Do I have to be baptized to be saved?

Question: I have a quick, but very important question for you! I live in a sorority with approximately 90 other women and we have a Bible Study every Sunday evening. Yesterday we got on the topic about baptism and where in the Bible does it state that you must be baptized in order to go to heaven. We have a baby Christian in our group and she bluntly asked the question, "If I were to die today, would I go to hell because I am not baptized." I was wondering if you could give me scripture and your words of wisdom on how best to answer this question.

Answer: The question is do I have to be baptized to be saved. To answer that question I want to look and see what happens in baptism so we can know whether or not it is essential to our salvation. Let's see what happens to a person according to the Bible when they are baptized. (And remember Baptism is to dunk under water, not sprinkle.)

WHAT HAPPENS IN BAPTISM

FORGIVENESS OF SINS
Acts 2:38-39 "Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, for all whom the Lord our God will call."
Acts 22:16 "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name."

GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Acts 2:38-39 "Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, for all whom the Lord our God will call."
Titus 3:5 "He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit."

UNITED TO CHRIST
Romans 6:3-5 "Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection."

BURIED IN CHRIST
Romans 6:3-5 "Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection."
Colossians 2:12 "having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead."

MAY LIVE A NEW LIFE
Romans 6:3-5 "Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection."

CLOTHED WITH CHRIST
Galatians 3:26-27 "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."
Colossians 3:3 "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."

BECOME A CHILD OF GOD
Galatians 3:26-27 "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."
The word "for" in verse 27 is "a conjunc. used to express cause, explanation, inference" (Strongs)
Galatians 4:6 "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."
When you become a son, God sends His Spirit into your heart. You become a son when you are clothed with Christ by faith in baptism. When does Acts 2:38 say we get the Holy Spirit?

PLEDGE YOUR LIFE TO CHRIST
1 Peter 3:20-21 "God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also, not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

SALVATION
1 Peter 3:20-21 "God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also, not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ"
Mark 16:16 "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."

YOU ARE BORN AGAIN
John 3:3-5 "In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."

BORN OF THE SPIRIT
So when are you born again?
•Are you born of the Spirit when you receive it? Yes!
•When do you receive the Holy Spirit according to Acts 2:38 and is there water involved?
•So how are you born of the Water and the Spirit?
•What happens to you if you are not?

CAN YOU BE SAVED WITHOUT BEING BAPTIZED?
•Can you be saved without the forgiveness of sins?
•Can you be saved without receiving the Holy Spirit?
•Can you be saved without being united with Christ? (see John 14:6)
•Can you be saved without being buried with Christ in His death?
•Can you be saved without the ability to live a new life?
•Can you be saved without being clothed and hidden in Christ?
•Can you be saved without becoming a child of God?
•Can you be saved without being pledged to Christ?
•Can you be saved without doing what Jesus said to do to be saved?
•Can you be saved without being born again?


We are saved by Grace through Faith at Baptism

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