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Water Baptism |
Created Date: 24-Jan-2022 |
| Is It Required for Salvation? |
Last Updated: 6-Jul-2026 |
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As a prerequisite, please read the Born Again topic to know of all the many scriptures that we cannot add anything to the requirement for Salvation from Jesus Christ other than asking Jesus Christ to be our personal Savior.
We are drawn into the desire by God to have Jesus Christ as our Savior, where God does the initiation and not a single person was drawn without God initiating it first.
These are the basic points of understanding Water Baptism which are detailed in this topic with the scriptural references:
| Acts 8:17 | Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. |
| After Salvation, then all of have the goals of pleasing God and
earning Rewards in Heaven: Everything done through faith that:
will contribute to rewards in Heaven that includes our new glorified bodies.
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| Exodus 30:17-21 | 17 Then the Lord said to Moses, 18 “Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 19 Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it. 20 Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the Lord, 21 they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.” |
| Exodus 40:11-16 | 11 And thou shalt anoint the laver and its base, and sanctify it. 12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tent of meeting, and shalt wash them with water. 13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments; and thou shalt anoint him, and sanctify him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. 14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them; 15 and thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office: and their anointing shall be to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. 16 Thus did Moses: according to all that Jehovah commanded him, so did he. |
| 2 Kings 5:10 | 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Then Elisha sent him a messenger, who said, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be clean.” |
God consistently uses hundreds and hundreds of idioms, patterns, encryptions, double references, foreshadowing, rituals, and so much more with exponential consistency that spans the Old and New Testament by forty authors in sixty-six books written that are separated by centuries.
For the Christian, Water Baptism's purpose is to commensurate the personal decision of receiving Jesus Christ as their personal Savior where the coming out of the water is symbolic of a new birth. The symbolic new birth is real as a person's old destiny of eternity separated from God has been eliminated as the person now is a Child of God. The Child of God means redeemed and literally gives us to approach God the Father in Jesus Christ's name.
The process that John the Baptist used of being amerced in water was also symbolic in a new birth as a person, where the person was still required to participate in the event with Faith in God to become a Child of God.
Water Baptism can be a private or public ceremony, but the general perceived purpose is to have the ceremony public. Even in a private ceremony, the event should be conducted to allow anyone that would like to attend to be allowed to witness as it is a form of the Third Commandment.
The Water Baptism is an anointing, sanctification, and confessing before others. The public confession, as read in Matthew 10:32-33, is one of the main purposes of having a Water Baptism.
| Matthew 10:32-33 | 32 Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven. |
The Earth was water baptized twice to remove first a problem that is inferred to dealing with the Fall of Lucifer, and then secondly a known problem detailed in the scriptures with the Nephilim. The two events:
| Genesis 1:2 | 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. |
| Genesis 1:9 | 9 And God said, Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear. And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground land, and the gathered waters he called seas. And God saw that it was good. |
| 2 Peter 3:1-7 (Before Tribulation Period) |
1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. |
| The following is an excerpt from the
Bronze Basin topic: The Bronze Basin, often called the Sea of Brass or Laver of Brass, was a basin that was located between the Temple and the Alter. It held water for washing of the Levite Priests before and after all Priestly duties. If a Priest did not perform the ritual ordained washing, then the Priest would die. It was used during the Exodus wilderness wonderings and also during the times that there was a Temple in Jerusalem.
After its first construction, Moses performed a commencement procedure one-time only which involved washing of Aaron and Aaron's sons which included an anointing blessing of them from that point going forward to use the Bronze Basin.
Water in the Old Testament period was also used as a process of cleansing of the people. It was considered the first step in removing of sinful idol worship and other actions that were contrary to the way of living for God.
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There is also the very interesting information concerning Vendyl Jones with search of the Temple Sacrificial equipment hidden before the 70AD siege of the City of Jerusalem where part of the inventory from the Great Temple was the Ashes of the Red Heifer which was water sprinkled with the ashes from a sacrificed red heifer without blemish.
John the Baptist was a very honored individual in the scriptures:
| Isaiah 40:1-5 | 1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” |
| Zechariah 14:4-5 Wedding Super of the Lamb had to have happened |
4 And in that day His feet will stand on the
Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of
Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south. 5 Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee As you fled from the earthquake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the Lord my God will come, And all the saints with You. |
| Luke 1:5 | 5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and whose wife Elizabeth was a daughter of Aaron. |
| Luke 1:11-17 | 11 Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. 16 Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” |
| Luke 7:24-28 Jesus Christ speaking about John the Baptist |
24 After John’s messengers had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind? 25 Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear elegant clothing and live in luxury are found in palaces. 26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’ 28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John, yet even the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” |
| Malachi 3:1 | 1 “Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. (Jesus Christ) Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts. |
These are some of the primary scriptural references of the Water Baptisms which John the Baptist was involved. The important points of the passages are:
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Therefore the scriptures are stating we are to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. This starts on the Day of Pentecost as read in Acts chapters 2, 8, 10, and 19.
| Matthew 3:1-6 | 1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’ ” 4 John wore a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region around the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. |
| Mark 1:4-5 | 4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 People went out to him from all of Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. |
| Luke 3:2-3 | 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, |
| John 1:29-34 | 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.” 32 Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him. 33 I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” |
| Acts 2:1-4 | 1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. |
In the well-known passage of John 3:1-8, there is the phrase "born of water and the Spirit" that infers Water Baptism according to some Biblical Commentaries.
In several Biblical Scholars and this author's opinion, the meaning of "born of water" from Jesus Christ statement is the rebirth which is done by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does the cleansing where Jesus Christ was using water as the pattern in the Old Testament scriptures as a reference analogy of cleansing which is detailed earlier in this topic.
