John3:3, “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.”
That’s the answer right there! Baptism isn’t a requirement for making heaven but rather, salvation and living a life that pleases God. The issue as I’ve said most of the time is that of misinterpretation of the bible in some quarters. These days, most Churches don’t even baptize their converts immediately after salvation, they make them go through classes. If baptism is a criteria for making heaven, what if Jesus comes while the class is on, would that invalidate the acceptance of Christ into the hearts of those converts?
I know you have the answer now. In fact, there is nowhere in the bible where people went through a special class to be baptized. John the Baptist baptized converts and the Ethiopian eunuch was baptized immediately after salvation. Acts8:35-38.
If you remember the story of the thief that was crucified with Jesus, he asked Jesus to remember him: Luke 23:42-43, “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, TO DAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE.”
That thief on the cross didn’t do any baptism but I’m sure you know he’s in glory now. When we don’t understand the purpose of a thing, we would surely have the wrong perspective about it. Baptism isn’t a substitute for salvation and holy living. If you are born again and you’ve not been baptized, I’ll advise you do it but not doing it will not disqualify you from heaven. The devil makes us to major on what doesn’t matter and make us to give attention to those things that can’t guarantee eternity.
Yes, we were commanded by Jesus to baptize men but when you put that statement in the right biblical perspective, baptism comes after salvation, not before it. And as such, it is not a determinant of eternity. What about Christians in the desert where there’s no river or stream? Won’t they go to heaven?
WHY BAPTISM?
- Baptism is an outward expression of the work Jesus does inside of us
- It is an act a believer chooses to do as an outward sign of their salvation to the public. That’s why in most Islamic nations, when a Muslim converts to Christianity, they’ll try to get such a fellow back but as soon as the person is baptized, they give up on such a person.
- It symbolizes death to self and rebirth in Jesus Christ. It is a picture of Christ’s death and burial. (Romans5:3-4). So it is just a symbolic act.
- Salvation is an inward regeneration of the spirit-man (2Corinthians 5:17). Baptism happens after regeneration.
When we put things in the right biblical perspective, then we shall get biblical results. We are not discouraging baptism but it is what you have to do if the means is there.