“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” (Romans 5:1)
If indeed you have been justified through faith and you do not get baptized, you will still go to heaven. If you want to be vehemently rebuked by some people, if you want to see or hear Acts 2:38 quoted quite a bit, repeat these words to them. “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” (Malachi 3:6)
Well, according to those who believe being dunked in the water is necessary for salvation, God has changed, but I can’t recall David, Elijah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah or anyone else in the Old Testament being baptized. I do not recall the thief on the cross hearing from our Lord, “As soon as we get to paradise, we’ll get you baptized.”
“Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (Gal. 3:6)
But all that changes apparently after the resurrection, now you’ve got to get that head all the way under the water or no matter how much you have dedicated your life to the Lord, hell will be your final destination.
I ask you this question today, and I will offer no answer for it, if someone believes without question that if they do not get baptized that they will be eternally damned, are they truly born again? Are they putting Christ to an open shame by denying that His shed blood, His willful sacrifice was not enough for the salvation of their soul, are they saying that God will not accept the sacrifice of His Son unless it comes with the action of baptism?
Many of those who profess the need for baptism will say that unless they are dunked under the water, they cannot receive the Holy Spirit. The account of Cornelius and those of his family who also believed and accepted as truth, who Peter would not allow to be baptized until he was sure they had received the Holy Spirit usually puts a quick end to their conversations on the subject, but sadly it rarely is seen by them as enough evidence to change their mind on the topic.
What of the wicked who are baptized, or the foolishness of the sprinkling of water on infants? What of the one who has been dunked in the baptismal tank several times, just for good measure, are they saved because they got their head all the way under the water and the right words were not only repeated again, but believed this time with a greater fervency?
Many people who believe that baptism is a requirement do not care to read Hebrews 1:3, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” for it leaves them out of the equation, they do not like Romans 4:25, “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” No, they need to do something, they need to get up there on that cross with Him, they need to feel that they are a necessary part of their salvation, that without some act, specifically being dunked in the water, they cannot be saved.
The greatest sin of the Roman Catholic cult is that they believe that the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ was not sufficient in and of itself for the salvation of a man’s soul. Are those who believe that if they are not baptized they will suffer the torments of the Lake of Fire so much different?
If you think you have to do something, then Christ did not pay it all.
Like I mentioned, I am not going to answer for you, but you will answer to God for your thoughts on this matter.