©Fundamental Evangelistic Association
Baptismal Regeneration and Bible Salvation
by Dennis Costella
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should
boast." (Ephesians 2:8,9)
BAPTISMAL REGENERATION teaches that ritual,
water baptism secures the forgiveness of sins and marks the moment at which the one being
baptized is "born again," or incorporated into the "Body of Christ."
It is generally understood to be the person's "spiritual birthday," the rite by
which he becomes a "Christian." Is this belief consistent with what the Bible
says is true regarding God's salvation?
There is only one Gospel that must be proclaimed to a lost and dying world! Gal. 1:6-12.
Yet, a realistic look at the "Christian" scene today attests to the fact that
there are many "gospels" preached. Each gives its own particular formula for
what people must do to be saved. While each of these "gospels" claim that faith
in Jesus Christ is important, some add baptism or other "commandments" as
prerequisites to "the new birth."
There is also the widespread practice of "easy believeism" whereby simple
mental assent to the "Lordship of Christ" is deemed sufficient to obtain God's
salvation (without even specifying what one must believe about Jesus Christ in order to
claim Him as "Lord!"). The convicting and enlightening ministry of the Holy
Spirit through the clear, Biblical presentation of what God says one must believe in order
to be saved is totally disregarded by this "numbers-oriented" form of
evangelism.
A careful consideration of the Gospel as presented in the Bible is of tremendous
importance. The salvation of lost souls is at stake! If the message we preach varies in
the slightest from the revealed truth of God's Word, then it is of Satan—not of God. There
is a sad tendency today among many professing Bible believers to accommodate those who
embrace a false gospel, supposedly for the sake of "unity" and "the spirit
of love." It is necessary, however, to stand firm on the Gospel of the Bible which
teaches that there is only one way of salvation—and that by grace, through faith, alone!
Proponents of Baptismal Regeneration
The Roman Catholic Church was one of the earliest and most influential
perpetrators of this error. Roman Catholic teaching most certainly has not changed
in recent years either, nor has the "Charismatic Catholic" departed
one iota from the belief that salvation is secured by ritual baptism into
the Roman Catholic Church: Vatican Council II says, "The saving act
of Jesus was applied to Mary in the moment of her conception; to us in our
baptism..." (Lumen Gentium 1, 53); "...I have washed you
clean and given you new life, my life in baptism [these were supposedly the
words of Christ Himself]" (Prophecy from the 1988 Roman
Catholic Charismatic Conference at Notre Dame). Rome teaches baptismal regeneration.
The Orthodox Churches also teach baptismal regeneration: "Baptism is a new
birth. It is being born to the life made new by our Lord Jesus Christ. It means to be
alive in Christ... Through Holy Baptism all become Christ's. We become Christians and have
the opportunity to inherit God's Kingdom... Why in the world would any parents who claim
to be Christians want to put off making their offspring Christians as soon as possible?
Don't they want their infants to share in the Kingdom of God? The baptized one becomes a
member of Christ's body—His Church" (Doctrine of the Russian Orthodox Church, ONE
CHURCH, 1981).
Mormonism says you must be baptized in order to be saved: "Verily, verily,
I say unto you, they who believe not on your words, and are not baptized in water in my
name, for the remission of their sins, that they may receive the Holy Ghost, shall be
damned, and shall not come into my Father's kingdom where my Father and I am" (Mormon
Doctrine and Covenants, nos. 84:74).
Seventh Day Adventism teaches baptism is the vehicle in procuring the
forgiveness of sins: "Is it necessary for a person to be baptized to be saved?
Answer: Yes, indeed!... A Christian is a newborn 'babe' in Christ. This is why the
experience or conversion is called 'the new birth.' No past exists in God's sight. It was
buried in the watery grave of baptism..." ("Buried and Forgotten by God!";
a Seventh Day Adventist publication).
The Church of Christ, Episcopalians, and many Lutherans hold the false
doctrine of baptismal regeneration in one form or another. The Jehovah's Witnesses
and many others could be added to this number, many within Protestantism included.
