Does Acts 238 in the New Testament teach that water baptism is required to receive forgivness of sins?

Answer 1

There are four reasons why we must be baptized:First, we must be baptized if we want to be saved. Jesus Himself said: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned"(Mark 16:16). The apostle Peter said: "There is also an antitype which now saves us-baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21).Second, we must be baptized if we want to have our sins forgiven. The Bible says: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).Third, we must be baptized if we want to be in Christ. To be "in Christ" means "to be a Christian." The Bible says: "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27). Fourth, we must be baptized if we want to become a member of the body of Christ. The body of Christ is the church of Christ (Ephesians 1:22,23). The Bible says: "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body..." (1 Corinthians 12:13). HOW SHOULD ONE BE BAPTIZED? There are two ways by which churches baptize people today. One is by pouring or sprinkling water on the person's head. The other is by burying or immersing a person in water. Which one is correct baptism? The Bible gives the answer. In the Bible baptism is called a burial. "…we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). If we want to bury a dead body, we will not sprinkle a little dirt on the head. We will cover the body completely. Baptism is a burial. Sprinkling water on the head of a person does not baptize him. He must be completely buried under the water. "Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized" (John 3:23). John chose a place to baptize where there was much water. Sprinkling requires only a little water. But a burial in water requires much water. Therefore, John did not baptize by sprinkling. He baptized by burying in water. "So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing" (Acts 8:38,39). When Philip baptized the eunuch, both of them went down into the water. After the baptism, both of them came up out of the water. To sprinkle a person, it is not necessary to go down into the water. To baptize a person by burying him in water, it is necessary to go down into it. Therefore, Philip baptized the eunuch by burial, not sprinkling. What is the proper way to baptize? The Bible teaches it is by a burial in water. Therefore sprinkling is not true baptism.

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