{"id":68208,"date":"2024-05-24T16:38:14","date_gmt":"2024-05-24T21:38:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=68208"},"modified":"2024-05-24T16:38:14","modified_gmt":"2024-05-24T21:38:14","slug":"if-baptism-was-a-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-baptism-was-a-work\/","title":{"rendered":"If Baptism Was a Work"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

by Terry Wane Benton<\/p>\n

The claim is made that baptism cannot be part of the salvation process (the process from lost sinner to saved and justified in Christ) because it is claimed that “baptism is a work” and “we are saved through faith and not of works” (Ephesians 2:8-9). However, this claim is very faulty and puts one in conflict with clear scriptures. If baptism is a work whereby you could boast, then,<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \u00a0Jesus said, in essence, “He that believes and works will be saved” (Mark 16:16). In this case, Jesus put works before salvation. Jesus did not think of baptism as a “work” of which one could boast.<\/li>\n
  2. Peter, by the Spirit, said in essence, “Repent, and work in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). In this case, the Spirit put works before remission of sins. The Spirit did not think repentance and baptism were works whereby you could boast. You are humbly appealing for the remission of sin, which is an open confession that you have not <\/b>worked so as to have grounds for boasting. It is evident that baptism is an open admission of failure to work the law and is hereby appealing to God in the name of Jesus Christ to have sins remitted or forgiven. Baptism is not a work whereby men can boast.<\/li>\n
  3. Ananias said in essence to Saul, “Arise, and work, washing away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). If baptism is a work whereby one could boast, why is one appealing to God to wash away our sins if in baptism we are working to earn and boast? It was clear to Ananias and Saul (Paul) that baptism is an open admission of not <\/b>having worked to earn anything but is an open appeal for God to wash away our sins. It is an appeal for mercy, not a ground for boasting. Baptism is a lost sinner’s appeal to be forgiven in the name of Jesus, not a ground for boasting in our own perfect law-keeping. It is an open confession that “I have failed” to work what I should, and I need the mercy offered in the name of Jesus on His terms.<\/li>\n
  4. Philip would have congratulated the Ethiopian Eunuch for his “work” of earning a right standing with God. Instead, when the eunuch was baptized (Acts 8:33ff), he would have merely added it to the works ledger of his many accomplishments, and there would have been no need to associate Isaiah 53’s healing<\/em> of sin with his baptism. He went on his way rejoicing<\/em> because, in baptism in the name of Jesus, he knew Isaiah 53’s healing of sin had now been given to him. He could not have looked at baptism as a work whereby he could boast of his own deserving. Baptism cannot be “for the remission of sins<\/em>” and at the same time be a “work whereby one can boast<\/em>” in his own deserving. Modern preachers do not often believe like Jesus, Peter, the 3000 of Pentecost, Paul and Ananias, Philip, and the Eunuch. Modern preachers have associated baptism with works, while the Bible shows it associated with an appeal for mercy and forgiveness for failure to work.<\/li>\n
  5. Paul would not have associated baptism with rising to walk in “newness of life<\/em>” (Romans 6:1-6). How could baptism be a boast of accomplishment, needing no newness of life since I have worked and earned my way and baptism is just one more proof of my working to earn my own way? Paul clearly taught that baptism is an action of faith whereby one is seeking a new life, not that one is expressing pride in having earned his own way.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    No, the Bible shows that baptism is an appeal to God for mercy, and the only “work” involved is God’s work, His “operation” where He cuts away our sins (Colossians 2:12). God does the only work<\/em>\u00a0in baptism. Man is very passive as he allows another to assist in immersing him in water “in the name of the Lord<\/em>” (Acts 10:47-48; 8:33ff). It is by faith in Jesus that we allow our immersion, and it is the appeal for forgiveness and a determination to start over (born of the water and Spirit), rising to walk in “newness of life.<\/em>” Baptism is not a work whereby one can boast before God. It is faith in Jesus from start to finish, and lack of baptism is a lack of faith in Jesus, pure and simple.<\/p>\n

    Do you believe Jesus enough to submit to His terms of pardon?<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    by Terry Wane Benton The claim is made that baptism cannot be part of the salvation process (the process from lost sinner to saved and justified in Christ) because it is claimed that “baptism is a work” and “we are saved through faith and not of works” (Ephesians 2:8-9). However, this claim is very faulty…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[52,55],"class_list":["post-68208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-baptism","tag-works"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":91555,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-baptism-a-work\/","url_meta":{"origin":68208,"position":0},"title":"Is Baptism a Work?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Vicky Buckwalter It is not uncommon to hear some insist that baptism is not a work. Yet I fear that, in responding to criticism from denominational voices who accuse the Lord's church of legalism, we have grown hesitant to admit that baptism is indeed a work-specifically, a work authorized\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14655,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/answering-arguments-against-baptism\/","url_meta":{"origin":68208,"position":1},"title":"Answering Arguments Against Baptism","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 2, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"by Dan Gatlin Brethren have long pointed out that \u201cpreaching Jesus\u201d means preaching baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 8:35-36). Paul warned the Corinthians that when \u201cwe preach Christ crucified\u201d some would stumble and others would consider it foolishness (I Corinthians 1:22-23). While many in the denominational world agree\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10966,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/baptism-necessary-for-salvation\/","url_meta":{"origin":68208,"position":2},"title":"Baptism: Necessary for Salvation","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 30, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"by Allen Dvorak It is virtually undisputed truth that man is saved by divine grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). However, some have concluded from this fact that there is nothing that man can or must do for his salvation. It is frequently argued that \"water baptism can't possibly be necessary\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/baptism2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8987,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-you-have-to-know-that-baptism-is-for-the-remission-of-sins-in-order-to-be-forgiven\/","url_meta":{"origin":68208,"position":3},"title":"Do you have to know that baptism is for the remission of sins in order to be forgiven?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 12, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: The question I pose is, \"Does one have to have the knowledge that baptism is for the remission of sins, for such to occur?\" I understand that if one is taught by one who knows the truth, this would not even be a question. However, I can not logically\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":92667,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/when-did-baptism-of-the-holy-spirit-change\/","url_meta":{"origin":68208,"position":4},"title":"When Did Baptism of the Holy Spirit Change?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton At the beginning, when Jesus performed the baptism that no man could perform, baptism with the Holy Spirit, people knew it because of the powerful miracles from heaven that attended it and demonstrated it. They knew Jesus did this from heaven because there was a display\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":761,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-water-baptism-a-work\/","url_meta":{"origin":68208,"position":5},"title":"Is water baptism a work?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 5, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is water baptism a work? Answer: I have always been amazed at the dread shown by people toward the word \"work.\" You would think that it was a dreaded disease or something equivalent to sin. The word \"work\" by itself is neither good nor bad. It simply refers to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68208"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68208\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}