Is Water Immersion A Work of Human Merit?
Does undergoing water immersion earn us our salvation? Are we boasting before God that we can save ourselves by our own efforts through water immersion? Absolutely not. Even though the denominational world holds this to be true, the Bible does not hold that view.
In Titus 3:4,5, Paul states: "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit."
Where did Paul place water baptism - "the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit"? Did he place it under the category of "works of righteousness" (works that earn our salvation) or under "God's mercy"? He put it under the category of God's mercy.
In Colossians 2:11,12, Paul states: "In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."
Water immersion is a working of God where God cuts off your sins. How could that be a work of human merit?
Water immersion is a work of God just as belief is a work of God (John 6:29), meaning when we sincerely obey the gospel of God by doing His works (which include belief and baptism, Mark 16:15-16), we are not earning our salvation, but obtaining our salvation (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
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