And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. (Acts 9:17-18)

Who Told Ananias To Baptize Saul?

The conversion of Saul of Tarsus was one of the remarkable stories of the early church. For a time, Saul was anything but a disciple of Jesus Christ. He was vehemently opposed to those of the Way, persecuting them to foreign cities, delivering men and women to prison, casting death sentences upon the people of God, and was enraged against the early church. It was Saul who consented to Stephen’s stoning. Saul was feared by all in the church as a scourge of persecution.

Damascus was the next city on the list of Saul to find and arrest Christians. As he drew near the city, the Lord appeared to him and told him to go into the city to be told what to do. Blinded by the light, Saul was led to Judas’s house, where he remained without eating or drinking for three days. The Lord appeared to a devout Christian named Ananias and told him to go to the home of Judas to find Saul. Hesitant, Ananias had heard terrible things about Saul. The Lord assured him that Saul was a chosen vessel to bear the name of Christ before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

Ananias obeyed the Lord’s word and went to Judas’s house. He found Saul blinded, praying, and refusing food and drink. Ananias tells Saul the Lord Jesus sent him to give him his sight back and to fill him with the Holy Spirit. As the scales fell from Saul’s eyes, Ananias told him God had chosen him to know His will, see Jesus, and hear His voice. Saul would be a witness of Christ to all men. Ananias then asks Saul a question. “And now, why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Saul immediately obeyed.

Why did Ananias tell Saul to be baptized? Luke does not record the Lord telling Ananias to tell Saul to be baptized. Why would Ananias encourage Saul to be baptized and wash away his sins immediately? Ananias told Saul to be baptized because that was the gospel of Jesus Christ preached and taught in the early church. Every case of conversion in the Book of Acts demands baptism. Ananias did not take it upon himself to tell Saul he did not need to be baptized. He could have told Saul to call on the name of the Lord to be saved, to accept Christ as his personal Savior, or to pray a sinner’s prayer. None of these happened because they have never been part of the New Testament gospel of salvation.

Saul later recounted what Ananias said for him to arise and be baptized, washing away his sins. Ananias told Saul to be baptized because Ananias knew that sins had to be washed away in the waters of baptism. Grace alone could not do that. Faith only would not accomplish that. A prayer never washed away sins. The language of washing is the language of baptism. Ananias told Saul to be baptized because that is the only place sins are washed away. Luke does not record the Lord telling Ananias to tell Saul what to do to be saved because Ananias already knew what Saul needed to do to wash away his sins.

There are so many people in the religious world who do not believe baptism is necessary for salvation, and they are wrong. Sins cannot be washed away until a person comes in communion with the blood of Christ. Forgiveness is never possible without the blood of the Lamb. The only place (no exception) the sinner can find the blood of Jesus Christ is in the waters of baptism. Grace, mercy, love, faith, confession, etc., are necessary leading up to the obedience in the waters of baptism. Without the cleansing found in the waters of baptism, there is no remission of sins.

Baptism is likened to circumcision under the Law of Moses. If a man was not circumcised, he was not in covenant with God. Every Jew understood the necessity and importance of circumcision. Abraham was given the sign of circumcision before the law as a sign of the promise from God. Baptism is the spiritual circumcision of the heart. No circumcision, no covenant. Without baptism, there is no remission. Ananias understood that. He took Saul and baptized him for the remission of his sins. Why? Because that is what the New Testament Christians taught, believed, and followed in accordance with the word of God.