How important is Water Baptism?

How important is Water Baptism?

Baptism is an act of visible obedience called for in scripture that symbolically shows a newly cleansed and changed person that has passed from the death of human self-will. It also shows faith in Christ as the savior and the message that John the Baptist, Paul and Jesus preached. It may also have a real significance in the spirit world that we cannot see.

Rom 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father; even so we also should walk in newness of life.

I have been baptized and most churches agree with it. It is important, but not as important as having faith in our savior Jesus.

Another act of important faith obedience called for in the Lords prayer is forgiveness.

Mar 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive it so that also your Father in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Mar 11:26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your trespasses.

These acts of obedience prove ones faith is real and alive in us. A type of self-test.

However, the foremost act of salvation is simply believing (having faith) in Christ as the son of God the Father who died and rose again. Jesus also showed his complete obedience to the will of the Father in the Garden of Getheseme. “Thy will be done, not mine.” Jesus as teacher always obeyed The Father as does the Holy Spirit. We are called to do no less, and when we fail after initial salvation we should repent and ask for forgiveness. This does not mean that our salvation is in danger. Jesus knows we are not perfect, but will continue to work with us to change us into His image. On the other hand, if we purposely continue to blatantly disregard the words of Christ, we might ask ourselves if we really accepted Jesus as lord of our lives to begin with.

Joh 3:18 He who believes on Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.

Joh 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, He who hears My Word and believes on Him who sent Me has everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death to life.

Consider, someone who believes in Jesus and accepts Him as lord of their life, but does not have opportunity to be baptized. (As in a car accident or heart attack.) I do not believe that God would deny that person salvation. The positive condition of our hearts and feelings about His son Jesus is what God most looks for. We are then covered by the shed blood of Christ, spiritually, so that The Father cannot even see our sins and can pass by a death judgement on us just as the blood of lambs posted over the doors of the believers in Egypt protected them from the angel of death.

I believe that paradise and heaven are so holy a places that any sin cannot even exist there unless it is contained (covered) by Christ’s blood. God the Father has declared that He will have completely no sin which would include even being in the presence of sin. See Ungers bible dictionary about holiness.