by Vincent Charles

Created on: July 29, 2009   Last Updated: July 31, 2009

Baptism in Jesus' name for salvation has been a topic of debate between denominations for many years. Some believe that in order to be saved, you must be water baptized in the name of Jesus. And others teach that water baptism is what Christians do out of obedience towards Jesus Christ.

In Matthew 3:13-15 Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist as an example that all Christians ought to be water baptized. In the Great Commission, Jesus gives his disciples this commandment, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)

When a believer is water baptized, it is out of obedience to Jesus' Great Commission; however, it is not what brings salvation. The Apostle Paul teaches in Romans 10:9-10, that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. And he goes on to say in verse 13. For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Here are three instances during Jesus' ministry of people who were saved without being water baptized:

In Matthew 9:2-8(NKJV), a group of men carried a paralyzed man to Jesus on his bed, Jesus said to him, Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.

Luke 7:36-50 (NKJV), Jesus was invited to a Pharisee's home to eat with him. As Jesus was eating, a local sinner woman, a prostitute, came into the room with an alabaster flask of fragrant oil. She knelt down at the feet of Jesus, washed his feet with her tears, and dried them with her hair. She then kissed his feet and anointed them with the oil from the alabaster flask. (Mark 14:5 sets the cost of this fragrant oil to be 300 denarii, which would have been equivalent to one year of pay.) To make a long story short, Jesus told her two things: 1. Your sins are forgiven. 2.Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.

Luke 23:39-43 (NKJV), Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us." But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive

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