Thanks for your question. There is no question we are
saved by faith. But why do you think we are saved by faith alone? Do you not believe
repentance is necessary for salvation? Read Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38;
Acts 17:30,31. The truth is the only time the phrase "Faith alone"
appears in the New Testament is in James 2:24 where he said
we are not justified by faith alone. When you read the great faith chapter of the Bible,
Hebrews 11, every example of faith he gave was of someone having
enough faith to do what God said do.
When you decide whether baptism is essential to
salvation consider what was said in the Bible instead of just what you have heard or
thought. Does the Bible ever say baptism is just a symbol? Think of these text:
Mark 16:15, 16 "He who believes
and is baptized shall be saved. He who does not believe will be condemned." Is
there a text which says, "He who believes and is saved shall be baptized"?
Acts 2:38, when they asked, "Men
and brethren what shall we do?" The answer was, "Repent, and let everyone of you
be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit." If faith alone did it, why didn't Peter tell
them they were already saved and didn't need to do anything? Acts
22:16, "Why do you wait? Arise and be baptized
and wash away your sins calling on the name of the Lord." Was Ananias wrong
when he said being baptized would wash away sins? Romans
6:3,4, "Do you not know that as many of you as
were baptized into Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him
by baptism into death, that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father,
we also should walk in newness of life." Notice, we are baptized into Christ.
Can a person be saved out of Christ? Galatians 3:26,27. "You are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For
as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Baptism
is an act of faith. It is when our faith obeys to be baptized that we get into Christ and
put on Christ.
There is not a single text in the New Testament
where baptism and salvation or it's equivalent appear together that baptism doesn't come
first and then salvation.
Just as repentance being necessary doesn't take away
from faith but is an action of faith, so baptism being essential doesn't take away from
the fact we are saved by faith, but is an action of faith. We are saved by an obedient
faith. When people have faith which won't do what the Lord says it isn't saving faith. In
John 12:42 the chief rulers believed on Him but
would not confess Him because the loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Notice that the book of Romans which best describes salvation by faith both begins and
ends with reference to the "Obedience of faith" (Romans
1:5;16:26).
Simply read through the book of Acts and the examples
of conversion given by the Holy Spirit. Faith and baptism were tied together. The Bible
doesn't teach baptismal regeneration. Baptism without faith is useless. But real saving
faith will obey the Lord's teaching and be baptized to get into Christ.
I hope this is helpful.
Leon Barnes