What Baptism Will Not Do
Baptism is a major New Testament subject and despite claims that it is unimportant and necessary, the Bible states that when “obeyed from the heart” (Romans 6:17) a person receives blessings, which are not otherwise available. Peter preached that sins are remitted by baptism (Acts 2:38) and that baptism saves us. (I Peter 3:21) Paul wrote that it is baptism that puts one into Christ. (Galatians 3:27) And Jesus said that baptism precedes salvation. (Mark 16:16)
Nonetheless, as important and necessary baptism is, there are some things it will not do; things that the Lord did not design it to do.
I well recall a fellow saying that being baptized didn’t do him any good because he was still just as mean after he was baptized, as before. Obviously he expected baptism to do what it does not do. Baptism does not change the heart; that requires faith and repentance.
Baptism will not exempt one from temptation. Following Jesus’ baptism, the devil came and tempted the Him. (Matthew 4:1-11) Paul’s message to Christians is to be prepared for the devil’s temptations. (Ephesians 6:11)
Peter was a Christian and an apostle, yet he was guilty of hypocrisy. (Galatians 2:13) Baptism does not immune a Christian from sin. (Romans 3:23)
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Peter wrote, “…after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandments delivered to them. (II Peter 2:20-21) This is exactly what happened to the Simon who lived in Samaria. He believed and was baptized; however, he fell away and Peter told him that his heart was not right in the sight of God. (Acts