          "BAPTISM IS A WORK, AND WE'RE NOT SAVED BY WORKS"

Baptism is a work, or a thing done, and we're not saved by works of a
distinct kind, that is, works of merit.  We are impressd with what
many people in the religious world have been exposed to in the way of
false teaching about baptism, and why they're leery of believing that
baptism has anything to do with man's salvation.

Our Roman Catholic friends believe baptism is a work of merit, i.e.,
the act itself merits salvation whether any faith exists behind the
act or not.  For example, the following quotations from several
official Catholic publications show that baptism often is not an act
of faith at all:

   Valid reception does not require faith...Therefore, an un-
   believer who so desires may be validly baptized even though
   he have no faith. (Jone-Adelman, MORAL THEOLOGY, p. 320,
   cited by O. C. Lambert, CATHOLICISM AGAINST ITSELF, VOL. II,
   Winfield, AL, O. C. Lambert, Publisher, 1966, pp. 218-222.)

Likewise, Catholic sources teach one need not even be conscious when 
he is baptized:

   Baptize any person found unconscious and in a dying condi-
   tion. (Ayrinhac, LEGISLATION ON THE SACRAMENTS, p. 32, cited
   by O. C. Lambert, Ibid.)

On baptizing infants, Catholics teach:

   Many priests find this the least spiritualizing of all their
   works in the Church.  The fact that the recipient of the
   sacrament is unconscious of what is being done, and often in
   consequences behaves in a manner not befitting the occasion,
   undoubtedly detracts from the solemnity of the rite. (Ward,
   THE PRIESTLY VOCATION, p. 89, cited by O. C. Lambert, Ibid.)

Two of the most amazing statements showing Catholics don't view 
baptism as an act of faith, but a mere meritorious work, are the 
following:

   A miscarried fetus or embryo, no matter how small, must
   always be baptized - absolutely if certainly alive, con-
   ditionally if doubtfully alive. (Gerald H. Fitz Gibbons,
   SPIRITUAL FIRST AID PROCEDURES, p. 3, cited by O. C. Lam-
   bert, Ibid.)

   The general rule is, of course, that a child should not be
   baptized until fully born.  But if there is a danger that
   the child will die of suffocation, or from some other cause
   before complete delivery, it should be baptized on the first
   available members. (Rumble, QUIZZES ON HOSPITAL ETHICS,
   p. 56, cited by O. C. Lambert, Ibid.)

These statements regarding baptism as a meritorious work not contin-
gent on the faith of the subject are as repulsive to us as to the one
who argues that since baptism is a work, it has nothing to do with
our salvation.  However, just because Roman Catholicism goes to one
extreme about baptism, we shouldn't go to another extreme where we
don't teach the truth about baptism either.  The argument that works
have nothing to do with salvation is just as as false as the idea
that meritorious works do.

For example, the statement that works have nothing to do with 
salvation is not just an argument against baptism, but also an argu- 
ment against repentance, for it is a "thing done." Likewise, confes- 
sion is a work - not a meritious one, but certainly "unto salvation" 
(Ro 10:9-10).  Similarly, faith itself is a work, for Jn 6:28-29 
says:

                28  Then said they unto him, What
                shall we do, that we might work the
                works of God?
                29  Jesus answered and said unto
                them, This is the work of God, that
                ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Thus, if works have nothing to do with our salvation, then faith
itself would have nothing to do with the salvation of a person!

The truth of the matter is, GOD works in baptism.  Paul said in Col
2:12,

                12  Buried with him in baptism,
                wherein also ye are risen with [him]
                through the faith of the operation of
                God, who hath raised him from the
                dead.

In the next verse Paul told about the work [operation] God does when
we are baptized with this faith:


                 13  And you, being dead in your
                 sins and the uncircumcision of your
                 flesh, hath he quickened together
                 with him, having forgiven you all
                 trespasses;

When we have "faith in the working [operation] of God," rather than
thinking baptism has nothing to do with our salvation or perhaps even
being unconscious to the act, and are baptized, God forgives us our
sins, and raises us up with Christ to walk in newness of life.

[A COUPLE OF FINAL POINTS:

1) Baptism is the most PASSIVE act (or work) of faith required to
   receive Christ and the blessings He provides.  In other words,
   "believing" is something we must DO, "repenting" is something we
   must DO, and "confessing Christ" is something we must DO. Baptism,
   on the other hand, is something DONE TO US.

   "Faith," "repentance," and "confession" are all ACTIVE acts of
   faith on our part. "Baptism" is but a PASSIVE act of faith in
   which we submit to the working of God in our lives (cf. Co 2:12).

   To object to baptism because it requires man to "do" something
   would require one to object to "faith," "repentance," and
   "confession," for they also require man to "do" something!

2) It helps me to think of baptism as a "spiritual operation" in which
   the "Great Physician" does His Work.  When I need surgery my faith
   in the skills of a physician allows me to submit to the operating
   table.

   So my faith in God and in the death of His Son for my sins prompted
   me to submit to the "spiritual operation" of baptism, in which God
   did His wonderful work of cleansing by the blood of Jesus and
   regeneration by the Holy Spirit (Ti 3:5)!
                                                              -- MAC]
This document (last modified September 13, 1997) from the Christian Classics Electronic Library server, at @Wheaton College