Does the Bible say Baptism is Necessary for Salvation?
by Cooper Abrams
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Does the Bible say Baptism is Necessary for Salvation? by Cooper Abrams |
Many churches teach that baptism is necessary for salvation. This position is commonly called "baptismal regeneration" because it holds that one is "regenerated" or saved only when a person is baptized. A person who is not baptized, according to this teaching, is not saved and will not go to heaven even if he has believed and professed Jesus Christ as his Savior.
The baptismal regenerationists use a number of passages of scripture in an attempt to support their position. Often they use Acts 2:38 where Peter said to the Jews at Pentecost, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins. . . ." Another supposed "proof text" they use is John 3:5 where Jesus said, "no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit" and they conclude the water refers to baptism. In Acts 22:16 Ananias told Saul, after his conversion, to "get up, be baptized and wash your sins away. . . ." Many interpret Peter's statement in 1 Peter 3:20-21, that the manner in which Noah's ark saved his family "through water" is a symbol of the "baptism that now saves you." They state that Paul teaches baptism is necessary for salvation when he states in Romans, "all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death..." (Rom. 6:3-4; Gal 3:27; Titus 3:5). Groups that teach this include the Catholics, Seventh Day Adventists, many Pentecostal groups including the United Pentecostal Church, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Church of Christ (Russelites). This paper will address these and other passages and show that these passages have been misinterpreted and further give their proper meaning.
Baptism clearly is commanded by God for those who have believed and been saved.(1) Overwhelmingly the Bible stresses that a person is saved by grace through faith and that salvation is a gift of God, freely given, when one believes in Jesus Christ for their salvation. (Eph. 2:8-9) There is no question that baptism is an important first act of obedience of the one who has believed in Jesus Christ and received forgiveness of sin and eternal life. However, baptism, as presented in the New Testament, always follows belief and never is the basis for receiving salvation. Baptism, in the Scriptures, is part of one's outward public profession of belief in Jesus Christ as one's Savior and it initiates one into the local body of believers. It follows salvation and though important it is not necessary for salvation.
The clear teaching of the New Testament is that it is faith and faith alone that saves. At least sixty times the New Testament states that salvation is received by faith with no mention of baptism. In Colossians 2:11-12, Paul parallels baptism with circumcision and in Romans 4:9-12, denies the "grace plus works for salvation" heresy by stating that Abraham was justified by God before he was circumcised. Circumcision was a practice commanded by the Lord to Israel and in believing God and outwardly acknowledging Him as a Jew by this sign, showed that he believed and identified himself with Jehovah God and as an Israelite. Circumcision never made anyone a Jew and likewise baptism does not make one a child of God. Like baptism, circumcision was an act of identification.
One passage the baptismal regeneration people have never really correctly understood is Luke 23:42-43 and the fact the thief on the cross was saved as Jesus declared, and was never baptized. They try to skirt the matter by saying this was before the Church Age when baptism was initiated. They state that Romans 10:9-10 requires that to be saved a person must believe that Jesus was raised from the dead. The thief could not have believed that because Christ had not yet arisen. The problem with that idea is that it does not take into account how were people in the Old Testament saved? Old Testament saints were saved by faith, through the grace of God as Hebrews 11 explains. This chapter is the Bible's Hall of Faith and states repeatedly how from Abel on men believed the revelation they were given by God and were saved. Abraham never heard the name of Jesus Christ or of His death, burial and resurrection, but he was certainly saved. But note what the word of God says:
"What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." (Romans 4:1-5)
The Bible teaches that no one in the Old or New Testament who was saved, merited or earned it in any way. The thief died in the Old Testament dispensation during the time the Mosaic Law was in force. He expressed saving faith while hanging on a cross and had no time to keep any law therefore the keeping of any part of the law was certainly not a part of his salvation. Jesus declared that the repentant thief (malefactor) would be with Him that day in Paradise because the thief believed in Jesus Christ and nothing more. Romans 3:20 emphatically states, "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Galatians 3:11-12 says, "But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them." Galatians 3:21-24 proclaims, "Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." Clearly works, typified by the Old Testament law, did not save anyone. The only part the law had in salvation was to point out the Jew's sin which would bring conviction. The law taught the Old Testament people that they were sinners who needed a Savior, the Messiah. If they believed and put their faith in the coming Messiah they were saved, not by their keeping the Law, but by their faith.
