What do the majority of Churches think about baptism? The majority of Churches do not believe that you have to be baptized in order to receive salvation. Misunderstandings like these is why I've decided to answer the question "Is baptism necessary for salvation?" To answer this question we will have to turn to the bible, for it, as Lee Stoneking would say, "Is the anvil that has worn out many hammers."
First off, we should start by answering the question, "What is baptism?" Baptism is part of the gospel. The Apostle Paul identified baptism as being buried with Christ (Romans 6:3-4) "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Colossians 2:12) "buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." Apparently Paul did believed that you had to be buried with Christ in order to be raised with Him (Romans 6:8) "Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him" Paul also believed that those who were baptized "put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27). It seems to Paul, there was no such thing as an "unbaptized Christian."
The Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost preached the first sermon to those who were guilty of crucifying Christ. The people who heard were "pricked in the heart" and as guilty sinners who were scared for killing their Lord asked Peter and the rest of the Apostles "What shall we do?" (Acts 2:37). In other words, they were guilty sinners asking, "What shall we do to be saved?" Then Peter replied "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."(Acts 2:38). This was an urgent issue, sinners who were pricked in the heart wanted to know how to be saved, Peter did not answer their question with some optional extras, he replied with necessary steps they had to take in order to be saved. Apparently Peter thought baptism was necessary for their salvation.
In (1Peter 3:20-21) Peter paints a beautiful picture of the role baptism plays in our salvation. A better version to help you understand these verses is the "New International Version," (1Peter 3:20-21 NIV) "Who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." So in other words, Peter is saying that just like the water of the flood lifted up the ark and saved those on the ark from the sin of the world, so does baptism save us, and it is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (the Gospel) that makes it effective in saving us.
Throughout Jesus' ministry he preached baptism. Jesus told Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council, a teacher of Israel, that unless one was "born of water and of the Spirit" they could not enter the kingdom of heaven(John 3:5). The water refers to baptism, but some argue and say that it refers to natural birth. Natural birth cannot be the meaning thought, because it would be pointless to say that we must be born naturally, since everyone already has been. Christ actually commanded His disciples to baptize "all nations" in his great commission (Matthew 28:19). If baptism was an optional extra then why did Jesus place so much importance on it, as to preach it and to command his disciples to baptize every nation?
The most undeniable verse where Jesus associates baptism with salvation is (Mark 16:16) "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Notice the salvation does not come until after the one who believes is baptized. Some argue this verse by pointing out that Jesus did not mention anything about being damned for not getting baptized in "Part B" of this verse"but he that believeth not shall be damned," but that is an invalid argument, because Jesus knew that a person that did not believe would not get baptized, and a person who got baptized but did not believe, there baptism would have no affect on them. So then by saying "He that believeth not shall be damned" covered both the unbaptized, and the unbeliever.
If Baptism saves then what about the thief on the cross? (Luke 23:43) Jesus tells the thief on the cross "Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." This is the question most Christians who do not believe baptism is necessary for baptism ask. To answer this question we must realize that the New Testament was not in affect while Jesus lived, for in order for a testament to be in effect, the testator must be dead (Hebrews 9:16-17). Therefore the thief on the cross was not saved under the New Testament, but under the old. I find it very beautiful how it works out. Jesus was last sacrifice of the Old Testament and the first and only sacrifice of the New Testament. The death of Jesus closed up the Old Testament, and opened up the New Testament.
Whenever baptism is mentioned in the bible, it is mentioned as more than an optional extra, but always seems to be a biblical command (Acts 10:47-48; Matthew 28:19). The bible teaches that baptism is a necessary condition brought on by faith salvation (Mark 16:16; 1Peter 3:21). In sum, baptism is not an optional extra, but is necessary for salvation.
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