Baptism Saves
The other day in my Bible Inquirer's Class, I had a long discussion with some of the class members on the power and efficacy of Baptism. One participant kept saying over and over again, "Baptism does not save. You can't show me anywhere in the Bible where it says that 'Baptism saves.' It is faith that saves. Baptism may create and strengthen faith, I'll give you that, but Baptism does not save."
I told him I understood what he was trying to get at, that faith in Jesus Christ saves and that we can be saved through faith without Baptism or lose our baptismal faith and lose our salvation. But I told him that a Lutheran will always say, "Baptism saves."
He still disagreed with me. So after discussing it for a few minutes, I reminded him of one of the Bible verses we had looked at earlier in the class. Titus 3:5 says, "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit." Paul is teaching Titus and us that Christ saved us through the washing of Baptism.
Baptism saves.
Here is a quote from Gregory of Nyssa on the Baptism of Christ. It teaches us not to despise the power God presents in Baptism.
“It is not the water [of Baptism] that bestows (for in that case it were a thing more exalted than all of creation) but the command of God, and the visitation of the Holy Spirit that comes sacramentally to set us free. But water serves to express the cleansing. For since we hope, when we wash with water, to make our bodies clean after we have become soiled by dirt or mud, so we apply water also in the sacramental action. There it displays the spiritual brightness that is subject to our senses…Despise not, therefore, the divine bath, nor think lightly of it, as a common thing simply because it makes use of water. For the power that operates is mighty, and the things that are accomplished by it are wonderful!”
Here are pictures of the Baptism of Elijah, Amara and Amelia Davis on September 26, 2010. We thank God that He has saved these children through this washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit in their Baptisms.
I told him I understood what he was trying to get at, that faith in Jesus Christ saves and that we can be saved through faith without Baptism or lose our baptismal faith and lose our salvation. But I told him that a Lutheran will always say, "Baptism saves."
He still disagreed with me. So after discussing it for a few minutes, I reminded him of one of the Bible verses we had looked at earlier in the class. Titus 3:5 says, "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit." Paul is teaching Titus and us that Christ saved us through the washing of Baptism.
Baptism saves.
Here is a quote from Gregory of Nyssa on the Baptism of Christ. It teaches us not to despise the power God presents in Baptism.
“It is not the water [of Baptism] that bestows (for in that case it were a thing more exalted than all of creation) but the command of God, and the visitation of the Holy Spirit that comes sacramentally to set us free. But water serves to express the cleansing. For since we hope, when we wash with water, to make our bodies clean after we have become soiled by dirt or mud, so we apply water also in the sacramental action. There it displays the spiritual brightness that is subject to our senses…Despise not, therefore, the divine bath, nor think lightly of it, as a common thing simply because it makes use of water. For the power that operates is mighty, and the things that are accomplished by it are wonderful!”
Here are pictures of the Baptism of Elijah, Amara and Amelia Davis on September 26, 2010. We thank God that He has saved these children through this washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit in their Baptisms.
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