“For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica;” (2nd Tim. 4:10a)
One can presume with much assurance that Demas had earlier been baptized, and from the texts concerning him as much as we are told, even Paul for a time believed in the salvation of him by his works and attitude. But the verse also states quite clearly that Demas had never truly been saved.
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” (1st John 2:19)
So then, ask this question of those who believe that if a person is not baptized, even after a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, will they go to heaven?
“Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” (John 3:7)
They will be left with only two possible conclusions, either that Demas recognized his mistake at some time in his life and returned, as the prodigal son, repented of going back to the world, and continued his life unto death in service to the Almighty. Or this, that when he was baptized, he did not have the proper “heart attitude,” and if so, you must tell them, then he had never been born-again in the first place.
Form follows function, action follows faith, baptism is a useless form if faith is not in the heart first, if the Holy Spirit is not within a person, that baptism in water, no matter how seemingly relevant, no matter how impressive it is in our hearts, no matter the emotional charge associated with it, is no more than significant that getting oneself wet.
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” (2nd Peter 1:20)
There are no contradictions in the Scriptures, there are no addendums.
“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.” (John 8:56)
Ephesians 2:8-9 has been the only way to salvation since Adam harkened to the voice of his wife.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Every verse in the Scriptures that speaks of being baptized always relates to this one truth, you must be born-again, there is no “and be baptized” that ever infers that baptism is a requirement to salvation, a work that must be performed by us so our salvation is secured, except by those who lack Spiritual discernment in this area.
“And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.” (1st Cor. 1:16)
Paul did not have as one of his traveling companions a designated baptizer to ensure the completion of what today for many has become a requirement of salvation, at the moment of salvation one is covered by the blood of the Risen Savior, the Holy Spirit enters into that person and remains there until their death. He does not leave them or forsake them if they are not dunked in water someplace within a certain timeframe.
More people my friends are in hell today who have been baptized than there are in heaven who were born-again who were not baptized.
We obey the commandment to be baptized not as a requirement for salvation, but as an outward sign that we have been saved by grace through faith, baptism is a work performed willingly by us in obedience to the will of God, it is no more or less than the commandments to go out into the world and seek the lost, to die to self, to set our affections on things above, to love not our lives, to do all we do for the glory of God.
Every person that believes that baptism is a requirement for salvation is saying this, that the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ was not sufficient in and of itself for the salvation of our souls, that we must perform some work or the Almighty will not accept His Son’s shed blood on our behalf.
Baptism is not a requirement for salvation, we are saved by grace through faith.
