Is Water Baptism Required for Salvation?

May 24, 2025

Comments sent by a CH101 Reader (edited for easier reading):

I trusted Christ's blood, death and ressurection for my salvation. A few years ago I was taught that water baptism was required for salvation and forgiveness [Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38] so I believed and was baptized under the trinitarian formula for the forgiveness of sins. Since that point I have been unsure again. Now I am undecided. I feel like I cannot win: If I believe baptism saves me when it doesn't - I will go to Hell; If I believe it doesn't save me, but it actually does, then that will send me to Hell. Your site covers what I already knew: the early church believed water baptism was required, and also that it is confusing, or not clear. So I am uncertain about the issue, concerned and frustrated. Many will tell me that if I believe baptism is required for salvation that I'm lost, and others will say that if I believe it isn't required for salvation I am also lost.

Response:
Thank you for reaching out to me.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC.
I feel the angst in your soul and quite frankly it irritates me and makes me sad. I do not believe that Jesus wants you to feel this way. Your first sentence said it all:
"I trusted Christ's blood, death and resurrection for my salvation."
THAT is ALL you need my friend...my brother.
I will give you three critical data-point sets as evidence.
Before I begin to go through the biblical evidence I want to share a few important concepts:

Water baptism is a Christian rite/practice/tradition that existed from the very beginning of our faith. Jesus was baptized and although we have no evidence that He demanded His followers to be baptized, He gave us the example. Jesus submitted to baptism as the eternal Son of God.

Beliefs about water baptism in Christianity are all over the map. The Catholic Church holds it to be a sacrament, a practice that opens the door for the believer to receive divine grace. Several Christian denominations believe that water baptism is required for someone to be "saved." Most denominations do not believe this, but rather teach that water baptism is something every Christian should partake in, following the example of Jesus. There are many different beliefs about How and When a believer should be baptized.

Anytime you find different Christian denominations holding to different doctrines about a specific issue, just know that THIS IS NORMAL. Christianity was never monolithic. We have ALWAYS had debate and disagreement about various beliefs. Early Christian history is a story about doctrinal struggles. WHY?

Because as you will see below, the biblical text is NOT crystal clear about many things. We must learn not to get divided over our differences. There are very few core beliefs, essential things that ALL Christians have in common. When the issue is not a core issue, do not judge your fellow brothers and sisters. And, do not become arrogant and think that YOUR belief is the right one, thus everyone else is either deceived, stupid, or does not know the Bible like you. That is arrogance which is "like the sin of witchcraft."

Now...let's get into the various texts of the New Testament on this important issue: water baptism.

1. There is not a single verse where Jesus gives a clear indication that baptism is salvific (is essential for salvation).
John 3 will be called up by some:
5 Jesus answered, Truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.
Is Jesus speaking of water baptism or physical birth?

a) He could have said "baptism" but He did not.

b) In the famous John 3:16 proclamation Jesus says nothing about baptism:
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Three times in this short dialogue with Nicodemus Jesus says the person who "believes" [in Me, God's Son] will be "saved." (v14-15, v16 and v18)

c) On another page another CH101 reader cited Mark 16:16
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Most of those who hold to water baptism as a requirement for salvation would never affirm the next two verses as operative for all Christians:
...those who believe...will drive out demons...speak in new tongues...pick up snakes...drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them...they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well. Yet the reader uses this verse without mentioning that this text is in a segment of Mark's gospel that does not appear in the earliest/most trusted Greek manuscript family. Using this verse for doctrine is a lack of biblical integrity.

2. Gentiles coming into the kingdom brought changes.
When Gentiles started coming into the kingdom there was a famous dispute between Paul and the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees (Acts 15:5) who had become followers of Messiah Jesus. These believers (who Paul refers to as false believers, (2 Cor 11:13; 11:26; Gal 2:4) were demanding that Gentiles be circumcised AND obey the Law of Moses. Acts 15:1-5. In this context, we MUST assume that Acts 15 gives us the essential elements of what was required for Gentiles "to be saved."