Other passages state the same truth that Abraham received salvation by believing in the promises of God, and not by his works. (See Gal. 3:6, 9; Heb. 11:8, 17; James 2:23) God did not change the requirement for salvation after the cross. It was by faith only both before and after the cross.
Applying Ephesians 2:8-9
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph. 2:8-9)
Those that teach baptism is necessary for salvation ignore the clear and emphatic statement of Ephesians 2:8-9. Clearly, the verse unquestionably refutes any notion of receiving God's grace based on any work of man. It states, salvation is the gift of God, "NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast." One of the most simple and foundational rules of interpretation of the Bible is that one must interpret in the analogy of the faith. In simple terms any correct interpretation of the Bible will not contradict other teachings in the Scriptures. This passage says that salvation is the free gift of God and not of works and it is a flagrant error to then interpret verses such as Acts 2:38 as teaching otherwise. Both interpretations cannot be true because, if they were, God would have made an error in telling us one thing in one passage and something totally contradictory in another. However, the problem is not in the wording of the New Testament or in what God says . . . it is found in man's bent to confuse and misinterpret what God has said because of his willing ignorance of the basics of the Word of God. Yes, man willingly is ignorant because he could study and learn, but instead remains blind to the simplest truth. For example look again at the issue here. Sixty passages, including the classic passage of Ephesians 2:8-9, say that salvation is received by faith and faith alone. Paul refutes the grace plus works error in almost every book he writes, yet the Baptismal Regeneration crowd hang on to this false doctrine and ignore the contradiction their belief with other statements of God. They seem blind to the fact that their teaching makes God guilty of being confusing, and contradicting Himself.
Often the baptismal regenerationist trying to reconcile his belief with Ephesians 2:8-9 will state that baptism is not a "work." However, the word translated "work" is the Greek noun ergon ergon er'-gon and means a "an act, deed, thing done" (2). Baptism is indeed a physical act, to which a person submits and is physically immersed under water. It is the deliberate result of new believer exercising his will and agreeing to be baptized. This is the same word used in passages such as 1 Timothy 5:10, 25; 6:18, 2 Timothy 3:17, which refer to "good works" (kalos ergon). To silence any doubt note that the word is used in 2 Timothy 4:14, "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works(ergon)." There can be no mistake that the word means some action a person takes. Alexander the coppersmith's evil deeds were acts or works he committed.
The true interpretation of Acts 2:38 is not clouded in a great mystery that cannot be understood. Anyone with the most basic skills in Bible study can research and find the correct meaning of the verse. Acts 2:38 says, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." The preposition "for" is the Greek work "eis" and simply means "with a view towards," "in connection with," "because of," or "in light of." In other words, Peter said that because they had believed and repented these people should now be baptized.
In English the phrase “for the forgiveness of your sins” may be connected to either “repent,” “be baptized,” or both. The best textual evidence supports the presence of umwn (of your) as a modifier of “sins” in Acts 2:38. New Testament syntax supports this position as well. Concerning the antecedent of umwn, there is no evidence to support the contention that “forgiveness of sins” modifies the command to be baptized.
In other New Testament passages on forgiveness, repentance, and water baptism, you do not find support for the teaching of baptismal regeneration. What is presented is that the significance of Christian water baptism is that all who believed were baptized. There is no example of an unbaptized Christian in the New Testament.”(3) Today, as then, baptism remains a unique testimony of the life-transforming change brought about by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in the believer. In water baptism a believer identifies with Jesus Christ in an action that symbolizes the shared experience of death and resurrection with and in Him. (4)
If Peter, in Acts 2:38, was saying one has to be baptized in order to be saved he would have violated the clear teaching of Ephesians 2:8-9 and the preaching of Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 3:16 that "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Jesus was explaining to Nicodemus how to be "born again" and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. If baptism is necessary for salvation, then why did he not tell this Pharisee to go and be baptized by John the Baptist? Jesus in John 3:36 sums up how to receive salvation when He said, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:36) Jesus did not mention baptism because baptism is not necessary for salvation.