These groups invariably equate membership in their particular church with salvation
itself. With notable consistency, religious bodies which profess to be "the one true
church" incorporate ritual baptism as an essential step in their "What must I do
to be saved" formula. It is claimed that by means of this ceremony one is introduced
into the membership of the "church which alone can save."
Every believer who has shared the Gospel of God's saving grace with a Catholic knows
the common reaction: "Of course I believe in Christ as my Saviour!" However,
after further questioning, it becomes obvious that "belief" in Christ is not
their sole confidence, for they believe that their continuance in faithfulness to
"the church" and the sacraments of the church are also essential if there is to
be any hope of obtaining everlasting life. That kind of "believing in Christ" is
not the unconditional, absolute faith that produces Bible salvation.
Compromise Abounds
Efforts on the part of mainline Protestants and even "evangelicals" who have
historically subscribed to "salvation by faith alone" to seek common ground with
groups such as those listed above have resulted in a haziness with respect to the
definition of the Gospel message itself. They will seemingly go to any length—even
disregarding the essentials of the Gospel message itself—in order to avoid offence and
make the baptismal regenerationist feel comfortable in Protestant/evangelical circles.
For example, notice the following representative statements from a few prominent
religious leaders of our day who supposedly represent churches where "salvation by
faith alone" is the standard. Note how they lend credence to religious groups such as
those just mentioned which espouse the false gospel of baptismal regeneration:
"In two short decades, we have moved from the living room dialogue in which
Protestants and Catholics were just discovering one another to be Christian, to widespread
recognition of one another's baptism" (Dr. Arie Brouwer, former General Secretary,
National Council of Churches, spoken at the 1988 Arlington, Texas "Gathering of
Christians").
TIME magazine for 10/27/61 printed the following quote by Dr. Billy Graham:
"I still have some personal problems in the matter of infant baptism, but all of my
children with the exception of the youngest were baptized as infants. I do believe that
something happens at the baptism of an infant, particularly if the parents are Christians
... I believe that a miracle can happen in these children so that they are regenerated,
that is, made Christian through infant baptism."
Again, at Amsterdam '86, Graham revealed the same strange thinking when asked by this
writer how churches from such a broad spectrum of belief—those holding to a "works
salvation" included—could be brought together for joint evangelistic outreach. Here
is Graham's answer: "Evangelism is about the only word we can unite on... Our
methods would be different and there would be debates over even the message sometimes, but
there is no debate over the fact that we need to evangelize... I think there is an
ecumenicity here that cannot [be gotten] under any other umbrella."
Bill Bright, president of Campus Crusade for Christ, gave a similar answer when we
questioned him about Roman Catholic and Orthodox involvement at the Amsterdam '86
conference: "The Holy Spirit of God is doing something unique in most major
denominations—Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Roman Catholic... In all denominations I
think there is a return to New Testament faith."
The basic difference between the gospel preached by churches which advocate baptismal
regeneration and those which do not is being rubbed out by today's evangelical leaders.
This is a very serious matter.
What is Essential for Salvation?
What is essential for salvation? Faith alone or faith plus water baptism, church
membership, "good works" or whatever? This is a tremendously important
consideration, for the "faith" of the former cannot possibly be the same
"faith" as the latter. The sinner in need of salvation cannot be saved by a
faith which stands alone as the sole requisite to the new birth, and also be saved by a
faith to which another step or steps must be added in order to obtain the forgiveness of
sins and the gift of everlasting life. To err at this point is to be eternally lost
regardless of how sincere a person might be.
A principle regarding what God has done, and what man must believe, is found in the
sixth chapter of John. The question asked of the Lord Jesus Christ is one which many have
asked through the centuries: "What shall we do, that we might work the works of
God?" (John 6:28). Man naturally seeks to do just that—do something! The natural
assumption is that good works, religious ceremony, church membership or holy resolve will
pave the way for acceptance with God.
