“Is Baptism a Requirement for Salvation”
“And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” (Acts 10:48)
Does the Bible teach that the act of baptism is essential? We have the example of Cornelius in Acts chapter 10. He was a Gentile, but also an outstandingly devout man, described as “a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway” (Acts 10:2). But this was not enough to bring him salvation. God instructed him to send for Peter, who would “tell [Cornelius] what [he] oughtest to do” (Acts 10:6). And what was it that Peter did? First, he preached to him the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and what was accomplished through his death and resurrection. After that “he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:48).
Baptism is taught as a first principle throughout the Acts:
“Then Peter said unto them, 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. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:38-41)
“Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.” (Acts 8:35-39
“And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.” (Acts 16:30-33)
“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22:16)
Hear Now These Words 