This does not minimize the need for a person, who believes and by faith is saved, to be baptized. It is important for new believers to be baptized and identify themselves publicly with Jesus Christ and other believers in the local church (Matt. 28:19-20) because God has instructed us to do so; but baptism does not save us. Their belief coupled with their incorrectly interpreted "additional requirement of baptism for salvation", did not merit them salvation. It should be enlightening to note that Peter, who preached the message in which Acts 2:38 is found, also preached about salvation later in Acts 3:17-26 and Acts 4:8-12 but never mentioned baptism. Why could he make such an error or overlook telling the people of the vital and necessary act of baptism IF it was essential for salvation. He did not mention it because it was not essential for salvation. As mentioned earlier, baptism is an important first act of a believer (following! salvation) in identifying himself or herself with Jesus Christ and the local church.
Paul in Acts 16:31, said to the Philippian jailer "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." In verse 33, the New Testament says he was baptized. The example is consistent throughout the Scriptures. Those that believed in Jesus Christ for their salvation, as the first act and test of obedience, submitted to baptism. It was a public outward declaration of their inward saving faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. They were, in effect, saying to the world . . . "I am now a believer and disciple of Jesus Christ by this outward act which pictures the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ" thus demonstrating their commitment to Him publicly to the world, (See Rom. 6:3-4). Paul and Silas in answering the jailers question as to how to be saved plainly stated that one must "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." They then told him God's words of who Jesus was and of His sacrifice for our sins. It is obvious the man believed, and because of his belief was then baptized. Further, those in his house also heard the Gospel and they too believed and their belief was followed by baptism. Never does the New Testament present baptism before salvation and certainly not here.
"While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days." (Acts 10:44-48)
In Acts 10:44-48 Cornelius and those present with him, when Peter preached the Gospel to them, believed and received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit; following this they were baptized in water. If water baptism was necessary for salvation why did the Holy Spirit indwell them as believers BEFORE they were baptized in water? The baptism of the Holy Spirit refers to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life and receiving the new nature from God. Peter asks the question, "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?" (Acts 10:47) Peter is effectively saying that Cornelius was saved and had received the Holy Spirit as Peter had and those who believed with him, at Pentecost in Acts 2. Peter further said that Cornelius, who was now saved along with those there with him, should now be baptized in water. If salvation is received at baptism, as some believe, this passage would then be essentially and incorrectly interpreted as saying that the Holy Spirit will indwell the unsaved.
In Luke 3:3 and Mark 1:4, both use the "eis" in regard to John's baptism. (5) John's baptism did not wash away the Jew's sin but, to the contrary, was a public declaration of their repentance from sins in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. In Acts 19:4-6, some of John's disciples who were clearly saved were baptized? Here again, salvation was not received at baptism but clearly before their baptism. They were baptized because they had believed and they were already saved men. John's disciples did not know of the coming of Jesus Christ, but were expectantly waiting for His coming. In learning the truth that He had come, they believed and received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and afterwards they were baptized as a public declaration of their faith and identification with Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 3:8-9 when the unsaved Pharisees and scribes came to John to be baptized he refuse them, declaring that they "bring for fruits meet for repentance." Repentance is evidence of recognizing one's self as a sinner and then by faith putting one's trust in Christ. The word means literally to "perceive afterwards, implying 'change', 'to perceive'" (6) It therefore means to perceive that one's former conclusion was wrong and based on this new perception act differently. John saw no sign of repentance in their lives and would not baptize them. Here too salvation is seem occurring before baptism.
In Acts 19:4-6, some of John the Baptist's disciples, who had believed John's message and were looking for the Messiah, were baptized. Here again, salvation was not received at baptism but clearly before their baptism. John's disciples were saved people who did not know of the coming of Jesus Christ but were expectantly waiting His coming. In learning the truth that He had come, they believed and received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and afterwards they were baptized as a public declaration of their faith and identification with Jesus Christ. The passage says they were saved, indwelt by the Holy Spirit and then were baptized.
"The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." (1 Peter 3:21-22)
Those that use 1 Peter 3:21-22, totally ignore what the verse is saying. They focus on the first phrase "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us" and ignore second phrase (the rest of the verse) which says "(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." The second phrase is a parenthetical statement made immediately to clarify any idea that baptism saves anyone. This statement clearly is speaking of simply washing with water and the act of being immersed in water. It states it is NOT talking about the act of immersion as saving us. It is absolutely dishonest to use this verse in teaching the act of baptism (getting immersed or washed in water) to support baptismal regeneration. Baptism here is shown as an anti-type of Noah being delivered by the water. It was Noah's faith in God that saved him and his family (Hebrews 10:7). Noah was saved out of the water because of his faith which was of his "good conscience."
