Is Baptism Required for Salvation?

Many, perhaps most, Protestant denominations in the western church consider the moment of salvation to be the moment of a decision to follow Jesus Christ, often accompanied by a prayer of repentance and commitment, after which baptism is a first act of obedience for a new believer while not required for salvation.  The Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox churches as well as a minority of Protestant denominations consider baptism to be necessary for salvation (with rare exceptions).  How can we know who is right?

The Early Church

One of the most important things to remember when reading the Bible is that it is a collection of books, all inspired by the Holy Spirit, each telling their own story but together presenting the overarching story of God's creation and redemptive plan for humanity. It was written at a time different from ours by many different authors using many different literary styles, some of which may seem familiar today but are unique to the time, place, and circumstances in which they were first recorded. While Christians today have access to the leading of the Holy Spirit in understanding the scriptures, it is still very helpful, in fact vital, to read the scriptures first to understand what the author was communicating to the immediate audience and how. Proper Biblical hermeneutics can best be assured by reading the scriptures as they were intended to be read, through the lens of the original intent, which is aided by understanding the identity of the author (where known), the original intended audience and circumstances behind the writing of the book, the time and place in which the book was written, the literary style of the book, etc.

When it comes to the New Testament, the early church that existed at the time of the writing of the New Testament was generally the audience, and the "church fathers" who succeeded the apostles as leaders of the church in the first few centuries are generally the best sources for insight into how those scriptures would have been understood by the initial audience, and fortunately there are many surviving writings by the church fathers that can be referenced.

The early church was consistent in her understanding of the role and method of baptism.  Many branches of the modern church have diverged from this understanding.

1. Baptism was by immersion whenever possible, but sometimes pouring or sprinkling were used.
   
2. Baptism was trinitarian ("in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit")
   
3. Baptism was for the forgiveness of sins

Sprinkling and pouring were rare and only when immersion was not possible. Also, any non-trinitarian formula was rejected.  Finally, baptism was considered to be the moment at which forgiveness was granted, with the exception of when baptism was not possible prior to death, such as the thief on the cross who asked for forgiveness documented in Luke 23:32-43.

Scriptures:

Acts 2:38 (ESV)

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Acts 8:35-39 (ESV)

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.

Acts 22:16 (ESV)

And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

Romans 6:3-6 (ESV)

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Galatians 3:27 (ESV)

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Colossians 2:11-13 (ESV)

In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

1 Peter 3:20-21 (ESV)

…because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Early Christian Theologians

Justin Martyr (100-165 CE)

“Then they are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated.  For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water; for indeed Christ also said, ‘Except ye be born again, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.’  And for this [baptism] we have learned from the apostles this reason.  Since at our birth we were born without our own knowledge or choice, by our parents coming together, and were brought up in bad habits and wicked training; in order that we may not remain the children of necessity and of ignorance, but may become the children of choice and knowledge, and may obtain in the water the remission of sins formerly committed, there is pronounced over him who chooses to be born again, and has repented of his sins, the name of God the Father … And in the name of Jesus Christ… and in the name of the Holy Ghost… does he who has been enlightened receive his washing.”

“The ‘Constitutions of the Holy Apostles’ also refer to John 3:5. There, the one who refuses to be baptized is to be condemned as an unbeliever, partially on the basis of what Jesus told Nicodemus…. He that, out of contempt, will not be baptized, shall be condemned as an unbeliever, and shall be reproached as ungrateful and foolish. For the Lord says: ‘Except a man be baptized of water and of the Spirit, he shall by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ And again: ‘He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.'”

Ignatius (35-107 CE)

“Wherefore also, you appear to me to live not after the manner of men, but according to Jesus Christ, who died for us, in order that, by believing in His death, you may by baptism be made partakers of His resurrection.””

Irenaeus (130-202 CE)

“And dipped himself,” says [the Scripture], “seven times in Jordan.”  It was not for nothing that Naaman of old, when suffering from leprosy, was purified upon his being baptized, but [it served] as an indication to us.  For as we are lepers in sin, we are made clean, by means of the sacred water and the invocation of the Lord, from our old transgressions; being spiritually regenerated as new-born babes, even as the Lord has declared:  “Except a man be born again through water and the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

Hermas (100-150)

“And I said to him, I should like to continue my questions. Speak on, said he. And I said, I heard, sir, some teachers maintain that there is no other repentance than that which takes place, when we descended into the water and received remission of our former sins.  He said to me, That was sound doctrine which you heard; for that is really the case.

Before a man bears the name of the Son of God he is dead; but when he receives the seal he lays aside his deadness, and obtains life.  The seal, then, is the water: they descend into the water dead, and they arise alive.”

Cyprian (200 CE)

“But what a thing it is, to assert and contend that they who are not born in the Church can be the sons of God! For the blessed apostle sets forth and proves that baptism is that wherein the old man dies and the new man is born, saying, ‘He saved us by the washing of regeneration.’ But if regeneration is in the washing, that is, in baptism, how can heresy, which is not the spouse of Christ, generate sons to God by Christ?”

Theophilus of Antioch (181 CE)

“Moreover, those things which were created from the waters were blessed by God, so that this might also be a sign that men would at a future time receive repentance and remission of sins through water and the bath of regeneration all who proceed to the truth and are born again and receive a blessing from God.”

Chrysostom (347-407 CE)

“Baptism is a cross, and ‘our old self was crucified with him,’ for we were ‘united with him in a death like his’ and again, ‘we were buried therefore with him by baptism unto death.’…For as Christ died on the cross, so do we in baptism, not as the flesh but as to sin. Behold two deaths. He died as to the flesh. In our case, the old self was buried and the new self arose, made conformable to the likeness of his death….For baptism is nothing else than the putting to death of the baptized and his rising again.”

Theodoret of Cyr (393-458 CE) 

“We are buried with him in baptism, and we rise with him, so it is not possible for us to enjoy the gift of baptism again…Our former self was crucified with him in baptism by receiving the type of death…This baptism of ours…is one only, for the reason that it involves the type of the saving passion and resurrection and prefigures for us the resurrection to come.”

Photius (310-393 CE)

“Christ was crucified once for all, and we have been crucified together with him through baptism.”

Resources

What the Early Christians Believed About Baptism (audio)

Early Christian Beliefs: Baptism / Born Again