Biblical Answer

Do I need to be baptized to be saved?

No, baptism is not necessary for salvation.

Baptism is not a requirement for forgiveness of sins or the bestowal of new spiritual life. At the point of saving faith, baptism is not necessary for salvation. However, it is necessary for obedience. In order to be baptized rightly, one must first have a right understanding of what baptism entails and be conscious of the commitment being made.

The Bible supports this view.

Scripture makes it clear that personal, conscious faith in Christ is prerequisite to baptism. In the Great Commission, the command to baptize follows the command to believe in Christ (Mark 16:16). This indicates that faith precedes baptism. Furthermore, passages such as Galatians 5:4 and Hebrews 9:14 and 10:22 emphasize the importance of faith in Christ for salvation, rather than works such as baptism.

The church must safeguard baptism.

While baptism is not necessary for salvation, the church has a responsibility to safeguard the practice of baptism and prevent its abuse. This means that baptism should only be administered to those who have demonstrated conscious faith in Christ and a desire to publicly declare that faith. In this way, baptism can be a meaningful and symbolic expression of one's commitment to Christ, rather than a mere ritual or requirement for salvation.