Should People be Baptized Because Jesus Was?

Often, when a Christian is offering evidence that baptism is essential for salvation, they will argue that “Jesus was baptized, so you should be, too.” That argument should never be employed and leads to heresy. Jesus was born under the law of Moses, lived under the law of Moses, and died under the law of Moses (Gal. 4:4). His life consisted of many activities that are no longer binding on anyone today (Eph. 2:13-16). If Christians employ the reasoning “Jesus did x, so all must do x,” many errors result, including the heretical binding of the Old Law on people living after its end (Gal. 5:1-4). Christians must stop trying to persuade people to be baptized using the illogical and indefensible position that “Jesus was baptized, so all must be baptized.”

Paul wrote that every Christian should ultimately imitate Christ, but in light of what he wrote in Galatians, that imitation was broad and concerned the character of Christ, not specific actions He undertook (1 Cor. 11:1). Appropriate imitation of Christ includes the adoption of all His spiritually beneficial character qualities (John 12:49-50; John 13:14-15; Gal. 5:22-23; Phil. 2:5-8, etc.) Individual actions of Christ cannot be picked out and made into requirements on anyone, no matter how fitting they seem on the surface. If any action may become a requirement simply because Jesus took it, then someone could say, “All must fast for forty days and nights in the wilderness,” as easily as they could say, “All must be baptized” (Matt. 4:2). That position is heretical and must not be held by any.

The record of Jesus’ baptism by John was written with one intent, clearly stated by Jesus. He said, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). Jesus was baptized to demonstrate the necessity of obedience to God in all things. Learn that lesson, then consider the Bible’s teaching about salvation and ensure that you have been washed in the blood of Christ through baptism, for the remission of your sins (Acts 22:16).