Is Baptism a Work of Man?

After reading the beginning of the study which started on baptism, I felt one question needed to be addressed. I know we can study about baptism all day, and I would love to continue studying on the discussion board if people are interested. For now, I would like to only address the question which is the title to this article: Is Baptism a Work of Man? Thank you all for taking the opportunity to comment and share with us your convictions. This is an encouragement to us all. I hope we can continue this study if so desired.

I have read dozens and dozens of articles explaining why baptism is a work of man and not essential to salvation. However, none of these articles seemed compelled to address the statements by Paul in Colossians 2:11-14 – “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. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Notice what Paul says here. We were buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him through faith in the working of WHO? Man? No. God? Yes. Who’s work is the circumcision made without hands in baptism? God’s work.

This next sentence might surprise some. Belief is a work too. Let us read. John 6:28-29 – “Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” A multitude of people had followed Jesus across the sea after having been feed. Jesus told them they did not seek him because of the signs they witnessed but because they had ate the loaves and were filled. They then asked, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Here is the point of emphasis. Jesus answered, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” Believing in Him whom He sent is a work of God.

Many articles I have read always quote the beautiful passage in Ephesians 2:8-10 which says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” We both agree that we are saved by grace, grace is the gift of God, and there is nothing we ourselves could do to earn salvation that we may boast. With all gifts, there comes a choice as to whether or not to receive the gift as Colton pointed out. Romans 5:1-2 says, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Paul explains here that we must access grace through faith. Those without faith have not accessed God’s gift of grace. We must perform the work of God by believing in the One whom God sent (John 6:28-29). Back to Ephesians 2. Who’s workmanship are we to be? God’s obviously. What act of obedience is it where we undergo a spiritual circumcision of cutting away the sins of the flesh in the working of God through faith? Baptism.

One more point about works. In James 2:14-26, James asks several questions concerning faith and works. James 2:14 reads, “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?” Just by asking these questions, James makes it obvious that a man cannot be saved without works as he states in verse 17. In verse 19, James reaffirms the fact that faith alone is not enough because even demons believe in God but that faith without works is dead. In verses 21-24, James recounts the story of God telling Abraham to go and offer his son Isaac on the altar. God had commanded a work of Abraham. As James said in verse 22, “Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?” Abraham’s faith in the work of God was confirmed. Working with his faith, Abraham was justified by obeying the work God had commanded him to do. As verse 24 says, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” This brings us to verse 26 which states, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” We learn here that the body without spirit equals dead, but a body with the spirit equals live, and faith with works equals live, but faith without works equals dead. If we do not have works, our faith is dead. Can a dead faith save a person? No.

There is no amount of works of man that we can do to inherit eternal salvation for it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). We can however access the grace of God through faith (Romans 5:1-2) Jesus said belief in Him is a work of God (John 6:28-29). By inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote that baptism is a work of God (Colossians 2:11-14). We must follow the Word of God and show our faith by our works (James 2:14-26). We must submit to the will of God and put off the body of the sins of the flesh by allowing Him to perform the circumcision made without hands by being buried with Him in baptism and being raised with Him through faith in the working of God (Colossians 2:11-12). According to the few passages we have looked at in this post concerning belief and baptism, we can see from Scripture that both belief and baptism are works of God. As Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, said, “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).
-Tyler