The Bible makes it very clear that baptism is vitally essential to salvation of one’s soul. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:16)
Paul teaches that we put on Christ through baptism. “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27) In Romans 6:3-6 Paul wrote that we are buried with Christ through baptism and as a result our old sinful man is crucified with Christ and thereby we receive a newness of life.
Both Acts 2:38 and Acts 22:16 teach that we are to be baptized in order to receive the forgiveness of sins. “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.” (Acts 2:38) The gift of the Holy Ghost is the forgiveness of sins. “And now why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22:16)
But is baptism enough to save us? Absolutely not!
Baptism is not enough to save us if we are baptized for the wrong reason. There may be those who are baptized because family members want them to. Others are baptized because they have “already been saved”, or for some other reason. These are not the right reasons to be baptized. They are not according to what we are taught in the Bible.
The only reason to be baptized is that we have heard the word of God taught and that hearing God’s word has convicted us of sin, and moved us to truly repent of sins. (2 Corinthians 2:10)
Baptism is not enough to save us if we continue to have sin in our lives. I used to know a man who was a denominational preacher. He once said that he was not living in an adulterous relationship even though he had been divorced and remarried four or five times. Adultery is a sin even after being baptized. He said once you are saved all that matters is the one you are with now.
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2) Paul said we cannot continue to have sin in our lives after we have been baptized. “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.” (Romans 6:12) If we are to receive the benefits of scriptural baptism, we must not continue in sinful things after being baptized. We are not even to give an appearance of sin. (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
Let us examine ourselves to make sure we have been scripturally baptized for the right reason lest baptism will not be enough to save us.