Chris,
In this article at Gotquestions.org, they biblically examine every verse that you have provided in your PDF. In addition, CARM has an article regarding what the early church fathers stated regarding baptism and salvation here: http://carm.org/early-church-fathers-baptism . It is important to note that while Irenaeus, Origen, Tertullian, and Ambrose stated that baptism is necessary for salvation; Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Marius Victorinus stated that baptism is not necessary.
From Gotquestions.org:
Is baptism necessary for salvation? What is baptismal regeneration?
Baptismal regeneration is not a biblical concept. Baptism does not save from sin but from a bad conscience. In 1 Peter 3:21, Peter clearly taught that baptism was not a ceremonial act of physical purification, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. Baptism is the symbol of what has already occurred in the heart and life of one who has trusted Christ as Savior (Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12). Baptism is an important step of obedience that every Christian should take. Baptism cannot be a requirement for salvation. To make it such is an attack on the sufficiency of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/baptism-salvation.html
Chris Pinto also did a radio show today on Noise of Thunder Radio titled "LUTHER VS. LUTHERANISM". Show description: Chris discusses the modern day Lutheran Church and their teachings on baptism. Is baptism required for salvation? Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ..." (Mark 16:16) Lutherans take this to mean that immersion in water is quite literally what is required. Does this amount to works salvation? And more importantly, is this teaching consistent with the doctrines of Martin Luther himself? Was Luther a Lutheran?
http://www.noiseofthunder.com/noise-of-thunder-radio-show/2013/8/8/notr-luther-vs-lutheranism-080813.html
Is Infant Baptism Biblical? - John MacArthur | Believer's Baptism - John MacArthur |
After a lengthy back and forth discussion with Chris Rosebrough on his Facebook page, I finally said this: I don't want to misunderstand you, so let me ask you pointblank: Do you believe that water baptism is required for salvation? If you say no, then I'm fine with you. But if you say yes, then I believe that you are in error. What say you?
This was Chris' response:
As for whether baptism is necessary for salvation, I agree with Luther who said:
A person can believe although he is not baptized.... If one is able to get Baptism, it is well. Then one should take it, for no one should despise it. But if one were not able to get it or one were denied it, he is nonetheless not damned provided that he believes the Gospel. For where the Gospel is there Baptism also is and everything a Christian needs, because damnation follows upon no sin except unbelief alone. This is also the reason why the Lord says: "He that believeth not shall be damned."
In other words, Baptism is A means of grace NOT the only means.
(Added 8/12/2013)
Matt Slick of CARM in an article titled "Is baptism necessary for salvation?" writes:
No, baptism is not necessary for salvation. Faith in Jesus is sufficient for salvation. You don't have to do anything. Christ has done it all. However, baptism is very important and all believers should be baptized. If you refuse baptism after salvation, I would doubt your conversion.
Baptism is only a symbol of that which saves, and symbols don't save.
There are no verses that say that baptism is necessary for salvation or say that if you do not get baptized you are condemned. But there are verses that say if you don't believe you are condemned (Mark 16:16). So, baptism is important, but it is not necessary to be saved -- otherwise, we would not be saved by faith, but by faith and a ceremony.
(Added 8/14/2013)
The following is excerpted from the PDF "Baptismal Regeneration and Martin Luther" by Pastor Matt Haney
Charles Spurgeon on Baptismal Regeneration
1. "…of ALL LIES which have DRAGGED MILLIONS DOWN to HELL, I look
upon this as being ONE of the MOST ATROCIOUS—that in a PROTESTANT
CHURCH there should be FOUND those who SWEAR that BAPTISM SAVES
the SOUL." He LATER adds, "...HOW MUCH MISCHIEF that ONE FALSEHOOD
has DONE and MAY DO, ETERNITY ALONE will DISCLOSE."
