay his baptism. When a person is taught the good news of Jesus, they should run to the first body of water they can find to be baptized! That is exactly how the Ethiopian Eunuch responded in Acts 8. After Philip “preached Jesus to him” (Acts 8:35), the next words out of the Eunuch’s mouth are, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:36). They stopped the chariot right there so he could be immersed in water. After the Philippian jailor heard “the word of the Lord” in Acts 16:31, verse 33 says “immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.”
Baptism Washes Away Your Sins
Ephesians 2:1 tells us “you were dead in trespasses and sins.” Romans 6:23 says “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The only way God tells us we can be free of our sins is to have them washed away in baptism (Acts 22:16, Acts 2:38). This is why baptism is so urgent. A person is still in their sins until they are baptized! It is important to notice the order of both Acts 2:38 & Acts 22:16. Some people say we should be baptized after we are saved, but that would mean we would be saved before our sins are washed away! Because baptism washes away sins, a person is not saved until he or she is baptized.
Baptism is How You Call on Jesus’ Name
Romans 10:13 says “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Many people limit this to mean some verbal (or even silent) confession of Jesus as Lord. However, Acts 22:16 plainly connects the action of water baptism with the idea of “calling on His name.” Peter’s original gospel sermon in Acts 2 confirms this teaching. Early in his sermon in Acts 2:21, Peter says “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” It is interesting that the crowd ased Peter at the end of his sermon, “what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). If calling on the name of the Lord were as simple as making a confession of Jesus as Lord, Peter could have responded, I already told you! Just call on the name of the Lord and you will be saved! However, the actual words of Peter are more instructive, as Peter tells them “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;” (Acts 2:38).
Of course, baptism is not the only thing one must do to be saved. Sometimes, because we find ourselves in the position of needing to defend the necessity of baptism so often, people might get the impression that we think baptism is the only thing one must do, or that baptism is more important than everything else the Bible says we must do to be saved. In particular, we must continue to live faithfully after baptism, (Romans 6:4-6; I Corinthians 15:58; Revelation 2:10). When we demonstrate a life of devotion and faith, we put ourselves in a better position to defend the necessity of baptism.
