BAPTISM
Is Baptism Necessary For My Salvation?
The word “for” is the problem. It does not mean the same as what we think it to be ie: “do something to get something” or “I did something therefore I got something”—in this context I got salvation because I was baptized. The word “for” is from the Greek word “eis” which is actually the word “unto” or the literal meaning is to be understood as “for the purpose of identifying you with the remission of sins”. Or another way to put it is that I am baptized because my sins are already remised or gone or washed away before I am baptized. Another example of a clearer usage of the same word (eis) can be found in 1 Corinthians 10:2: “and were all baptized unto Moses.” Were they baptized to be with Moses in the wilderness? NO! They were already with Moses in the wilderness (“delivered from Egypt” like we are delivered from our sins) therefore the word “unto” identifies the people with him as already being with him. Hence, we are baptized because we have already believed unto salvation, so I confess it, and I then exercise my obedience through baptism! Simply put, I am baptized because I am already saved.
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