The statement ends saying one is saved "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." (1 Peter 3:22b) It does not say that baptism saves or is necessary for salvation. Salvation is wholly the work of Jesus Christ, God incarnate in man, who suffered, died and was resurrected for our salvation. Thus twice in the one sentence Peter refutes the idea that baptism is necessary for salvation. Where in the Bible does God say that man's participation is necessary for salvation? A man is told to believe and accept God's truth and promise. He is to accept Jesus Christ's sacrifice and payment for sin alone. Man is a sinner under the condemnation of sin. The condemned man cannot save himself. If he a man is saved from his criminal act it will be by the act of the sentencing judge who sets aside the penalty. The guilty man cannot do some act and redeem himself. In human law a man may be spared the penalty of his crime, but he is always branded as a sinner. Romans 8:1 declares "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." God proclaims the former sinner as no longer a sinner and they are now, therefore, under no stigma or condemnation. He is no longer a sinner, but a regenerated child of God.
The baptismal regeneration people grossly misinterpret John 3:5 saying that Jesus here is referring to water baptism when he said one must be "born of water." However, Jesus was not addressing baptism, but contrasting the two births. One is physical birth in which the infant is born in water and the other the spiritual birth of one who has believed and received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The subject of Jesus' statements is about birth. Being "born again" absolutely refers to spiritual new birth and receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus in verse 8 refers to being born in the Spirit being like the blowing of the wind. You cannot associate water baptism being like the blowing of the wind where you see the result, but not the force behind it. Water baptism is a public act which is clearly seen.
One of the primary rules of interpreting Scripture is to consider the context, who is addressed and what is the subject of the discourse. Nicodemus was a religious Pharisee and a proud Jew. He, like most Jews, believed that being born as a Jew entitled him to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Were they not God's chosen people and the apple of God's eye? One must understand that the most Jews were not looking for a spiritual Messiah, but a political savior to free them from Roman rule. Jesus' preaching made it clear that the Messiah's kingdom, promised to the Nation of Israel, was spiritually inherited. Nicodemus and the religious leaders of his day knew nothing of spiritual rebirth.
They were looking to their Jewish heritage and their good works in keeping the Law to get them into the Promised Kingdom. These religious leaders were blind to the fact that God's people Jew or Gentile are to be spiritual people...not legalistic keeper of ritual and the Law.
Many in the Old Testament were renewed spiritually because they believed God and His promises. Their faith in God promises saved them and they served the Lord because they loved Him. They understood that keeping the Law was their responsibility, but it did not save them. Old Testament saints were not indwelled by the Holy Spirit but they who believed God were spiritual people. In contrast, believers are indwelled by the Holy Spirit today; this started at Pentecost when God instituted the local church,
Note the following verses:
The Jewish religious leaders had turned God's instructions into a system of works for salvation. This is the same thing that the "baptism for salvation and grace plus works people" have done. To them it is not belief in God's promises that saves them, but their supposedly keeping of the law and good works. If they did all the works they concluded that God was pleased and they would enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Yet John the Baptist and Jesus both preached "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." (Matt. 3:2, 4:17) Repentance means to have a change of mind and turn from the error of previous thinking. In other words John and Jesus were saying to the Jews to turn from the wrong thinking that your birth as a Jew and your religious works can save you, and believe in Jesus Christ the Messiah for salvation alone.
Thus, Jesus was effectively saying to Nicodemus, "Yes, you are born a Jew (born of water) , but that will not save you. You must be spiritually reborn." Nicodemus replied asking if he had to reenter his mother's womb. Clearly Nicodemus understood what Jesus was saying about physical birth. Jesus said that unless a man be physically born and then be spiritually born he could not enter the Kingdom of heaven. To make sure there was no misunderstanding Jesus continued and said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6) Clearly born of the flesh means physical human birth. In contrast to that spiritual birth is the work of the Holy Spirit.
It is a misrepresentation of this discourse to say Jesus is teaching baptism is necessary for salvation or that the verse refers to baptism. Nothing He said comes close to saying that. Water baptism is not in view at all in Jesus' statements.
