Is Baptism Even Important Anymore? – A Look At The ESV Outreach New Testament
This is a continuation from the previous post found here. Please read it first before continuing forward.
As I mentioned in the last post, it used to be that the denominations would teach that while baptism does not save, it is necessary and/or important. But this does not seem to be the case any longer.
The ESV Outreach New Testament goes on to describe how to grow in Christ. It says, “Jesus’ teaching about how to live for God can be summed up in three simple instructions.” It goes on to teach these three things: read the Bible, pray, and seek Christian fellowship. Nothing about turning away from sin. Nothing about repentance. Can the Christian life really be summed up as reading the Bible, praying, and finding other Christians to meet? I do not believe so. I think the New Testament would be much smaller if so.
Further, the word “baptism” does not appear anywhere in this four page article, “God’s Plan To Save You.” While I agree that we need to read the Bible, pray, and seek Christian fellowship, how can an article telling people what God wants them to do completely leave out baptism?
Is baptism not even important anymore? Why does the New Testament, especially the book of Acts, repeatedly note how people in the first century were baptism if it is not important? Should people be baptized? According to this article, not at all. No mention of baptism is given. Is baptism completely irrelevant to the religious world now? Did Peter say these words for nothing?:
Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you–not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience–through the resurrection of Jesus Christ… (1 Peter 3:21)
I believe we need to stress baptism because there seems to be a move to completely erase it. I noted this in the ESV Study Bible in a few of my posts. Some do not like what I am saying, but this is what I am observing: the complete removal of baptism. As I have said before, mindless, faithless baptism alone does not save. Baptism is not a sacrament. God does not save us because we are baptized. But, friends, the commands for baptism are clear yet are being treated as irrelevant and unimportant.Â
In an effort to fight Catholicism’s false teaching on baptism, let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. Baptism is found on nearly every page in the book of Acts. Baptism is commanded by the apostles. Just because some have twisted the meaning of baptism does not give us a license to throw away baptism.
Baptism alone does not save. But prayer alone does not save either. Baptism is in the scriptures for a reason.
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Your Thoughts
5 Comments so far5 Responses to “Is Baptism Even Important Anymore? – A Look At The ESV Outreach New Testament”
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Gary Zimmerli
December 11, 2008 at 5:19 pm
I think you have a great point, Brent. I agree that we are not saved by baptism. But it’s clearly important. Denominations need to consider their policies regarding it and determine whether or not they are lining up with scripture.
My guess is that the fine folks at the ESV are trying to keep out any denominational bias from their NT. Yet it seems that baptism should at least be mentioned.
Joe
December 11, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Thanks for sharing this important information. These guys who put out works like this are standing on very dangerous ground. How many souls are being led astray….
Paul Carp
December 28, 2008 at 10:20 am
Brent,
I appreciate your appeal to save the teaching of baptism from being neglected to the point of its non-existance in the minds of believers.
But is this not the ‘fruit of your own doing’? I mean by teaching that baptism is not a necessary part of salvation, where’s your platform to rally the Christian soldiers behind something that they are told is a non-essential?
The Christian Cause requires a life ready to give the sacrifice when called upon . . . but what soldier wants to fight for a mound of dirt (or a pond of water, in this case) that they are actually indoctrinated to esteem as not important?
Such teaching weakens the foundation of the subject and thus makes it very easy to get rid of it altogether.
You closed your article with “Baptism alone does not save. But prayer alone does not save either.”
Is your reasoning using a comparison with baptism and prayer sincere? Or at least making the true point? I know you believe that a soul cannot get to heaven without prayer, but do you really believe the same with baptism? Your comparison can quite reasonably be taken to that logical end.
Lastly you closed with, “Baptism is in the scriptures for a reason.”
If not necessary for salvation in Christ, what are those reasons that would rally the Christian soldiers to save it?
Paul
Brent Kercheville
January 1, 2009 at 11:16 am
Paul,
I agree baptism is necessary for salvation. That is my point: the scriptures do not teach prayer for salvation but baptism is taught for salvation.
The point I was trying to get at, and perhaps not very well, is that it used to be taught by the denominations that baptism was important but not necessary. But now we are seeing the eradication of baptism completely. Baptism is not taught to be performed at all.
Baptism is important and necessary, neither of which anyone seems to believe anymore.
Joe
January 1, 2009 at 11:41 am
Really those “plan of salvation” pages put into our Bibles are useless, in fact dangerous. I wonder if any, at anytime in history have ever included baptism? I don’t think they have been around all that long anyway.
The HCSB pretty much has a sinners prayer routine listed, I rip the page out before I give it to anyone new to the message.
I didn’t see anything in the NLTSB, perhaps it is just the study bible that has none, but I say good job for not including one.
The ESVSB also mentioned nothing about baptism, but at least it didn’t have a “say this prayer” conclusion!
Instead of the fancy salvation pages perhaps they should just quote John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” That covers all the bases wouldn’t you say and even encourages study – how about that?