What Must I Do to Be Saved?

Acts 16:31 Clarified

Acts 16:31 is another common scripture used to support the idea that water baptism is not part of the conversion experience. Let me read it… we will back up just a little bit and begin in verse 15b so you have the context. The Philippian Jailer has just asked an important question…

Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.”

This is Paul's response to the Philippian Jailer and it comes after that very specific, very direct question. “What must I do to be saved?”

The evangelical’s argument goes like this. "If the Bible ever had a chance, once and for all, to tell us baptism was a part of the salvation experience, this would have been the opportunity. But Paul says, 'believe and you will be saved.' This passage says nothing about baptism." I wholeheartedly agree. This passage says nothing about baptism. So why are we using it as an anti-baptism scripture if it's not about baptism?

Shouldn’t we also note the absence of obedience, repentance, confession and accepting the message? Shall I conclude that, by their absence, they are not a part of the Biblical Plan of Salvation and by extension, the jailer's belief? Paul does not spell out every single detail involved in belief. But… there are some very curious things which happen in the rest of the story we ought not ignore.

After Paul makes his proclamation, both the jailer and his household were immediately baptized in response to Paul's message. Why would they be baptized if baptism was not included in the instructions Paul gave them?

Evangelicals make an important and critical claim. Listen to this claim carefully. They say, “If baptism is a part of the Gospel, Paul would have included it when he preached the Gospel.” They point out the fact that Paul sums up the Gospel in several places in the New Testament and water baptism is never a part of those summaries. Once again, I completely agree. It is not a part of those summations.

However, there is a problem with this reasoning. Once again, please listen carefully because this issue will come up again and again.

Baptism is Part of the Gospel?

When I hear an anti-baptism proponent claim that I believe water baptism is “part of the Gospel,” my opponent just created what is known as a “Straw Man” fallacy. A Straw Man Fallacy is created when someone makes a claim which exaggerates or changes an opponents position. Once this false claim is established they then proceed to knock down the “Straw Man” by pointing out the fact that it’s wrong.

Let’s review their argument again. Their claim, which is true, is that in each account where the Gospel is summarized in the Bible, baptism is never mentioned in those summaries. Because it is not mentioned in those summaries, it must not be a part of the Gospel. Therefore, it is not a part of the conversion process.

The argument sounds really good but… nobody said water baptism is part of the Gospel. It’s simply the appropriate scriptural response to the Gospel.

The Gospel is about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and that man can be freed from his sins when he “obeys” the Gospel. So, again, water baptism is not part of the Gospel message. It is a response to the Gospel message. You mis-state my argument if you say, it is part of the Gospel. I do not say that. That’s the Straw Man.

The jailer and his family had a reasonable, appropriate and scriptural response to Paul's preaching. Baptism was not some sort of human work or ritual they dreamed up right there on the spot. Paul told them about it. They did not pull it out of thin air. There is no negotiation. There is no questioning. There was no confusion… it was done right then and right there.

What's the Hurry?

Now, this should raise another question. Why would Paul insist that they be baptized… even at such an early hour of the morning?