2. “If this be your teaching, that REGENERATION goes with BAPTISM, I say it
looks like the teaching of a SPURIOUS [false] Church, which has craftily
invented a MECHANICAL SALVATION to deceive ignorant, sensual, and
groveling minds, rather than the teaching of the most profoundly spiritual
of all teachers [he is referring to Jesus], who REBUKED Scribes and
Pharisees for regarding OUTWARD RITES as MORE IMPORTANT than INWARD
GRACE.”
3. “…if there should be one among the readers of this sermon when it is
PRINTED, who is resting on baptism, or RESTING UPON CEREMONIES of any
sort, I do beseech you, shake off this venomous faith into the fire as Paul
did the viper which fastened on his hand… I pray you never rest upon this
WRETCHED and ROTTEN FOUNDATION, this DECEITFUL INVENTION of
ANTICHRIST. O, may God SAVE YOU from it, and bring you to seek the true
rock of refuge for weary souls [he means Jesus].”
4. “Oh! if you rest upon ANY CEREMONY, though it be NOT BAPTISM—if you
rest upon any other than Jesus Christ, you MUST PERISH, as surely as this
BOOK is TRUE.”
5. “A man who knows that he is saved by believing in Christ does NOT,
when he is BAPTIZED, LIFT his BAPTISM into a SAVING ORDINANCE.”
6. “If I am not mistaken, THE DAY WILL COME when we shall have to fight
for a simple spiritual religion far more than we do now. We have been
CULTIVATING FRIENDSHIP WITH those who are either UNSCRIPTURAL in
CREED or else dishonest, who either BELIEVE BAPTISMAL REGENERATION, or
profess that they do, and swear before God that they do when they do
not. The time is come when there shall be NO MORE TRUCE or PARLEY
between God's servants and the time-servers. The time is come when
those who FOLLOW GOD MUST FOLLOW GOD, and those who try to trim
and dress themselves and find out a way which is PLEASING to the FLESH
and GENTLE to CARNAL DESIRES, MUST GO THEIR WAY. A great winnowing
time is coming to God's saints, and we shall be clearer one of these days
than we now are from union with those who are UPHOLDING POPERY,
UNDER the PRETENSE of TEACHING PROTESTANTISM. We shall be clear, I say,
of those who TEACH SALVATION by BAPTISM, instead of SALVATION by the
BLOOD of our BLESSED MASTER, JESUS CHRIST.”
7. “Out of any SYSTEM which TEACHES SALVATION by BAPTISM MUST
SPRING INFIDELITY, an infidelity which the false Church already seems
willing to nourish and foster beneath her wing.”
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0573.htm
Ray Comfort answers a question about baptism
"Mr. Comfort can I ask a question about baptism, for the first say 1500 years was seen as necessarily for salvation, yet your organization holds that it is not." Robert
It seems that you don't know your Bible very well. Baptism isn't (and never has been) a requirement for salvation--see Ephesians 2:8-9. A gift cannot be earned nor can it be deserved (see also Romans 6:23). If you think you can earn the gift of salvation, then eternal life isn't a gift at all--you are owed it by God because you earned it by "doing" something. This is a very common and tragic error made by the millions (perhaps billions) of religious people, who think they can buy their way into Heaven. God will not be bribed on Judgment Day. (http://www.worldviewweekend.com/news/article/faith-skeptic)
(Added 8/17/2013)
John MacArthur on how we are to respond to Protestants who believe in infant baptism:
Now as years have gone on we've gotten kind of comfortable and just sort of said well they believe in infant baptism and we don't and they're our brothers and sisters and that's true. And it's certainly not a reason to call them non-Christians, and it's certainly not right to call them heretics, and it's certainly not appropriate to not have fellowship with them, but it is right to truly understand what Scripture says, so they can come into compliance with the word of God. Time has come after all these years since the Reformation to strip off these remnants of Catholicism that never got dealt with during the Reformation and have been perpetuated and return to the simple New Testament design. Read more: http://gty.org/resources/sermons/80-194