The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Water Baptism as Essential to Salvation

Yes, the Baptism wherewith Christ baptizes His people is a part of His grace to us and a blessed fruit of His work: "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you" (Ez.36:25). But the clean water wherewith He shall sprinkle His people is NOT H2O, but His Spirit: "...He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and [with] fire" (Mt.3:11). But the Spirit, as the wind, "bloweth where it listeth", that is, it is not subject to priestly craft to produce regeneration according to man's pleasure(see Jn.3:8). The true Baptism indeed saves those to whom it is applied by God, as He wills, but not by "putting away of the filth of the flesh (as is the usual effect of application of H2O), but [by producing of] the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1Pe.3:21).