If God declares a person righteous by faith, is he righteous without water baptism?
Is a person who truly accepts Christ’s work on the cross, asking for forgiveness of their sins, thru Jesus Christ (Ye’Shua), are they still damned until they are baptized?
Can one be filled with the Holy Spirit before salvation?
Was Abraham still in a state of damnation when he believed God and was declared righteous, even though he hadn’t been circumcised yet? Romans 4:1-5
1. John 1:33 (this is when John the baptizer was speaking about the Lamb of God-Jesus) “The Man on whom you see the Spirit (Holy Spirit) come down and remain is He Who will baptize with the Holy Spirit”.
- Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.
- Gal 5:3-6, shows that God reckoned him as righteous.
- One of the evidences of being filled with the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues — though speaking in tongues is not a necessary result of being filled with the Holy Spirit. When we look at another set of verses in Acts, we see something very interesting.
- “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles 46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days,” (Acts 10:44-48).
- It is obvious from the text that the Gentiles had already received the gift of the Holy Spirit and were speaking in tongues before they were baptized. Therefore, the answer is clear. It is not necessary to be baptized in order to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
- Ephesians 1:13-Having believed, you were sealed with the Holy spirit of promise, 2:5(b) it is by grace that you have been saved. Then in verses 8-9, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and it is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God-not of works, so that no one can boast.
- These verses are clear in that salvation isn’t something we “do” but rather the work of God, by His grace and mercy through our faith in Him, not a physical act that man performs. I want to re-state that water baptism is commanded, but after the baptism of the Holy Spirit (time of salvation).
- Another point is that works are a result of faith in Christ’s work on the cross, paying for the sins of the world.
- Luke 7:50 where Jesus told the woman that had many sins forgiven by Him, “your faith has saved you” and then to “go in peace”, did not tell her to then go get baptized to complete her salvation. God the Son is the Author of salvation and if baptism was needed for salvation, then it would make sense that God the Son would have told the woman to do so, He didn’t.
One of the best ways to address the issue about how to be saved is from the gospel of John. Over and over this book that is specifically written to bring people to faith in Christ, never mentions baptism as a requirement. In chapter 20:31, it states; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. No baptism mentioned anywhere.
To believe otherwise takes the focus off the finished work of Christ and puts it on water baptism.
Another point: To believe that you can lose your salvation and then regain it flies in the face of Hebrews 6 that some use to say you can lose it. If you take that passage to say you can lose your salvation, which it doesn’t teach, then you have to say that once you lose salvation you cannot regain it- “it is impossible to renew them again to repentance”.
This view twists the concept of grace and turns it into works. Works can’t save you. The bible is clear that salvation is something that only God bestows, not anything that people can do. Baptism is commanded (after salvation), but this is an act performed by man.
If we add to or take away from how to be saved, putting man’s view over God’s word, then we aren’t. “Not all who say Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of Heaven” Matthew 7:21
People might want to look at Galatians 1:8-9 “but if we or an angle from heaven preach to you a different gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9. As we said before, so I now say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
A main point to ponder is that if baptism was/is needed for salvation then why didn’t Jesus say so? If He, who is God Almighty in the flesh, didn’t say that baptism was needed for salvation and He never baptized anyone, how can a man say otherwise?
My heart is that all would trust in God/Jesus Christ for their salvation and not through works that can’t save you.