Which Comes First – Salvation, or Baptism?

Can alien sinners (sinners who have never been saved) be saved before water baptism, or without water baptism?

Notice the Biblical order:

  • Believeth…baptized…saved (Mark 16:16).
  • Born of water and of the spirit…enter the kingdom (John 3:5).
  • Repent…be baptized…remission of sins (Acts 2:38).
  • Gladly received his word…baptized…added to the church (Acts 2:41, 47).
  • Be baptized…wash away thy sins (Acts 22:16).
  • Baptized into Jesus Christ…raised to newness of life…made free from sin (Romans 6:3-18).
  • The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God…And such were some of you: but ye are washed…sanctified…justified in the name of the Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; cf. John 3:5; Acts 22:16; Eph. 5:26; Heb. 10:22).
  • Baptized into one body [of the saved] (1 Corinthians 12:13; cf. Acts 2:38-41, 47; Eph. 1:22, 23; 4:4; 5:23, 26).
  • Faith…baptized into Christ…put on Christ…heirs (Galatians 3:26-29).
  • Washing of water…sanctified and cleansed (Ephesians 5:26).
  • Baptism…forgiven you all trespasses (Colossians 2:11-13).
  • Washing of regeneration…saved according to his mercy (Titus 3:5).
  • Bodies washed with pure water…full assurance of faith (Hebrews 10:22).
  • Souls saved by water…baptism doth also now save us…good conscience (1 Peter 3:20, 21).

When asking whether salvation or baptism comes first, the truth is that they both happen at the same time! How sad that most religious groups teach that people are saved before or without baptism, when God has spoken so clearly!

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