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The Necessity Of Baptism Using One Scripture

If someone were to ask us to prove the necessity of baptism using only one Scripture, could we do it? Let us see if Acts 22:16 can fill the bill.

The text in Acts 22:16 reads:

“And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”

From this inspired text alone, let us logically make the following observations regarding baptism:

1) It is an act that is to be immediately carried out — not waiting days, weeks, or months to accomplish as some denominational bodies wish to do, i.e., “why are you waiting?”

2) The term “baptized” [Strong’s 907] in this text is rendered “to dip, to immerse, to plunge” in the original Greek language. Thus one has to be “dipped“— “immersed” — or “plunged” into water in order for sins to be washed away [to be cleansed].

3) The phrase, “wash away your sins,” states the purpose of the baptismal act [to cleanse]. Conversely, if an individual is not willing to be baptized [immersed] in water, that individual’s sins are still present before God and the individual remains unclean.

No unclean person will be found in heaven (Revelation 21:27 ESV).

4) The phrase “calling on the name of the Lord,” is completing the command to “arise and be baptized” by the Lord’s authority.

Note the pattern: urgency — “why are you waiting“; act — “baptized” [immersed]; purpose — “wash away sins” —  authority — “calling on the name of the Lord.”

Thus, by looking at this one Scripture, we can logically conclude that the physical act of being baptized in water, in order to “wash away our sins,” is not an option, but an immediate required act by the Lord and by His authority (Matthew 28:18; Mark 16:16).