Salvation in the Orthodox Concept – (3) Baptism
The Importance of Baptism for Salvation
The importance of Baptism is evident from the words of the Lord Christ to Nicodemus: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). He explained the meaning of this birth and answered Nicodemus’s question by saying: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).
This is an explicit verse meaning that without Baptism, a person cannot enter the Kingdom, nor can he see it. Thus, salvation comes through Baptism, which is preceded by faith.
The Lord Christ said: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). When He sent His disciples, He said to them: “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” (Matt. 28:19, 20). This verse indicates that salvation requires faith, which comes through discipleship; Baptism, which is the immediate gateway; and good works through keeping the commandments. If Baptism were not necessary for salvation, it would have been sufficient for the Lord to say to His disciples, “Go and preach faith,” without mentioning Baptism…
Our teacher, the Apostle Paul, explains how salvation comes through Baptism and how it is the second birth, saying: “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4, 5).
The Practice of Baptism from the Beginning
The principle established by the Lord Christ, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved,” was followed by the Church from the beginning. On the Day of Pentecost, after the Apostle Peter stood and raised his voice with the word of faith, and the listeners were pierced to the heart, “Then Peter said to them: Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
This verse explicitly states that sins are forgiven through Baptism. How can a person be saved without the forgiveness of his sins?! Therefore, Baptism is necessary for a person’s salvation; through it, his sins are forgiven. And through it, he is prepared to receive the Holy Spirit.
We receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in the second of the Church’s sacraments, the sacrament of Holy Chrism, or Myron. The preceding verse indicates all these meanings.
On the Day of Pentecost, after Peter spoke about Baptism, “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.”
If faith alone saves a person, why was there a need for 3,000 souls to be baptized in one day?! How easy it would have been for the apostles to say to them, “Since you have believed, brethren, go in God’s blessing. You have been saved; that is enough.”
We also see that after the Ethiopian eunuch believed through Philip, he immediately said to him, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:36). So Philip went down into the water with him and baptized him, and he went on his way rejoicing.
The Philippian jailer, who believed through Paul and Silas, “was baptized, he and all his family, immediately” (Acts 16:33).
Cornelius, too, to whom the angel of God appeared and said that his prayers and alms had ascended as a memorial before God, was baptized after Peter preached the word of God to him and the Holy Spirit came upon all those who heard the word. “Peter answered, ‘Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:47, 48).
Lydia, the seller of purple, after believing through the Apostle Paul, “she and her household were baptized” (Acts 16:15).
Beautiful is the statement made by the Apostle Paul concerning Baptism: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27). Therefore, in Baptism, a person puts on Christ. This means that Baptism is the gateway through which a person enters salvation, while faith prepares him for it.
We say this because many Protestants think that a person’s faith alone is sufficient to save him…! Or they think that the second birth comes through faith and not through Baptism! They do not see Baptism as the second birth, despite the explicit wording of the verse, “through the washing of regeneration” (Titus 3:5)!!
This is also despite the Apostle’s statement concerning the Church: “That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot” (Eph. 5:26, 27).
“To sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word”… Protestants and those like them claim that this expression means that He sanctifies her by the word, leaving aside the phrase “washing of water” as though it had no meaning.
The “word” here means preaching. So what does the phrase “washing of water” mean? It means Baptism, which a person reaches through preaching, that is, through the word. Thus, the commandment of the Lord Christ applies: “Make disciples of them… and baptize them…” “Make disciples of them” through the word, and “baptize them” through the washing of water.
An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III — in El-Keraza Magazine — Ninth Year (Issue Seven), 17-2-1978
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