Q/A Friday: Do you have to get baptized in order to be saved?

Those words from Peter on the Day of Pentecost seem to suggest that salvation comes by doing 2 things: repenting from sin and entering “the waters of baptism.” And verses like these have led some to conclude that faith and repentance is only part of the path to becoming a Christian. Some believe that the final step of salvation is getting baptized. Thus, “If you haven’t been baptized, you aren’t saved,” some would say.

However, the Bible does not teach baptismal regeneration.

The Bible is very clear that salvation is an inner act – not external. The Bible teaches Sola Fide, which means “by faith alone” (Romans 4:5; Galatians 2:15-21; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 3:9). To add an external act like baptism to the work of salvation is to believe in a form of works-salvation.

The Apostle Paul even seems to downplay the idea that baptism is a part of salvation when he told the Corinthians that his aim was to preach the Gospel and not baptize (I Corinthians 1:14, 17). If anyone was clear about the requirements for salvation, it was Paul. And he had ample opportunity to insert baptism into the salvation-equation, especially when he wrote about circumcision not being necessary for salvation. But Paul never added baptism as a step needed to be saved.

Also, we have a plethora of individuals in the Bible who are saved without any known evidence they were baptized: the thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43), a paralytic (Matthew 9:2), a publican (Luke 18:13-14), and most, if not all O.T. converts.

So, what about Peter’s words in Acts 2:38? It is very likely that our English translations mislead us to conclude baptismal regeneration. The “be baptized” clause – according to the Greek – seems to be more parenthetical. Thus, we could translate it this way, “Repent (and let each one of you be baptized)…”

Also, if you look closely to this verse in the Greek language, you will notice that Peter’s word for “repent” is a plural term and “be baptized” is singular. Thus, you would literally translate it this way: “All of you repent of your sins for forgiveness, and each one of you need to be baptized.”

Baptism is important and is one of the earliest fruits of salvation, because it still is a command (Romans 6:3-4), but it is not necessary for salvation.

If you have a question you would like to submit to our blog to be answered in the future, please email it to charlesheck@cox.net or post your question in the comments section.