Galatians 3:27 is also misused as a supposedly "proof" text by those that teach baptismal regeneration. However, once again the context and even the simplest hermeneutic principles show this verse is not teaching this false doctrine. The context of the passage is teaching salvation by faith and verse 26 says, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Verse 27 is used out of context by the Baptismal Regeneration people and it says, "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." The baptism here is the baptism of the Holy Spirit that comes when one by faith believes and is saved. This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit in which the believer is indwelled by the Holy Spirit and given the new nature of God as explained in 2 Cor. 5:17. Gal. 3:24 says "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."; this verse does not say here, or anywhere else in the Scriptures, that one is justified by faith plus works (baptism). If baptism regenerates and saves why not say so here and in the sixty some passages in the New Testament which address being saved but do not mention baptism as a requirement for salvation?
Please note the following passage:
"But after that the kindness and 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, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men" (Titus 3:5-8).
This passage and many others show the important truth that after a person is saved by believing in Jesus Christ as his Savior, baptism and an obedient life are important in showing the evidence of true conversion. The most powerful refutation of the false teaching of baptismal regeneration is that the Bible says Jesus Christ was the propitiation for our sins, which means full payment ( 1 John 2:2). It is a form of blasphemy, in the face of this clear truth, to conclude that man can in any degree merit his salvation by performing the ritual of baptism or any other act. Baptism is an act, a ritual and thus unmistakably a work, and God's Word says that works cannot save. Salvation comes solely to those who by faith believe and receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. It was Jesus' work that saves when He, our righteous and loving God, suffered and died alone for our sins. It is a distortion of this truth that would conclude that man must himself perform some act in order to affect his salvation. Salvation is not partially received by faith and then made effective by the act of being immersed in water. This does not minimize the truth that believers are to submit obediently to baptism as a important part of their public identification with Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and with the local assembly of believers in order be become a part of that assembly.
Those that are trusting in their baptism or any other act to save them have sadly been deceived by false teachers. A person is saved solely on the basis of the shed blood of Jesus Christ which atones for sin. This is the one "work" that saves and was the sole work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, God incarnate in the flesh (John 1:1). Some will argue that even if one believes in faith plus baptism they still have believed and are saved. However the fallacy of this thinking can be seen in the teaching that without the act of baptism added to belief there is no salvation. Let me say that again . . . the baptismal regenerationist believes that if he is not baptized he cannot be saved. Clearly, their belief is that baptism is as important as faith according to this teaching because if they are not baptized they are not saved. This teaching degrades faith whereas the Scriptures overwhelmingly speak of the necessity of faith for salvation (sixty times as mentioned earlier) without a hint of or reference to baptism. Surely, all this evidence should alert those seeking God's truth that it is faith that saves . . . not the work of baptism.
Paul plainly and emphatically proclaimed that any Gospel other than what he taught, which God had given him by revelation, was a false gospel and those that preached a false gospel should be "accursed"; Galatians 1:8-10:
Paul states what was the Gospel he preached in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4,10-11:
Note that the passages says they believed in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and they were saved. He did not mention baptism, church membership, or any other work of man as being a part of salvation because is the FREE GIFT of God given to those who by faith believe. No true minister of Christ will preach a false gospel that tells people they must be baptized to be saved.
2-14-08
1. John 3:15-16, 36; 5:24, 6:40; Acts 2:21; 10:43, 15:9, 16:31; Rom. 1:17, 3:22-30, 4:3-5, 5:1, 9:30, 10:9-13; Gal. 2:11; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 3:9)
2. Thayer's Greek-Lexicon of the New Testament, Joseph H. Thayer, Hendrickson Publishers:Mass, 2003, p248.
3. The thief who was crucified with Jesus was not a Christian.(Luke 23:43) Christians are those saved during the Church Age which began at Pentecost as Acts 2 records.
4.
Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol. 153#609, January-March 1996. Luther B. McIntyre Jr., "Baptism and Forgiveness in Acts 2:38", p55, 62.
5.
Luke 3:3, "And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for [eis] the remission of sins." Mark 1:4, "John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins."
6.
Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Thomas Nelson Publishers:Nashville, 1985, p525.
For more information on baptism see http://www.bible-truth.org/baptism.htm
6-4-2000/revised 3-15-2006