Some view baptism as a mere outward sign or symbol of salvation, or as a rite to get into their church, while others see it as a necessary condition of salvation. Some believe baptism confers forgiveness, even without faith. What does the Bible say about the purpose of baptism?
 
1. Baptism is for the purpose of having our sins forgiven. This is explicitly taught by the apostle Peter at the beginning of the church of Christ (Acts 2:38). The word “for” here cannot mean because they were already forgiven, as some have suggested. The meaning of the Greek word (eis) translated “for” here, means “to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.)” (Strong’s Greek). You don’t have to know Greek to see this, just look at the context. This answer was given to those who were asking what to do to be saved (v. 37) and were told to "be saved" (v. 40). They were told to repent and be baptized for forgiveness (v. 38). If repentance is necessary for forgiveness (and it is – Luke 13:3), then so is baptism, as they are both coupled together with the conjunction “and”. Also, notice that the phrase “for the remission of sins” used by Peter here in Acts 2:38 to explain why we are to be baptized is the exact same phrase used by Matthew to explain why Jesus shed His blood (Mat. 26:28). Jesus did not shed His blood because we are already forgiven but in order that we might be forgiven. So, we are to be baptized not because we are already forgiven but in order to be forgiven by that blood. This is also made clear in the case of Saul who obviously believed and repented, but still needed to be baptized to have his sins washed away (Acts 9:1-20; 22:16). Jesus “washed us from our sins in His blood” (Rev. 1:5), when we were baptized to wash away our sins.
 
People are baptized for many reasons but until one is baptized “for the remission of sins” he has not obeyed the commandment of Christ. For example, if you were to partake of unleavened bread and fruit of the vine without obeying the commandment of Christ to do so in remembrance of Him, you would not have partaken of the Lord’s Supper. You have only gone through the motions. In the same way, if you were not baptized for the purpose commanded “for the remission of sins” then you have not been baptized with the one baptism. You just went through the motions.
 
It is not enough to simply get wet; one must be baptized in obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:17-18). Those who don’t will “be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 The. 1:7-10).
 
2. The importance of being baptized for the proper purpose is emphasized throughout the New Testament. It is required for salvation (Mark 16:16), necessary for the reception of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), causes rejoicing (Acts 8:39), gives newness of life (Rom. 6:4), and provides a good conscience (1 Pet. 3:21). Baptism allows entrance into the kingdom of heaven (John 3:5). It unites us with Christ; puts us into Christ, into the death of Christ, buries, and raises us with Christ (Rom. 6:3-5; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12), and puts us into the one body (1 Cor. 12:13), the church of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:5; 5:23).
 
3. Baptism for the remission of sins is an essential condition of our salvation (as is faith, repentance, and confession), but Christ is our Savior. The angel announced the birth of Christ with these words: “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins” (Mat. 1:21). Peter declared this about Christ: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Paul wrote, “…looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed…” (Tit. 2:13-14).
 
This is why baptism must be “in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38). The word translated “in” is the Greek term epi which here means “on, upon” (Strong's Greek), that is relying upon the authority and power of Christ, having confessed one's faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10). This is why baptism is described as a “calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16; Rom. 10:13). This is why baptism is described as an act of “faith in the working of God” (Col. 2:11-13). We could never earn our salvation “by works of righteousness which we have done” (Tit. 3:4-7). This is why Peter reminded us that baptism saves us “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 3:21). You must get in the water so you can be forgiven by God, but the power to save is not of the water but of God. Baptism saves as a condition that must be met for our salvation, but it is not the basis of our salvation – that is the Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
 
Many have been immersed in water, but not for the reason Christ commanded. They need to be immersed in water for the forgiveness of their sins. They have never obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ. Baptism is an immersion in water of those who, having turned from sin and confessed their faith in Jesus as Savior, are trusting God to forgive them. Have you been baptized according to the Scriptures? If not, “Why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).

We have all suffered under the guilt, power, and condemnation of sin. We all know what a cruel taskmaster sin can be. We all have experienced the misery, heartache, and suffering that sin can cause us – how it destroys our relationships, our life, our souls. But there is good news!
 
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1). The word “therefore” indicates that Romans 8 is a pivotal chapter. What Paul writes here is based on all that he wrote before in the book of Romans: The condemnation of the whole world (1-3), the blessing of salvation for all through faith in Jesus Christ (4-5), the moment we died to sin to live for God (6).
 
In the more immediate context, Chapter 7, Paul describes his life before becoming a Christian. Sin ruled his life. He was spiritually dead, separated from God by sin. At the end of the chapter, he cries out in desperation to be delivered and thanks God for the only One who can deliver him – Jesus Christ, our Lord (vv. 24-25).
 