But notice the response of the Lord to the question as to what is necessary
to stand approved before Almighty God: "This is the work of God, that
ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6:29). The answer is simple,
yet full of deep and far-reaching truth. It reveals the glorious fact that
if a sinner is to be translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom
of light, then the operation will be accomplished solely as a work of God's
grace, apart from any meritorious effort on the part of the lost. God has
done the work—the sinner is to receive by faith ("believe on him whom he
hath sent") what has been provided freely in Christ!
But those who add additional steps to salvation claim that it is too easy to "just
believe." They say, "Don't you know 'the devils also believe, and
tremble'?" (James 2:19). That is exactly the point! There are two kinds of
"believing." One is merely intellectual, mental assent; the other is heartfelt
trust placed in Christ as the only Lord and Saviour. Certainly the devils do not believe
in the essential way a sinner must trust the Lord Jesus Christ as his only hope and
confidence. The former is merely recognition; the latter is absolute resignation. This is
precisely why a careful, Biblical distinction must be made between the believing which
saves and the believing which requires the addition of works and rituals to reach the
desired end—salvation!
The Galatian believers were justified by faith, not works (Gal. 2:16; 3:22). It was the
"false brethren" (Gal. 2:4), the Judaizers, who introduced the additional
requirements of keeping certain tenets of the law in order to be saved. These false
teachers troubling the Galatians were errant in two areas. First, they were trying to
bring the believers in the Church Age back under bondage to the Law of Moses and, second,
they were adding another step to "faith alone" in order to partake of God's
salvation.
Water baptism is a "good work," Biblically defined. A "good work"
seen in Scripture is simply the saint's act of obedience to the revealed will of God—it is
doing something God has commanded those who are already His children. The additional
requirements imposed by false teachers upon the sinner who is invited by God to receive
Christ Jesus by faith is "another gospel "—a salvation by works—and God's curse
is unequivocally pronounced upon it (Gal. 1:6-10)! The same is true for any supposed
gospel preached today which adds any step to salvation by faith alone.
Paul wrote concerning those who espoused a false gospel, "I would they were even
cut off which trouble you" (Gal. 5:12). That is a strong statement to say the least,
and it serves as a stern reminder to us of the importance of the issue at hand, and how
consistently tenacious we must be in opposing those who pervert the purity of the Gospel
of Christ.
Grieved by this devilish pollution of the Gospel, the Galatians were asked
point blank when it was that they had been saved, at what moment in time
they had in fact received the Holy Spirit and had been born again by the
power of God: "This only would I learn of
you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"
(Gal.3:2). The answer was obvious—God's gift of salvation was received
the moment they heard the word of the Gospel and accepted its invitation. It
was certainly not as a result of doing any work.
Faith and Works
Faith and works are mutually exclusive with respect to the work of God in the
regeneration of the lost—"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of
grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the
ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Rom. 4:4,5). "Therefore it is
of faith, that it might be by grace..." (Rom. 4:16). But never lose sight of the
fact that the faith which saves (as illustrated by Abraham in Romans chapter four) is a
living, vital faith which always produces works in the life of the believer after the fact
of salvation.
This is illustrated by Abraham in the second chapter of James. He had been declared a
"Friend of God" by faith alone years before his justification was demonstrated
by his works in obediently offering Isaac upon the altar (James 2:14-26 cf. Rom. 4:1-21).
The supposed faith some "say" they have, but which produces no fruit, is
"dead, being alone" (James 2:17). That kind of "faith" will not save
anyone!
But, dear reader, the confident, unconditional faith that resulted in the justification
of Abraham before God is the same kind of faith which the sinner must possess in order to
have the righteousness of Christ "imputed to him" the moment he believes
(Rom.4:22-25; 2 Cor. 5:17-21). Upon "believing" the reconciled sinner stands
approved before God—not because of good works or supposed merit, but because of the
perfect righteousness of Christ credited to his account.
