What does 1 Peter 3:21 mean? "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Are infants "born again" (John 3:3-8) & then suddenly become Christians when they are sprinkled with water? Is salvation found in being water baptized? Do you have to be a believer in Christ to be water baptized? The following is an excerpt from our newsletter "Christian Debater Guide, "Church of Christ," Vol. 2, #1" (found at our website www.BibleQuery.org, click the "Experience" box on the homepage): "Q:In Acts 2:38, does this mean water baptism is necessary for salvation? A: No, Jesus is necessary for salvation. Neither repentance nor water baptism merits our salvation. Those are our responding to Jesus' work. Baptism is to be an outward sign of our prior inward faith and repentance. Note that Acts 2:38 was a command not a formula. Some might erroneously conclude that loving God, faith, believing, and trusting God are unnecessary, as they are not mentioned here. All who come to Christ should be baptized, and that is as true today as it was then. However, It is Jesus' blood, not our baptism that saves us. Q: In Acts 10:45-48, is water baptism essential to be saved? A: Four points to consider. 1. They spoke in tongues prior to being baptized with water. 2. Speaking in tongues is a sign (but not the only sign, 1 Cor. 12:1-13) of being filled with the Holy Spirit. 3. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is only for those who are born again. 4. Those who are born again are saved. So, they were born again prior to being baptized with water.
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Larry Wessels graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, Texas in 1981 with a degree in Advertising & on May 16 of that same year he had a supernatural "born again" experience (John 3:3-8, Romans 8: 8-17, etc.) by a sovereign act of the God of the Bible. Larry has been...
