Can Water Baptism Save Anyone? 11-18-25

This will take some time; maybe a day or two or three, so hang in there and read the whole of the matter about water baptism. During my childhood, I was baptized in a pond, was not taught a thing about the Word of God; wasn’t even told that the water baptism caused me to be saved.

Although I was saved in 1982, around 1988, I felt the need to be baptized in the water publicly affirming my faith in Christ and that I was born again. Water baptism only made me feel better because of the public affirmation- not ashamed to let the world know about my identity with Christ death, burial, and resurrection.

was not like the statement that some make

“They went down a dry devil and came up a wet devil”

I went down being already born again and my physical statement was definitely one like the Ethiopian who came out the water rejoicing.  

Water baptism came after the eunuch received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

So, the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.  Now as they went down the road, they came to some water.

And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized? Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”  So, he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing (Acts 8:34-39).

From what was written, the Word of God plainly says salvation is first and water baptism comes after salvation, and if anyone dies before they are baptized in water, they go to be with the Lord (Luke 23:39-43). Water baptism is a public show of telling others one has previously (or recently) come into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Someone said this under the old covenant:  Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 

Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:39-43).

That was under the old covenant: The curtain was ripped from top to bottom separating the old from the new. And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many (Matthew 27:51-53). Confirmation that the Old Testament saints were in paradise until Jesus went and released them.

That’s when it became a new and better covenant (the New Testament)-

FYI the Jesus was the owner of the will, and a will is never effective until the owner of the will dies; once Jesus died, we inherited salvation. And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together (Romans 8:17).

The Old Testament saints were in paradise (the lower part of the earth; in Father Abraham’s bosom- he was the father of faith). It was a temporary holding place until Jesus died, went to the lower part of the earth, and released the captives (Ephesians 4:7-11). Now the old testament saints are in paradise which in now in the third heaven where God is (2 Corinthians 12:1-4).

Hallelujah! Glory, honor and praises to the Lord for being born again!

His handmaiden, Betty A. Burnett ~ burnettministries.org