The faith which results in Bible salvation is an unconditional, absolute reliance upon
the Lord as the only Saviour with no confidence in anything or anyone else. To the extent
that salvation depends upon believing on Christ plus any good work or religious ceremony,
it is no longer salvation by grace alone apart from human effort. Anyone who cannot
distinguish between these two types of "faith" undoubtedly is one who trusts
something in addition to Christ to perform the salvation that He has promised to
"whosoever believeth." The entire Biblical exegesis of "saving faith"
stresses absolute reliance upon the finished work of Christ apart from the works or
supposed merit of man. The faith that saves always produces fruit or good works in the
life, but this is always after the initial miracle of the new birth effected by the power
of God. Those who insist on "believing and... in order to be saved" do not have
the "saving faith" of which the Bible speaks.
Remember too that salvation by faith alone in the shed blood of Christ apart from
"works" does not result in carelessness in the life lived as a Christian. The
same grace which saves also enables the believer to walk in obedience to the Word, and
disciplines the disobedient child (Titus 2:15). Believing carries with it tremendous
responsibility and accountability before God. Most Biblical texts which are twisted to
infer that salvation from start to finish is dependent on the "good works" of
the redeemed actually refer to God's faithful chastisement of the rebellious child.
The careless Christian will experience loss of blessing in this life and future reward
which would have accrued to him had his "works" stood the test of fire (1 Cor.
3:13-15). At the "Judgment Seat of Christ," before which every Christian must
stand, the issue is not salvation, but rather the reward or loss of reward with respect to
the Christian's life and service. Some will be saved "so as by fire"; saved,
yes, but lacking the reward for faithful service consequent to experiencing saving faith.
The Proper Place of Water Baptism
Satan is masterful in his efforts to confuse the issue and obscure the clear
demarcation between salvation by grace alone and a salvation where "works" are a
necessary prerequisite. For example, those who subscribe to baptismal regeneration are
quick to point out that the existence of so many different denominations and independents
must imply a belief that there are a number of ways to be saved. But such is simply not
the case. Historically, the major Protestant denominations have a rich heritage of
fidelity to the Bible with respect to their understanding of justification by faith alone.
The distinctions from one group to another stem primarily from differences in church
polity, i.e., the governmental administration of the local assembly or assemblies of
believers and not differences in foundational doctrines, such as what constitutes the work
of God in the regeneration of the sinner.
Water baptism has been viewed by true believers as an outward testimony of the inward
reality of having already been "born again" by the power of God. The moment the
sinner trusts Christ as his Saviour, he is baptized by the Spirit of God into the Body of
Christ (1 Cor. 12:12-13). There is no salvation for anyone who is not "in
Christ," and this spiritual regeneration takes place the moment the lost sinner
receives Christ by faith (John 1:12; 5:24). All who are saved have received this baptism
which God administers, not man.
Water baptism, on the other hand, is properly understood to be an ordinance of the
Church administered only to those who have already been saved. Baptism by immersion
symbolizes what has already been accomplished by God. The ordinances (Baptism and the
Lord's Supper) and "good works" (obedience to the will of God as found in the
Word of God) are after the fact of regeneration and the result of saving faith, not a
means of saving grace. Salvation cannot be conferred by any church, for the church is but
a fellowship of born again believers who have already availed themselves of salvation in
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Someone who has been genuinely born again by the Spirit of God will want to honor His
Lord now that he has new life in Christ. He should seek out and be identified with a
fundamental, Bible-believing local church where he can grow and be nurtured by the
pastoral care and teaching provided there, and receive encouragement and edification by
others of like precious faith (Eph. 4:11-16). Within that context of the local church,
there will be the opportunity to receive Biblical believer's baptism (1 Cor. 1:13-16). In
this text, Paul did not baptize all in the Corinthian church, but others certainly must
have; the Corinthian's shortcomings did not negate the fact that they were, indeed,
baptized.
Also, the memorial service of the Lord's Supper will be a continual reminder of the
meaning of Christ's broken body and shed blood, and that this service is to be conducted
"till he come" (1 Cor. 11:23-32). Yes, water baptism has it's proper, and
important, place, but for the one who is already saved, not for the one who has not yet
been born again; the latter needs to believe the Gospel and receive God's salvation as a
free gift. Baptism, in any shape or form, cannot save anyone!