Therefore, now there is no condemnation in Christ! What a beautiful, wonderful, inspiring, encouraging thought – no condemnation! Every sinner wants to hear those words. Imagine yourself before a judge having been convicted on many counts of violating the law, having served for years in the penitentiary on death row, but on this day the judge pronounces you, “Not guilty!” That means that you are pardoned, forgiven of all your crimes, no longer under the sentence of death, free to enter back into society to live your life.
 
Well now that is a physical picture of the spiritual things Paul is writing about here – we are pronounced “Not guilty!” by God, forgiven of all our sins, no longer separated from God, free from the rule of sin to live a new life of righteousness. We no longer walk after the flesh, but after the Spirit. That’s what we have in Christ!

​Galatians 5:6 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.”
 
There is faith. There is faith working. There is faith working through love. Only the latter can save our souls.
 
Faith is necessary for our salvation. If we do not believe we cannot be saved (John 8:4). If we truly believe we will trust (2 Corinthians 1:9-10; 3:4; 1 Timothy 4:10; 6:17; Hebrews 2:14) and obey (Acts 5:29, 32; Romans 2:8; 6:16-17; 10:16; Galatians 3:1; Philippians 2:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; Hebrews 5:9; 11:6, 8; 1 Peter 4:17).
 
Faith working is necessary for our salvation. Faith without works cannot save; it is unprofitable (James 2:14-16). Faith by itself is dead (v. 17). Faith is made perfect by works (v. 22). We are justified by works, not by faith alone (v. 24). It is not our own works that save us (Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:3-8) but the work of faith (1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:11), the obedience of faith (Romans 1:5; 16:26).
 
Faith working through love is necessary for salvation. We cannot be saved unless we receive the love of the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10). Salvation is for those who love the Lord (1 Corinthians 2:9; 16:22; James 1:12; 2:5) and the brethren (1 John 3:10, 14). Anyone who does not love does not know God (1 John 4:7-8). If anyone does not love the Lord, he will be accursed (1 Corinthians 16:22). If we leave our love for the Lord, we will lose our place with Him (Revelation 2:4-5).
 
What kind of faith do you have?

​Some feel sure that they are. Some aren’t too sure. But how can we know? John helps us to answer this question (1 John 1:5-9).

​​John first reminds us of the holiness of God. “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (v. 5). Light is a symbol of absolute sinlessness, truth and life (cf. John 1:1-9; 3:19-21; 8:12; 9:5; 12:35-36). God is separate from all evil, every falsehood and death. He is holy (cf. Psalms 99:3, 5; Hosea 11:9, 12).

​Many churches call themselves a Bible Church. They claim to adhere to the Bible, but they are not the church you read about in the Bible.
 
Most of them are accepting of denominational churches, largely made up of persons received from denominational churches and hold to the same doctrines as denominational churches yet refer to themselves as nondenominational (not affiliated with any denomination) when in fact they are interdenominational (drawing from many different denominations). The church of the Bible was undenominational (opposed to denominationalism). Christ built only one church and He did not want it to be divided into many different kinds of churches built by men (Matthew 16:18; John 17:20-23; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4; 5:23).

“Just believe. Ask Jesus into your heart. Say the sinner’s prayer. You will be saved, and it is impossible to lose your salvation.”

Those words are popular, but are they true? If we just believe for salvation, why are we told to then ask and pray? What is it, just believe or ask and pray?
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Where does the Bible say to “just believe” for salvation? It certainly teaches us to believe, but where does it say to just believe? Doesn’t the Bible teach us that it is only a convicted, trusting, obedient, working faith that saves? Doesn’t the Bible teach us to repent of our sins for salvation? Doesn’t the Bible teach us to confess our faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, for salvation? Doesn’t the Bible teach us to be baptized for salvation?

​Yes, that’s exactly what we read in 1 Peter 3:21.
 
But, doesn’t the Bible teach that Jesus saves us? Of course! He is the only Savior (Acts 4:12). Without Him we cannot come to the Father (John 14:6). We could never pay for our sins, but His blood paid for our sins (1 Peter 1:18-19).
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So, what does baptism have to do with it?

​A teacher asked the children in her Sunday School class, “If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, would I get into heaven?”

“NO!” the children all answered.

“If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would I get into heaven?”

Again, the answer was “NO!”

“Well,” she continued, “then how can I get to heaven?”

In the back of the room, a five-year-old boy shouted out, “You gotta be dead!”

​Most all of us have insurance of one kind or another, such as home, health or life insurance. We see the need to protect ourselves from losing our home, are concerned about not being able to pay for health care and being able to leave something for those left behind when we die.
 
These are certainly important concerns for us all to consider but have you thought about insurance for your soul? What is going to happen to your soul when you die? Will you spend eternity in heaven or in hell? Can you know whether you are saved or not?