Is baptism required for salvation?

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

You have been saved by grace through faith. Salvation isn’t possible because of anything you did, so don’t boast about being saved. Rather, we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand for us to walk in.

Paul is writing to the Ephesians (Christians), and specifically here, Christians who had been Gentiles (vs 11, 3:1). He reminds them of their past lives in sin (vss 1-3) and being alienated from Israel’s commonwealth and strangers to the covenants of promise (vs 12). However, they are now “brought near by the blood of Christ” (vs 13).

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

It’s worthless for someone to say they believe but then don’t obey. Faith can’t save by itself. We understand that someone lacking clothing or food isn’t cared for by simply telling them to “be warmed and filled.” We must give them the things they need. Likewise, belief without obedience is dead.

James, the brother of Jesus, is writing a very practical letter to Christians of the “dispersion” (dispersed) when encountering trials and the testing of their faith. He goes on to point out that even demons believed, calling those “foolish” that would consider themselves saved with “faith only”.

Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Baptism, like Noah being saved through the water, isn’t a bath in the physical sense of bathing. It “saves you” and is your commitment to God for a good conscience by Jesus’ resurrection, the same Jesus that ascended to heaven and is at God’s right hand, with all angels, authorities, and powers made in subjection to Him.

Peter is comparing the way in which Noah and his family were saved (through water) to the way baptism now saves (also through water). Importantly, he’s not discounting or negating the gift of God’s son and His sacrifice which makes it all possible. Those elements that make salvation possible at all are alluded to, it’s just not his main point right here.

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized? And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.

Philip begins with a Scripture (Isaiah) and shares the good news of Jesus. As they were traveling along the road, the eunuch sees water and wants to be baptized, so together they go “down into” the water where Phillip baptizes the eunuch. When they “came up out of” the water, the Spirit took Philip away. The eunuch continues his journey rejoicing and no longer sees Philip at this encounter.

Phillip is sent by the Spirit of God to teach the eunuch who is reading Isaiah while he’s traveling back from home from visiting Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. When they see water, they stop in order for the eunuch to be baptized. We hear no more about Ethiopia in the Bible, but history records it to have a great Christian history. Philip quotes from Isaiah 53

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us! But the other rebuked him, saying, Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong. And he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And he said to him, Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.

One of the crucified criminals mocked Jesus by asking if He was the Christ that He should be able to save Himself and them. But the other criminal rebuked the first by acknowledging God’s authority and the fact that they were guilty and worthy of their death sentence but that Jesus was innocent. He went on to ask Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom. Jesus responded that he would be Him in Paradise that very day.

The crucifixion of Jesus and a remarkable confession by a thief that obviously knew who Jesus was and what his death (and resurrection) would mean (“come into your kingdom”). Parallel accounts of the robbers are Matthew 27:38-44 and Mark 15:27-32.

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brothers, what shall we do? And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.

When they heard the preaching of Peter and the rest of the apostles, they were convicted by them and asked what they should do [to be saved]. Peter told them that they each should repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that they could receive the remission of their sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This “gift” was the promise made for all Jews, but also all Gentiles — everyone whom God calls to himself.

Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost where he recalled several prophetic statements from Joel and David (vss 16-36). By divine inspiration, Peter interpreted these statements to apply their fulfillment to Jesus and the ushering in of the “last days”.

He also specifically refers to the “promise of the Holy Spirit” earlier – given by the Father to the Son (vs 33). More were continuing to be saved, and they began meeting together as the Lord’s church (vss 41-47).

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

The goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared and saved us, not based on our merit but by His mercy, by the “washing of regeneration” and by renewal of the Holy Spirit, poured out fully through Christ.

Paul’s letter of encouragement to a young preacher Titus. Much like his letters to Timothy, Paul instructs Titus regarding the different churches “in every town” (1:5) to which he was ministering. Also, like Timothy, he encourages Titus to “let no one [in the church] disregard” him (2:15).

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

What’s the conclusion then? We should never continue in sin just so that God’s grace will be magnified. We can’t continue to live in sin after dying to it. It was our baptism into Christ Jesus that united us in His death. Our baptism was a death burial together with Him so that just as He was raised from the dead by the Father's glory, we too might walk in newness of life.

Paul is making the broader point of the richness and fullness of God’s grace toward sinful man (chap 5) before turning to man’s response (and responsibility) for salvation. Through the beginning verses of chapter 6, Paul correlates Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection to the Christian’s “death, burial, and resurrection” to a new [spiritual] life.

But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Philip preached the good news about the kingdom of God and Jesus, and as they believed they were baptized, both men and women.

The persecution of Christians by the non-believing Jews has begun and as a result the gospel news is spreading beyond Jerusalem into Samaria (vss 4-5).

Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?

What’s the point of people being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised, why are people baptized on their half?

Paul is making a great defense for the resurrection of Jesus and what that means for the Christian’s faith. Without Jesus being raised, their faith would be “in vain” (vs 14), they’d still be in their sins (vs 17), the dead “in Christ” would have truly perished (vs 18) and everyone else “in Christ” should be “most pitied” (vs 19). He then shifts to highlight what will happen because He was resurrected and confirm the raising “at his coming those who belong to Christ” (vs 23).

Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born? Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Jesus answered him [Nicodemus] with a truism in stating that one must be born again to see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus didn’t understand and asked how someone who is old could be born again as he couldn’t enter back into his mother’s womb. Jesus answered by expounding on the same truth adding that unless one is born of water and the Spirit [born again] he cannot enter [see] the kingdom of God.

Jesus is approached at night (in secret) by Nicodemus, a Pharisee and “ruler of the Jews” (vs 1).

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

Don’t forget, brethren, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and all of them passed through the sea, being baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and they all consumed the same spiritual food and drink. They drank from the same spiritual Rock that followed them, which was Christ.

Paul, in a letter to the young church in Corinth addressing divisions and several serious matters including sin and arrogance, reminds them about those that came before and the unity they have in Christ. He goes on to share the mostly negative example of those that came before, that “God was not pleased” (vs 5) with them, and implores them to “not desire evil as they did” (vs 6). Paul’s reference here is going back specifically to the children of Israel’s exodus from Egypt, when Moses led them in a “pillar of cloud” by day and fire by night and through the Red Sea (Exodus 13-14).

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Go out and make followers of all the people, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and teach them to abide by all that I [Jesus] have commanded. Behold, I will remain with you to the end of this age.

The very close of Matthew’s account of Jesus’ life on earth. This address was made to the eleven apostles (vs 16) and similar accounts are given at the end of the accounts from Mark (16:15-16) and Luke (24:45-47).

(When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

The common people, including the tax collectors, who heard this [Jesus’ testimony that John the Baptist was “the messenger” that the prophet Malachi said would come] and had been baptized with John’s baptism declared God’s way was right. However, the “experts” among them rejected God’s way and were not baptized.

John the Baptist is in prison and soon to die at the hands of Herod (Matthew 14:3-12), and Jesus confirms that John the Baptist is “the messenger” (Malachi 3:1) that God said would come (vs 27). Matthew 11:2-30 is a parallel account generally, but he doesn’t record this specific parenthetical offered by Luke.

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

There is one body and one Spirit. Likewise, you were called to one hope that is your calling. There’s also only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all who is over, through, and in all.

Paul is turning to urge the brethren to be unified and to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling” to which they were called (vs 1). He is encouraging them to do so humbly and in love (vs 2) while remembering the grace that has been given to each one (vs 7).