We Have an Obligation
Always remember, whenever there is an opportunity to share the one true Gospel with
those who are trusting in their baptism, do so! They need to be saved, and that does not
come to pass by arguing or debating extraneous doctrines or oddities of practice. They
need to be told of the perfect salvation that is offered through the Infinite Person and
completed work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit of God is able to take the pure
Gospel of God's grace and cause the needy hearer to understand what it really means to
believe only on the Lord Jesus Christ to the saving of the soul.
Only the Spirit of God can take the Word and enable the baptismal regenerationist to
see how utterly worthless is ritual baptism whereby the communicant is supposedly
introduced into the "one true church," as contrasted with the glorious operation
of God in effecting the new birth from on high the moment the sinner believes. The
mediatory function of a minister baptizing someone into "the kingdom" is a sad
counterfeit to say the least! Argument will never convince one of a dissenting opinion as
to the blessed reality and certainty which accompanies saving faith; God must reveal this
to them as the Gospel is faithfully spoken and the Word of God is correctly taught.
Not only must the Gospel be faithfully proclaimed to those who oppose the essential
doctrine of justification by faith alone, but a stern word of exhortation and warning must
be given to those who supposedly know the way of truth but who compromise that truth. The
liberal ecumenical movement has brought about incredibly dangerous theological compromises
along this line and we have an obligation to withstand such apostasy!
For example, a significant World Council of Churches document entitled "Baptism,
Eucharist and Ministry" has sadly capitulated to the baptismal regenerationist's
position even though most of the WCC member churches have historically stressed salvation
by grace through faith in Christ alone.
A representative quote from this doctrinal study paper is as follows: "Through
baptism, Christians are brought into union with Christ, with each other, and with the
Church of every time and place. Our common baptism, which unites us to Christ in faith, is
thus a basic bond of unity." The driving desire to bring the Roman Catholic Church
into the ecumenical sphere of organizational fellowship is an obvious incentive for
preparing such a document. Also, it should be noted that in addition to WCC members such
as the Eastern Orthodox Churches which already subscribe to baptismal regeneration, the
"Faith and Order Commission" that composed this study had representatives from
the Seventh Day Adventists and the Roman Catholic Church-no wonder the outcome!
But there were also Southern Baptists and American Baptists on the WCC Faith and Order
Commission and they should have known better, or should it be said, done better. The
historic baptistic position was totally discounted by those who should have sounded a
warning about the serious theological ramifications of joining with those who preach
"another gospel." The ecumenical movement is a leavening blight to Biblical
truth and no Bible believer should have anything to do with it whatsoever! This is the sad
consequence of compromised fellowship-Spirit-wrought convictions become nonexistent.
Biblical Example of the New Birth
A brief look at the texts in the Bible where water baptism is mentioned will reveal
that faith alone, without the added step of baptism, assures the forgiveness of sin, the
promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit and the gift of everlasting life. A key text is
found in the tenth chapter of Acts where a straightforward example of the operation of God
in the regeneration of the sinner is recorded.
This is the account of the conversion of the house of Cornelius as the apostle Peter
preached unto them the one pure Gospel of God's saving grace through Christ. There is no
possible way they were already believers, since they had not yet heard the Word of the
Gospel which alone can save (Acts 10:6,33; 11:14-18; 15:7). Cornelius was religious but
lost; he was a devout proselyte to Judaism, but in need of hearing the Good News that the
righteous demands of the Law had been met in Christ and that salvation through Him was now
available to Jew and Gentile alike. Cornelius had to hear about Christ!
In Acts 10:34-43 God gives the details these needy Gentiles had to hear and believe in
order to be saved. Peter preached Christ crucified and risen again Who would be either
Judge or Saviour to sinful man. It was then that Peter gave the one condition to receiving
the free gift of salvation: "To him [the Lord Jesus Christ] give all the prophets
witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of
sins" (vs. 43).
It was, "While Peter yet spake these words, [the Gospel concerning the Perfect
Person and finished Work of Christ] the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the
word" (vs. 44). They all believed and were saved at that very moment! How do we know?
