IS WATER BAPTISM A “WORK”?
The churches of Christ Greet You (Romans
Most Protestants, reacting adversely to the “works
system”
of Roman Catholicism, have adopted the extreme (and unscriptural) view
that
works play no role whatever in human salvation. Some allege
that
salvation is on the basis of “faith alone,” while others (e.g., radical
Calvinists) argue that God chose the redeemed before the world began,
and that
redemption, therefore, is entirely unconditional.
“But is it not true” someone is bound to argue,
“that the
Scriptures state that we are not saved by works (Eph. 2:9)?”
Yes, that
is correct. But it is also the case that the New Testament asserts that
we are
saved, i.e., justified, by works (James
Well, it is not (as Luther suggested) that one is
at liberty
to repudiate the book of James as an inspired document! Rather, the
careful
student must recognize that there are different kinds of works
addressed
in the divine record. Let us give brief consideration to this matter
with a
spirit of genuine investigation.
Works of the Law
In his letter to the Romans, Paul makes it clear
that no one
can be saved by keeping the works of Moses’ law. The apostle argued
that “a man
is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (
This certainly does not suggest, however, that obedience
to Christ may be ignored with impunity. In the same epistle, Paul
affirmed
that these saints in
The works of the Mosaic Law could not save because
they
required perfect compliance (Gal. 3:10b), which no person could
achieve.
Moreover, the regime of Moses had only the blood of animals, which
could not
atone for sin in the absolute sense (Heb. 10:4). The primary focus of
the
Hebrew system was to direct attention to the coming Messiah (Gal.
Works of Human Merit
In his Ephesian letter, Paul wrote:
“For by grace have you been saved through faith;
and that
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works that no man
should
glory” (2:8-9).
The works here excluded are charitable works which
men pile
up, imagining that such will justify them, while they, with a smug
self-sufficiency, ignore the sacrifice of Christ and his redemptive
system.
The Red Cross is famous for its benevolent
efforts, but
there is no justification to be found therein, because its “works” are
mere
human benevolent efforts, wholly divorced from the mission of the Son
of God.
The man who boasts: “I am a good person; I do not need Jesus Christ,”
is guilty
of the same mistake.
Works of Obedience
There are works mentioned in the Bible that are
designated
as “works of God.” By this expression it is not implied that these are
works
which God Himself performs. Rather, they are works ordained
of God,
to be obeyed by men, which are indispensable to salvation.
“What must we do, that we may work the works of
God?”
Jesus responded:
“This is the work of God that you
believe
on him who he has sent” (vv. 28-29). Observe that this “work of [from]
God”
required a human response – that of believing. Regarding the term
“work,” as
here used, J.H. Thayer commented: “... the works required and approved
by God”
(Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Edinburgh:
T.&T. Clark,
1958, p. 248).
The term “works” is sometimes the equivalent of
“obedience.”
Elsewhere Jesus promised victory to those who “keep my works,” i.e.,
the works
(commands) prescribed by him (Rev. 2:26). If, therefore, all “works”
are
excluded from the plan of salvation, faith itself would be eliminated,
for it
is identified as a work.
It must be noted as well that “repentance” is a
component in
God’s scheme of redemption (Acts
Is Baptism a Work of Merit?
The truth is, most denominational folks have
little
difficulty in acknowledging that both faith and repentance are
requirements for
the remission of sins, even though they are classified as works in the
Scriptures. The real point of contention is baptism. Sectarians feel
that if it
were conceded that baptism is essential to salvation, this would be
equivalent
to arguing that forgiveness is earned. Baptism, it is charged, is a
work of human
merit. Under this assumption, it is thus (by many sincere people)
excluded
as a requirement for salvation. But this reasoning is fallacious.
In the first place, the only passage in the New
Testament
that even remotely identifies baptism as a “work” is found in the book
of
Colossians. There, Paul says:
“Having been buried with him in baptism, wherein
you were
also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised
him from
the dead” (Col. 2:12, ASV).
The act of submitting to immersion is not
meritorious; the
operation is a “working of God” designed to provide pardon upon the
basis of
Jesus’ death. One is spiritually blessed by the working of God when he
submits
to the sacred ordinance. Nowhere does scripture come anywhere near
suggesting
that submission to God’s command, “be baptized” (Acts
Second, the Bible specifically excludes
baptism from
that type of works that have no relationship to salvation. Paul, in his
letter
to Titus, affirmed that we are “not [saved] by works done in
righteousness
which we did ourselves,” i.e., which we contrived and implemented as a
means of
justification. Rather, “according to his mercy he saved us, through the
washing
of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (3:5). The “washing of
regeneration” (an indisputable allusion to baptism) is plainly placed
in
contrast to those human “works” that is ineffectual to save.
The conscientious Bible student needs to eradicate
from his
mind the false notion that “works” are wholly alien to God’s plan of
salvation.
If you have been confused about the role of works in the divine pattern
of
conversion, why not give the matter fresh consideration?
Go To: The Meaning and Purpose of
Baptism
Return To: Water Baptism