You can't be born again and be Christ's if you're in sin and the only way to remove sin is by water immersion, baptism.
We Are Saved By the Blood of the Messiah, Not Water Baptism
Various churches have numerous videos posted on YouTube which teach that we apply the blood of the Messiah to our sins by getting water baptized. This is false religion and a doctrine of demons. According to Hebrews 12:24 the precious blood of Yeshua (who is our resurrected High Priest -- Hebrews 4:15-16) was sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat in Heaven (Hebrews 9:12). The Messiah did this in the presence of God the Father on our behalf (Hebrews 9:24). It is the blood of Yeshua that washes our sins away, and not water. There is no instance in the Old Testament Temple ritual where water was ever sprinkled on the Mercy Seat!
Colossians 1:19-20: “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”
There is not one verse in the Bible which even remotely hints that water baptism is associated with the Messiah's shed blood. To teach otherwise is to corrupt the Word of YEHOVAH God.
In John chapter 3, where the Messiah is witnessing to Nicodemus, he plainly teaches that being “born of water” refers to the physical birth, and not to water baptism as some heretics falsely claim. John 3:6, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.” The Messiah is contrasting the fleshly birth to the spiritual birth. This passage of Scripture has absolutely nothing to do with water baptism.
Titus 3:5 is often used by false prophets in a foolish attempt to teach water baptism for salvation:
Titus 3:5: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the holy spirit.”
Being “born-again” means that, being like the Messiah, who is "the first-born of many brethren," we will eventually be "born again" at the resurrection. To be “regenerated” means to be born anew from above by the holy spirit of YEHOVAH God (John 1:13), quickened (or made alive) by YEHOVAH's spirit (Ephesians 2:1). The Bible plainly teaches in Titus 3:5 that we are not saved “by works of righteousness which WE HAVE DONE”!!! Being water baptized is something that WE DO, not that YEHOVAH God does!
The Bible says in John 1:12-13:
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
What a beautiful Scripture. Here we clearly see that we of Israel are saved simply by BELIEVING ON THE MESSIAH'S NAME! Notice that we are not saved because of anything that we have done; but rather, because God in His mercy, love and grace has made a provision for our redemption by the sacrifice of His only begotten Son on the tree. Confession, water baptism, forsaking the world, ceasing from sinful living, committing one's life to the Messiah and surrendering our will to serve God are all futile actions of HUMAN EFFORT. As we just learned in John 1:12-13, salvation is completely of God. Our part as Israelites, whose names are in the Book of Life, is simply to believe, and then YEHOVAH God does all the saving!
Bible Proofs That Water Baptism is Not Necessary for Salvation
Consider that the Bible doesn't mention anyone in the Old Testament being baptized with water for salvation. It is a simple fact that YEHOVAH's Chosen People in the Old Testament -- Noah, Shem, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, and all the prophets, etc., -- were dead in their sins until the birth of the Messiah and his predicted sacrifice.
Genesis 15:6 teaches that Abram (later to be renamed Abraham) believed YEHOVAH God and it was counted to him for righteousness. Romans 4:3 mentions this event, i.e., Abraham's salvation. We are saved by the imputed righteousness of the Messiah, i.e., the Messiah's righteousness is attributed to our record in Heaven by faith (Romans 4:6). Abraham was saved by simple childlike faith in YEHOVAH God.
While John the Baptist baptized many Israelites in Judea while the Messiah was still alive and had not yet offered himself up, and if baptism was a requirement for salvation, were his efforts totally in vain since they were still "dead in their sins"?
The thief on the tree, who believed on the Messiah, wasn't water baptized. Unless you errantly believe in two different plans of salvation, then the only logical conclusion is that water baptism is NOT required for salvation.
Over and over the Bible tells us that we are saved BY FAITH alone (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Acts 10:43; John 1:12; Galatians 3:26; John 3:16-18). If water baptism were required for salvation, then certainly the Bible would stress its importance for salvation. In fact, the apostle Paul stated the opposite:
1 Corinthians 1:17: “For CHRIST SENT ME NOT TO BAPTIZE, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”
Paul proclaimed that the Messiah DIDN'T send him to baptize. There you have it! Paul stated in Romans 10:1 that his heart's desire was for Israel to be saved, so Paul definitely would NOT have made such a statement in 1 Corinthians 1:17 if water baptism were necessary to be saved.
A Church of Christ minister once said that Paul's disciples did the baptizing instead. That is mincing words! It is abundantly clear from the apostle's Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 1:17 that the Messiah didn't send him to baptize, because water baptism is not necessary to receive the gift of eternal life. What if I bought you a gift, but said that you need to take a bath first to receive it? Then it wouldn't be a gift!
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world [of Israel], that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
There's no mention of water baptism. The Bible is the most misinterpreted book in the world, because most people study it out of context and without the presence of its Author, YEHOVAH God.
Johann
