Jesus Plus Baptism: What the Bible Verses Say
At Teach Me Thy Way, we often find ourselves returning to conversations that matter deeply, conversations about salvation, grace, and obedience. One topic that continues to come up is baptism. Weโve listened to countless thoughtful voices and read words from respected teachers, some of whom have genuinely helped us grow in our understanding of Scripture and the word of the Lord. But sometimes, whatโs said about baptism doesnโt reflect what we actually believe, and more importantly, what the Bible teaches.

This article is a response to one such statement. Not to stir up division, but to offer clarity. We’re not interested in sparking an online debate. We’re interested in truth, handled with a heavy dose of humility. Our goal here is simply to take a closer look at what Godโs word says about baptism, the kingdom of God, and its role in the gospel of grace.
Letโs open the Scriptures together and consider what they truly say about baptism, grace, the name of Jesus Christ, and our response to the good news that leads to eternal life.
I would like to quote a writer that I have often found to be a great explainer of Biblical texts. I respect him as a student and I believe that he has helped me to see important lessons in a number of passages. It doesnโt really matter who he is. I am responding to something he wrote which I have also heard many others say. I want to address it because it misrepresents a position that I hold and it implicitly condemns that position as opposed to the gospel of grace.
โThe battle Paul was fighting in Galatians was for the gospel of grace. There were those claiming or implying that Jesus was not enough, that Jesus’ death alone was insufficient to win salvation. So Jesus had to be supplemented. One had to tack on something to God’s grace in Christ. And so in Galatia there was this Jesus-plus movement: Jesus plus circumcision or Jesus plus my good works. In my country today we have a whole ‘denomination’ that teaches that baptism is essential to salvation. Jesus plus baptism.โ
I believe that baptism is essential to salvation. However, โJesus plus baptismโ does not even come close to describing what I believe or why I believe it. I do not believe that you can have Jesus without baptism. I do not believe that you can call on the name of the Lord without baptism, and if a person cannot call on the name of the Lord Jesus without baptism, then they cannot have their sins washed away without baptism.
Entrance Into Jesus Through Baptism
โFor you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.โ (Galatians 3:26-27)
The sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus are those who have put on Christ in baptism. This is not “Jesus plus baptismโ. This is entrance into Jesus through baptism โ which, by the way, corresponds with the words of Jesus in the Great Commission: โGo therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spiritโ (Matthew 28:19). The ESV has this note for Matthew 28:19: โโฆbaptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.โ
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Baptism and Jesus are not really regarded as mutually exclusive in the New Testament. Theoretically, one could be baptized without faith in Jesus but this wouldnโt conform to the teaching of the New Testament or the practice of its converts. Such a person would not be a son of God. But what if someone believes in Jesus and they are not baptized? According to Paul, they have not put on Christ. Can you be a Christian if you have not put on Christ? Can you be a son of God if you have not put on Christ?
Calling On the Name of the Lord Through Baptism
Consider the instructions of Ananias to Saul of Tarsus: โNow why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His nameโ (Acts 22:16). Ananias was sent to Saul by Jesus (cf. Acts 9:17). This was what the messenger of Jesus told Saul to do about the problem of his sins. Saul was to be baptized in order to wash away his sins. Why would this be effective? If Saul consented to the words of Jesus through Ananias, he would be calling on the name of Jesus Christ. Baptism would be Saulโs acknowledgment of the authority of Jesus. It was not an act of human achievement. It was not โJesus plus baptismโ. It was an appeal to the powerful working of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Laying the Proper Foundation
I believe that the writer’s framework was incorrect from the beginning: โThere were those claiming or implying that Jesus was not enough, that Jesus’ death alone was insufficient to win salvation.โ Jesusโ deathโฆalone? Iโm pretty sure that the writer of these words would not stand by this without any qualifications. Very few Christian thinkers believe that the death of Jesus will do anything for the person who doesnโt believe in Jesus. Would such a view rightly be described as โJesus plus faithโ?
I would also push back against the writer’s framing of Paul’s intentions in Galatians. I believe that Paul was pushing back against a very specific “plus” — Jesus plus Judaism. The proposition of what we call Judaizing teachers was that Gentiles needed to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses in order to be saved (Acts 15:1-2; Galatians 5:1-4). They seemed to elevate the nation of Israel over Christ Himself but Paul stated in Galatians that those who belonged to Christ were heirs to the promises that God made to Abraham (Galatians 3:28-29). Circumcision does not give us access to the salvation in Jesus Christ. It is not a gospel issue. Baptism, on the other hand, was given as a part of the Great Commission. Baptism is how we enter Christ. It is how we call on the name of the Lord.
The argument against baptism is often framed this way in order to make the case seem stronger than it is. We all do this at times when we argue. We react to what we donโt like rather than what is really being said. Then we frame the argument that we donโt like in the weakest terms possible. Maybe you have heard this referred to as straw manning. I suspect that the writer that we have quoted would say the death of Jesus and faith in Jesus are not mutually exclusive. They are parts of a whole that work together for salvation. I believe that baptism is part of the same whole. It is not a removal of dirt from the body, but an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:21).
Final Thoughts
Does this mean that God cannot make any exceptions on the Day of Judgment? God knows how far His mercy can be extended without violating justice. We donโt know that. Any exceptions to the instructions that Paul received from Ananias or the gospel that Paul preached by the Holy Spirit will be Godโs prerogative.
Jesus didnโt tell us to live however we want and hope for mercy. He told the apostles to make disciples of all nations, to baptize them in His name, and to teach them all the things that He had commanded them (Matthew 28:18-20). This is what we must do to become heirs of the Great Commission and the recipients of all that it promises by the authority of Jesus. In baptism, we are buried with Him and raised to walk in newness of life, just as Christ was raised by the glory of the Father (Romans 6:4).
If we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, letโs try to listen to one another in order to really understand what is being said. Letโs have conversations with humility and reverence for the word of the Lord. It will be a difficult process at times. Our emotions and our preferences will get in the way. But if we get better at having these kinds of conversations, we will help one another grow in our understanding of the word of Godโฆand if we grow, we will do a better job of living for Jesus and helping those who are looking for Him.
Tadd Corder
Questions about the Bible verses mentioned here?
If you’re wrestling with what Scripture says about baptism, grace, or salvation, please donโt hesitate to reach out. We are always open to thoughtful, respectful dialogue rooted in Godโs word. We welcome sincere questions and are happy to study the Scriptures together as we all seek to follow Jesus more faithfully. The best way to contact me is to drop a message below, but you can also reach out through the Contact Me page on my website or connect with me on social media.
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