16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. [simple_tooltip content=’15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.’](Mark 16:15-16)[/simple_tooltip]
Water baptism is a command of Jesus and the initial action taken upon believing. Mark’s statement could be rendered, “He who believes with saving faith (faith that produces action) will be saved.” In this sense, water baptism is very important. It is an opportunity to act on your new profession of faith. Anyone who refuses to follow Jesus’ command to be water baptized may be suspected of not really believing.
On the other hand, there are scriptural examples of people being born again before they were baptized in water. Cornelius and his friends were filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues before they were baptized in water [simple_tooltip content=’44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,
47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.’](Acts 10:44-48)[/simple_tooltip]. [simple_tooltip content=’the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.’]John 14:17[/simple_tooltip] records Jesus saying that an unbeliever cannot receive the Holy Ghost, so Cornelius and his friends must have been born again before their water baptism.
Water baptism is the sign of the New Covenant in the same way that circumcision was the sign of the Old Covenant. The apostle Paul made it clear in Romans 4 that Abraham’s circumcision was only a sign. Abraham was justified by faith before he was circumcised. Paul goes on to state in [simple_tooltip content=’1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.
3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.
4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.’]Galatians 5:1-6[/simple_tooltip] that anyone who trusts in circumcision has fallen from grace; Christ will profit him nothing.
It is faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ that produces salvation—not our actions. However, James writes that faith without works is dead [simple_tooltip content=’But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?’](James 2:20)[/simple_tooltip]. Faith alone saves, but saving faith is never alone; it must be acted upon. This is what Jesus meant when He commanded all believers to be water baptized.
If you have not had the joy of being water baptized, today is your day. I’m sure your pastor would be delighted to baptize you in water. And remember, going under the water symbolizes that you have partaken of Jesus’ death to sin, and coming out of the water symbolizes that you have been raised to new life with Him. Hallellujah!