Turn to Acts 15 and read carefully verses six through eleven. Here we have the same event
viewed from God's perspective and we have the Divine commentary on what took place in the
hearts of those who believed the Gospel and in so doing, received the forgiveness of sin
and the gift of the Spirit. "And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness,
giving them the Holy Ghost, ... purifying their hearts by faith." (Acts 15:8,9).
Peter did the preaching; the Gentiles heard and believed (see John 5:24; Gal. 3:2); and
God did the saving!
Now look back at Acts 10:45-48. It was after they had received the gift of the Holy
Spirit that they were baptized. There is no possible way it could be said that their sins
were washed away in baptismal waters since they were already in Christ. (see Rom. 8:9).
The speaking in other languages was a sign to the believing Jews present that these
Gentiles had now received what they had at Pentecost and were now in God's New Creation,
the Church. Water baptism was the outward witness to their identification with Christ and
with others of like precious faith. Is water baptism a step in gaining salvation?
Absolutely not! This text which so clearly gives the one basis of regeneration would have
to be torn out of the Bible if baptism was essential for salvation. But praise the Lord
such is not the case, and all who have believed to the saving of their souls can rejoice
along with Peter, ...we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall
be saved, even as they" (Acts 15:11).
Texts Often Used to Advance this Error
In Matthew 28:19-20, the commission is to first "teach all nations.
The term rendered "teach" in its root meaning is clearly distinguished to simply mean
"to make disciples." And how does one become a disciple? By having the Gospel of
Christ preached unto him and having that message received by faith (note John 1:12). These
new disciples are then baptized after salvation, and taught in the way of truth. The same
holds true for the parallel portion in Mark 16:15-16. Once again, believing makes a
disciple and the disciple is baptized afterward. It is he who does not believe (and is,
therefore, not a disciple) who shall be damned. He that believeth and is baptized is the
normal sequence. Studying the doctrine of regeneration in its Biblical context makes it
plain that baptism is "after the fact" of believing unto salvation.
Acts 2:38 is another text which is often twisted to refute the Biblical teaching of
salvation by faith alone. But once again we notice that "repentance" precedes
baptism. "Repentance" as used with respect to salvation is a wonderfully
descriptive complement to the kind of saving faith that is essential for the salvation of
the sinner. Here, repentance is that change of mind whereby the individual is no longer
trusting in anything other than the full and free salvation provided in Christ alone.
This belief is not just "head belief," but a heartfelt faith which results in
a turning from confidence in self, religion, or anything else to Jesus Christ Who alone
can save to the uttermost. It is the inward work of the Holy Spirit (John 6:44; 16:7-11)
whereby the sinner is convicted of his own inability to do anything to save himself, and
convinced of the Saviour's perfect provision. He turns from faith in all else, to
unconditional trust and wholehearted reliance upon the finished work of Christ.
It needs to be noted here also that being baptized "for the remission of
sins" is not in order to obtain forgiveness of sins, but rather being baptized
"unto" or "in respect to" the remission of sins. Baptism is always
intended for the regenerated, forgiven believer. The Ethiopian eunuch was permitted water
baptism only after the proper response to the evangelist's inquiry, "If thou
believest with all thine heart, thou mayest." Don't get the "cart before the
horse" for the cart alone doesn't have the power to get us anywhere.
Did Ananias supply Saul (later known as the apostle Paul) with essential information
concerning the Gospel which was in addition to that which he had received previously on
the road to Damascus? Was Ananias' instruction for Paul to be baptized, "...and wash
away thy sins" (Acts 22:12-16) to be a part of the Gospel he was to preach from there
on? No! As mentioned above, Christian baptism was administered to those who had already
received the Good News of salvation through faith in the crucified and risen Lord Jesus
Christ. The subsequent rite of baptism, therefore, bore testimony to that fact. This is
what Paul did.
Read carefully what the apostle actually had revealed to him when he met the glorified
Christ in the way, when he received by direct revelation the Gospel message itself (Gal.
