Many people have been baptized, but unfortunately, for the wrong reason. It usually goes like this: the person is taught only to believe in Jesus in order to be saved. Thus, the person believed, and he thinks that he was saved at that moment. He is then told to be baptized–not in order to be saved–but to manifest his previous salvation. Years later, the person finally hears the truth (that one is saved at baptism). However, the person thinks that since he had been baptized, then his sins were forgiven and thus he was saved.
But is/was he? Look again at Acts 2:38, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” What is a person to be baptized for? For remission of sins. Was a person who was baptized for “the purpose of manifesting his previous salvation” baptized for the purpose of remission of sin? No. Did he receive remission of sins? No; since he was not baptized for the remission of sins then he did not receive remission of sins. Also, can a person who believes that his sins were already forgiven at the moment he believed, be baptized for the purpose of obtaining the remission of sins? Of course not.
Tell us plainly, must a person, upon being baptized, be baptized for the purpose of obtaining salvation? Yes. [Thus, a person who was baptized for any other reason other than for the purpose of obtaining remission of sins has never had his sins forgiven, and thus needs to be baptized for the correct reason.]
Gary Henson
Series on: “Tell Us Plainly” (John 10:24)