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit could indwell the Believers and the Holy Spirit could leave the Believer. Leaving by the Holy Spirit did not mean a loss of Salvation as it is impossible to lose Salvation! Examples were King David praying to God to not lose the Holy Spirit, and other like Samson prayed to have the specific gift that came with Holy Spirit return when Sampson broke the Nasserite Vow. Note that when Sampson broke the Nasserite Vow, it was a form of blasphemy against God the Holy Spirit.
Water Baptism is the Old Testament did not make the Holy Spirit to continue to reside in an individual.
There is no contradiction between what John the Baptist said about
Jesus Christ and being Baptized by the Holy Spirit as read in John
1:29-34 discussed in the previous section of this topic.
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Jesus Christ stated that unless He leaves then the Holy Spirit could not come. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit was now permanent after the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ from the point of Pentecost as read in John 14:16-17.
| John 3:1-8 | 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” 4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time to be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” |
| Titus 3:3-7 | 3 For we also once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior, and his love toward man, appeared, 5 not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 which he poured out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior; 7 that, being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. |
| Ephesians 5:25-27 |
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it; 26 that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, 27 that he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. |
| Acts 2:38 | And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. |
| John 14:16-17 | 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. |
Water Baptism was told to be done by Peter in the book of Acts 2:37-42, when witnessing to the men of Judea on the day of Pentecost after receiving the Holy Spirit. The way the verse 38 is written, in possibly many translations including English, almost implies that receiving the Holy Spirit is contingent upon Water Baptism, which is not true as the "unto the remission of your sins" is the act of accepting Jesus Christ.
In "Mark 1:4", the same message is spoken with the mission of John the Baptist to have people have a baptism unto the remission of sins.
Remission of sins, in the Water Baptism, is an act of repenting and turning from the sins and an anointing and sanctification.. +
In "Acts 2:29-39", the remarkable verses indicate that the Eunuch made the statement "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" which indicates the acceptance and the Water Baptism is the action of acceptance. Note that after the Water Baptism, Philip was Raptured.
We all are sinners that will continue to sin less and less as we mature, but the initial step of receiving Jesus Christ as our Savior is asking which is action that is similar to Water Baptism.
| Acts 2:37-42 | 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? 38 And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him. 40 And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation. 41 They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers. |
| Mark 1:4 | 2 Even as it is written in Isaiah the prophet, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way; 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight; 4 John came, who baptized in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins. 5 And there went out unto him all the country of Judaea, and all they of Jerusalem; and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. |
| Acts 2:29-39 |
29 And the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: His generation who shall declare? For his life is taken from the earth. 34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other? 35 And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this scripture, preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing. |
The Apostle Paul before accepting Jesus Christ as His Savior was known as Saul. In the Damascus Road event, Saul is spoken to during a Theophany that caused blindness as read in Acts 9:3-6. Notice the important part Saul having sight restored "immediately" as Ananias informed Saul that "receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit".
| The action of receiving his sight back, with Ananias putting his hands on Saul, indicates also it was at the moment of receiving the Holy Spirit. It was later that Saul went to be Baptized. |
The verse absolutely indicate the power of the Holy Ghost restored Saul's vision. While a miracle can happen to an unregenerate person who does not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the implication was Ananias did a baptizing by "putting his hands on him", and then Saul went and received a Water Baptism.
| Acts 9:3-6 | 3 And as he (Saul) journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. |
| Acts 9:17-18 | 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. |
| Acts 8:17 | Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. |
Water Baptism is NOT required for Salvation, but if there an option to have it done then it should be done! This author, was water Baptized as an infant which can be discussed as a dedication of a baby to Jesus Christ, and then had a Water Baptism in my adulthood. This author highly suggest participating in it as an action of turning away from my old life before having Jesus Christ as my personal Savior.
It may be that someone during a Water Baptism, makes the truthful and loving request to have Jesus Christ as their Savior where before it was mental ascent in a belief that there is a God. This is one of the major points of the Foolish Virgins parable.
The Holy Spirit WILL be received through a genuine Salvation Prayer. In Acts 8:17 "laying their hands on them", people were accepting and receiving Jesus Christ as their Savior along with receiving the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament Dispensational period, the Holy Spirit could come and go in a person's life, which changed in the New Testament as read in John 14:16-17. For all of us it is unfortunately possible to blaspheme the Holy Spirit, but that does not remove our Salvation where the consequence is loss of guidance and severe consequences in our earthly lives along with loss of rewards in Heaven.
Here are the primary reasons why Water Baptism is not required for Salvation which does not negate the option for Water Baptism as an anointing and sanctification action in our repenting of our old life before Salvation!
| Ephesians 2:8-9 | 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. |
| Acts 8:17 | Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. |
There are many people that this author has met that spoke about being Baptized in the Jordan River on a vacation. I asked if they had already been Baptized and they said yes, but wanted the pleasure, excitement, and recommitment experience of being in the Jordan River as read in the Scriptures.
There are many times that a person may want to be water Baptized and there is not a person of the clergy to perform the Baptism. God is our Witness to any Baptism, and He is the true Baptizer. In the scriptures, Water Baptism was performed simply by someone that is a Believer in Jesus Christ which is to God's Glory!
What to read next?
See: (a) Time and Time Travel, (b) Time Domains, (c) Kingdom of God, (d) Singularity and the Big Bang Theories, (e) E=mc², (f) Ten Dimensions of the Universe, (g) Age of the Earth, Periods that Developed Life, Heavens, (h) Gap Theory of Genesis 1:2 - Earth formless for billions of years