One thing you will notice the more you “test the spirits” is that Satan has managed to deceive many into thinking that baptism is not an essential activity that must take place to be born again. There is an excuse or different explanation for each verse that plainly states the importance of baptism. One such way that has been argued for a long time, and is perhaps the foundation of every errant teaching on baptism, is a misunderstanding of what the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” The argument is simply this; “we are saved by grace through faith, not of works. Baptism is a work and therefore cannot save us.” This teaching comes from a gross misunderstanding of what faith and works are!
In this verse, Paul refers to works of human achievement or effort, not obedient acts of faith. The Greek word he uses for “works” is “ergon” which means “works, deeds, actions.” Paul frequently uses this word throughout Romans and Galatians to demonstrate works of the law, or human effort apart from faith. Ergon is used approximately 169 times in the New Testament and is NEVER used by Paul, or any other New Testament writer, to demonstrate baptism. In fact, there aren’t any pieces of scripture in the New Testament to suggest that baptism is a work. Consider Colossians 2:11-12. Paul says we are “…buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” The Greek word for working here is “energeias” which means “working, activity, operative power, effectual energy.” Paul never uses this to demonstrate human effort, but always for God’s effective action. Notice that Paul says when we are baptized, it is through our faith in the working of God! Paul again makes this clear in Galatians 3:26-27 “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
Paul’s consistent message is that salvation is not earned by human deeds (ergon -Eph 2:9) but is God’s powerful work (energia – Col 2:12) applied to us in union with Christ through faith, in baptism (Rom 6:3-5). It is God who washes our sins away with the blood of Christ (Acts 22:16) and adds us to the church (Acts 2:38-47). When we are baptized, it is because of our faith and trust in what God said He would do. It is an act of reception, not accomplishment. We are not being baptized as a work of human effort or achievement as if to say God owes us salvation! Just as Noah was divinely warned by the grace of God and built an ark by faith (Heb 11:7), we are divinely called by the gospel of Jesus Christ and are baptized for the remission of our sins by faith. All of this is made possible by God’s grace.
- Caleb Westbrook
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