Acts 15 - Jerusalem Council
a) Water baptism is NOT mentioned anywhere.
Neither is the "trinity," worship on the Sabbath, tithing, and other "holiness" doctrines oftentimes claimed as "biblical:" women wearing a head covering, abstaining from alcohol, speaking in tongues, having a tatoo, etc.

b) Food laws are mentioned, but Paul clearly disputes the decision presented in Acts 15 in 1 Corinthians 8 and 10. AND in Romans 14 Paul shows that he does NOT agree with the decision in Acts 15:
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit... Romans 14:17

c) Paul never says that water baptism is required to be "saved."

Jesus does not say water baptism is required for salvation...and Paul is in agreement - nowhere in Pauline literature is it clearly stated that salvation depends on water baptism. It's just NOT there. Remember, Martin Luther coined the phrase sola gratia "only grace" as a summation of Pauline theology, "by grace you have been saved, through faith." Eph 2:8.

See Point #3
(ONLY on a PC or laptop)

Articles on Water Baptism

Water Baptism in the Early Fathers
Baptism in the Early Creeds - Second Repentance
Evidence on Water Baptism in the New Testament
Water Baptism is NOT Required for Salvation
You Cannot Take Every Word of Jesus Literally

Part 3

3. The New Testament is not as clear as we would like.
There are verses that seem to indicate baptism as salvific (the baptism texts with John the Baptist; you could read it into Romans 6, Colossians 2 and 1 Peter 3:21), BUT there are several others that go the other way - that baptism is something a Christian should do, but is NOT salvific (Acts 10:44-48; 16:30-31; Acts 18 and 19).

a) Acts 10: Cornelius and his household are obviously saved with the evidence of the Holy Spirit, then Peter says "hey, we cannot withhold baptism from them!" Why? Because they were already saved.

b) Acts 16: The jailer clearly asked: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
Then Paul says: 31 Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household. Paul said NOTHING about water baptism! Yes, Paul baptized them, but his clear response to a direct question did NOT include baptism. "Well, Paul knew that they were going to be baptized." That is a lame answer using circular logic.

c) Apollos and the men in Ephesus (Acts 18 and 19) were obviously saved, yet only knew of the baptism of John. "Yes, but the baptism of John was for the forgiveness of sins."

So does a person who offers this answer believe that every single person baptized by John the Baptist was "saved?" There is not a single NT verse that indicates John's baptism was salvific.

d) Romans 6 does NOT teach water baptism as salvific. If it does, then Romans 4 and 5 are a waste of time and energy. These are primary Pauline chapters to construct the "faith alone" doctrine which is another way of saying "believe."

e) 1 Peter 3:21 might be the closest thing we have to a statement that water baptism is salvific. Using Noah and the ark as symbolic he writes: "this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also..." This appears to be salvific, but keep reading: "...It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

Conclusion:
So we have a few verses that do appear to support baptism as salvific, BUT we have More that do NOT present this point when clear statements or answers are given as to WHAT is required for salvation.
We are at a biblical impasse. Now what?

None of us like it when we bring verses together, look at them closely, and find out that our particular view is NOT clear in the biblical text. We must realize with Paul that ...now we see through a glass [or a mirror] in enigma. (1 Cor 13:12) The Greek text reads en enigmati [in enigma].

"Enigma" means something that is not clear, it is something like a riddle, mysterious...obscure and difficult to fully understand." Look it up both in the Greek text, in the Amplified version and/or a Greek lexicon.

God's ways are higher than our ways...His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. There are things that He has left as a mystery for us. When something is not clear in the biblical text we must be careful. Humility demands
that we not be dogmatic
with matters that are NOT clear That is what causes people to be confused - when someone is dogmatic about something in the biblical text and then a person finds someone else who is dogmatically opposed to that same view...yet both appear to be sincere believers.

THIS leads to schisms and divisions in the body of Christ and is why we have over 20,000 Protestant "sects" around the world.

While I think a Christian should be baptized in water AND should live a life of repentance, and should do many other things...the texts above do NOT support many of these as "rules" for what is required to be "saved."

I try with all that is within me to approach the biblical text being objective, trying my best to put personal beliefs to the side, something I was NOT taught as a young Christian. I was taught "correct doctrine" and told not to question it. Over my 40 years of aggressively serving and following Christ I have learned over and over that many views I held did not stand up to solid biblical and historical evidence. IF the NT is NOT clear - I cannot be dogmatic about it. When the text is clear I AM bound to obey the text.

I welcome comments, disagreement and/or additional questions. I will respond to ALL serious and sincere comments.
Al Baker