Baptismal Regeneration?

Updated on May 23, 2008

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

I have heard some try to prove baptismal regeneration with this verse. That is the idea that you cannot be saved unless you are baptized in water. There are different versions of this false doctrine, some of which are listed below. There are several ways to disprove this view. We must use good hermeneutics when determining the meaning of the verse. We should explore the immediate or local context by checking the preceding and following verses. And we need to place the verse in its proper place within the context of the entire Bible.

First let's look at the surrounding verses.

John 3:3-7 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (4) Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? (5) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

First notice that Nicodemus thought that being born again meant being delivered from his mother's womb a second time. Then, in verse 5, we might be tempted to think that Jesus is correcting him by saying that physical birth has nothing to do with what He was talking about and that salvation involves water and a work of the Spirit. But if that is the case, we have to ask ourselves, why did Jesus say "born of water" instead of "baptized in water"? Secondly, in verse 6, we can see that Jesus is restating verse 5 because the second phrase in both verses is "born of the Spirit." Therefore it is reasonable to conclude that "born of water" and "born of the flesh" are equal in meaning. This can be summed up in the common saying: "He who is born once dies twice; he who is born twice dies only once."

It is also clearly taught in Scripture that we are not justified by our works but by God's grace through our faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross which atoned for all sin. (Ephesians 2:8-9, Acts 13:39, Luke 18:13-14, Romans 3:20-28, Romans 5:1-2, Galatians 2:16, etc.) But what about Mark 16:16?"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." I think there are two ways we could look at this. First notice the context:

Mark 16:16-18 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (17) And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; (18) They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Some interpret this to mean that water baptism is also a sign that "shall follow them that believe." Also notice that verse 17 doesn't say "And these signs shall follow them that believe and are baptized." But I don't think verse 16 is talking about water baptism, although I do believe that water baptism is an important sign which should quickly follow after one's salvation. But what other kind is there? It seems from the Scripture that there are at least three baptisms:

1. Water baptism

   Acts 8:37-38 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 went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

2. Baptism into the Body of Christ:

   1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

3. Baptism with the Holy Spirit:

   Luke 3:16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

Water baptism, as I stated, is very important and necessary, since it was ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ. But we must realize that immersion into water is not what saves us, sanctifies us, or in any other way initiates the grace of God. It is a public sign of a believer's witness that he has been baptized into the Body of Christ. This is the baptism that counts for salvation. It is the "one baptism" spoken of in Ephesians 4:5. Remember that the thief on the cross who asked the Lord to "remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom" never had a chance to be immersed in water; yet Christ told him, "To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:42-43) Here are examples of what water baptism is meant to represent:

Romans 6:3-4 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (4) Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Galatians 3:26-27 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Colossians 2:11-12 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: (12) Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. [Notice Paul first mentions a circumcision made without human hands; this gives us a clue that the baptism of verse 12 is also one that is done apart from human involvement.]

The bottom line is a person can be saved without being water baptized, although a believer should absolutely be water baptized as soon as possible. The danger in believing that the act of immersion saves a person is that it is a denial of the sufficiency of the atonement of Christ upon the cross. If you must be water baptized for your salvation to be complete, then what Jesus did on the cross wasn't good enough (and the thief on the cross wasn't really saved which would make Jesus a liar!).

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

The power of God for salvation is in the preaching of the cross, not in ordinances performed by men.

1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

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Here are some examples of improper views of baptism:

• The Roman Catholic Church

  Here are some sources cited in an article that are typical of Catholic belief.

  "Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life..." (Tertullian - Baptism, 1 [A.D. 203])

  "It is not possible to receive forgiveness of sins without baptism" (Origen - Exhortation to the Martyrs, 30 [A.D. 235])

  "If any man does not receive baptism, he does not have salvation. The only exception is the martyrs, who even without water will receive the kingdom." (Cyril of Jerusalem - Catechetical Lectures, 3:10 [A.D. 350])

  This is why they baptize infants; they believe that the act of water baptism is what saves a person.


• United Church of Christ

  "Through baptism a person is joined with the universal church, the body of Christ. In baptism, God works in us the power of forgiveness, the renewal of the spirit, and the knowledge of the call to be God's people always." ("About Baptism" - ucc.org)

  Notice that they say it is "through baptism" that a person enters into the body of Christ.

  "Through water at baptism, God embraces you — no matter who you are — and brings you into Christ's Church...Baptized, you now participate fully in life of the Church and God's realm." (from "What Matters to Us" found at uccvitality.org)

  In response to the question, "Who is baptized in the UCC?" -- "Infants, children, youth and adults. For infants and children, as well as for youth and adults who have never been baptized before, baptism marks their acceptance into the care of Christ's church, the sign and seal of God's grace and forgiveness, and the beginning of their Christian faith and life." ("About Baptism" - ucc.org)
  [How can an infant begin their Christian faith? Infants have no cognitive abilities to believe anything. Therefor the belief is that the water saves and not God's grace through their faith.]

  Further confirmation that something is wrong here is found in their response to the question, "What words are used?" -- "The recognition of our baptism by the ecumenical church is important to us, and the Book of Worship encourages the use of language recognized in most Christian churches: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." Feminine images for God may surround these words to enrich understandings and offer balance." ("About Baptism" - ucc.org)



• United Pentecostal Church International

  The UPCI believes that baptism in water is essential to salvation (as well, they believe in baptism in the name of Jesus only).

  "Water baptism is an essential part of New Testament salvation and not merely a symbolic ritual. It is part of entering into the kingdom of God..." (From "The Apostles' Doctrine" on upci.org)