Hello Georgia!

 

There is a controversy in western religions about the necessity of water baptism, as well as the method of performing it.  Catholicism and most Protestant denominations teach that water baptism is necessary in order to become truly saved and make it to Heaven.  One thing we must remember is that water baptism is symbolic of being baptized into the Body of Christ through the Holy Spirit. 

Two questions are very important here:  1) Why did Jesus never baptize anyone in water; and 2) Once a symbolic act is fulfilled by that which it symbolizes, is it necessary to continue performing the symbolic act? 

Most people will tell you that because Jesus was baptized in water, and that Peter and Paul and Philip baptized people in water, that every single professing believer must also be baptized in water in order to be truly saved.  I won't get into a lengthy explanation of why Jesus was baptized and so on.  The main thing to remember is that water baptism is symbolic.  And when Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and rose from the dead, this fulfilled the symbolism of water baptism. 

After Jesus was baptized (symbolicly), the Holy Spirit descended upon Him from Heaven.  Likewise, after the believer accepts Jesus' sacrifice (death, burial and ressurection symbolized by water baptism) on their behalf, the Holy Spirit comes upon them.  They have been baptized into the Body of Christ upon salvation and filled with the Spirit.  No symbolic act of water baptism is necessary anymore.  

One instance that happened before Jesus fulfilled the symbolism af water baptism on Calvary was the thief on the cross beside Him.  This guy recognized that Jesus is Lord and ask Him to remember him when Jesus came into His Kingdom.  And Jesus told him that "today you will be with me in Paradise."  This guy was saved and went to Heaven without being baptized in water.   There are numerous people who wait until they are in a hospital bed about to die to repent and become saved.  True, one should never wait until the last minute to get right with God.  But just because a person does wait till the last minute doesn't mean that they cannot be saved like anyone else.  And they die without being baptized in water.

I believe its OK for a believer to be baptized in water IF they realize that its only symbolic and that they can be saved and get to Heaven without doing so.  But if a believer believes that it is necessary to be baptized in water in order to be truly saved and make it to Heaven, then I believe they are incorrect. 

 

No one can convince me that Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross and His promise of eternal life to those who accept his sacrifice on their behalf, that this wasn't quite enough to save someone and get them into Heaven.  God sacrificing His Son didn't quite cut it, that the believer must also perform rituals and do things to earn their way into Heaven.  It really bothers me that Christians can believe this. 

There is absolutely no difference between being a Christian and being a Born Again Christian.  The moment we are saved and filled with the Spirit (which happen simultaneously), we are born again.  The Bible says that we become a "new creation"........that "all things become new." (2 Cor. 5:17)  That means that being subject to the wages of sin, having to keep the Old Law and perform rituals, having to die a physical death.....all that is over.  We are a new creation whose sins are forgiven, who has the Holy Spirit living within us to perform the whitening process, who are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day we are glorified, and who are promised everlasting life in Heaven upon our salvation.  That's what the Bible tells us (John 3:16) and that's good enough for me.