Is Baptism Necessary For Salvation?

As I filed on my computer yesterday's post I came across another article. It's actually a response that Mike Cope, our long-time preacher at Highland, made on his blog a year ago. I asked Mike permission to post this and he said, "Sure!"

A woman asked about baptism being necessary for salvation. And below is what Mike said.

Jim

Lisa,

May I take a stab at addressing your very appropriate question? Jesus came to call sinners into kingdom living. In the kingdom there is forgiveness, blessing, hope, peace, etc. It's a choice, enter or don't. Free will reigns supreme with God. Some will accept, some will not. For those who will accept, God established baptism as the acceptance response. Baptism does not earn you a place in the kingdom. It does not demand from God that He save you. 1 Peter 3:21 says that baptism is an "appeal", a simple way of asking God for what He is offering. Paul said in Acts 22:16 that baptism is the way we "call on the name of the Lord" to be saved from our sins. It totally points to Christ and what He has done for us if we will accept it. So I believe the correct teaching for those who want to be saved is to be baptized, for it invites Jesus to do for you what you have been unable to do for yourself. And it seems every person in Scripture who wanted what Jesus had was baptized. (Except for that thief guy. Praise God he was saved without baptism in a time when baptism was required by God for righteousness. John preached baptism as essential. Jesus was baptized to fulfill the righteousness of God. Interesting.)

But for me, for the person who is willing to give their heart to the Lord but calls on the name of the Lord in a different way than what is prescribed, I have to ask the question, "How will God respond?" This person is sincere in his or her seeking of the Lord, but they might have been taught wrong, they might have understood scripture wrong, but still want to follow the Lord. How will God respond to their crying out for mercy?

My kids make that one easy for me. They fix me breakfast in bed on Father's Day each year. Many times it is not edible. They mess up the ingredients. They burn the toast. The milk is warm. All things I really don't prefer. But do you know what? I eat every bit of it. I hug them and kiss them and tell them thank you because of what they are trying to do for me. They are trying to honor me as their father and I completely accept them in spite of their failed attempts to cook everything just right. Their hearts were pure and loving. That is what I am interested in most. I believe God is the same way. Baptism is important to Him, but way more important to Him is the heart that is sincerely seeking Him. That will trump every time whether someone was baptized the right way, if their foot was sticking out, if they were sprinkled instead of being immersed, maybe even if their ignorance caused them to believe that the act of baptism doesn't save and therefore they might not have to do it to be saved. (Not a far jump for many to make)

Saying that someone might be saved that hasn't been baptized is not a rejection of baptism on our part. It is the acceptance of an idea that God can save people who truly want to be saved and who want to serve Him, even if they may not get all details right. Our God is that big, that good, that loving, that passionate about saving lost people. And I just bet, maybe, possibly, there is some ignorance He is going to have to overlook in my life in order to let me in. Praise God that He does that!!!

-- Mike Cope