1:11-12 cf. Acts 26:13-18). He most certainly did not receive any part of the message
from man (this rules out what Ananias had to add), and he states the Gospel in a nutshell
when he testified before king Agrippa. The message Christ Jesus gave him on the road that
day was the whole Gospel of saving grace. It was the Good News which would enable the one
who hears and believes it to "...receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among
them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." (Acts 26: 18). The Gospel does
not require water baptism as a condition for the New Birth.
1 Peter 3:21 is another verse often used by the baptismal regenerationist. But notice
carefully the actual wording and the context. Noah and his family were not saved by the
water, but from the water of judgment. Their salvation came by being inside the ark, the
ark being a figure or a type of the believer's salvation from judgment by being in Christ.
In the 21st verse it says: "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save
us." Baptism is here used to illustrate by way of a figure of speech the operation of
God which takes place inwardly upon believing. The "figure" (baptism) speaks of
our identification with Christ who has saved us—He was the "ark" of Noah's
salvation. The salvation the sinner is afforded comes through His saving grace. The rest
of the verse bears this truth out; it's not the putting away of the filth of the flesh
(through ceremonial washings—a reference to Old Testament ritual), but the answer of a
good conscience toward God. It is always heartfelt faith in the shed blood of the Lamb and
in His glorious, bodily resurrection that renders the sinner justified before an all Holy
God! Rom. 10:9; Heb. 9:14.
Another text which is consistently twisted to infer baptismal regeneration is John
3:1-8. But rather than teaching the need for baptism, it actually affirms the operation of
God whereby the Holy Spirit works in concert with the Word of the Gospel to bring to pass
the regeneration of the sinner from on high. The two essentials for being born again are
"water" and the "Spirit" (John 3:5). The operation of the Spirit is
obviously essential in the spiritual new birth of the believing sinner. But what about the
"water"? Is this baptism? Definitely not! "Water" is typical of the
cleansing agent of the Word (Eph. 5:26). The Gospel as presented in the Word of God is
integrally linked to the Holy Spirit's work of regeneration within the heart of the one
who believes. Also, the "new birth" assumes the fact that there was an initial
human, natural birth, and many believe the "water" in this particular text
refers to the natural birth—"That which is born of the flesh..." quot;...
Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" The
"Spirit," on the other hand, refers to the spiritual new birth. In either case,
"water" cannot be interpreted as baptism and, therefore, required in God's
miraculous work of regeneration. God administers the new birth, not man.
The "washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost" in Titus 3:5
speaks of the twofold function of the Holy Spirit of God using the Gospel message
contained in the Word to bring a lost sinner to the place where he understands his
desperate need as a sinner, and then accepts by faith God's glorious salvation in Christ
to meet that need. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and
believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life" (John 5:24). Here, again, we
see God doing the "washing" at the moment of regeneration, in exactly the same
way as detailed in Acts 15:7-9 as mentioned previously, where God saved the first Gentile
converts, "...purifying their hearts by faith." Faith, not baptism, is God's
means of cleansing all sin.
By no stretch of the imagination can ritual baptism be equated to the term
"water" used by itself in texts in the Bible relating to the new birth; nowhere
is there found a direct connection which brings these two terms—"water" and
"baptism"—together. For instance, in Eph. 5:26 and in 1 Pet. 1:23 the obvious
connection is made between water and the sanctifying or cleansing property of the Word of
God. Again in James 1:18 we have direct identification with the function of the Word in
the miracle of the new birth: "Of his own will begat He us with the word of
truth." The power of God is manifest when a lost sinner trusts Jesus Christ as his
Saviour, a miraculous regeneration which God accomplishes apart from any ceremony (John
1:12).
What should be the response of believers today when "baptismal regeneration"
is taught or tolerated by so many different religious groups? The only response to those
who hold to this dangerous error must be to present them with the pure Gospel of God's
saving grace. Then pray that the Holy Spirit will so work in their hearts and minds that
they will indeed understand what it means to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ alone and be
saved. Acts 16:31; Heb. 7:25. Preach that Gospel! Separate from all those who proclaim any
other! "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than
that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:8).